Paper Details

Use of coal derived humic acid as soil conditioner for soil physical properties and its impact on wheat crop yield

Ijaz Ahmad, Safdar Ali, Khalid Saifullah Khan, Fayyaz ul Hassan, Shahzada Sohail Ijaz, Kashif Bashir, Zafar Abbas, Mushtaq Ahmad, Adnan Shakeel

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.12692/ijb/6.12.81-89

Int. J. Biosci. 6(12), 81-89. June, 2015. (PDF)

Abstract:

Humic acid has been utilized as a soil conditioner for improving soil physical health and enhancing sequestration of soil carbon in recent years. In this study, a loamy sand soil was amended at various levels (HL0 control, HL1 10 Kg H.A ha-1, HL2 20 Kg H.A ha-1, HL3 30 Kg H.A ha-1, HL4 60 Kg H.A ha-1, HL5 90 Kg H.A ha-1, HL6 120 Kg H.A ha-1 and HL7 150 Kg H.A ha-1) of both grades (Lab grade and Commercial grade) of humic acid. Soil physical and hydraulic properties were analyzed, including soil aggregate stability, bulk density, saturated hydraulic conductivity, and volumetric water content. The yield performance of wheat crop (Triticum aestivum) grown in soil amended with different rates of humic acid was also assessed in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The results showed that significant improvement in physical properties like aggregate stability, bulk density, saturated hydraulic conductivity and soil moisture content with the application of humic acid at 150 kg ha-1 level. And this improvement was also reflected in valuable increase in wheat crop yield. These results strongly suggest positive improvement of soil physical and hydraulic properties by the addition of humic acid amendment.