RECLAMATION OF SALINE SOIL USING GYPSUM, RICE HULL AND SAW DUST IN RELATION TO RICE PRODUCTION

Abstract

Experiments were conducted to evaluate the potentiality and effectiveness of gypsum, rice hull and saw dust to reclaim and/or improve saline soils collected from coastal areas of Bangladesh. Growth and yield parameters of rice, such as, plant height, 1000-grain weight, grain and straw yield, number of tillers, protein content of grain and harvest index were found to be significantly (p ≤ 0.05) induced by the application of gypsum, rice hull and saw dust. The maximum growth and yield performance of rice were determined by the highest dose (10 t ha-1) of saw dust followed by the highest dose (10 t ha-1) of rice hull. The highest dose of gypsum (400 kg ha-1) was found to be increased the vegetative growth (plant height, tiller production) of rice. The highest value (0.48) of Harvest Index was obtained by the application of rice hull at 10 t ha-1. The highest content of N in rice plants at maturity were found 1.38% with the application of saw dust at the rate of 10 t ha-1, 0.19% for P, 1.41% for K and 0.75% for S with gypsum application at the rate of 400 kg ha-1 . Application of gypsum, rice hull and saw dust at highest dosages increased the uptake of N, P, K and S in rice plant.