Effect of Amount of Leaching Water and Method of Calcium Application on the Reclamation of a Saline Sodic Soil

A saline-sodic soil (pH 10.0, ESP 100.0) rich in soluble sodium carbonate was packed in 32 cm long acrylic plastic columns and leached with calcium chloride applied as slug at the soil surface and as dissolved salt in leaching water itself (solution application). For similar amounts of water, the application of Ca as a slug removed sodium up to a greater soil depth than its addition in the form of solution. Increase in the amount of water applied in case af slug increased the depth up to which the exchangeable sodium in the soil was lowered below 15%. With similar amounts of Ca, dilute solutions removed more exchangeable sodium from the soil. The results have been interpreted in terms of simultaneous movement of Na and Ca and change in their concentrations down the profile during reclamation.