Benefits of Gypsum Treatments On Fields

What Are The Benefits of Amending Your Field With Gypsum?

It can be difficult and challenging to grow healthy crops in soils that are clay-heavy or sodic (high sodium). However, there are solutions available, and one avenue farmers can take to remedy the poor soil conditions is with the application of gypsum. The team at Natural Fertilizer will highlight what gypsum is and how it can benefit your field. 

What is Gypsum?

Gypsum is a natural mineral or byproduct that consists of calcium sulfate (CaSO4). The properties of this chemical compound are non-toxic and do not change the pH level of the soil. Gypsum is relatively soluble in water. Due to its solubility, this mineral acts as a great supplier of calcium (Ca) and sulfur (S) that can be used as a plant nutrient source. 

How Does It Benefit The Soil For Crop Production? 

In certain situations, gypsum is an excellent tool for amending the poor soil structure brought on by clay and high sodium conditions. The excessive sodium on clay particles' ionic exchange sites causes the clay to disburse, filling any soil pores in the clay itself. Without proper spacing between the particles, water infiltration is reduced, root development diminishes, the soil becomes more compacted, and also prone to surface drying or water saturation.

The role gypsum plays in amending this problem is through its calcium replacing the sodium on the ionic exchange sites. When enough water is present, gypsum's dissolved calcium can clear the displaced sodium from the soil profile. This process frees up space in the soil for better water penetration, better establishment of the root system, releases bound-up soil nutrients, and enhanced soil structure. 

Other benefits of the dissolved gypsum include adding more sulfur to the soil for plants to uptake and mitigating high pH soil. High pH levels in the ground limit nutrient supply and hinder plant growth. Applying gypsum (containing the sulfur compound) to high pH soils can generate an acidification effect that will reduce soil pH temporarily and release tightly held nutrients. This regimen can enhance crop performance, overall soil health, and–in turn–improve profitability. The benefits have been observed for crop production in sandy soils too.

Farmers that are considering gypsum to reclaim their soil should work with an agronomist first to have their soil tested. The collection and analysis of soil will reveal if your field has high sodium levels, low calcium levels, or if the soil is heavy in clay. From there, you can make the determination if applying gypsum would benefit your operation. 

When applying gypsum to the field, the application rate to remedy clay-heavy and sodic soils range from one to three tons per acre. It's recommended that you consult an agronomist to see what application rate makes sense for your particular field conditions. 

For more information about agricultural applications for nutrients and more, visit Natural-Fertilizer.com.