Grass that gets rid of salt

• Main Author: Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation 2014
• Subjects: Carbonic acid
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10568/44558; http://collections.infocollections.org/ukedu/en/d/Jcta06e/

The normal way to reduce the salt content of saline. soils is to wash out the sodium with vast quantities of water. This however, can, damage the structure of the soil. To prevent this from happening, gypsum, (calcium sulphate), is used. Scientists at the US Agricultural Research Service have discovered that a grass which is a cross between sorghum and Sudan Grass, called 'Sordan Grass', has the same effect as gypsum. The roots of this grass produce twice as much carbon dioxide as other plants. When combined with water the carbon dioxide forms carbonic acid which dissolves the chalk found in the soil. This chalk then replaces the sodium retained by the clay particles in the soil. There is much to be said for this approach: it is cheaper, since not only is it expensive to apply gypsum, but the land then cannot be used for a whole season. Furthermore, sordan grass provides a good source of food for cattle For further information see Science News 15 June 85 Science Service Inc 1719 N St NW Washington DC 20036 UNITED STATES The normal way to reduce the salt content of saline. soils is to wash out the sodium with vast quantities of water. This however, can, damage the structure of the soil. To prevent this from happening, gypsum, (calcium sulphate), is used. Scientists.