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 (), water penetrability (), diffusivity (D), and weighted-mean diffusivity () 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 , , and increased with increase in water salinity and decrease in % Jalma. For the loamy sand 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 and .