1. International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology (IJCIET), ISSN 0976 – 6308
(Print), ISSN 0976 – 6316(Online) Volume 4, Issue 2, March - April (2013), © IAEME
316
IMPROVEMENT IN BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF
ALKALINE SOILS BY USING PRESSMUD
E.SANJEEVA RAYUDU*, Dr. M. SRIMURALI** and K. VENKAIAH***
* Assistant professor, Dept of Civil Engg, G.Pulla Reddy Engineering College, Kurnool,
Andhra Pradesh
** Professor of Civil Engg, Sri Venkateswara University College of Engineering,
S.V.University, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh
*** Professor of Soil Science, Department of Soil Science, A.N.G.R. Agricultural University
College, Tirupathi.
ABSTRACT
This paper communicates the biological improvement studies of Alkaline soils by
using Pressmud. Alkaline soils are found to be high in pH, low organic carbon, less in micro
and macro nutrients, low porosity and less soil microbes resulting unsuitable for agriculture
whereas, Pressmud contain significant quantities of soil microbes and nutrients for
remediation of alkaline soil. This study was conducted for improving biological properity of
alkaline soil by adding different quantity of pressmud and it clearly demonstrated that
improvement biological properties of alkali soils are amenable by using Pressmud. The
treatment resulted in amelioration of biological environment of the alkali soil and rendered
the alkaline soil suitable for agricultural purpose.
Key Words: Alkaline soils, pH, Biological properties and pressmud.
INTRODUCTION
The soil is a dynamic medium, constituting the habitat of abundant biodiversity, with
unique genetic patterns where one can find the greatest amount and variety of living
organisms, which serve as a nutrient reservoir. One gram of soil in good conditions can
contain 600 million bacteria belonging to 15,000 or 20,000 different species. These values
decrease to 1 million bacteria encompassing from 5000 to 8000 species in desert soils
(Informativo Capebe, 2010).
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2. International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology (IJCIET), ISSN 0976 – 6308
(Print), ISSN 0976 – 6316(Online) Volume 4, Issue 2, March - April (2013), © IAEME
317
Out of total 952 million hectares of alkaline soils in the world (FAO/UNESCO,
1974), about 7.421 million hectares land was affected by salinity and Alkanity in India
(Sharma, 1998). These soils are high in pH, low porosity values, low organic carbon, less in
macro nutrients and in micro nutrients, less fertility and soil microbes rendering unsuitable
for agricultural crop
Excessive wastes of varied and intense nature are being generated due to
industrialization. These wastes often contain valuable material and some times, are being
used or reused in uneconomic manner or many times left completely unutilized causing a
great hazard to the human environment. Hence rational utilization and management of
disposal of wastes has assumed importance in order to prevent environmental pollution and to
conserve the resources. Agriculture is primary activity in India and is of great importance in
the Indian economy. About 60 to 70% of total populations are depending on the agriculture
for their livelihood.
Vermicomposting technology using earthworms as versatile natural bioreactors for
effective recycling of organic wastes to the soil is an environmentally acceptable means of
converting waste into nutritious composts for crop production (Graff, 1981; Edward et al.,
1985; Bano et al.,).Vermicompost has been shown to have high levels of total and available
nitrogen, phosphorous,potassium (NPK) and micro nutrients, microbial and enzyme activities
and growth regulators (Parthasarathi and Ranganathan 1999; Chaoui et al., 2003) and
continuous and adequate use with proper management can increase soil organic carbon, soil
water retention and transmission and improvement in other physical properties of soil like
bulk density, penetration resistance and aggregation (Zebarth et al., 1999) as well as
beneficial effect on the growth of a variety of plants (Atiyeh et al.,2002)
The current study, alkaline soils as well as Pressmud were collected from near by
IDA, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh and analysed for selected parameters to characterize the soils
and to assess the potentiality of pressmud for biological improvement in alkaline soils.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
1. Collection of alkaline soil samples from various locations of Renigunta mandal near
Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh and analysis of soil samples for various parameters including pH,
EC and Soil microbes shown in table 1.
Table 1 characteristics of existing soil
Parameter Units Values
pH 8.8
EC mMhos/cm 3.2
Bacteria ( x 103
CFU/gm)
1000
Fungi ( x 103
CFU/gm) 0

