Response of Physical Properties of Sandy Soil Treated with Different Levels of Natural Soil Conditioners Zeolite and Perlite
Response of Physical Properties of Sandy Soil Treated with Different Levels of Natural Soil Conditioners Zeolite and Perlite
Mustafa Qais Hamid
ABSTRACT
Sandy soils are prone to degradation due to their weak structure, which affects water movement and retention. This study was conducted to know the response of physical properties of sandy soil when treated with different levels of zeolite and perlite Conditioners, alone and mixed. The study was implemented Using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with two factors and three replicates for each treatment. The soil was planted with (Zea mays L.) seeds, different levels of zeolite and perlite were added to the soil (0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10 %) of the dry soil weight immediately after planting, individually and mixed, and after 30 and 60 days of addition, Some physical properties of sandy soil were estimated. The combined application of zeolite and perlite significantly reduced bulk density and saturated hydraulic conductivity after 60 days at the 10% application rate, with bulk density decreasing by 25.87% to an average of 1.212 Mg m-3 and saturated hydraulic conductivity decreasing by 75.97% to an average of 0.197 cm min-1, compared to control values of 1.635 Mg m-3 (bulk density) and 0.82 cm min-1 (saturated hydraulic conductivity). Additionally, the combined application at the 10% level resulted in the highest significant (P < 0.05) increases in moisture content and total porosity, improving by 51.27% and 55.26%, respectively, compared to control values of 13.22% (moisture content) and 38.27% (total porosity).
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