Soil Quality Indicators Effects on Alfalfa Productivity under Egyptian Soil Conditions

This study was carried out in El-Sadat center, Menoufia governorate during 2013/2015 seasons, to study the relationship between physical and chemical soil quality indicators on alfalfa. Eight soil samples of six locations have been sampling to a depth of 30 cm. All samples collected for each region separately, and analyzed for fourteen physical indicators viz. CS, FS, S and clay, BD, real density, hydraulic conductivity, field capacity, wilting coefficient, slowly drainable porosity, quickly drainable porosity, mean Wight diameter, water holding porosity and total porosity; as well as, seven chemical indicators viz. pH, electric conductivity, organic matter, cation exchange capacity, calcium carbonate, available potassium and total nitrogen. Results showed that, the soil planted (alfalfa crop) were more affected (significant correlation) on the production of four indicators namely: pH (0.68*) < TN (0.65*) < OM (0.52) < clay (0.50). Results also, clear that there is insignificant relationship among physical parameters and alfalfa equivalent yield. Results added that, insignificant linear relationship correlation was observed between alfalfa productivity and most of chemical parameters under study such as (EC, CaCO3, CEC, and Av. k) (r = -0.021, 0.490, -0.470, and 0.000) respectively, On the opposite, both of pH, OM and T.N indicators showing a significant positive linear relationship correlation (P < 0.05, r = 0.680, 0.520, 0.650) respectively.