Some agricultural practices for improving the productivity of moderately sodic soil II: wheat yield, nutrient status, and economic potentiality

Abstract

To evaluate the effect of some agricultural practices, namely, tillage systems (shallow and subsoiling), gypsum application (0.0, 4.76 and 9.52 t/ha), and farmyard manure (FYM) application (0.0, 11.9, 23.8 and 35.7 m/ha) on grain and/or straw yields, nutrient status and economic potentiality of wheat grown on moderately sodic soil, two successive seasons of 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 were carried out at Agricultural Farm of Sids Station, ARC, Egypt. The main results can be summarized as follow: Highest values of grain and/or straw yields, N, P, and K concentrations, and uptake of both grain and straw were recorded under subsoiling tillage, 9.52 t/ha gypsum or 35.7 m/ha FYM than other treatments. Considering the economic analysis, the treatment of zero or 4.76 t/ha gypsum plus 35.7 m/ha FYM under subsoiling operation resulted in the highest net return of wheat production. Therefore, under moderately sodic soil, it could be concluded to use subsoiling tillage and add 4.76 t/ha gypsum and 35.7 m/ha FYM to attain maximum economic productivity of wheat.