盐化及钠质化对土壤物理性质的影响

对盐化土壤、钠质盐化土壤的概念及其参数进行了讨论 ,对盐化土壤的水分物理性质、渗透胁迫以及钠质化对土壤结构性能的影响 ,有机质对钠质化土壤结构性能的影响等方面的研究进行了综述     

Soil organic matter and its lignin component in surface horizons of salt-affected soils of the Argentinian Pampa

Salt-affected soils differ in their chemical properties to all other soils. Sodicity and salinity may affect the soil organic matter component of these soils. In a field experiment, we investigated organic matter decomposition in nonsaline nonsodic Aquic Argiudoll, a nonsaline sodic Typic Natraquoll, nonsaline nonsodic Petrocalcic Paleudoll and a saline sodic Typic Natralboll in the Pampa Deprimida, Argentina. The objectives were to identify the degree of stabilization of organic matter by association with mineral particles in these soils and to follow in particular the fate of lignin in these soils. We measured organic carbon, total nitrogen and the extent of lignin alteration with soil depth and in various particle size fractions. The salt-affected soils contained much less organic carbon and nitrogen in their mollic epipedons than the nonsaline nonsodic soils, and bioturbation into deeper layers was restrained. In the salt-affected soils most of the organic matter was in sand-sized particles. Retarded degradation of plant residues was indicated by the pattern of lignin-derived phenols, suggesting less alteration of lignin in the salt-affected soils than in the nonsaline nonsodic soils. We suggest that this results from the effects of high pH, high sodicity, and high salinity on the microorganisms and their enzymatic activities. The high pH and high concentrations of monovalent cations decreased formation of solid organo-mineral complexes. We conclude that in the salt-affected soils oxidatively altered organic compounds are susceptible to losses in dissolved or colloidal forms, because these compounds are not stabilized against leaching and mineralization by chemical bonding to soil minerals.     

Soil carbon dynamics in saline and sodic soils: a review

Soil salinity (high levels of water-soluble salt) and sodicity (high levels of exchangeable sodium), called collectively salt-affected soils, affect approximately 932 million ha of land globally. Saline and sodic landscapes are subjected to modified hydrologic processes which can impact upon soil chemistry, carbon and nutrient cycling, and organic matter decomposition. The soil organic carbon (SOC) pool is the largest terrestrial carbon pool, with the level of SOC an important measure of a soil's health. Because the SOC pool is dependent on inputs from vegetation, the effects of salinity and sodicity on plant health adversely impacts upon SOC stocks in salt-affected areas, generally leading to less SOC. Saline and sodic soils are subjected to a number of opposing processes which affect the soil microbial biomass and microbial activity, changing CO₂ fluxes and the nature and delivery of nutrients to vegetation. Sodic soils compound SOC loss by increasing dispersion of aggregates, which increases SOC mineralisation, and increasing bulk density which restricts access to substrate for mineralisation. Saline conditions can increase the decomposability of soil organic matter but also restrict access to substrates due to flocculation of aggregates as a result of high concentrations of soluble salts. Saline and sodic soils usually contain carbonates, which complicates the carbon (C) dynamics. This paper reviews soil processes that commonly occur in saline and sodic soils, and their effect on C stocks and fluxes to identify the key issues involved in the decomposition of soil organic matter and soil aggregation processes which need to be addressed to fully understand C dynamics in salt-affected soils.     

盐化和有机质对土壤结构稳定性及阿特伯格极限的影响

对甘肃景电灌区盐化和有机质对土壤团聚体的稳定性、黏粒的分散性及阿特伯格极限进行了调查研究。研究结果表明该灌区盐化土壤中水溶性盐以钠盐为主,土壤具有钠质现象。随含盐量和交换性钠离子百分率（ESP）的增加土壤团聚体的稳定性显著降低,黏粒的分散性显著增加,阿特伯格极限具有降低的趋势,明确地说明盐化和伴随着的钠质化是土壤结构性能退化的主要原因。随有机质含量的增加,土壤团聚体的稳定性显著增加,黏粒的分散性显著降低,阿特伯格极限显著增加,说明增加有机质含量可以显著改善盐化土壤的结构性能。可以根据如下公式利用有机质含量（OM）和ESP预测团聚体的稳定性:WSAR=19.4 0.98OM-1.43 ESP（R2=0.5741,n=67）。团聚体稳定性、黏粒分散性、流限和塑限互相之间显著相关,说明流限和塑限可以作为反映盐化土壤结构状况的指标。     

