Abstract
This experiment was conducted at University of Agriculture, Faisalabad to evaluate the effect of brackish water on r,hr:sical properties of silty clay loam soil [Bhalwal series, pHs = 7.70, ECe = 3.20 dS m" and SAR = 3.70 (mmol L- ) 1 2]. Forty disturbed and undisturbed soil columns (20 in each case, 76 cm long and 30 cm diameter) were used. The synthetic brackish waters having different EC (0.64, 2.0, 4.0, 6.0 and 7.35 dS rn"), SAR [3.95, 9.65, 18.0, 26.35 and 32.0 (mmol L1 ) 1/2] and RSC {0.64, 2.0, 4.0, 6.0 and 7.35 rnrnol, L-1} were applied to these soil columns for three years. Synthetic brackish waters were prepared by dissolvinq the required amount of salts (NaCI, Na2S04, NaHC03, CaCI2.6H20, MgS04.7H20 and NH4HC03) in canal/distilled water. Soil samples were obtained from these soil columns for various physical determinations after three years. The Central Composite Rotatable Second Order Incomplete Factorial design with three variables each at five levels was followed to analyze the data. Saturated hydraulic conductivity and saturation percentage of soil was increased with the increase in EC iw in disturbed as well as undisturbed soil columns. Correlation of SARiw and RSC with hydraulic conductivity and saturation percentage was found to be negative. Bulk density of soil was not affected with EC iw under both soil conditions but it significantly increased with the increase in either SARiw or RSC. The effect of EC iw , SAR iw and RSC of water on soil porosity was exactly similar as in case of bulk density because it was calculated from the latter.
