Laboratory Evaluation of Soil Amendments To Limit Structural Degradation under a Sequential Irrigation with Coal Seam Gas and Rain Water

Land amendment irrigation (LAI) has become an increasingly useful practice in addressing sodic and alkaline coal seam methane gas (CSG) water for irrigation purposes. However, there is a paucity of information pertaining to rapid dilution of soil solution under LAI management. This study investigated the ability of land amendment to buffer soils against structure degradation under sequential irrigation with CSG water (electrical conductivity [EC], 3 dS/cm; sodium adsorption ratio [SAR], 100 mmolc/L; pH 8.4) and rainwater in a highly smectitic black Vertisol (BV) and kaolinitic Oxisol (OX) soil. Stoichiometric quantities of gypsum and sulfur amendments were applied for the LAI process to reduce sodicity and alkalinity to a target of SAR