不同类型土壤引黄灌溉固碳效应的对比研究

通过在宁夏引黄灌区实地调查、采样与分析,研究5种类型土壤在不同灌溉耕作时间序列下土壤有机碳含量及碳密度的变化特征,对比分析不同类型土壤对引黄灌溉耕作固碳效应的差异。结果表明:灌溉耕作引起的土壤有机碳含量的变化因土壤类型的不同而存在差异;在相同的灌溉耕作时间下,5种类型土壤的有机碳密度大小顺序为:灌淤土>潮土>新积土>风沙土>淡灰钙土;与同类型未灌溉耕作的土壤比较,灌溉耕作使各类型土壤有机碳密度均有不同程度的增加,相同的灌溉耕作时间下土壤有机碳密度增幅排列次序为:风沙土>潮土>灌淤土>淡灰钙土>新积土。宁夏引黄灌区的土壤固碳效应因土壤类型的不同存在明显差异。     

Green manure rotation and application increase rice yield and soil carbon in the Yangtze River valley of China

The addition of organic matter via green manure rotation with rice is considered a smart agricultural practice to maintain soil productivity and support environmental sustainability. However, few studies have quantitatively assessed the impact of green manure rotation and application on the interactions between agronomic management practice, soil fertility, and crop production. In this study, 800 pairs of data from 108 studies conducted in the agricultural region of the Yangtze River, China were...     

农田土壤固碳与增产协同效应研究进展

农田土壤固碳是提升土壤肥力、保障和实现农田持续稳定生产能力的关键所在。明确农田土壤固碳与作物增产的协同效应可为不同区域土壤培肥、维持和提升作物产量提供依据。农田土壤固碳明显受到气候、土壤属性、管理措施 (尤其是施肥和耕作)、轮作制度等因素的影响，且与农田作物产量密切相关，二者具有明显的协同效应。农田土壤有机碳与作物增产协同效应存在一定的阈值，且该阈值具有一定的区域差异。东北地区土壤有机碳阈值约为C 44～46 t/hm2，西北和华北地区约为C 22～28 t/hm2，南方地区约为C 33～37 t/hm2。经验方程和模型模拟结果表明，在不同区域，农田土壤每固定C 1.0 t/(hm2·a)有机碳，粮食作物产量可平均提升约0.7 t/hm2，但该响应值在各地区明显受到相应的环境及农田管理措施等因素的影响。深入理解农田固碳过程及其与作物生产力协同作用的机理，是指导不同区域合理培肥、提高土壤肥力、提高养分资源利用效率的关键举措。未来的研究方向和重点是明确不同区域农田土壤可实现的固碳潜力，进一步揭示集约化种植下农田土壤有机碳的固存机制，关注深层土壤有机碳固定对作物增产潜力的影响及贡献，并深入分析表征环境、人为因素等对农田土壤固碳增产协同效应的影响机制及调控原理。     

土壤团聚体中有机质研究进展

团聚体和有机质是保持土壤结构和肥力的基础,二者相互作用,不可分割,前者是后者存在的场所,后者是前者存在的胶结物质。在现有资料中,分别以团聚体和有机质为主要研究对象的报道较多,而团聚体中有机质性质的研究较少。本文从土壤有机质物理分组与化学分组相结合的角度,介绍国内外有关土壤团聚体中有机质的数量和特性及其对农业措施的响应方面的研究进展,内容包括团聚体分组、数量和稳定性,团聚体中的有机质的数量、未分组有机质的性质和腐殖物质组分的性质,颗粒分组中的有机质数量和性质,团聚体-密度联合分组中的有机质的数量和性质,不同土地利用方式和长期耕作施肥对团聚体中的有机质的影响等。以期推动不同粒级团聚体和不同HS组分相互作用及其对土壤固碳和肥力贡献研究工作的开展,为探索土壤有机质物理保护与化学保护之间的关系,揭示土壤固碳和培肥机理提供依据。     

