Effect of Different Concentrations of Gypsum Solution on Sodic Soils

Effect of leaching two artificially prepared sodic soils, one rich in chloride and the other in bicarbonate ions with gypsum solutions was evaluated in the laboratory. The soils packed in acrylic columns were leached with gypsum solutions of three different concentrations, keeping the total amount of gypsum same in all the treatments. A greater decline in ESP and pH was observed with decrease in Ca concentration in leaching solutions. Leaching with 20 cm solution of 30 m.e./l Ca concentration followed by 40 cm distilled water proved better than any other treatment in bicarbonate treated soil but in chloride treated one its effect was equivalent to leaching with 20 cm solution of 30 m.e./l concentration. The decrease in EC was a function of total amount of solution/water passing through the columns in both the soils.