Aug 2026· Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy· 0 citations· 40 references
Abstract
Sandy soils in arid regions have low fertility, poor structural stability, and limited water‐holding capacity. This study evaluated phosphogypsum (PG) as a soil amendment for improving sandy‐soil quality and wheat productivity under arid conditions.
A field experiment was conducted during the 2020/2021 winter season in West El‐Minia, Egypt. PG was applied at 0, 10, 20, and 30 t ha
−1
by surface broadcasting or soil incorporation. Soil physical, chemical, and biological properties, wheat yield, and nutrient uptake were evaluated.
Treatment performance depended on the management objective. Soil incorporation at 30 t ha
−1
(T4M4) produced the strongest overall improvement in most soil and microbial indicators, whereas surface application at 20 t ha
−1
(T3S3) produced the highest numerical grain yield and nutrient uptake. Under T4M4, bulk density decreased from 1.61 to 1.46 g cm
−3
, field capacity increased from 16.0% to 25.16%, available water rose from 11.0% to 19.65%, soil pH declined from 8.2 to 7.8, and cation exchange capacity increased from 4.22 to 9.08 cmolc kg
−1
. Microbial biomass carbon and fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis activity increased by 327.7% and 107.6%, respectively. Grain‐yield increases ranged from 29.5% to 60.3% relative to the control.
Surface application at 20 t ha
−1
was the most effective yield‐oriented treatment, whereas incorporation at 30 t ha
−1
provided broader soil and microbial improvement. PG recommendations should therefore be selected according to the intended management objective rather than a single generalized optimum.
Although green manure crops are widely recognized for ameliorating alkaline soils, some previous studies have focused mainly on laboratory germination screenings or single yield indicators, and field validation of the synergy between high yield and soil improvement remains comparatively limited. This study evaluated 16 species/accessions with varying salt tolerance in a typical alkaline soil (initial pH 9.01, EC 306 μS·cm−1) in Heilongjiang Province during 2024–2025, based on prior laboratory screening. The experiment was conducted at a single location with three field replicates, and the same plots were monitored across both years. Plant height, fresh/dry grass yield, and soil properties (pH, EC, organic matter, nutrients) were monitored. Glycine max (L.) Merr. and Sesbania Scop. achieved dual synergy, with two-year average fresh yields of 40,733 and 35,750 kg·ha−1, respectively, while reducing soil pH by 0.28–0.29 and electrical conductivity (EC) by 42.2–46.3%. Melilotus officinalis and Vicia villosa Roth exhibited the strongest alkali reduction (pH ↓0.29, EC ↓39.0–39.7%) with moderate yields. Sorghum sudanense showed the highest salt reduction (EC ↓49.0%). Principal component analysis classified the 16 species into four functional types, revealing preliminary ecological patterns for functional differentiation. This study proposes a “laboratory screening–field validation–functional classification” evaluation framework, which requires further validation across different regions and longer time scales for the biological amelioration of alkaline soils.
Ruonan Du, Qiang Gao, Xue Yang et al.· Agronomy· 0 citations
Sandy soils are characterized by low organic matter content, weak nutrient retention, and limited water-holding capacity, which restrict crop productivity in arid and semi-arid regions. This study evaluated the individual and combined effects of biochar, Azolla pinnata, and eggshell powder on soil properties and the productivity of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) grown in sandy soil. Field experiments were conducted during two consecutive growing seasons (2021–2022) at the Ismailia Agricultural Research Station, Egypt, using a randomized complete block design with eight treatments and three replicates. Soil chemical properties, photosynthetic pigments, vegetative growth, biomass accumulation, and yield parameters were evaluated. The combined application of biochar, Azolla, and eggshell powder significantly improved soil fertility compared with the control treatment. Soil organic matter increased to 0.70%, while available nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium reached 51.10, 6.67, and 200 mg kg⁻¹, respectively. The integrated treatment also enhanced chlorophyll content, plant growth, biomass production, and seed yield across both seasons. Correlation analysis indicated strong positive relationships between soil organic matter, nutrient availability, and crop productivity. These results demonstrate that the integrated application of biochar, Azolla pinnata, and eggshell powder can effectively improve soil fertility and enhance the productivity of Phaseolus vulgaris in sandy soil systems.
