UNIVERSITI PUTRA MALAYSIA

EFFECTS OF SUGAR CANE FILTER CAKE COMPOST ON SELECTED CHARACTERISTICS OF BRIS SOILS AND GROWTH OF MAIZE

YOSSIF SALAMA MOHAMED OMAR FP 2009 4

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EFFECTS OF SUGAR CANE FILTER CAKE COMPOST ON SELECTED CHARACTERISTICS OF BRIS SOILS AND GROWTH OF MAIZE

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By

YOSSIF SALAMA MOHAMED OMAR

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Thesis submitted to the school of Graduate Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, in Fulfilment of the Requirement for the Degree of Master of Science

July 2009

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DEDICATION

To

My LOVELY WIFE

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DAUGHTERS

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Abstract of thesis presented to the Senate of Universiti Putra Malaysia in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science

EFFECTS OF SUGAR CANE FILTER CAKE COMPOST ON SELECTED CHARACTERISTICS OF BRIS SOILS AND GROWTH OF MAIZE

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By

YOSSIF SALAMA MOHAMED OMAR

July 2009

Chairman: Anuar Abd Rahim, PhD

Faculty: Agriculture

Beach Ridges Interspersed with Swales (BRIS) soil usually poses a great challenge for

water and nutrients management due to the relatively low water holding and nutrient

retention capacities. Besides, high hydraulic conductivity, such soils can also contribute

to high leaching. Addition of organic wastes to BRIS soil has beneficial effects upon soil

structure and properties related to it. Incubation study and field lysimeter experiments

were conducted to investigate the effect of sugar cane filter cake compost on selected

physical, chemical and biological properties of BRIS soil and its effect on growth and

yield of maize. In both incubation and field experiments, the BRIS soil was amended

with 0, 3, 6, 8, 12 tonnes ha-1 of filter cake compost, arranged in completely randomized

and lattice square designs, respectively.

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The amounts of OC, N, P, K, Ca and Mg in filter cake compost were 13.60%, 1.10%,

1.00%, 0.20%, 7.00%, 0.80%, respectively. The incubation study showed that the

release of different nutrients varied according to treatments and the mean range of

nutrients released at the end of incubation period were; 0.012-0.035 % N, 0.42-0.55 %

OC, 33.80-60.20 ppm NO-3, 20.40-66.97 ppm NH4

+ , 0.06-3.19 cmol kg-1 Ca and 0.03-

0.08 cmol kg-1 Mg. Addition of 12 ton ha-1 of the filter cake compost significantly

increased the total N and NH4+contents of the soil compared with unamended control.

The soil OC content responded as y = 0.42+0.01x (P = 0.036, R2 = 0.96). The soil OC

showed linear increase with increasing rates of filter cake compost. Field study

conducted for two consecutive seasons showed that the addition of the filter cake

compost yielded no significant impact on the soil pH for the first season, but in the

second season a significantly higher soil pH was obtained with addition of 12 t ha-1 of

filter cake compost compared to the control and 3 t ha-1 treatments. Soil pH responded as

quadratic relationship where y = 7.13 + 0.19x - 0.008x2 (P = 0.0144, R2=0.99). The

available soil water responded as y = 2.08 - 0.17x + 0.03x2 (P = 0.00436, R2 = 0.96) in

the first season and y = 2.5+ 0.12x (P = 0.0254, R2 = 0.85) in the second season. In the

first season, soil N responded as linear relationship, where y = 0.022 +0.004x

(P=0.0449, R2=0.78) up to 12 t ha-1, while in the second season, it responded as linear

relationship, where y = 0.04 + 0.0003x (P=0.0452, R2=0.78) with the increment rate of

filter cake compost up to 12 t ha-1. The soil Ca responded as y = 0.013 + 0.03x – 0.001x2

(P = 0.0148, R2 = 0.98) and y = 0.04 x – 0.002x2 (P = 0.0009, R2 = 0.99) during first and

second season, respectively. Maximum Ca content was attained at 0.13 cmol kg-1 in the

first season and 0.21 cmol kg-1 for season two due to filter cake compost rates at 10.50

and 10 t ha-1, respectively. There was no significant increase in microbial activity due to

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low fresh carbon sources in the compost. Although applying filter cake compost

increases the physical and chemical condition of BRIS soil, further investigation on the

economic implication of such organic amendment should be conducted.

Keywords: Sugar canes filter cake compost, sandy soils, soil amendment, and plant

growth.

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Abstrak tesis yang dikemukakan kepada Senat Universiti Putra Malaysia bagi memenuhi keperluan untuk Ijazah Master Sains.

