MANAGEMENT IN PROBLEMATIC SOILS

*These soils are problematic soils.

*They contain different proportion of salts including NaCl. They are harmful and do not
permit normal crop growth.

*Resistant crops like coconut, ragi, rice are cultivated in these soils.

ACID SOIL
*Acid soils are characteristically low in pH (<6.0). predominance of H+ and Al3+ cause
acidity resulting in deficiency of P, K, Ca, Mg, Mo, and B.

This soil are prevalent in

A) Hilly tracks of Ooty, kodaikkanal and yercaud.

B) Laterite soils of Pudukkottai, Kanyakumari etc.

*deficient in sulphur and contain toxic amount of copper and zinc.

*Application of lime as per the time lime requirement test uniformly by broad cast and
incorporation is recommended.

*The alternate amendments like dolomite, basic slag, flue dust, wood ash, pulp mill lime may
also be used on lime equivalent basis.

*Lime requirement (tons of CaCO3/acer)

*pH of soil buffer suspension Lime requirement to bring the soil to indicated pH 6.0pH
6.4PH 6.8

SALINE SOILS

*Saline soils are characterised by higher amount of water soluble salt, due to which the crop
growth is affected.
*For these soils with electrical conductivity of more than 4Sm-1. Provision of lateral and
main drainage channels of 60cm depth 40cm wide and leaching of salts could reclaim the
soils.

*Application of farm yard manure at 5 t ha-1 at 10-15 days before transplanting in case of
paddy and before planting in case of garden land and alleviate the problems of salinity.

SODIC SOIL
*Sodic soils are characterised by the predominance of sodium in the complex in the complex
with the exchangeable sodium percentage exceeding 15% and the pH more than 8.5.

*reclamation or management of sodic soils

*plough the soil at optimum soil moisture regime.

*Gypsum requirement based on gypsum application.

*impound water.

*provision of drainage for leaching out the soluble salts

*in situ incorporation of green manure at 5 t ha-1

ALKALI SOIL
*The ESP(exchangeable sodium percentage)> 15% and the pH between 8.5-10.

*leaching of saline- soil in the absence of gypsum leads to formation of alkali soil.

*NaOH formed due to hydrolysis dissolves the organic matter present in the soil and
dispersed.

*And deposited on the surface by evaporation causing darkening of the soil called as black
alkali (NaCo3 is present in excess).

*If NaCl is present in excess it is white alkali soil.

*camellias, rhododendrons, heathrs need an acid condition.

Chemical reclamation:

*Application of calcium ions and gypsum.

*also reduced in the soil by the use of acid forming chemical amendments such as sulphur,
ferrous sulphate.

*use of pyrite (FeS2) as an amendment is a recent development in chemical methods.

Mechanical methods:

*scraper or rapidly moving stream of water

*deep ploughing of the land reduces the alkalinity and makes the soli more permeable.
*application of green manure of Dhaincha, guar, jantar, has been found more success in the
reclamation of alkali and saline soils.

*spreading of straw and dried grass and leaves on the alkaline soil

PHYSICAL PROBLEM SOILS

FLUFFY PADDY SOIL

*It has low bulk density of the topsoil resulting in sinking of farm animals and labours as
well as poor anchoring to paddy seedling.

*This soil can reclaimed by, passing of 400 kg stone roller or oil drum with sand inside eight
time when the soil is in semi dry condition along with addition of lime 2t ha-1once in 3 years.

SANDY SOIL

*The size of the particles are largest. It is granular and consists of rock and mineral particles
that are very small. The texture is coarse. It is easy to cultivate if the soil is rich in organic
matter but either it might quickly drain water out. Resulting in dehydrating of the plants in
summer or too wet in wintrer and rainy season. Sandy soil is composed of 60-70%sand, 20-
25%silt and 10-15%clay.

HARD PAN SOIL

*7. Hard pan soil

*hard pan occurs in red soil areas below 15 cm depth due to movement of clay and iron
hydroxides and settling at shallow depth, preventing the root proliferation .

