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ARS Home » Midwest Area » West Lafayette, Indiana » National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #202754
Title: Effect of Salinity, Sodicity and Soil Texture on Aggregate Stability of Semi-arid Soils

Author
item Iliasson, Amrax
item LEVY, G - VOLCANI CENTER
item Huang, Chi Hua
item Norton, Lloyd

Submitted to: International Soil Conservation Organization Conference Abstracts
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/20/2006
Publication Date: 5/14/2006
Citation: Mamedov, A., Levy, G.J., Huang, C., Norton, L.D. 2006. Effect of Salinity, Sodicity and Soil Texture on Aggregate Stability of Semi-arid Soils. International Soil Conservation Organization Conference Abstracts. May 14-19, 2006, Marrakech, Morocco. p.178-179. CDROM.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Soil texture, sodicity and salinity or water quality play a significant role in determining soil aggregate stability, hydraulic properties and the response of soil clays to dispersion and swelling. We studied aggregate stability from 60 samples of Israeli top soils, widely varying in clay content and sodicity using the high-energy-moisture-characteristics method. Dionized (DW) or saline water (SW) was used to simulate the effect of rain and effluent/saline irrigation water on aggregate stability. Susceptibility of soil aggregates to slaking decreased and therefore aggregate stability increased with the increase in clay content and the salinity of soil solution, and with the decrease in sodicity. The use of SW was more effective in sandy or loamy soils at a low sodicity, while in clay soil at high level of sodicity. This paper shows that salinity, sodicity and soil texture need to be considered together in preventing aggregate breakdown and surface sealing for semi-arid soils.