3. International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology (IJCIET), ISSN 0976 – 6308
(Print), ISSN 0976 – 6316(Online) Volume 4, Issue 2, March - April (2013), © IAEME
318
2. Collection of Pressmud from nearby Sugar industry to assess its potentiality for
improvement alkaline soils of low soil microbes values and shown the characteristics of
pressmud in table 2.
Table 2 Characteristics of Pressmud
.
Parameter Units Values
pH 7.5
EC mMhos/cm 7.71
Bacteria cfu/gm 7,000,000
Fungi cfu/gm 500,000
3. The various quantities of Pressmud was added to to one cubic feet of soil, then mixed
thoroughly and was kept for a curing period of 90 days. Analysis of soil, treated with various
combination of Pressmud after curing shown in Table3. Based on the results of analysis
optimum dosage of pressmud for biological improvement of soil for agricultural purpose was
evaluated.
Table 3 Characteristics of Alkaline Soil Treated With Pressmud
Treatment
(Quantity)
pH
EC
mMhos/cm
Soil Microbes
(cfu/g)
Bacteria
Fungi
T0 (Blank) 8.8 3.20 1000 0
10ton/ha 8.7 3.31 3000 1000
20 ton/ha 8.62 3.37 7000 1500
30 ton/ha 8.55 3.43 15000 3000
40 ton/ha 8.46 3.50 32000 7000
50 ton/ ha 8.39 3.62 70000 15000
60 ton/ha 8.32 3.73 90000 27000
70 ton/ha 8.28 3.85 150000 32000
80 ton/ha 8.20 3.97 270000 52000
90 ton/ha 8.15 4.1 500000 100000
100 ton/ha 7.99 4.17 1700000 300000

4. International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology (IJCIET), ISSN 0976 – 6308
(Print), ISSN 0976 – 6316(Online) Volume 4, Issue 2, March - April (2013), © IAEME
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RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Nature of soil
Based on the results of analysis, alkaline soil was identified and selected. Soil may be
classified as Alkaline, if the pH is more than 8.5; EC is less than 4.0 mMhos/cm. The values
of pH and Electrical conductivity (EC) of the soil chosen for the present study are 8.8 and
3.2.
Nature of Industrial waste
Results of analysis of pressmud from sugar industry are presented in the Table 2.
Perusal of the data indicates that Pressmud is capable to ameliorate biological characteristics
of soil.
pH
The variation in pH of the soil may be attributed to the slightly lower pH of the
Pressmud compared to the treated soil. The resulted pH after final treatment is around neutral
and it is desirable as it is indicative of the status of microbial environment/communities and
its net effect on the mineralization of organic residues and for immobilization of available
nutrients.
EC
The EC value of treated alkaline soil increased from 3.20 to 4.17 mMhos/cm, it is
significant since conductivity beyond 4 MMhos/cm is injurious to most crops. The increase in
soluble salt content with Pressmud might be attributed to the presence of soluble salts in the
press mud as evidenced by higher Electrical Conductivity values of Pressmud material (7.71
mMhos/cm).
Bacteria
The variation of soil Bacterial population presented in Table6, revealed that the
treated alkaline soils were progressively ameliorate with different proportions of Pressmud
and enhanced from 3000 to 1700000.
An increase of Bacterial population in the treated alkaline soils is due to the presence of
considerable enriching of bacteria in the Pressmud used in the present investigation.
Fungi
The application different proportion of Pressmud as evidenced from the Figure 5.15
also increased the soil Fungi content. The Fungi content advanced from 1000 to 300000. An
increase of fungi population in the treated alkaline soils is due to the presence of considerable
enrich of fungi in the Pressmud.
CONCLUSIONS
Alkaline soils responded favourable to treatment with Pressmud and resulted in the
improvement biological characteristics of the soil. Considerable improvement in microbial
content in respect of Bacteria and Fungi was noticed
Though the Pressmud improved almost biological properties of soil, Electrical
conductivity crossed the threshold value at 4 MMhos/cm at higher dose of effluent, beyond
80ton/ha. Hence, the soil treated with 80ton/ha dose was selected as optimum quantity of
pressmud.

5. International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology (IJCIET), ISSN 0976 – 6308
(Print), ISSN 0976 – 6316(Online) Volume 4, Issue 2, March - April (2013), © IAEME
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