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Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2021, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (2): 93-101.DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2020319

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Growth of Elymus nutans in saline saline-alkali soil amended with calcium silicate slag: Performance and mechanism

Zhen-lian FAN1(), Yang-jie JIA2, Yuan FAN1, Hui-ping SONG1, Zheng-jun FENG3()   

  1. 1.Institute of Resources and Environmental Engineering,Shanxi University,State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization Technology of Coal Waste Resources,Shanxi Collaborative Innovation Center of High Value-added Utilization of Coal-related Wastes,Taiyuan 030006,China
    2.Shanxi Science and Technology Ltd,Taiyuan 030006,China
    3.Institute of Loess Plateau,Shanxi University,Taiyuan 030006,China
  • Received:2020-07-07 Revised:2020-09-29 Online:2021-02-20 Published:2021-01-19
  • Contact: Zheng-jun FENG

Abstract:

Saline-alkali soil management is an issue of worldwide concern. Desulfurization gypsum is one of the common saline soil amendments. Silica-calcium slag is a by-product of aluminum extraction from fly ash. It is rich in calcium, silicon and other elements, which enhance the saline-alkali resistance of plants. Therefore, silica-calcium slag has the potential to improve saline-alkali soil after flue gas desulfurization. Silica-calcium slag at 0, 10, 25 and 50 g·kg-1 soil, and 50 g·kg-1 soil desulfurization gypsum as a comparison were applied as treatments mixed into saline-alkali soil in pot experiments to explore the effects on the growth of Elymus nutans. It was found that silica-calcium slag improved the growth of E. nutans in saline-alkali soil. The weight per plant of E. nutans was increased by a factor of 0.4-1.6, the total plant biomass per pot was increased by a factor of 2.8-6.8, the root length by 3.16%-40.21% and the plant height by 9.07%-17.35% after the application of silica-calcium. The treatment with 50 g·kg-1 silica-calcium slag applied was the best. Moreover, the performance of 50 g·kg-1 silica-calcium slag was also better than that of 50 g·kg-1 soil desulfurization gypsum in plant growth. The possible mechanisms were as follows: 1) Incorporating silica-calcium slag and desulfurized gypsum significantly reduced the soil pH, which could improve the physical and chemical properties of soil and alleviate the alkali stress to plants. 2) Silica-calcium slag increased the absorption of Ca and Si by plants, which are beneficial for resisting salt and alkali stresses. 3) Silica-calcium slag helped the plants to absorb more potassium and reject more sodium to improve the osmotic pressure of plant cells, increasing the intracellular K∶Na balance, thus reducing the harm from saline-alkali stress. This study shows that silica-calcium slag can effectively improve the properties of saline-alkali soil and promote the growth of E. nutans, providing a new option for the utilization of coal-based solid wastes and the improvement of saline-alkali soil in northern China.

Key words: silica-calcium slag, saline-alkali stress, Elymus nutans