Nutrient-Use and Carbon-Sequestration Efficiencies in Soils from Different Organic Wastes in Rice and Tomato Cultivation

Effects of household waste, chicken manure, and cow dung on nutrient-use and carbon (C)–sequestration efficiencies and improvement of soil fertility were assessed. Application of household waste at the rate of 4 kg m^?2 and cow dung at the rate of 3 kg m^?2 produced the maximum yields of rice and tomato, respectively. Nutrient uptake and use efficiency were enhanced with the application of wastes. Incorporation of wastes increased C content and decreased bulk density of soils. The maximum C sequestrations were 2.6 Mg ha^?1 in soils under rice cultivation and 2.9 Mg ha^?1 under tomato cultivation when household waste was applied at the rate of 4 kg m^?2. The greater agronomic, physiological, and recovery efficiencies of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium were attributed to the greater sequestration of C in soils. The residual value of pH, organic matter, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium indicated the fertility enhancement of soils with the application of wastes.     

Characterization of Slightly and Moderately Saline and Sodic Soils in Irrigated Agricultural Land using Simulated Data of Advanced Land Imaging (EO‐1) Sensor

Around the world, especially in semi‐arid regions, millions of hectares of irrigated agricultural land are abandoned each year because of the adverse effects of irrigation, mainly secondary salinity and sodicity. Accurate information about the extent, magnitude, and spatial distribution of salinity and sodicity will help create sustainable development of agricultural resources. In Morocco, south of the Mediterranean region, the growth of the vegetation and potential yield are limited by the joint influence of high temperatures and water deficit. Consequently, the overuse of surface and groundwater, coupled with agricultural intensification, generates secondary soils salinity and sodicity. This research focuses on the potential and limits of the advance land imaging (EO‐1 ALI) sensor spectral bands for the discrimination of slight and moderate soil salinity and sodicity in the Tadla's irrigated agricultural perimeter, Morocco. To detect affected soils, empirical relationships (second‐order regression analysis) were calculated between the electrical conductivity (EC) and different spectral salinity indices. To achieve our goal, spectroradiometric measurements (350 to 2500 nm), field observation, and laboratory analysis (EC of a solution extracted from a water‐saturated soil), and soil reaction (pH) were used. The spectroradiometric data were acquired using the ASD (analytical spectral device) above 28 bare soil samples with various degrees of soil salinity and sodicity, as well as unaffected soils. All of the spectroradiometric data were resampled and convolved in the solar‐reflective spectral bands of EO‐1 ALI sensor. The results show that the SWIR region is a good indicator of and is more sensitive to different degrees of slight and moderate soil salinity and sodicity. In general, relatively high salinity soils show higher spectral signatures than do sodic soils and unaffected soils. Also, strongly sodic soils present higher spectral responses than moderately sodic soils. However, in spite of the improvement of EO‐1 ALI spectral bands by comparison to Landsat‐ETM+, this research shows the weakness of multispectral systems for the discrimination of slight and moderate soil salinity and sodicity. Although remote sensing offers good potential for mapping strongly saline soils (dry surface crust), slight and moderately saline and sodic soils are not easily identified, because the optical properties of the soil surfaces (color, brightness, roughness, etc.) could mask the salinity and sodicity effects. Consequently, their spatial distribution will probably be underestimated. According to the laboratory results, the proposed Soils Salinity and Sodicity Indices (SSSI) using EO‐1 ALI 9 and 10 spectral bands offers the most significant correlation (52.91%) with the ground reference (EC). They could help to predict different spatial distribution classes of slight and moderate saline and sodic soils using EO‐1 ALI imagery data.     

