| SALINE TRIALS using BioSulphur A trial was done in Mexico on land used to grow cotton comparing the efficacy of BioSulphur with elemental milled sulphur - 325 mesh | | Site: | Comarca Lagunera on the borders of Durango and Coahuila states | | | | Soil type: | Alkaline 12” layer with 4 Meq interchangeable Sodium and 10 Meq Cation exchange capacity | | | | Treatment: | 960 Kg Milled sulphur per hectare was needed to reduce the Sodium level by 1 Meq in one month. | | 102 Ltrs BioSulphur had the same effect.
The Mechanism:
High saline soils tend to be phytotoxic to most agricultural crops but can be improved by
“Leaching out” by making the salts soluble. Applying soil conditioners such as Sulphur, Gypsum, Lime or BioSulphur depending on the initial pH will do this.
Sulphur and Gypsum are applied to neutralise alkaline soils but work very slowly, even when finely milled. The sulphur has to oxidise to sulphates naturally before they affect the soil pH and interact with the Sodium and Calcium carbonates.
Gypsum is very insoluble so high doses are need to effect pH and then, only reacts with the Sodium carbonate fraction.
Lime is used to neutralise acidic soils. However, the rapid change from acidic to alkaline pH has a deteriorating effect on the soils ecosystem and introduces more Calcium into the soil, which in turn fills up all the Cation Exchange Sites.
BioSulphur can be used on both Alkaline and Acidic soils without deteriorating the soil eco system. The Sulphur precipitates on contact with the soil in a colloidal form and converts very rapidly to sulphurous and sulphuric acid. This reacts immediately with Sodium carbonate and calcium carbonate to form sulphides and sulphates. The Calcium sulphate initiates further sodium interchange thus increasing the rate at which Sodium and Calcium ions are leached out of the soil. | 