KESAN KOMPOS SISA TEBU TERHADAP CIRI-CIRI TERPILIH TANAH BRIS DAN PERTUMBUHAN JAGUNG

Oleh

YOSSIF SALAMA MOHAMED OMAR

Julai 2009

Pengerusi: Anuar Abdul Rahim, PhD

Fakulti: Pertanian

Tanah BRIS (Beach Ridges Interspersed with Swale) menghadapi cabaran yang besar

dalam pengurusan air dan nutrien disebabkan oleh daya pegangan air dan penyimpanan

nutrient yang lemah. Selain daripada itu daya hidrolik yang tinggi juga menyumbang

kepada jumlah larut lesap yang tinggi. Penambahan sisa organik ke atas tanah pasir

memberikan kesan yang baik ke atas struktur dan ciri-ciri tanah. Kajian pengeraman dan

eksperimen lysimeter di ladang dijalankan bagi mengetahui kesan kompos sisa gula tebu

(Sugar Cane Filter Cake Compost, FCC) terhadap ciri-ciri fizik, kimia dan biologi

terpilih tanah BRIS dan kesannya terhadap pertumbuhan dan hasil jagung. Pada kedua-

dua eksperimen, lapangan dan lysimeter tanah BRIS telah ditambah dengan 0, 3, 6, 8

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dan 12 tan ha-1 FCC, masing-masing disusun dalam rekabentuk rawak lengkap dan

segiempat latin. Jumlah karbon organik (OC), N, P, K, Ca dan Mg yang terkandung

dalam FCC adalah masing-masing 13.60%, 1.10%, 1.00%, 0.20%, 7.00% dan 0.80%.

Kajian pengeraman menunjukkan pembebasan nutrien yang berbeza mengikut rawatan

dan julat min bagi setiap nutrien yang terbebas di akhir tempoh pengeraman adalah;

0.012-0.035 % N, 0.42-0.55 % karbon organik (OC), 33.80-60.20 ppm NO-3, 20.40-

66.97 ppm NH4+, 0.06-3.19 cmol kg-1 Ca dan 0.03-0.08 cmol kg-1 Mg. Penambahan

sebanyak 12 tan ha-1 kompos menunjukkan peningkatan bererti terhadap kandungan

total N and NH4+ dalam tanah berbanding dengan tanpa rawatan. Kandungan karbon

organik tanah menunjukkan hubungan, y = 0.42+0.01x (P = 0.036, R2 = 0.96). Karbon

organik tanah menunjukkan peningkatan linear dengan peningkatan kadar FCC. Kajian

lapangan yang dijalankan pada dua musim berturut-turut menunjukkan penambahan

FCC tidak memberikan impak yang bererti terhadap pH tanah pada musim yang

pertama, tetapi pada musim yang kedua pH tanah menunjukkan peningkatan yang

bererti dengan penambahan 12 tan ha-1 FCC berbanding kawalan dan 3 tan ha-1 rawatan.

pH tanah menunjukkan hubungan kuadratik di mana y = 7.13 + 0.19x – 0.008x2 (P =

0.0144, R2 = 0.99). Air tanah tersedia menunjukkan interaksi sebagai y = 2.08 – 0.17x +

0.03x2 (P = 0.00436, R2 = 0.96) pada musim pertama dan y = 2.5 + 0.12x (P = 0.0254,

R2 = 0.85) pada musim kedua. Pada musim pertama, N dalam tanah bertindakbalas

secara linear, dimana y = 0.022 + 0.004x (P = 0.0449, R2 = 0.78) sehingga 12 tan ha-1,

manakala pada musim kedua, ia menunjukkan hubungan linear dimana y = 0.04 +

0.0003x (P = 0.0452, R2 = 0.78) dengan peningkatan kadar FCC sehingga 12 tan ha-1. Ca

dalam tanah bertindakbalas sebagai y = 0.013 + 0.03x – 0.001x2 (P = 0.0148, R2 = 0.98)

dan y = 0.04x – 0.002x2 (P = 0.0009, R2 = 0.99) masing-masing pada musim pertama

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dan kedua. Kandungan Ca yang maksimum didapati pada 0.13 cmol kg-1 pada musim

pertama dan 0.21 cmol kg-1 untuk musim kedua masing-masing pada kadar FCC 10.5

dan 10 tan ha-1. Tiada peningkatan bererti terhadap aktiviti mikrobial berpunca pada

sumber karbon yang rendah dalam kompos. Walaupun penambahan FCC meningkatkan

ciri-ciri fizik dan kimia pada tanah BRIS, penyelidikan lanjut ke atas implikasi ekonomi

terhadap penambahan bahan organik perlu dijalankan.

