Land is usar with high pH, nothing grows well. Want correct gypsum based reclamation steps.
How to reclaim alkaline usar land using gypsum?
RRam Naresh1yr ago · 371 views
6 Answers
🌾Farmer.in Krishi TeamExpert ✓1yr ago
Alkaline or sodic usar land is reclaimed mainly with gypsum, which replaces the harmful sodium on the soil and lets it leach away with water. First get a soil test to find the pH and gypsum requirement, because the dose depends on the soil and must be calculated, not guessed. Spread the gypsum evenly, mix it into the top soil, then give water to leach the displaced sodium out, which is why levelling and drainage are essential so the salty water moves off the field. Add green manure like dhaincha and FYM to speed recovery, and grow tolerant crops like paddy then barley in the first years. ICAR CSSRI Karnal has standard gypsum technology for this, so follow the exact dose your KVK or soil lab recommends rather than a fixed number.
SShiv Kumar1yr ago
I grew dhaincha and ploughed it in along with gypsum as the KVK told. After two cycles paddy started growing on land that was bare usar before. Patience is needed, it is not one season work.
BBrijesh Singh1yr ago
Levelling matters a lot. If the field is uneven the leaching water does not move and gypsum does not work properly. I got laser levelling done first.
OOmkar Nath1yr ago
Do the soil test for gypsum requirement. My neighbour put too little and saw no change, I put the lab recommended quantity and it worked.
SSushil Yadav1yr ago
Use agriculture grade gypsum, the fine powder, not lumps. The finer it is the better it reacts in the soil. Also give it a few weeks with moisture before sowing, it does not act overnight.
RRamautar Lodhi1yr ago
Start with paddy in the first year as the KVK advises, it tolerates the bad soil while the gypsum and water do their work. I tried wheat too early on raw usar and it failed, but the paddy held on and the next crops improved year by year.