Pyrolyzed agricultural wastes for improving degraded soil, nutrient use efficiency and growth performance of maize

The need for cheap and affordable alternate sources of plant nutrient inputs to boost the nutrient level of degraded arable farmlands has been a major concern for soil scientists. In 2018, a field study was carried out under rain-fed conditions to evaluate the effect of palm waste biochar (PWB), pou...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Onwudike Stanley Uchenna, Onwubiko Jadidiah Solomon
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Soil Science Society of Pakistan (SSSP) 2020-06-01
Series:Soil & Environment
Subjects:
Online Access:http://se.org.pk/File-Download.aspx?archivedpaperid=886
_version_ 1818570001140940800
author Onwudike Stanley Uchenna
Onwubiko Jadidiah Solomon
author_facet Onwudike Stanley Uchenna
Onwubiko Jadidiah Solomon
author_sort Onwudike Stanley Uchenna
collection DOAJ
description The need for cheap and affordable alternate sources of plant nutrient inputs to boost the nutrient level of degraded arable farmlands has been a major concern for soil scientists. In 2018, a field study was carried out under rain-fed conditions to evaluate the effect of palm waste biochar (PWB), poultry litter biochar (PLB) and inorganic fertilizer on the properties of soil, N and P use efficiency on a sandy Ultisol. The treatments consisted of T1 (control), T2 (625 kg ha-1 NPK fertilizer), T3 (10 t ha-1 PWB + 625 kg ha-1 NPK fertilizer), T4 (10 t ha-1 PLB + 625 kg ha-1 NPK fertilizer), T5 (5 t ha-1 PWB + 5 t ha-1 PLB + 625 kg ha-1 NPK fertilizer) and T6 (10 t ha-1 PWB+10 t ha-1 PLB + 625 kg ha-1 NPK fertilizer). These treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design and replicated three times. Data were analysed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and significant effects among treatment means were determined using Fishers Least Significant Difference (F-LSD) at a 5% probability level. Results showed that biochar application significantly (p = 0.05) reduced soil bulk density by 9.9%, increased soil organic matter by 28.4%, total exchangeable bases by 34.8% and raised soil pH by 19.2%. The number of leaves, plant height and leaf area of maize were significantly higher in the amended plots than that of the control plots after six weeks of planting. Plots amended with 10 t ha-1 PLB+625kg ha-1 NPK fertilizer had the highest grain and fresh cob yield of 3.08 t ha-1 and 7.53 t ha-1, respectively, while the least values were obtained in the control plots (2.18t ha-1 and 4.03 t ha-1, respectively). The highest values of nitrogen uptake (70.84 kg ha-1), physiological efficiency of (27.47 kg ha-1), phosphorus uptake (78.54 kg ha-1), phosphorus use efficiency (80.14%), agronomic efficiency of N (9.6 kg ha-1), agronomic efficiencies of P(22.02 kg ha-1), partial factor productivity of N (32.85 kg ha-1) and P (75.34 kg ha-1) as well as N physiological efficiency (30.6 kg ha-1) were obtained in plots amended with 10 t/ha PLB + 625 kg ha-1 NPK fertilizer. Therefore, application of 10 t ha-1 PLB + 625 kg ha-1 NPK fertilizer is recommended for improved N and P use efficiencies, N and P uptakes, yield performance of maize and improvement in the soil properties of a degraded acidic soil.
