The benefits of gypsum for sustainable management and utilization of acid soils

Background

Gypsum is a valuable resource for farmers, supplying essential calcium and sulfur for plant growth. It serves as a crucial soil amendment, particularly in reclaiming alkali and sodic soils. While not a liming material, gypsum is widely recognized as a nutrient source for calcium and sulfur in acidic soils. The presence of calcium in various crops growing in acidic soils is instrumental in alleviating aluminum toxicity and mitigating aluminum phytotoxicity.

Scope

The application of gypsum positively influences nutrient uptake, thereby enhancing their availability and overall productivity in acidic soils. Synthetic gypsum variants like slag-based gypsum, phosphogypsum, and flue gas desulfurized gypsum have garnered attention due to their elevated silicon content, which enhances plant accessibility in acidic soils. Crucially, gypsum does not significantly alter the pH of acidic soils, although it may induce slight changes depending on specific soil conditions such as mineral composition and cation exchange capacity.

Conclusion

Gypsum promotes improved root development in crops, exerting a multifaceted impact on soil physicochemical properties, ultimately bolstering crop productivity and the sustainability of acidic soils. Furthermore, gypsum contributes to mitigating greenhouse gas emissions in acidic soils, particularly in reducing methane emissions. The recent application of industrial gypsum has emerged as a viable strategy for enhancing the immobilization of heavymetals in acidic soils. These versatile applications underscore the potential benefits of gypsum for the sustainable management and utilization of acidic soils.