Long-term effects of NPK fertilizers and organic manures on soil organic carbon and carbon management index under a double-cropping rice system in Southern China

The effects of manure and chemical fertilizer on soil bulk density, soil organic carbon (SOC), and the role of carbon management index (CMI) in soil quality evaluation were studied under a double-cropping rice system in a long-term experiment. The experiment included five fertilizer treatments: without fertilizer input (CK), chemical fertilizer alone (MF), rice straw residue plus chemical fertilizer (RF), 30% organic matter plus 70% chemical fertilizer (LOM), and 60% organic matter plus 40% chemical fertilizer (HOM). RF, LOM, HOM treatments increased SOC content relative to MF treatment in the paddy fields at 0–20 cm. RF, LOM, HOM treatments were more effective for increasing CMI, lability index, lability of C, and SOC stocks, as compared with MF treatment. Based on rice grain yield and carbon storage, integrated fertilization of chemical fertilizer and organic manure proved to be the most effective practices for improving crop productivity and SOC sequestration.     

工程排水和农业措施改良鄱阳湖区潜育化稻田的效果

【目的】潜育化水稻土存在渍、冷、烂、闭(气)、毒及缺素等障碍因素。开沟排水是改良潜育化稻田最有效的方法,而垄作、湿润灌溉及冬季晒阀等栽培管理措施也具有调控水分、改善土壤结构和氧化还原状况的作用。本文研究开沟排水与农业措施相结合改良鄱阳湖区潜育化稻田的效果,旨在为湖区潜育化水稻土改良提供技术参考。【方法】2012 2013年在鄱阳湖区潜育化双季稻田以工程排水(Ditching Drainage,D-D)为主处理,持续淹水(对照,Continuously Flooded,CF)、垄作(Ridge Culture,RC)、湿润灌溉(Wet Irrigation,WI)、冬季晒阀(Winter Plough,WP)4个农业措施为副处理,通过2年4季的田间试验研究了工程排水与农业措施相结合对鄱阳湖区潜育化稻田水稻产量、土壤还原物质总量及土壤物理化学性质的影响,分析了工程排水及农业措施相结合改良鄱阳湖区潜育化稻田的潜力。【结果】工程排水及优化农业措施可以明显提高水稻产量。工程排水条件下持续淹水、垄作、湿润灌溉和冬季晒阀处理的早晚稻产量分别比对应的无工程排水处理增加12.8%、10.1%、13.3%和13.3%,农业措施中垄作处理的产量最高;其中工程排水与垄作相结合增产效果最明显,每季增产1.11-1.89 t/hm2。受排水造成田内养分流失等因素影响工程排水和农业措施对水稻收获期秸秆和籽粒中的养分含量影响没有明显规律。工程排水显著降低了潜育化稻田0—15 cm土壤还原物质总量,冬季晒阀和垄作处理也显著降低了土壤还原物质总量,工程排水与优化栽培模式相结合降低土壤还原物质总量的作用更明显,其中也以工程排水与垄作相结合作用最好,可减少1.11 1.87 cmol/kg。潜育化稻田耕层土壤还原物质总量随着土壤深度增加而增高。工程排水显著提高了潜育化稻田的土壤阳离子交换量、速效磷、全氮含量,农业措施中垄作对提高土壤养分含量及改善养分供应状况的作用最明显。工程排水还提高了垄作、湿润灌溉和冬季晒阀等农业措施土壤腐殖质碳和富里酸碳含量。【结论】工程排水可以显著降低土壤还原物质总量,提高土壤阳离子交换量、速效磷、土壤全氮含量,垄作、湿润灌溉和冬季晒阀等农业措施也可降低土壤还原物质总量,提高土壤养分含量及改善养分供应状况,其中垄作的作用最明显。因此,在采用工程排水措施改良鄱阳湖区潜育化稻田时,还应采取适当的栽培措施。     

干旱绿洲长期微咸地下水灌溉对棉田土壤微生物量影响

由于淡水资源的缺乏,利用微咸地下水灌溉是干旱绿洲普遍采用的一种灌溉措施。该文对北疆棉区长期利用微咸地下水灌溉的土壤微生物和酶活性进行了研究。结果表明,长期微咸地下水灌溉土壤的含盐量比渠水灌溉上升61.5%,显著增加了棉田耕层土壤盐分（P＜0.05）,土壤可交换性钠百分率（ESP）升高3.2倍,并造成土壤碱化。微咸地下水灌溉纤维素酶、脲酶等、转化酶及过氧化氢酶4种酶活性分别降低了21.3%、50.9%、50.0%和10.5%,但在微咸地下水灌溉条件下多酚氧化酶和碱性磷酸酶的活性显著升高。微咸地下水灌溉对土壤微生物有明显抑制作用,长期微咸水灌溉使土壤微生物量碳、氮分别降低24.4%和42.4%,但对微生物量磷影响不显著。微生物量和酶活性与棉田土壤肥力密切相关,长期微咸地下水灌溉导致有机质、全氮分别降低26.8%和28.0%。长期微咸地下水灌溉影响了土壤生物质量,不利于绿洲农田土壤的持续利用。     

