Use natural soil amendments in improving hydro-physical properties and wheat crop production of a new reclaimed area, Sohag governorate, Egypt

A field trial was carried out at The Experimental Farm of Al-Sheikh Allam Al-Monshaah, Sohag governorate, Egypt which is located at 26° 52- 41= N latitude and 31° 75- 96= E longitude during two successive growth seasons of 2017/18 and 2018/19 to investigate some natural soil amendments (poultry manure, PM; farmyard, FYM; compost, CO ; mud rock, MR) with two application levels (20 and 40 ton/ fed) (fed= feddan= 0.420 hectares = 1.037 acres) to assess their effects on soil hydro-physical properties and to find the suitable application level for wheat crop production. The results showed that the soil texture differed fromsand to loamy sand with slight no changes as a result of soil amendments applications (SA). The SA reduced the soil bulk density especially in the surface layer at high application level. They increased the saturation percentage, field capacity and available water. The positive effect of SA on the soil moisture constant could be arranged in the descending order of PM > CO > MR > FYM. The infiltration rate (IF) of surface layers differed from 0.17 to 0.68 cm/ hr. as an average of both growth seasons. The IF rate increased as the amount of SA increased. It is considered slow for FYM, CO and MR treatments and moderately slow for PM treatment. The effect of SA on IF could be sorted in the descending order of PM > FYM > CO > MR. The main hydraulic conductivity (HC) of both seasons of the top soil (50 cm) varies from 0.05 to 0.17 m/ day. It increased as the level of SA increased. It is also considered slow for FYM, CO and MR treatments and moderately slow for PM treatment. The effect of SA on the HC could be set in the descending order of PM > FYM > CO > MR.