Co-application of sugarcane bagasse biochar, farmyard manure and mineral nitrogen improved growth indices of corn grown in alkaline calcareous soil

• Published in: Journal of plant nutrition Vol. 43; no. 9; pp. 1293 - 1305
• Main Authors: Zafar-ul-Hye, Muhammad, Wasim, Muhammad Mubashir, Munir, Tariq Muhammad, Aon, Muhammad, Shaaban, Muhammad, Abbas, Mazhar, Hussain, Mubshar, Ahmad, Maqshoof
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia Taylor & Francis 27.05.2020; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Agrochemicals; Alkaline soils; Bagasse; Biomass; Calcareous soil; Calcareous soils; Charcoal; Corn; Crop production; Crop yield; Fertilizers; Manures; Microorganisms; Nitrogen; organic amendments; Organic carbon; Organic soils; Plant growth; plant growth indices; Soil fertility; soil health; Soil improvement; Soil properties; Soil quality; Soils; Sugarcane; synthetic N fertilizer
• ISSN: 0190-4167; 1532-4087
• DOI: 10.1080/01904167.2020.1727509

Soil quality and crop productivity can be improved by the combined soil application of organic amendments and synthetic fertilizers. We evaluated the sole and combined effects of sugarcane-bagasse biochar (SBB), farmyard manure (FYM) and nitrogen (N) fertilizer on soil properties and corn yield traits. Three N fertilizer rates (0, 50 and 100% of recommended) were used with or without the organic amendments. We observed significant increases in soil nitrate-N (at vegetative and reproductive phases), ammonical-N and microbial-biomass-N contents in responses to a co-application of 0.5% SBB, 0.5% FYM and 100% N fertilizer (p ≤ 0.05). While the same co-application also resulted in the most significant soil organic carbon value, the maximum soil microbial biomass carbon was observed when 0.5% SBB and 0.5% FYM combination was applied along with 50% N fertilizer (p ≤ 0.05). Plant growth indices-shoot length and, fresh and dry weights of shoot and root were also recorded to be the highest where the same organic amendments were applied in addition to a 50% or 100% mineral N fertilizer (p ≤ 0.05). Combined application of the organic amendments effectively improved soil CEC compared to those in responses to individual applications of SBB and FYM (p ≤ 0.05). Conclusively, for increasing the corn yield and improving the soil quality, the co-application of 0.5% SBB and 0.5% FYM was more effective than any of the individual 1% applications; Additions of 50% and 100% mineral N to the organic combination were equally useful for increasing the grain yield.