Reclamation of salt-affected soils in Northeast Brazil with application of mined gypsum and limestone

With the objective of evaluating the effect of the application of chemical amendments on the physical and chemical properties as well as on reclamation of the salt-affected soils in the "Perímetro Irrigado de Custódia", in Pernambuco state, Brazil, an experiment was carried out in soil columns installed at the Soil Salinity Laboratory of the Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco. The treatments were arranged in a randomized block design in a factorial scheme consisting of four soils, two methods of applications of gypsum and gypsum + limestone (applied on the surface and incorporated into the first 5 cm of the soil column), two combinations of the chemical amendments (100% gypsum and 80% gypsum + 20% limestone), calculated on the basis of gypsum requirement of soils and four granulometry gypsum fractions (2.0 - 1.0; 1.0 - 0.5; 0.5 - 0.3 and < 0.3 mm) with three replications. In the saturation extract the electrical conductivity and the soluble cations were determined. The application of gypsum and the mixture of gypsum + limestone showed to be efficient for correction of soil sodicity, which was indicated by a positive effect on the physical and chemical characteristics of the soils, therefore these may be recommended as calcium source for the reclamation of the saline-sodic soils. Among the gypsum granulometry, the fine fractions (0.5 - 0.3 and < 0.3 mm), presented better performance in leaching salt and in the reduction of sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) in saturation extract.

saline-sodic soils; gypsum; limestone; salinity; SAR