5 Best Examples of Gypsum Uses in Agriculture

Gypsum is often viewed as a material that is frequently associated with construction and home improvement. It can also play a pivotal role outside of it as well. Did you know that it can be useful in agriculture?

If not, we’ll go further and discuss five of the best examples of gypsum uses in agriculture. The uses of this versatile mineral outside of the practices of construction and home improvement are not always discussed. Yet, we were able to put this guide together to make you aware of how useful gypsum can be in such situations such as soil improvement, nutrient management, and sustainable farming practices.

Let’s begin with a list of these examples along with details on how gypsum can benefit in the agricultural world.

1. Soil Amendment and Reclamation

To begin, let’s discuss how gypsum can be useful in soil amendment and reclamation. Soil can deal with a wide range of issues. They include but are not limited to poor water infiltration, compaction, and lesser availability in nutrients.

These issues will hinder the growth of crops. The application of gypsum can help address these problems. When applied, it can improve soil structure and tilth. 

If the soil is compacted, gypsum will cause it to loosen up so it breaks down easily. Finally, it can increase water infiltration so it reduces any instances of runoff or erosion. Gypsum contains calcium, which can work against the sodium ions that exist in the soil.

The ions that cause sodium-induced dispersion will be displaced. Typically, such dispersion can lead to the degradation of the soil’s structure. Root growth and better nutrient absorption will be two of the best results with the application of gypsum.

As you may have noticed, high levels of sodium can hinder crop growth. Calcium, on the other hand, can reduce those levels effectively. Since it’s contained in gypsum, you can utilize it in an effort to make unproductive lands more arable for your agricultural needs.

2. Nutrient Management

The demand for nutrients in agricultural crops is nothing new. It’s clear that enough of it will be appropriate for viable growth of anything you intend to grow. At the same time, you want to consider maximizing your crop success without making much of an impact on the environment - for better or worse.

Gypsum can play a role in making sure nutrient management is possible. Some nutrients may exist in excess. For example, phosphorus may be an essential nutrient for crop growth.

Too much of it can be a bad thing. With too much phosphorus, it can lead to water pollution issues. Phosphorus can be carried via runoff and can end up emptying in much larger bodies of water, hence triggering pollution issues that can be widespread.

Even worse, it can also lead to the formation of algal blooms that are harmful to the aquatic ecosystems. Gypsum can mitigate this issue effectively by binding with the phosphorus that exists in the soil. Specifically, it can reduce its mobility and runoff potential.

In addition, gypsum can also enhance the availability of other essential nutrients such as sulfur and calcium. Both are essential for the growth and development of crops. With gypsum, it can promote healthy, productive crops while mitigating pollution at the same time.

If you live in an area where the potential of water runoff is high, gypsum might be an excellent solution to reduce it while preventing any kind of water pollution outside of your properties.

3. Crop Yield Enhancement

The use of gypsum has plenty of benefits that lead to the positive result of better crop yields. As such, it can be useful for those who plan and strategize for their agricultural maintenance. It isn’t a matter of if you want to apply gypsum or not - it’s a matter of when it needs to be done.

To make crop yield enhancement a possibility, you’ll want to follow this advice carefully. You want to take into account each thousand square feet of soil that you use. If you are planting vegetables, consider applying anywhere from 20 to 30 pounds for every 1000 square feet.

In terms of frequency, it should be applied annually. It is important to know this because overapplication of gypsum can do more harm than good to your crops. Thus, it defeats the entire purpose of the overall benefit of better crop yields. 

4. Soil pH Adjustment

The pH levels of soil are critical to agriculture. It is important to be mindful of what kind of crops will thrive under the right levels and conditions. Some will thrive in soils that are more acidic while others will need soil that is more alkaline.

Gypsum will provide that balance thanks to one of its key minerals - calcium. If the soil is acidic, gypsum can be useful as a liming agent. When dissolved in soil, it will deploy calcium ions and raise the pH levels to the point where it can be more neutral or slightly more alkaline.

If you are growing crops like alfalfa or clover, this will be beneficial since they thrive best in alkaline soil. Speaking of which, gypsum can lower the pH levels of acidic soils. The way this works is that the calcium ions will replace the sodium ions.

5. Dust Control and Erosion Prevention

The final example we’ll take a look at is dust control and erosion prevention. If you live in a geographical area that is arid or semi-arid, the issue of erosion caused by wind and water is common. That’s another issue that gypsum can address in an agricultural setting.

If you are using it in a dust control situation, gypsum can form a crust-like barrier that can reduce the emissions of dust. This can be useful if you are growing crops near urban environments or if the ecosystem is sensitive to dust pollution - which can pose a threat to not only the environment but also to human health.

In the case of erosion prevention, gypsum can create a stable surface that can reduce soil loss while protecting the topsoil. This will lead to better fertility for your crops.

Conclusion

PermuTrade understands the importance of several commodities. Gypsum is considered one of the more physical commodity types that we know a thing or two about. We are confident that it can serve itself well in situations not only within construction or home improvement, but also agricultural applications as well.

To learn more about gypsum and why it’s valuable, contact PermuTrade today.