THE EFFECT OF ADDING ALUMINUM SULFATE (ALUM) AND COVER CROPS ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF SORGHUM IN DEGRADED SOIL

Abstract

Currently, more than 20% of the total global irrigated area is affected by salinity and high levels of sodium in soils, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, which makes them degraded soils with poor properties that may discourage or prevent plant growth in them. And through a global field experiment conducted during the fall agricultural season for the year 2022 in Anbar Governorate - Karma district according to the split-plot design, it included two factors, the first factor is three levels of cover crops (CC) planted alongside the main crop (Sorghum) and placed in the main panels and the second factor is four levels of aluminum sulfate (alum) (A) placed in the secondary panels and with three replications, the results showed a significant effect of all levels of aluminum sulfate addition in the indicators of growth and yield of white corn and reached the highest rate of increase in the treatments of the level of alum A3 In (plant height, leaf area, chlorophyll index and biological yield of sorghum crop) (21, 25, 16, 101)%, respectively, compared with the comparison treatment (A0), and in general, the significant effect occurred in an increasing manner with increasing alum levels. While the cover crops did not have a significant effect on the indicators of growth and yield of the main crop, except for leaf area.