D. M. Khalifa, A. Alrashidi, Ammar Al-Farga et al.· Scientific Reports· 0 citations
Salt-affected soils constrain agricultural productivity, particularly in Ethiopia’s irrigated lowlands, where salinity and sodicity severely reduce crop yields. Effective reclamation strategies are therefore essential. This study evaluated the effects of phosphogypsum on soil properties, wheat morphophysiology, yield, and phosphorus-use efficiency under saline–sodic conditions at Kessem Sugar Estate. A factorial pot experiment was conducted during the 2022/23 and 2023/24 cropping seasons using different phosphogypsum rates and wheat varieties. Soil analysis before amendment and after harvest showed that phosphogypsum application markedly improved soil properties. The highest phosphogypsum rate (200% GR) reduced soil pH from 8.45 to 7.93 and exchangeable sodium percentage from 26.5% to 6.9%, while increasing exchangeable Ca, available P, and sulfate by 60.2%, 74.1%, and 159.8%, respectively. Combining 150% or 200% GR phosphogypsum with the salt-tolerant wheat variety ETBW-5879 produced the highest panicle length, seeds per spike, relative-water-content, grain yield, transpiration rate, P uptake, and P-use efficiency. Similarly, phosphogypsum at 150% and 200% GR and the ETBW-5879 variety significantly improved plant height, leaf area, chlorophyll content, biomass yield, photosynthetic rate, and water-use efficiency. Grain yield of ETBW-5879 was substantially higher than that of Gambo and Dande’a under untreated soil conditions, by 294% and 536% at 200% GR, 273% and 502% at 150% GR, and 184% and 358% at 100% GR, respectively. Even at 100% GR, phosphogypsum with ETBW-5879 produced 28% and 87% higher grain yields than phosphogypsum with Gambo and Dande’a, respectively. Overall, ETBW-5879 consistently outperformed the other varieties across phosphogypsum rates. The combination of phosphogypsum at 150% GR with ETBW-5879 was the most effective treatment for improving wheat yield under saline–sodic conditions. However, field validation across diverse saline–sodic environments, including assessment of potential phosphogypsum impurities, is recommended before large-scale adoption.
A. Daba, S. Beyene, K. Kibret· Environmental Research Commu...· 0 citations
Arid and semi-arid soils are typically characterised by low fertility, limited nutrient availability, and weak structural stability, posing major challenges for sustainable land management. Native plant species that naturally improve soil quality may provide environmentally sustainable solutions for restoring degraded sandy ecosystems. This study evaluated the influence of Senna italica, a native leguminous shrub, on the physicochemical properties and fertility of nutrient-poor sandy soils in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Soil samples were collected beneath naturally established S. italica plants and from adjacent non-vegetated areas for comparison. Soil texture, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and available nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) were determined, and root samples were stained and examined for arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) colonisation. Although both soils were classified as sandy, soils beneath S. italica contained a greater proportion of fine particles (4.20% vs. 2.12% silt + clay). Rhizosphere soils exhibited significantly lower pH and significantly greater concentrations of available N, P, and K than adjacent non-vegetated soils, whereas EC did not differ significantly. Microscopic observations confirmed extensive AMF colonisation of S. italica roots, including hyphae and vesicles. These findings suggest that S. italica enhances soil fertility through integrated plant–soil–microbe interactions involving biological nitrogen fixation, rhizosphere-mediated nutrient mobilisation, and mycorrhizal associations. The study identifies S. italica as a potential ecosystem engineer with promising applications in ecological restoration, soil rehabilitation, and sustainable management of degraded sandy soils in arid and semi-arid regions.
