Combined Application of Biochar and Lime Increases Maize Yield and Accelerates Carbon Loss from an Acidic Soil
Biochar, an ecologically friendly soil amendment, is suggested for large-scale field application for its multiple potential benefits, including carbon sequestration, crop yield improvement, and the abatement of greenhouse gas emissions. However, it is unknown how effective it is in changing soil pro...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-06-01
|
| Series: | Agronomy |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/7/1313 |
| _version_ | 1797528522382639104 |
|---|---|
| author | Mehnaz Mosharrof Md. Kamal Uddin Muhammad Firdaus Sulaiman Shamim Mia Shordar M. Shamsuzzaman Ahmad Numery Ashfaqul Haque |
| author_facet | Mehnaz Mosharrof Md. Kamal Uddin Muhammad Firdaus Sulaiman Shamim Mia Shordar M. Shamsuzzaman Ahmad Numery Ashfaqul Haque |
| author_sort | Mehnaz Mosharrof |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Biochar, an ecologically friendly soil amendment, is suggested for large-scale field application for its multiple potential benefits, including carbon sequestration, crop yield improvement, and the abatement of greenhouse gas emissions. However, it is unknown how effective it is in changing soil properties and its associated yield improvement when biochar is co-applied with lime in acidic soil. Here, we examined the effects of two different biochars, i.e., rice husk biochar (RHB) and oil palm empty fruit bunches biochar (EFBB), and lime on nutrient availability, the yield of maize, and soil CO<sub>2</sub> emission of acid soil. Biochars were applied at two different rates (10 and 15 t ha<sup>−1</sup>) in combination with two rates of lime (100% and 75%), while the recommended rate of NPK fertilizers, 100% lime, and without any amendments (control) were also included. Hybrid sweet corn was grown in pots with 20 kg soils for 75 days. Plant performance and soil analyses were performed before and after crop maize cultivation while CO<sub>2</sub> emission was recorded. Compared to the control, combined RHB biochars with lime significantly buffered soil pH and increased nutrient availability (e.g., P by 137%), while reducing Al and Fe concentration at harvest. These changes in soil properties significantly increased maize yield (by 77.59%) and nutrient uptake compared to the control. Between the two biochars, RHB was relatively more effective in making these changes than EFBB. However, this treatment contributed to a greater carbon loss as CO<sub>2</sub> (209% and 145% higher with RHB and EFBB) from soil than the control. We believe that biochar-mediated buffering of soil pH is responsible for this change. Our results suggest that combined biochar application could bring desirable changes in soil properties and increase crop performance, although these effects can be short-lived. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:00:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-49d102a0ebae4fd6a7a06ddf42131a1e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4395 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:00:31Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agronomy |
| spelling | doaj.art-49d102a0ebae4fd6a7a06ddf42131a1e2023-11-22T01:59:47ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952021-06-01117131310.3390/agronomy11071313Combined Application of Biochar and Lime Increases Maize Yield and Accelerates Carbon Loss from an Acidic SoilMehnaz Mosharrof0Md. Kamal Uddin1Muhammad Firdaus Sulaiman2Shamim Mia3Shordar M. Shamsuzzaman4Ahmad Numery Ashfaqul Haque5Department of Land Management, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, MalaysiaDepartment of Land Management, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, MalaysiaDepartment of Land Management, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, MalaysiaDepartment of Agronomy, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Patuakhali 8600, BangladeshDivisional Laboratory, Soil Resource Development Institute (SRDI), Krishi Khamar Sharak, Dhaka 1215, BangladeshDepartment of Land Management, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, MalaysiaBiochar, an ecologically friendly soil amendment, is suggested for large-scale field application for its multiple potential benefits, including carbon sequestration, crop yield improvement, and the abatement of greenhouse gas emissions. However, it is unknown how effective it is in changing soil properties and its associated yield improvement when biochar is co-applied with lime in acidic soil. Here, we examined the effects of two different biochars, i.e., rice husk biochar (RHB) and oil palm empty fruit bunches biochar (EFBB), and lime on nutrient availability, the yield of maize, and soil CO<sub>2</sub> emission of acid soil. Biochars were applied at two different rates (10 and 15 t ha<sup>−1</sup>) in combination with two rates of lime (100% and 75%), while the recommended rate of NPK fertilizers, 100% lime, and without any amendments (control) were also included. Hybrid sweet corn was grown in pots with 20 kg soils for 75 days. Plant performance and soil analyses were performed before and after crop maize cultivation while CO<sub>2</sub> emission was recorded. Compared to the control, combined RHB biochars with lime significantly buffered soil pH and increased nutrient availability (e.g., P by 137%), while reducing Al and Fe concentration at harvest. These changes in soil properties significantly increased maize yield (by 77.59%) and nutrient uptake compared to the control. Between the two biochars, RHB was relatively more effective in making these changes than EFBB. However, this treatment contributed to a greater carbon loss as CO<sub>2</sub> (209% and 145% higher with RHB and EFBB) from soil than the control. We believe that biochar-mediated buffering of soil pH is responsible for this change. Our results suggest that combined biochar application could bring desirable changes in soil properties and increase crop performance, although these effects can be short-lived.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/7/1313acid soilbiocharlimecarbon dioxidesoil nutrientsmaize yield |
| spellingShingle | Mehnaz Mosharrof Md. Kamal Uddin Muhammad Firdaus Sulaiman Shamim Mia Shordar M. Shamsuzzaman Ahmad Numery Ashfaqul Haque Combined Application of Biochar and Lime Increases Maize Yield and Accelerates Carbon Loss from an Acidic Soil Agronomy acid soil biochar lime carbon dioxide soil nutrients maize yield |
| title | Combined Application of Biochar and Lime Increases Maize Yield and Accelerates Carbon Loss from an Acidic Soil |
| title_full | Combined Application of Biochar and Lime Increases Maize Yield and Accelerates Carbon Loss from an Acidic Soil |
| title_fullStr | Combined Application of Biochar and Lime Increases Maize Yield and Accelerates Carbon Loss from an Acidic Soil |
| title_full_unstemmed | Combined Application of Biochar and Lime Increases Maize Yield and Accelerates Carbon Loss from an Acidic Soil |
| title_short | Combined Application of Biochar and Lime Increases Maize Yield and Accelerates Carbon Loss from an Acidic Soil |
| title_sort | combined application of biochar and lime increases maize yield and accelerates carbon loss from an acidic soil |
| topic | acid soil biochar lime carbon dioxide soil nutrients maize yield |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/7/1313 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mehnazmosharrof combinedapplicationofbiocharandlimeincreasesmaizeyieldandacceleratescarbonlossfromanacidicsoil AT mdkamaluddin combinedapplicationofbiocharandlimeincreasesmaizeyieldandacceleratescarbonlossfromanacidicsoil AT muhammadfirdaussulaiman combinedapplicationofbiocharandlimeincreasesmaizeyieldandacceleratescarbonlossfromanacidicsoil AT shamimmia combinedapplicationofbiocharandlimeincreasesmaizeyieldandacceleratescarbonlossfromanacidicsoil AT shordarmshamsuzzaman combinedapplicationofbiocharandlimeincreasesmaizeyieldandacceleratescarbonlossfromanacidicsoil AT ahmadnumeryashfaqulhaque combinedapplicationofbiocharandlimeincreasesmaizeyieldandacceleratescarbonlossfromanacidicsoil |