Improvement in physical and chemical properties of sodic soil by 3, 6 and 9 years old plantation of Eucalyptus tereticornis -: Biorejuvenation of sodic soil

A field experiment was carried out in Ramshahpur and Chandauki villages of Sultanpur district, India with the objective of assessing changes undergone by soil characteristics of sodic wasteland after 3, 6 and 9 years of planting Eucalyptus tereticornis. The results showed an improvement in the physical as well as chemical properties of sodic soil. pH, electrical conductivity (EC) and exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) values declined and the organic C, total N, available P and exchangeable Ca2+, Mg2+ and K+ levels of the soils increased. There was a decrease in bulk density and an increase in soil porosity and water holding capacity of the soil. Saturation extract analysis revealed that the cations, other than Na+ increased while the anions alongwith pHs, ECe and sodium adsorption ration (SAR) decreased due to the influence of plantation on the soil. The ameliorative effect of the trees became more distinct with the increasing age of plantation. The study, therefore, brings out clearly that the productivity and fertility of the degraded sodic soils can be restored by tree plantation. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.