Abstract
There are mixed reports for biochars’ ability to increase corn grain and biomass yields. The objectives of this experiment were to conduct a three-year corn (Zea mays L.) grain and biomass production evaluation to determine soil fertility characteristics after designer biochars were applied to a highly weathered Ultisol. The amendments, which consisted of biochars and compost, were produced from 100% pine chips (PC); 100% poultry litter (PL); PC:PL 2:1 blend; PC mixed 2:1 with raw switchgrass (Panicum virgatum; rSG) compost; and 100% rSG compost. All treatments were applied at 30,000 kg/ha to a Goldsboro loam sandy (Fine-loamy, siliceous, sub-active, thermic Aquic Paleudult). Annual topsoil samples were collected in 5-cm depth increments (0 to 15-cm deep) and pH was measured along with Mehlich 1 phosphorus (M1 P) and potassium (M1 K) contents. After three years of corn production, there was no significant improvement in the annual mean corn grain or biomass yields. Biochar, which was applied from PL and PC:PL 2:1 blend, significantly increased M1 P and M1 K concentrations down to 10-cm deep, while the other biochar and compost treatments showed mixed results when the soil pH was modified. Our results demonstrated that designer biochar additions did not accompany higher corn grain and biomass productivity.
Highlights
Biochar is used as an amendment in agricultural soils to improve their physical characteristics [1,2,3,4]and to bolster important fertility properties [5,6,7,8]
Biochars’ ability to improve soil fertility is explained by the composition of organic compounds, which rebuilds soil organic carbon (SOC) levels [9,10,11] and ash material, which are comprised of important plant macro- and micro-nutrients [12,13,14]
The variability of biochar performance for improving crop yields was further demonstrated by Spokas et al [18], who reported that biochar caused positive yield increases in 50% of examined studies, but in the remaining 50%, there was no improvement or a decrease in crop yields
Summary
Biochar is used as an amendment in agricultural soils to improve their physical characteristics [1,2,3,4]and to bolster important fertility properties [5,6,7,8]. Have reported that, while the overall crop productivity improvement is around 10%, positive crop responses are better demonstrated by adding biochar to acidic, nutrient-poor soils in tropical regions, than in soils in temperate regions. More recent examples where biochar was applied to field soils, that did not significantly improve corn yields, were reported [19,20]. In these studies, the test sites were in temperate climatic regions that may explain the lack of significant corn grain yield improvements
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