Kata kunci: Kompos sisa tebu, tanah pasir, bahan pembaikan tanah dan pertumbuhan

pokok.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST GRACIOUS, THE MOST MERCIFUL

All praise belongs to Allah, glorified is He and exalted. I thank Allah for giving me the

strength and wisdom for successfully completing my thesis work.

The preparation of this thesis would not have been possible without the support, hard

work and endless efforts of a large number of individuals and institutions. I would like

to sincerely acknowledge the support of the Government of Libya for providing me

scholarship to pursue MSc degree.

I am indebted to chairman of my supervisory committee, Associate Professor Dr Anuar

Rahim for his patience and unshaken support. With his enthusiasm, inspiration, and

great efforts to explain things clearly and simply, Dr Anuar helped to guide me in my

research. Throughout my thesis-writing period, he provided encouragement, sound

advice, good teaching, good company, and lots of good ideas. I wish to express my

warm and sincere thanks to my supervisory committee member, Associate Professor Dr

Radziah Othman for her remarkable suggestions and valuable advice on my work.

I owe my loving thanks to my immediate family who stood beside me and encouraged

me constantly. I would like to thank all my fellow friends who had helped me in one

way or the other. However, there are a few people that I would like to specially

acknowledge and extend my heartfelt gratitude who have made the completion of this

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research possible. Many thanks go in particular to Monther, Abdrakeb and Alagie, for

their assistance and constructive comments.

I wish to acknowledge and thank all the lab assistants at UPM, especially Puan Sarimah

Hashim for their over whelming assistance during my laboratory analysis.

I cannot finish without saying how grateful I am with my family: grandparents, uncles,

aunts, cousins and nephews all have given me a loving environment where to develop.

Particular thanks, of course, to my brothers and sisters. Lastly, and most importantly, I

wish to express my deepest love and gratitude to my mum and dad for their support and

encouragement in all matters of my life.

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I certify that an Examination Committee has met on 1st July 2009 to conduct the final examination of Yossif Salama Mohamed Omar on his master thesis entitled “Effects of Sugar Cane Filter Cake compost on selected characteristics of Bris Soils Growth Of Maize ” in accordance with Unversities and Unversitity Colleges Act 1971 and the Constitution of the Unversiti Pertanian Malaysia[P.U.(A) 106] 15 March 1998. The committee recommends that the student be awarded the Master of Science. Members of the Examination Committee were as follows: Aminuddin Hussin, PhD Associate professor Faculty of Agriculture Universiti Putra Malaysia (Chairman) Ahmad Husni Mohd Hanif, PhD Associate professor Faculty of Agriculture Universiti Putra Malaysia (Member) Hamdan Jol, PhD Associate professor Faculty of Agriculture Universiti Putra Malaysia (Member) Izham Ahmad , PhD Researcher Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute Serdang (External Examiner)

BUJANG KIM HUAT, PhD

Professor and Deputy Dean School of Graduate Studies Universiti Putra Malaysia

Date: 27 August 2009

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This thesis was submitted to the senate of Universiti Putra Malaysia and has been accepted as fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Science. The members of the Supervisory Committee were as follows:

Anuar Abd .Rahim, PhD Associate Professor Faculty of Agriculture Universiti Putra Malaysia (Chairman))

Radziah Othman, PhD Associate Professor Faculty of Agriculture Universiti Putra Malaysia (Member)

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HASANAH MOHD. GHAZALI, PhD Professor and Dean School of Graduate Studies Universiti Putra Malaysia Date: 11 September 2009

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DECLARATION

I declare that the thesis is my original work except for quotations and citations which have been duly acknowledged. I also declare that it has not been previously, and is not concurrently, submitted for any other degree at Unversiti Putra Malaysia or at any other institution.

(Signature)

YOSSIF SALAM MOHAMED OMAR

Date: 23 July 2009

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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DEDICATION i ABSTRACT ii ABSTRAK v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS viii APPROVAL x DECLARATION ��� LIST OF TABLS xvi LIST OF FIGURES xviii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS xxi CHAPTER

1 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Background 1

1.2 Problem statement 4 1.3 Objectives 5 1.4 Scope of study 5

2 LITERATURE REVIEW 6

2.1 Sandy soils 6 2.1.1 Classification of sandy soils 7 2.1.2 Physical chemical and biological barrier of sand soils 11

2.1.3 Limitation of sandy soils to crop production 14 2.1.4 Organic matter and fertility of sandy soils 15

2.2 Agriculture organic wastes 20 2.2.1 Effect of agriculture wastes on physical, chemical 21

biological properties of sandy soils 2.2.2 Effect of agriculture wastes on plant growth and 27

