Wafaa M.T. El-Eter; Hoda M. R. M. Ahmed ; Enshrah I. M. El-Maaz and W. M. El-Farghal( 2019). The Relative Effects of Different Soil Conditioners and Levels of Irrigation on Soil Properties and Plant Growth Under Conditions of Sandy Soils Egypt. J. of Appl. Sci., 34 (1) 2019 46-71
Abstract: In recent years, many advances have been achieved towards the improvement of the quality and quantity in agriculture. The advances and development in agriculture depend not only on mechanization and new hybrid seeds but also on the improvement of the soil properties which also help increase the crop productivity. Unsuitable soil conditions for plant development generally arise from the lack of soil organic content. On these basis, a field experiment was carried out at the farm of Ismailia Agriculture Research Station, Egypt during two successive seasons of 2013 and 2014, cultivated with faba bean ( Vicia faba L, cv. Giza 843) in winter season 2013 and maize (Zea maize L, variety cv. hybrid singles 10) in summer season 2014. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of three different irrigation treatments, viz. I1 (2.1), I2 (1.0), I3 (8.0) accumulative pan evaporation, respectively, and three soil amendments, viz. SC1 (calcium humates,40 L fed-1), SC2 (organclay, 5 ton fed-1 bentonite+ 10 m3 fed-1 compost + 200 kg fed-1 sulphure) and SC3 (polyacrylamide 2%+ 10 m3 fed-1 compost) in improving sandy soil properties and productivity of both faba bean and maize yield components where drip irrigation system was applied. Results indicated that, the highest actual irrigation treatment was recorded under I1 (2.1 accumulative pan evaporation) treatment, for both faba bean and maize cropping system, while the lowest one was recorded under 0.8 accumulative pan evaporation. Also, the obtained results show a noticeable reduction in soil pH and salinity as a result of treating the soil with different soil conditioners compared to control. The effect is more obvious in case of applying SC2 (bentonite + compost+ sulphure) and I1 (2.1 accumulative pan evaporation) with or without inoculation compared with other treatments and control. The soil content of OM increased in case of SC2 (bentonite + compost+ sulphure) and I1 (2.1 accumulative pan evaporation) with or without inoculation compared with other treatments and control. The CEC (cmolkg-1) value was affected by different treatments with or without inoculation. Soil OM and CEC (c mol/kg) values were significantly increased as affected by all the applied treatments. The highest diameters of dry aggregates were affected by SC2 (bentonite + compost+ sulphure) and I1(2.1 accumulative pan evaporation) with or without inoculation compared with other treatments and control. The values of soil bulk density of soil profiles treated by all treatments were relatively low compared to those of control, whereas the maximum decrease exists in soil treated by SC2 (bentonite + compost+ sulphure) and I1(2.1 accumulative pan evaporation) irrigation treatment with or without inoculation compared with other treatments and control. The same trend was true in case of the soil total porosity values. It is clear that application of all treatments decreased soil hydraulic conductivity (cm h-1) values when compared to the control. Moreover, the best treatment in decreasing soil hydraulic conductivity (cm h-1) values SC2(bentonite + compost+ sulphure) and I1(2.1 accumulative pan evaporation) with inoculation or non-inoculation compared to control and other treatments whereas the highest values of field capacity and available water existed in case of the same treatment. Finally, applying SC2 (bentonite + compost+ sulphure) and I1 (2.1 accumulative pan evaporation) irrigation treatment with or without inoculation increased significantly the yield and yield components of both faba bean and maize, where the highest values of both faba bean and maize yields and yield components existed in case of SC2 (bentonite + compost+ sulphure) and I1 (2.1 accumulative pan evaporation) using inoculation or non-inoculation application compared with other treatments and control. The beneficial effects of the applied treatments on faba bean and maize yields could be arranged in the following order: SC2 (bentonite + compost + sulphure) >SC1 (Ca-humate) >SC3 (compost+ polyacrylamide)>control.
Keywords: (Water stress, Bio-fertilizer , Soil conditioners , Faba bean, maize productivity , Sandy soil.)
