The Impact Of Biochar And Compost As A Soil Amendment On The Growth, Yield, And Chemical Composition Of Maize (Zea Mays): A Study On Two Different Land Uses
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Soil health is the production base, and management allows manufacturers to work with the land. Healthy soil provides a clean environment and nutritious crop. The performance of the crop on alkaline-saline soil is incomplete due to poor nutrient management. Biochar and compost initiated distinctive biomass to improve soil health. Equally; limited studies were conducted on the co-application of biochar and compost produced from the same field of alkaline. Therefore; a pot experiment of two different soils i.e. banana cultivated fields (BCF) and Coastal fallow land (CFL) was conducted to estimate the effect of co-application of biochar and compost on the soil properties, growth, and yield attributes of Maize. Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with a total of 24 pots, filled with 15kg of soil, with four different treatments including control (Co), 1% Compost (C), 1% Biochar (B), and 1% Biochar + Compost (B+C), within three times replicate. Generally; study findings showed that 1%B+C has a significant (p<0.05) effect on the growth and yield followed by 1%C, 1%B, and Co. In the comparison of the alone 1%B and 1%C, 1%C performs better and more significantly (p<0.05) different compared to 1%biochar and control. Similarly; the availability of NPK, SOM%, and CEC of both BCF and CFL increased within co-application of 1% B+C, compared to 1%C, and 1%B. While; the increased order of the co-application was recorded as 1%B+C >1%B > 1%C and Co. Consequently, co-application of 1%B+C with fertilizer could be a suitable management approach to increased crop yield and improve soil health of the alkaline calcareous soil.
Authors: Sher Jan, Shahmir Ali Kalhoro, Qamar Sarfaraz, Punhoon khan korai, Ammar Rasheed, Muhammad Abuzar Jaffar, Iftakhar Ahmed, Abdul Hafeez Mastoi, Gulab Jan, Shabir Ahmed, Sidra Majeed, Usama Rasheed, Ghulam Haider Angaria, Shah Muhammad, Abdul Salam, Naguman Ali, Honak Baloch, Khurram shahzad
Language: English
Subfield: Soil Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDGs: Life on land, Zero hunger
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4406252418