Gypsum and Nano-gypsum effects on certain soil characteristics and sorghum yield under saline-sodic soil conditions.

Abstract

A pot experiment was carried out to evaluate the efficiency of Nano-gypsum comparing with conventional gypsum on some soil properties and sorghum crop growth. Soil was collected from Sakha, Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate, Egypt. The nano-crystalline structure of the synthesized material with an averge size of about ≈( 42.5 to 66.5) nm was observed by the SEM micrographs. The study was carried out in a completely factorial randomized design (FCRD), with two modifications included. Nano-Gypsum (NG) and traditional Gypsum (CG) were specified for four different Gypsum-Requirements (GR), namely 25, 50, 75, and 100%. The experiment was three replicates. Soil was analysed for pH, EC, exchangeable cations investigation's findings demonstrated that 100% GR as Nano-gypsum decreased soil salinity (EC) and ESP at the highest rate, reducing EC to 1.20 and ESP to 10.20, and 75% (GR) as Nano-gypsum decreased EC to 1.66 and ESP to 12.69. In contrast, 100% GR as conventional gypsum decreased EC to 1.84 and ESP to 13.30. Overall, saline-sodic soil was significantly and very effectively improved by both 100% and 75% GR Nano-gypsum, which also increased sorghum yield and growth over 100% GR conventional gypsum. According to this study, applying 75% GR as Nano-gypsum is more efficient than using 100% GR as regular gypsum