Production 2.2.2.1 Mineralization of organic matter 31

2.3 Sugar cane filter cake compost (FCC) 33 2.3.1 Mineralization of FCC 36 2.3.3 Effect of FCC on plant growth and crop production 37

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3 MATERIALS AND METHODS 39 3.1 Location of the study 39 3.2 Analysis of compost 39 3.3 Preliminary Experiment 41 3.4 Soil collection 42 3.5 Treatments 43

3.6 Experimental layout 44 3.6.1 Seedbed preparation 45

3.6.2 Application of filter cake compost 45 3.7 Planting and crop maintenance 47

3.7.1 Sowing of seeds 47 3.7.2 Agronomic practices 48

3.8 Field sampling and data collection 49 3.8.1 Pre-harvest characterization of the soil 49

3.8.2 Post- harvest characterization of the soil 51 3.8.3 Plant variables 52

3.8.4 Statistical analysis 55

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3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 56 4.1 Composition of Filter cake compost 57 4.2 Mineralization of FCC 59 4.3 Effect of FCC on selected soil characteristics 73

4.3.1 Effect of FCC on available water content and 73 soil bulk density

4.3.2 Effect FCC on nutrients in soils 77 4.3.3 Effect of FCC on population of soil microorganism 88

4.4 Effect of FCC on plant growth 92 4.4.1 Effect of FCC on plant height 92

4.4.2 Effect of FCC on plant biomass 94 4.4.3 Effect of FCC on plant culm diameter 95 4.4.4 Effect of FCC on nutrient content in tissue 96

4.5 Relationship between soil and plant characteristics 99 4.5.1 Correlation and Regression analyses 99

5 CONCLUSION` 109

REFERENCES 112 APPENDICES 124 BIODATA OF STUDENT 128

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LIST OF TABLES

Table Page 3.1 Procedures for determination of nutrient content of FCC, 40 soil chemical properties and plant tissues��������������������������������������� 3.2 Treatments of FCC comprising amount in the field 44

(t ha-1) and in culvert (g culvert -1) 4.1 Chemical and physical properties of experimental soil prior to 57 treatment application 4.2 Nutrient content of FCC used in this study as compared 58 with specifications by supplier 4.3 The effect of different rates of FCC on soil pH and 65

Mineralization of elements at 63 days incubation

4.4 Available water and soil bulk density as affected by 74 different rates of FCC

4.5 Effects of different rates of FCC on status 77 of nutrients in the soil (first season)

4.6 Effects of different rates of FCC on status 78 of nutrients in the soil (second season)

4.7 Soil pH and CEC as affected by different rates of FCC 86

4.8 Effects of different rates of FCC on soil fungal population 90 in both planting seasons 4.9 Sufficiency ranges of macro and micro-nutrient in flag 97 leaves of maize 4.10 Elements in the leaves affected by different rates of FCC 98 (first season)

4.11 Elements in the leaves affected by different rates of FCC 99 (second season)

4.12 Correlations among various soil nutrients and soil pH 101 at harvest during first season

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4.13 Correlations among various soil nutrients and soil pH 102 at harvest during second season 4.14 Correlations among various soil nutrients with nutrient 102 content in tissue at harvest during first season 4.15 Correlations among various soil nutrients with nutrient 103 content tiusse at harvest during second season 4.16 Correlations among various soil nutrients with plant yield 103 variables at harvest during first season

4.17 Correlations among various soil nutrients with plant yield 104 variables at harvest during second season

4.18 Correlations among various nutrients in tissue with 104 plant yield variables at harvest during first season 4.19 Correlations among various nutrients in tissue with 105 plant yield variables at harvest during second season �

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure Page

3.1 Incubation process of the FCC mixed with the soils 42

3.2 Preparation of soil in culverts prior to seeding 45

3.3 Sachets of FCC before mixing with the sandy soils 46

3.4 Spreading of FCC on sandy soil in culvert 47

3.5 Plant density of the culvert after seedlings establishment 48

3.6 Indication of flag leaf to be sampled at physiological maturity 53 4.1 The effect of different rates of FCC on soil pH during incubation 59

period 4.2 The effect of different rates of FCC on Organic carbon during 60 incubation period