Reclaimed by

*chiselling the soil with chisel plough at 0.5 m interval first in one direction and in the
direction perpendicular to previous one, once in 3 years.

*application of FYM or composted at 12.5t ha -1 could bring additional yield apart from
getting longer residual effect.

SURFACE CRUSTED SOILS

*Weakly aggregated soil structures are easily broken by the impact of rain drops resulting in
the formation of clay crust the soil surface.

*the clay pan prevent the emerging seedling and arrest free exchange of gases between the
soil and atmosphere.

Heavy textured clay soil

*soil containing major amount of clay resulting in the poor permeability and nutrient fixation

*the soil crust can be easily broken by harrowing or cultivator plough

*surface crust can be removed by application of lime or gypsum at2 t ha-1 and FYM at 12.5 t
ha-1.

Retaining soil residues on the soil surface as a protective cover

HEAVY TEXTURED CLAY SOIL:

*moor amount of clay results in poor permeability and nutrient fixation.

Such soils can be reclaimed by

*addition of river sand at 100 t ha-1

*managed by deep ploughing the field with mould board plough during summer to enhance
the infiltration and percolation.

LOW PERMEABLE BLACK SOIL

*Application of 100 cart load of red loam soil.

*deep ploughing the field with mould board plough or disc plough during summer enhances
the infiltration and percolation.
*application of FYM, compost coir pith or press mud at 25 t ha-1 per year will improve the
physical properties and internal drainage of the soil

HIGH PERMEABL RED SOIL

*Application of tank silt or black soil at 25 t ha-1per year along with FYM.

QUALITY OF IRRIGATION WATER:

The chemical, the physical and the biological quality of the water for irrigation impacts the
agricultural productivity of the soil

Chemical characteristics ; salinity, toxicity pose hazards

Physical characteristics; turbidity impacts emitters’ blockage problem for the suspended soil
particles and other impurities

Biological characters like ; bacteria and pathogens

To evaluate salt hazards, a water sample is analysed for 3major factors total dissolved salts
(TDS) sodium hazard (SAR) or toxic ions. Electrical conductivity or total dissolved solids are
two means of measuring salinity.

Problems related to irrigation water quality

Salinity;

Water containing more amounts of dissolved salts is saline water.

The most common parameter used to determine the irrigation water quality is EC and TDS.

TDS ppm or mg/lit EC ds/m Salinity hazards

<500 <0.8 Low
500-1000 0.8-1.6 medium
1000-2000 1.6-3 high
>2000 >3 Very high
TOXICITY OF SPECIFIC IONS

The quality of irrigation water can be determined by toxicity of specific ions.

The most common ion is chloride, sodium and boron. These practice include proper
leaching increasing the frequency of irrigation, avoiding overhead irrigation, avoid the use of
fertilizer containing chloride or boron, selecting the right crops, etc.

ALKALITY AND pH;

Alkality is the sum of the amounts of bicarbonates (HCO3-), carbonates (CO32-) and
hydroxides (OH ion) in water. It is expressed as milligram per litre or meq/litre Caco3.
MISCELLANEOUS:

Several other problems related to irrigation water quality occur with sufficient frequency for
them to be specially noted this include high nitrogen concentrations in the water which
supply high nitrogen to the crop which causes excessive vegetative growth. Deposits on fruits
or leaves due to overhead sprinkler irrigation with high bicarbonate water, water containing
gypsum, or water with high in iron and various abnormalities often associated with an
unusual pH of water. The other problems associated with farm operations are water induced
corrosion or encrustation these problems is most serious for wells and pumps in some areas
where there is a potential risk from diseases such as malaria, schistosomiasis and lymphatic
filariasis, disease vector problems must be considered along with other water quality related
problems. Vector problems (mosquitoes) often originate as a secondary trouble related to
water infiltration rate, use of waste water and poor drainage water for irrigation suspended
organic and inorganic sediments cause’s problems in irrigation system