秸秆还田下土壤有机质激发效应研究进展

土壤有机质是农田肥力的基础与核心,对作物产量、农业环境,甚至地球碳循环意义重大。作物秸秆作为农田土壤有机碳库的重要外部补充,其还田过程对土壤有机碳周转和碳库平衡具有显著影响。激发效应是一种因新鲜有机质输入而导致土壤本底有机质矿化速率发生改变的现象。秸秆还田导致的土壤有机质分解激发,不仅涉及秸秆资源化高效利用,还直接关系到农田土壤碳库的平衡及其功能,因此备受科学界关注。尽管对外源有机质输入引起的土壤有机质激发效应的理论研究已取得了较大进展,但如何结合最新的理论结果到秸秆还田固碳减排的生产实践中仍面临着较大的挑战,这主要归结于对农田土壤有机质分解激发效应的发生特点和规律,及其背后的土壤、气候、管理等相关的驱动因子和过程还未完全明确。据此,本文首先对土壤有机质分解激发效应发生的理论研究进展(包括:共代谢理论、氮矿化理论、化学计量比和微生物残体再利用)进行了系统综述。其次,结合已有的研究证据和理论假设进一步概述了秸秆还田过程中影响激发强度和方向的潜在驱动因素,如:秸秆类型和数量、还田方式、水肥管理、土壤属性、气候因子等。最后,从秸秆还田的高效性、农田碳库的可持续和农业环境的友好性出发,对秸秆还...     

Strategy for long term use of saline drainage water for irrigation in semi-arid regions

In arid and semi-arid regions, effluent from subsurface drainage is often saline and in the absence of a natural outlet, its disposal is a serious environmental threat. A field experiment was conducted for 7 years using drainage water of different salinity levels (EC_iw=6, 9, 12 and 18.8 dS/m) for irrigation of wheat during the dry winter season. The objective was to find whether crop production would still be feasible and soil salinity would not be increased unacceptably by this practice. The experimental crop was wheat during the winter season and pearl-millet and sorghum in the rainy season, grown on a sandy loam soil provided with subsurface drainage system. All crops were given a pre-plant irrigation with non-saline canal water and subsequently, saline drainage water of different salinity levels was used for the irrigation of wheat as per the treatment. On an average, the mean yield reduction in wheat yield at different EC_iw was 4.2% at 6, 9.7% at 9, 16.3% at 12 and 22.2% at 18.8 dS/m. Pearl-millet and sorghum yields decreased significantly only where 12 dS/m or higher salinity water was applied to previous wheat crop. The high salinity and sodicity of the drainage water increased the soil salinity and sodicity in the soil profile during the winter season, but these hazards were eliminated by the subsurface drainage during the ensuing monsoon periods. The results obtained provide a promising option for the use of poor quality drainage water for the irrigation of winter wheat without undue yield reduction and soil degradation.     