4.3 The effect of different rates of FCC on total nitrogen during 60 incubation period

4.4 The effect of different rates of FCC on NH4

+ during 61 incubation period

4.5 The effect of different rates of FCC on NO3-during 62

incubation period

4.6 The effect of different rates of FCC on exchangeable K during 63 incubation period

4.7 The effect of different rates of FCC on exchangeable Ca during 63 incubation period

4.8 The effect of different rates of FCC on exchangeable Mg during 64 incubation period

4.9 Changes of pH in soil amended with FCC after 63 days of 66 incubation 4.10 Changes of total OC in soil amended with FCC after 63 days of 67 incubation

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4.11 Changes of total N in soil amended with FCC after 63 days 68 of incubation 4.12 Changes of NH+

4 in soil amended with FCC after 63 days 69 of incubation �������������������������Changes of NO-

3 in soil amended with FCC after 63 days 70 of incubation 4.14 Changes of exchangeable Mg in soil amended with FCC after 63 73 days of incubation 4.15 Soil bulk density as affected by different rates of FCC in both 75 planting Seasons. ����� � Available soil water content as affected by different rates of 76 FCC in both planting seasons 4.17 Effect of FCC on soil total nitrogen in both planting seasons 79 4.18 Soil phosphorus as affected by different rates of FCC in both 81 planting seasons

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4.20 Effect of FCC on soil calcium in both planting seasons 83 4.21 Effect of FCC on soil magnesium in both planting seasons 84 4.22 Soil iron as affected by different rates of FCC in both planting 85 Seasons 4.23 Effect of FCC on soil pH in both planting seasons 86 4.24 Effect of FCC on soil CEC in both planting seasons 87 4.25 Colonization of fungi in the soil after addition of FCC 89

4.26 Soil number of colonies as affected by different rates of FCC 91 in both planting seasons 4.27 Effects of FCC on plant height in both planting seasons 93 4.28 Plant height as affected by different treatments 93

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4.29 Aboveground plant dry weight as affected by amount of 94 FCC application 4.30 Changes in plant diameter with respect to addition 96

of different rates of FCC

4.31 Relationship between Calcium and Magnesium in soil 105 during first season 4.32 Relationship between Calcium and soil pH during first season 106 4.33 Relationship between Calcium and soil pH during second season 106 4.34 Relationship between Magnesium in soil and pH during second 107 season 4.35 Relationship between Calcium and Magnesium in soil during 107 second season 4.36 Relationship between Calcium in the soil and culm diameter 108 during second season 4.37 Relationship between Magnesium in the soil and culm diameter 108 during second season

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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

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ANOVA Analysis of Variance

ASWC1 Available soil water content in first season

ASWC2 Available soil water content in second season

BD1 Bulk density in first season

BD2 Bulk density in second season

BRIS Beach ridges interspersed with swales

C:N Carbon nitrogen ratio

CaL Calcium in the leaves

Cas Calcium in the soil

CEC Cation exchange capacity

CEC1 (cmol(+)kg-1 Soil Cation exchange capacity in the first season

CEC2 cmol(+)kg-1 Soil Cation exchange capacity in the second season

CRD Complete Randomized Design

EFB Empty fruit bunches

FCC Compost sugarcane filter cake

FeL Iron in the leaves

Fes Iron in the soil

KL Potassium in the leaves

KS Potassium in the soil

MARDI Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute

MgL Magnesium in the leaves

Mgs Magnesium in the soil

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NL Nitrogen in the leaves

NS Nitrogen in the soil

ns Not significant at (p<0.05) probability level

OM organic material

pH1 Soil pH in the first season

pH2 Soil pH in the second season

PL Phosphorus in the leaves

PS Phosphorus in the soil

POME Palm oil mill effluent

SOM Soil organic material

UiTM Universiti Teknologi Mara�

UPM Universiti Putra Malaysia WRB World reference base

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CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

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Sandy soils are characterized by less than 18% clay and more than 65% sand in the first

100 cm of the solum (ISSS Working Group, 1998). Sandy soils are weakly developed

soils with only weak profile horizon formation because of the slow chemical weathering

in these normally dry and hot soils. Physical weathering predominates in response to

extreme variations in temperature. The absence of vegetation cover results in an

extremely low production of organic material which leads to the very low organic matter

contents.

One of the primary interests of agriculturalists is the use of soil as a medium for plant

production. Many crop management decisions are aimed at improving the soil to

maximize production of food and fiber. Beach Ridges Interspersed with Swales (BRIS)

soils, which are types of sandy soils usually pose particular challenge to water and

nutrient management due to low water and nutrient retention capacity. High hydraulic

conductivity also leads to loss of water beyond rooting zone of plant. Sandy soils require

lots of irrigation water and fertilizers (Pathan et al., 2003).