Abstract
Hydrochloric acid (HC1), available as a caustic soda industry bye-product, has at present little economic use in Pakistan. Studies were initiated to determine its value in chemical amelioration at 50 and 100% of gypsum requirement (GR) compared with powdered gypsum applied equivalent to 100% GR. Acid applied at 100% GR produced the highest average plant height, tillering, straw and paddy yield among the imposed treatments. HCI at 100% GR also gave significantly better straw and paddy yield of cultivated rice compared with 100% gypsum. HCI at 50% GR produced significantly equal yields of straw and paddy as 100% gypsum.