Noura Alsayeri, Shuruq Alharthi, Jumanah Aldomaigi et al.· International Journal of Pla...· 0 citations
Arid sandy soils are characterized by poor water retention, low nutrient availability, and limited productivity, posing major constraints to sustainable date palm cultivation under increasing water scarcity. A three-year field experiment was conducted to evaluate the combined effects of bentonite (BN), humic substances (HS), and Bacillus polymyxa (BP) under three irrigation regimes (70, 85, and 100% of crop evapotranspiration (ETc)) on soil hydro-physical properties, nutrient uptake, and fruit quality of ‘Siwi’ date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.). Twelve treatment combinations (3 irrigation regimes × 4 soil amendment treatments) were evaluated over three consecutive growing seasons. The integrated application of BN, HS, and BP significantly improved soil hydro-physical properties by increasing field capacity and plant-available water while reducing bulk density. These improvements were associated with enhanced leaf N, P, and K concentrations and greater accumulation of total soluble solids, total and reducing sugars, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and β-carotene compared with the untreated control. The combined application of BN (12 kg palm−1) + HS (1 L palm−1) + BP (28 mL palm−1) produced the most favorable overall responses. Moderate deficit irrigation (85% ETc) provided the best balance between fruit quality and water conservation, maintaining superior fruit biochemical quality while reducing irrigation water use by approximately 15% compared with full irrigation. Multivariate analyses further supported these findings by revealing strong positive associations among soil water availability, nutrient status, sugars, and antioxidant-related compounds, while climatic variables were closely associated with seasonal variation in fruit biochemical characteristics. Overall, the integrated application of bentonite, humic substances, and B. polymyxa under 85% ETc irrigation represents an effective management strategy for improving soil performance, enhancing fruit nutritional quality, and increasing water-use irrigation efficiency in sandy soils under arid conditions.
Nahed M. Rashed, Khairy H. Abd-El-Rahman, D. A. Elyazid et al.· Horticulturae· 0 citations
Soil acidity is one of the most serious constraints limiting crop productivity in regions with high rainfall in Ethiopia. To address this issue, field experiments were conducted during the 2024 main cropping season in farmers’ fields in two distinct ecological locations. This study aimed to explore the response of soil chemical properties and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to organic and inorganic amendments of acidic soils in Jaldu district and Cheha district in central Ethiopia. Application rates of 0, 2.5, 5, and 7.5 t/ha vermicompost; 0, 2, 4, and 6 t/ha agricultural lime; and 0, 50, 100, and 150 kg/ha NPS fertilizer were applied to acidic soils of the study areas. Soil chemical properties related to acidity were determined using standard laboratory procedures, which indicated low pH, available phosphorus (P), organic carbon (C), total nitrogen (N), total exchangeable bases, and cation exchange capacity, along with high exchangeable acid before planting. After harvesting, agricultural lime improved acidity-related soil conditions, including pH, organic C, available P, and total exchangeable bases, while reducing exchangeable acids in both districts. Vermicompost specifically improved soil organic C and total N in the soil of Jaldu district. The improvement in soil acidity due to liming was greater than that achieved by vermicompost or NPS fertilizer. Wheat yield increased in response to all rates of agricultural lime, vermicompost, and NPS-fertilizer applications. The highest yields of 5.71 t/ha and 4.62 t/ha were obtained with the application of 6 t/ha of agricultural lime in Cheha district and Jaldu district, respectively. The study demonstrated that sustainable agricultural practices soil amendment with agricultural inputs decreases soil acidity and improve wheat grain yields. Locational disparities in soil physical–chemical properties and wheat production with limited amendment options can limit the applicability of the findings from the selected study districts to wider regions. Therefore, investigations over diverse locations, seasons, and wheat varieties are needed to examine the effects on soil fertility and crop yield returns, and the economic viability of using diverse agricultural inputs.
A. Chimdi, Yunting Fang, Ang Wang et al.· Sustainability· 0 citations
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