Effect of Nano-Zinc Oxide, Rice Straw Compost, and Gypsum on Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Yield and Soil Quality in Saline–Sodic Soil

The salinity and alkalinity of soils are two fundamental factors that limit plant growth and productivity. For that reason, a field study conducted at Sakha Agric. Res. Station in Egypt during the 2022-2023 winter season aimed to assess the impact of gypsum (G), compost (C), and zinc foliar application in two images, traditional (Z₁ as ZnSO₄) and nanoform (Z₂ as N-ZnO), on alleviating the saline-sodic conditions of the soil and its impact on wheat productivity. The results showed that the combination of gypsum, compost, and N-ZnO foliar spray (G + C + Z₂) decreased the soil electrical conductivity (EC), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), and exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) by 14.81%, 40.60%, and 35.10%, respectively. Additionally, compared to the control, the G + C + Z₂ treatment showed improved nutrient content and uptake as well as superior wheat biomass parameters, such as the highest grain yield (7.07 Mg ha^-1), plant height (98.0 cm), 1000-grain weight (57.03 g), and straw yield (9.93 Mg ha^-1). Interestingly, foliar application of N-ZnO was more effective than ZnSO₄ in promoting wheat productivity. Principal component analysis highlighted a negative correlation between increased grain yield and the soil EC and SAR, whereas the soil organic matter (OM), infiltration rate (IR), and plant nutrient content were found to be positively correlated. Furthermore, employing the k-nearest neighbors technique, it was predicted that the wheat grain yield would rise to 7.25 t ha^-1 under certain soil parameters, such as EC (5.54 dS m^-1), ESP (10.02%), OM (1.41%), bulk density (1.30 g cm^-3), infiltration rate (1.15 cm h^-1), and SAR (7.80%). These results demonstrate how adding compost and gypsum to foliar N-ZnO can improve the soil quality, increase the wheat yield, and improve the nutrient uptake, all of which can support sustainable agriculture.