first_indexed 2024-12-14T06:55:03Z
format Article
id doaj.art-b382d3a9487040c59f72cb86eeab7257
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2074-9546
2075-1141
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-14T06:55:03Z
publishDate 2020-06-01
publisher Soil Science Society of Pakistan (SSSP)
record_format Article
series Soil & Environment
spelling doaj.art-b382d3a9487040c59f72cb86eeab72572022-12-21T23:12:43ZengSoil Science Society of Pakistan (SSSP)Soil & Environment2074-95462075-11412020-06-013919510510.25252/SE/2020/111938Pyrolyzed agricultural wastes for improving degraded soil, nutrient use efficiency and growth performance of maizeOnwudike Stanley Uchenna0Onwubiko Jadidiah Solomon1Soil Science and Technology Department, Federal University of Technology Owerri, NigeriaSoil Science and Technology Department, Federal University of Technology Owerri, NigeriaThe need for cheap and affordable alternate sources of plant nutrient inputs to boost the nutrient level of degraded arable farmlands has been a major concern for soil scientists. In 2018, a field study was carried out under rain-fed conditions to evaluate the effect of palm waste biochar (PWB), poultry litter biochar (PLB) and inorganic fertilizer on the properties of soil, N and P use efficiency on a sandy Ultisol. The treatments consisted of T1 (control), T2 (625 kg ha-1 NPK fertilizer), T3 (10 t ha-1 PWB + 625 kg ha-1 NPK fertilizer), T4 (10 t ha-1 PLB + 625 kg ha-1 NPK fertilizer), T5 (5 t ha-1 PWB + 5 t ha-1 PLB + 625 kg ha-1 NPK fertilizer) and T6 (10 t ha-1 PWB+10 t ha-1 PLB + 625 kg ha-1 NPK fertilizer). These treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design and replicated three times. Data were analysed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and significant effects among treatment means were determined using Fishers Least Significant Difference (F-LSD) at a 5% probability level. Results showed that biochar application significantly (p = 0.05) reduced soil bulk density by 9.9%, increased soil organic matter by 28.4%, total exchangeable bases by 34.8% and raised soil pH by 19.2%. The number of leaves, plant height and leaf area of maize were significantly higher in the amended plots than that of the control plots after six weeks of planting. Plots amended with 10 t ha-1 PLB+625kg ha-1 NPK fertilizer had the highest grain and fresh cob yield of 3.08 t ha-1 and 7.53 t ha-1, respectively, while the least values were obtained in the control plots (2.18t ha-1 and 4.03 t ha-1, respectively). The highest values of nitrogen uptake (70.84 kg ha-1), physiological efficiency of (27.47 kg ha-1), phosphorus uptake (78.54 kg ha-1), phosphorus use efficiency (80.14%), agronomic efficiency of N (9.6 kg ha-1), agronomic efficiencies of P(22.02 kg ha-1), partial factor productivity of N (32.85 kg ha-1) and P (75.34 kg ha-1) as well as N physiological efficiency (30.6 kg ha-1) were obtained in plots amended with 10 t/ha PLB + 625 kg ha-1 NPK fertilizer. Therefore, application of 10 t ha-1 PLB + 625 kg ha-1 NPK fertilizer is recommended for improved N and P use efficiencies, N and P uptakes, yield performance of maize and improvement in the soil properties of a degraded acidic soil.http://se.org.pk/File-Download.aspx?archivedpaperid=886biocharpartial factor productivitypyrolysissoil amendmentsoil fertilityultisol
spellingShingle Onwudike Stanley Uchenna
Onwubiko Jadidiah Solomon
Pyrolyzed agricultural wastes for improving degraded soil, nutrient use efficiency and growth performance of maize
Soil & Environment
biochar
partial factor productivity
pyrolysis
soil amendment
soil fertility
ultisol
title Pyrolyzed agricultural wastes for improving degraded soil, nutrient use efficiency and growth performance of maize
title_full Pyrolyzed agricultural wastes for improving degraded soil, nutrient use efficiency and growth performance of maize
title_fullStr Pyrolyzed agricultural wastes for improving degraded soil, nutrient use efficiency and growth performance of maize
title_full_unstemmed Pyrolyzed agricultural wastes for improving degraded soil, nutrient use efficiency and growth performance of maize
title_short Pyrolyzed agricultural wastes for improving degraded soil, nutrient use efficiency and growth performance of maize
title_sort pyrolyzed agricultural wastes for improving degraded soil nutrient use efficiency and growth performance of maize
topic biochar
partial factor productivity
pyrolysis
soil amendment
soil fertility
ultisol
url http://se.org.pk/File-Download.aspx?archivedpaperid=886
work_keys_str_mv AT onwudikestanleyuchenna pyrolyzedagriculturalwastesforimprovingdegradedsoilnutrientuseefficiencyandgrowthperformanceofmaize
AT onwubikojadidiahsolomon pyrolyzedagriculturalwastesforimprovingdegradedsoilnutrientuseefficiencyandgrowthperformanceofmaize