Impact of a gel conditioner and water quality upon soil infiltration

Summary

The interactive effects of 0.0%, 0.4%, and 0.8% of a gel conditioner, Jalma, and four waters: salt solution (SS), distilled (DW), natural sewage (SW), and well (WW) waters on swelling (S), effective mean pore radius ($\bar r$), water penetrability (λ), diffusivity (D), and weighted-mean diffusivity ($\bar D$) in loamy sand and loam soil columns were investigated. The diffusivities of water in untreated soil columns were nearly independent of water quality. In general for both soils, S decreased, and $\bar r$, λ, and $\bar D$ increased with increase in water salinity and decrease in % Jalma. For the loamy sand λ of SS, WW, SW, and DW were reduced, respectively by 15%, 39%, 45%, and 55% due to the addition of 0.4% Jalma and by 15%, 52%, 69%, and 83% due to addition of 0.8% Jalma compared to untreated control. It was concluded that 0.4% Jalma is the optimum rate when sewage (EC=1.6 dSm⁻¹) or other waters of low salinity are used for irrigation and 0.8% Jalma when well water (EC =6.4 dSm⁻¹) is used. When the irrigation water is of high salinity (EC =42.5 dSm⁻¹), use of this gel conditioner is not recommended. Effective mean pore radius proved to be a reliable predictor of the multiple effects of texture, Jalma and water salinity on λ and $\bar D$.