Assessment of gypsum powder impact on soil properties and plant growth

Joint research and development project between ICBA and LEPIDICO

Objective: 

• The study aims to evaluate the impact of using gypsum powder (mining byproduct) on the soil health and crop production as follows:
• Determine the impact of gypsum as a soil amendment on sandy soil chemical, physical and biological properties; 
  Evaluate the impact of gypsum as a soil amendment on the productivity of different crops (pearl millet, wheat and squash);
• Determine the impact of different levels of gypsum powder and its interactions with saline water on selected soil fertility and crop growth parameters.

Project Details:

Application of gypsum: 20 December 2022

Sowing dates: 22 December 2022 (wheat and pearl millet)

Seedling transplantation: 11 January 2023 (squash)

Variables:

• No. of trials: 2 (saline water irrigation 6 dS/m and freshwater irrigation  0.3 dS/m)
• Main plot treatments: gypsum levels (0, 2.5 and 7.5 t/ha)
• Replicates: 3