GYPSUM AS AN AMELIORATING AGENT FOR SOLONETZIC SOILS IN ALBERTA

Abstract

The application of gypsum to a number of Alberta solonetzic soils in laboratory studies resulted in significant physical and chemical improvements in all soils except those with very high exchangeable sodium percentages. Data obtained in threshold concentration studies indicate that gypsum is effective as an amendment for the amelioration of solonetzic soils only if the exchangeable sodium does not exceed 20–25 per cent of the total exchange capacity, assuming that the effective solubility of gypsum in the field is about one-half that of its saturated concentration.