长期施肥红壤性稻田和旱地土壤有机碳积累差异

  【目的】  提高土壤有机碳水平对提升农田生产力有重要意义。基于长期定位施肥试验,比较施肥影响下相同成土母质发育的红壤性稻田和旱地土壤的总有机碳 (TOC) 及其组分的积累差异,以深入理解红壤有机碳的固持及稳定机制。  【方法】  稻田和旱地长期施肥试验分别始于1981和1986年,包含CK (不施肥对照)、NPK (施氮磷钾化肥) 和NPKM (有机无机肥配施) 3个处理,在2017年晚稻和晚玉米收获后,采集两个试验上述处理的耕层 (0—20 cm) 土样,通过硫酸水解法分离土壤活性与惰性有机碳,测定并计算土壤中TOC及其组分的含量及储量,并利用Jenny模型拟合试验期间耕层土壤TOC含量的变化动态,估算土壤固碳潜力。  【结果】  与CK相比,长期施肥可提高稻田和旱地土壤各有机碳组分的含量,且NPKM处理的效果优于NPK处理。相比于稻田土壤,施肥对旱地土壤各有机碳组分含量的提升更加明显。NPK和NPKM处理下,旱地土壤活性有机碳组分Ⅰ、活性有机碳组分Ⅱ、惰性有机碳含量的增幅分别是稻田土壤的2.7、2.7、5.8倍和2.0、1.4和2.5倍。不论施肥与否,稻田土壤TOC的固存量和固存潜力均显著高于旱地土壤。施肥促进土壤固碳,在稻田和旱地土壤上,NPKM处理的TOC固存量分别是NPK处理的1.7和25.5倍,TOC固存潜力则分别是NPK处理的1.4和5.8倍。长期不同施肥均显著提高稻田和旱地土壤年均碳投入量,线性拟合方程表明,随碳投入量增加,土壤活性有机碳储量的累积对稻田、旱地土壤TOC储量累积的贡献率分别达64.7%、44.6%。不同处理间稻田与旱地土壤活性有机碳 (包括活性有机碳组分Ⅰ与活性有机碳组分Ⅱ) 含量的差异可解释其TOC含量差异的52.9%～60.0%。  【结论】  与施氮磷钾化肥相比,有机无机肥配施可更好的促进土壤固碳,且在旱地土壤上的促进作用比在稻田土壤上更为明显。与稻田土壤相比,旱地土壤各有机碳组分含量的变化对长期施肥的响应更敏感,且在施氮磷钾化肥条件下表现更为明显。红壤性稻田和旱地土壤TOC积累的主要贡献组分分别为活性有机碳和惰性有机碳。红壤植稻虽有利于有机碳固持,但红壤性稻田土壤的活性碳占比较高,可能易因不当管理而发生损失。     

中国盐渍土研究：历程、现状与展望

盐渍土研究是以盐渍土和盐渍生境作为主要研究对象，以盐渍土和盐渍化的发生与演变过程、环境要素和人类活动对盐渍化的影响与作用机制、盐渍土的治理、改良和利用的理论与技术为主体的研究领域。我国盐渍土面积巨大、种类繁多，盐渍化问题突出，对农业生产和生态环境造成不同程度的影响。我国科学家提出的盐渍土“水盐调控”“水盐平衡”，“淡化肥沃层”和“障碍消减”等理论与技术方法，为发展农业生产、提高土地产能、保障粮食安全、拓展耕地资源等发挥了积极作用。近期我国在土壤盐渍化演变过程的监测与多源数据融合、土壤水盐运移过程模拟与尺度转换、盐渍农田养分循环与减损增效、盐渍障碍的生态消减、盐渍障碍微生物修复、盐渍农田灌排优化管理与边际水安全利用等方面取得了积极的进展和成果。建议今后深入开展盐渍土精准控盐的高效和安全用水、土壤盐渍障碍的绿色消减与健康保育、盐渍农田养分库容扩增与增碳减排、土壤盐渍化与区域生态的耦合响应和协同适应等方面的理论与技术研究。应面向农业、资源、生态、环境等领域和行业，致力于拓展理论和新技术的研究，为国家农业升级、粮食安全、耕地保护、生态安全、高质量发展发挥重要作用。本文回顾了我国盐渍土研究工作的...     

