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FIELD EVALUATION OF SOIL AND WHEAT RESPONSES TO COMBINED APPLICATION OF HARDWOOD BIOCHAR AND INORGANIC FERTILIZERS IN ACIDIC SANDY LOAM SOIL

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2017

BANASHREE SARMA ,
NIRMALI GOGOI ,
MADHURI BHARALI  and
PRIYANKA MALI
BANASHREE SARMA
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental Science, Tezpur University, Napaam, Assam 784028, India
NIRMALI GOGOI*
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental Science, Tezpur University, Napaam, Assam 784028, India
MADHURI BHARALI
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental Science, Tezpur University, Napaam, Assam 784028, India
PRIYANKA MALI
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental Science, Tezpur University, Napaam, Assam 784028, India
*
†Corresponding author. E-mail: nirmalievs@gmail.com
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Summary

Biochar application appears to be a promising method to improve soil physicochemical and biological properties by increasing soil carbon. Along with the influence of hardwood biochar on wheat growth, yield and soil quality for a period of two years, this study also evaluates the major soil parameters to be taken as minimum data set while assessing the impact of hardwood biochar in an acidic sandy loam soil. Five fertilizer treatments combining inorganic fertilizers and biochar were applied: unfertilized control (T1); 100% NPK (T2); 5 Mg ha−1 biochar (T3); 100% NPK + 5 Mg ha−1 biochar (T4); and 50% N + 100% PK + 5 Mg ha−1 biochar (T5). Biochar application (T3 vs. T1; T4 and T5 vs. T2) significantly increased leaf chlorophyll content, net photosynthesis rate, leaf N concentration and above and below-ground biomass, with improved wheat yield and grain quality (total grain protein and carbohydrate). Soil pH, water-holding capacity, available nutrients (N, P and K), organic carbon and its fractions also enhanced in biochar applied plots with reduced bulk density. Increased activities of soil enzymes urease, phosphatase, dehydrogenase, fluorescein di-acetate and arylsulphatase were recorded in biochar treatment along with significant increase in N recovery index (22%) and agronomic efficiency (40%). Multivariate analysis identified activity of phosphatase, pH and humic acid to fulvic acid ratio as the indicators to explain the total variance from biochar addition in acidic sandy loam soil under wheat cultivation. Soil quality index showed a significant improvement when biochar was added with reduced N doses (T5). This study confirms the efficacy of biochar as a soil conditioner when applied with reduced N fertilizer and would be a sustainable option to improve wheat production and soil quality in acidic sandy loam soils of northeast India.

Type
Research Article
Information
Experimental Agriculture , Volume 54 , Issue 4 , August 2018 , pp. 507 - 519
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Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2017 

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