干旱区生态环境知识资源中心

There is a general lack of information regarding the effects of gel-forming conditioners on chemical properties and micronutrient status of soils in arid and semiarid regions. A laboratory experiment was conducted to study the effect of the gel-forming conditioner commonly known as Jalma on some chemical properties and micronutrients availability of light textured and moderately calcareous soils. The results showed that soil pH increased with corresponding increase in Jalma application. The redox parameter (pe + pH) measurements indicated a decreasing trend in the redox potential of the soils, especially with the highest application rate of Jalma (0.8%). The reduction in redox potential was significant (p < .05) only at the last sampling time (84 days). The inconsistent changes in AB-DTPA extractable Mn, Fe, and Zn with time were significantly correlated (p < .05) to the variations in the pH and the pe + pH of the soils during incubation. Extractable Cu was not significantly correlated with any of the soil characteristics studied The results provide evidence that some chemical properties of the investigated soils, such as pH, pe, and the availability of micronutrients, were affected by the application of the gel-forming soil conditioner, Jalma.