西湖平原区连续13年定位施肥对麦、稻产量及土壤肥力的影响

以浙江省水网平原水稻主产区土壤为对象,通过定位试验,研究了连续13年的不同施肥处理对麦稻产量、土壤养分状况和物理性状的影响。结果表明,化肥配施有机肥可显著提高麦、稻产量; 不同施肥处理的长期定位试验土壤有机质含量和全氮均呈上升趋势,增幅依次为: 栏肥+NPK秸秆+NPKNPK秸秆栏肥CK处理; 土壤碱解氮和速效磷也呈增加趋势,以栏肥+NPK处理的增幅最为明显。土壤物理性状的分析表明,长期施肥均能明显增加土壤水稳性团粒含量和土壤孔隙度。经土壤养分平衡分析,栏肥+NPK、秸秆+NPK和NPK处理的氮和磷呈现盈余,秸秆和CK处理氮和磷亏缺; 栏肥+NPK和秸秆+NPK处理钾基本平衡,NPK、秸秆、栏肥和CK处理钾严重亏缺。长期定位试验进一步证明有机肥与氮、磷、钾化肥长期配合施用可实现当地农作物持续稳产,农田施肥管理要注意适当减少氮、磷投入,增加钾肥施用量,保持农田土壤养分平衡。     

Changes in soil properties of an eastern Australian vertisol irrigated with treated sewage effluent following gypsum application

Historically many towns in inland Australia disposed of their treated sewage by pumping into local rivers. This is no longer a feasible proposition. Alternatives to river pumping include irrigation and/or aquaculture. As treated sewage effluent may contain large amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus and sodium salts, if not managed carefully, soil salinity, sodicity and nutrient accumulation could increase. The objective of this study was to evaluate if gypsum application had any effect on soil‐quality changes in a Vertisol due to irrigating a cotton–wheat rotation with tertiary treated sewage effluent. The treatments were application of 2·5 t ha⁻¹ of gypsum in June 2000 before commencing irrigation and an untreated control. Annually, between June 2000 and April 2004, irrigation water quality and soil changes in nitrate‐N, EC_1:5, pH, organic carbon, Cl, dispersion index, and exchangeable cations to a depth of 1·8 m were measured and deep drainage inferred with the chloride mass balance method. Cotton lint yield and fibre characteristics were also evaluated. Irrigation with treated sewage effluent increased exchangeable Na in all depths, and exchangeable Ca and K in the clayey‐textured surface 0·6 m, but decreased exchangeable Ca and K, and SOC in the coarser clay‐loam‐textured depths > 0·6 m. Nitrate‐N leaching, associated with deep drainage had occurred, as the crops had not used all the N in irrigation water. Gypsum application decreased exchangeable Ca, increased dispersion and during the 2003–2004 season deep drainage, but had no effect on salinity, sodicity or pH. Application of commercial gypsum at sub‐optimal rates with sodium‐rich irrigation water is, therefore, unlikely to improve soil properties. Stubble incorporation before sowing cotton in 2003 appears to have mobilized gypsum applied during 2000. Gypsum application reduced cotton lint yield and fibre quality during 2003–2004. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Advances in the prognosis of soil sodicity under dryland irrigated conditions

Salt-affected soils, both saline and sodic, may develop under both dryland and irrigated conditions, affecting the physical and chemical soil properties, with negative consequences in the environment, in crop production and in animal and human health. Among the development processes of salt-affected soils, the processes of sodification have generally received less attention and are less understood than the development of saline soils. Although in both, hydrological processes are involved in their development, in the case of sodic soils we have to consider some additional chemical and physicochemical reactions, making more difficult their modeling and prediction. This is especially true where we have to consider the effects of the groundwater level and composition. In this contribution there are presented three case studies: one related to the development of sodic soils in the lowlands of the Argentina Pampas, under dry-land conditions with sub-humid temperate climate and pastures for cattle production; the second deals with the development of sodic soils in the Colombia Cauca Valley, under irrigated conditions and tropical sub-humid climate, in lands used for sugarcane cropping dedicated to sugar and ethanol production; and the last one related to the sodification of soils in the Western Plains of Venezuela, under irrigated conditions, sub-humid tropical climate and continuous cropping of rice under flooding. The development of sodicity in the surface soil is partially related to the composition and level of the ground-water, mainly affected in the Argentina case by drainage conditions, in the case of Colombia to the inefficient irrigation and inadequate drainage, and in the case of Venezuela to the soil management and irrigation system. There is shown how the model SALSODIMAR, developed by the author, based on the balance of water and soluble components of both irrigation water and ground-water, under different water and land management conditions, may be successfully adapted for the diagnosis and prediction of the different processes and problems, and for selection of alternatives for their prevention and amelioration.