Editing Gypsum (section)

===Agriculture===
*[[Fertilizer]]: In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Nova Scotia gypsum, often referred to as plaster, was a highly sought fertilizer for wheat fields in the United States.<ref>{{cite journal |jstor=3739630|title=The Gypsum Trade of the Maritime Provinces: Its Relation to American Diplomacy and Agriculture in the Early Nineteenth Century |last1=Graham |first1=Gerald S. |journal=Agricultural History |year=1938 |volume=12 |issue=3 |pages=209–223 }}</ref> Gypsum provides two of the [[plant nutrition|secondary plant macronutrients]], calcium and sulfur. Unlike limestone, it generally does not affect soil pH.<ref name="soilsorg"/>
*[[Land reclamation|Reclamation]] of [[saline soils]], regardless of pH. When gypsum is added to sodic (saline) and [[acidic soil]], the highly [[soluble]] form of [[boron]] ([[sodium metaborate]]) is converted to the less soluble calcium metaborate. The exchangeable sodium percentage is also reduced by gypsum application.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=ANCBDwAAQBAJ&dq=boron+sodium+soil&pg=PA99 Genesis and Management of Sodic (Alkali) Soils.] (2017). (n.p.): Scientific Publishers.</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |doi=10.2136/sssaj1980.03615995004400010010x |first1=J. D. |last1=Oster  |first2=H. |last2=Frenkel |year=1980 |title=The chemistry of the reclamation of sodic soils with gypsum and lime |journal=[[Soil Science Society of America Journal]] |volume=44 |issue=1 |pages=41–45 |bibcode=1980SSASJ..44...41O }}</ref> The [[Zuiderzee Works]] uses gypsum for the recovered land.<ref name="ley196110">{{Cite magazine |last=Ley |first=Willy |date=October 1961 |title=The Home-Made Land |department=For Your Information |url=https://archive.org/stream/Galaxy_v19n06_1961-08#page/n65/mode/1up |magazine=Galaxy Science Fiction |pages=92–106}}</ref>
*Other [[soil conditioner]] uses: Gypsum reduces aluminium and boron toxicity in acidic soils. It also improves soil structure, water absorption, and aeration.<ref name="soilsorg">{{cite web |title=Gypsum as an agricultural product {{!}} Soil Science Society of America |url=https://www.soils.org/news/science-news/gypsum-agricultural-product/ |website=www.soils.org}}</ref>
*Soil [[water potential]] monitoring: a gypsum block can be inserted into the soil, and its electrical resistance can be measured to derive soil moisture.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |last1=Durner |first1=W. |last2=Or |first2=D. |year=2006 |chapter=Soil water potential measurement |title=Encyclopedia of hydrological sciences |editor-last1=Anderson |editor-first1=M.G. |publisher=John Wiley & Sons Ltd. |chapter-url=http://www.soil.tu-bs.de/download/downloads/pubs/2005.hsa077a.Durner-Or.SoilWaterPotentialMeasurement.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220616051818/http://www.soil.tu-bs.de/download/downloads/pubs/2005.hsa077a.Durner-Or.SoilWaterPotentialMeasurement.pdf |archive-date=2022-06-16 |url-status=live|access-date=23 May 2022 |isbn=978-0471491033}}</ref>