Agriculture

• Soil conditioner
  Gypsum helps improve the structure and physical condition of soils, through flocculation, by loosening tight, compacted soil, generally improving soil structure, aeration and permeability.
  The physical condition or structure of the soil has a major impact on its workability, crop output, its capacity to absorb water (which facilitates irrigation) and to dry in a short period of time. A good soil is characterized by a high porosity, good drainage and aeration. Porosity is crucial for the normal development and optimal growth of plants and to assure good harvest productivity.
  
• Fertiliser / Nutrient Source
  Gypsum is used in agricultural and horticultural fertilisers, dressings and pesticides. Calcium, nitrogen, phosphates, potassium and magnesium and sulphur are indispensable elements for fertilisation, and healthy plant growth. Gypsum provides a natural source of calcium and sulphur, which can be directly assimilated by plants and are vital to fertilisation and healthy plant growth.
  Fertilisers may be needed in soil for a number of reasons, including humus deficiency, incorrect crop rotation and specific requirements of a particular crop. They may be required due to the geological origin of the soil in certain areas.

• Mushroom Composting
  Gypsum is used in the production of compost for mushroom growing. In this case a relatively fine particle size product can be used. Mushrooms are part of the fungus family which is unable to use the sun’s energy to combine water and carbon dioxide into carbohydrate. Instead they must live on plant and animal remains.
  The main constituents of mushroom compost are wheat straw and manure.
  The flocculating action of the calcium sulphate helps the compost to maintain an open (non compact) structure, preventing it from turning sour. It also provides a buffering effect that assists the compost in staying within a pH range of around six to eight which favours the growth of the spores.
  Gypsum ensures that chemically combined nitrogen levels are maintained, that ammoniac odours remain limited (the ammoniac vapours can generate eye diseases) and that the compost is more nutritive. The chemical reaction is that gypsum helps transforming the instable ammonium carbonate of the compost into stable ammonium sulphate:

2NH3 + CO2 + CaSO4 2H2O —> (NH4)2SO4 + CaCO3 + H2O