Aiad M.A.F., M.A. Abd El-Aziz, B.A.A. Zamil and A.S. Antar( 2012). Combating of soil deterioration at north delta, Egypt. J. Agric. Res. Kafr El-Sheikh Univ., 38 (2), 322-341.
Abstract: A field experiment was conducted at North Nile Delta (Kafer El-Shiekh Governorate, Egypt), to evaluate the effect of laser land leveling, subsoiling, sandy mole, aser+subsoiling, laser+ sandy mole and biosolids treated by lime or rice straw on improving some soil physio-chemical properties, yields and N-uptake by plants. Results showed that, subsurface tillage treatments seemed to be effective in lowering soil salinity and sodicity. The reduction mean values of soil salinity up to 60 cm depth than control, after three seasons were 4.65, 4.74, 3.72 and 3.85 dSm-1 for subsoiling, sandy mole, laser+ subsoiling and laser+ sandy mole, respectively. The corresponding values of ESP were 6.06, 6.26, 4.69 and 4.60%, respectively. Soil salinity and sodicity under biosolids treatments were somewhat lower than the control. Laser land leveling not realized different for soil salinity and sodcity. Laser land leveling resulted in higher (varied from 1.36 to 1.58 g/cm3) soil bulk density than traditional land leveling (varied from 1.30 to 1.49 g/cm3). Subsurface tillage and biosolids application reduced bulk density especially in the top soil layers. Soil bulk density with subsoiling and moling treatments varied from 1.12 to 1.22 g/cm3 in the layer (0-20cm) and from 1.33 to 1.42 g/cm3 in layers (40-60cm). Soil porosity data had the opposite trend to that of the bulk density. Subsurface tillage treatments reduced soil penetration resistance (SPR). Values of SPR with subsoiling and sandy mole treatments varied from 0.64 to 1.01 MPa for soil layers (0-60cm) and from 1.13 to 1.36 MPa with the control. The biosolids application were realized somewhat lower in SPR for surface soil layer. Laser land leveling caused increase of SPR. Basic infiltration rate (IR) with subsoiling, sandy mole, laser+subsoiling and laser+ sandy mole increased over the control, respectively, by 1.46, 1.62, 1.30 and 1.52 cm/hr after one season and were 1.32, 1.25, 0.92 and 1.04 cm/hr after three seasons from beginning of the experiments. Also, biosolids realized favorable effects for IR. Basic IR under laser land leveling was lower than control by 0.18 and 0.11 cm/hr after one and three seasons, respectively.
Data also revealed that wheat, rice and sugar beet yield differed significantly with various treatments of study. The values of wheat grain yield were 1650, 2050, 2210, 2150, 2320, 2310, 1780 and 1730 Kg/fed. for the control, laser land leveling, subsoiling, sandy mole, laser+ subsoiling, laser+ sandy mole, compost+ rice straw and compost+ lime, respectively. The corresponding values of rice grain yield were 2.44, 3.10, 3.05, 2.95, 3.21, 3.20, 2.70 and 2.65 ton/fed., respectively.Roots yield of sugar beet under laser land leveling treatment was lower (19.24 ton/fed.) than that of the control (21.13 ton/fed.). While, it were higher with subsoiling, sandy mole, aser+subsoiling, laser+ sandy mole, compost+ rice straw and compost+ lime than the control by 5.96, 5.68, 4.24, 4.29, 1.96 and 1.57 ton/fed., respectively. N-uptake by all plants was parallel to the yield results except for the biosolids treatments. Sandy mole and subsoiling alone or combined with laser land levelling had an adequate auxiliary drainage in clay soils of low level with saline water table to reserve the root zone from water logging and salinity.
Keywords: (Laser land leveling, sandy mole, Subsoiling, compost, Clay soil,.)
