Impact of Gypsum and Filter Cake on Selected Physicochemical Properties of Saline Sodic Soil of Amibara Area Central Rift Valley Ethiopia

Salinity and aridity are two interrelated problems rapidly expanding in Ethiopia and soil with saline sodic property in Amibara irrigated farms threatens crop productivity. A field experiment was conducted at Werer Agricultural Research Center to evaluate the ameliorative effects of gypsum and filter cake on saline-sodic soil. Composite surface soil samples before the experiment and plot-level samples after harvest were collected for laboratory analysis. Post-harvest soil analysis revealed that bulk density, soil pH, exchangeable sodium, and exchangeable calcium, were significantly affected by the interaction of gypsum and filter cake (P < 0.01). The lowest mean soil pH (7.76) was measured from plots treated with 75% gypsum requirement + 25 t ha ^− 1 filter cakes and the highest soil pH (8.20) was recorded from untreated plots. Experimental plots treated with a sole application of gypsum and filter cake showed a reduction of exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP). In conclusion, the combined amendment of gypsum and filter cake can improve the adverse impacts of pH, SAR, exchangeable sodium, and exchangeable sodium percentage. It could be concluded that the combined application of Gypsum and filter cake enhances soil physicochemical properties and wheat production in the saline-sodic soil of Amibara District.