Abstract
The management of invasive aquatic plants (IAPs), which is primarily accomplished through manual grubbing, incurs significant costs for populations, especially since the operations must be renewed on a regular basis. Converting IAPs into biochar for use as soil amendment will help offset the costs of this mechanical control strategy, while also improving carbon sequestration, soil fertility and crop yields. The objective of this study is to examine the effects of using IAPs biochar amendment on the quality of acidic soils and subsequently maize growth. Ten treatment groups including nine treatments and one control were established with four replicates each on freshly sown maize soils. Treatments options include applying IAP biochar (group 1), different combinations of IAP biochar and poultry manure (group 2), and mineral fertilizer (group 3). After 37 days, the average height of maize plants in the control group is 68.83±7.91cm, compared to 69.82 ± 7.34 cm (group1), 64.44 ± 7.82cm (group 2) and 69.08 ± 9.51cm (group 3). Multivariate analyses suggest that the IAPs biochar have significantly higher potential to improve plant growth parameters than either poultry manure or synthetic fertilizer. Based on the foregoing, the use of IAPs biochar amendment should be promoted among smallholder farmers because it is environmentally friendly, easy to produce, has a lower operational cost than other fertilizers, and has been shown to improve the acidic and impoverished dryland soils prevalent in Burkina Faso.
Highlights
Invasive alien species are one of the five top drivers that pose serious threats to biodiversity, ecosystem services, ecosystem health and livelihood security (Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, IPBES, 2018), These non-native taxa proliferate, disperse and persist in environments that are not originally their own, to the detriment of native species (Mack et al, 2000)
On the other hand, has a high level of P compared to Azolla a.and Cyperus a.biochar and high N compared to Cyperus a.biochar
The results of the trials show that the biochars obtained from Azolla a.and Myriophyllum a.had a positive effect on maize plant growth
Summary
Invasive alien species are one of the five top drivers that pose serious threats to biodiversity, ecosystem services, ecosystem health and livelihood security (Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, IPBES, 2018), These non-native taxa proliferate, disperse and persist in environments that are not originally their own, to the detriment of native species (Mack et al, 2000). In Burkina Faso, several invasive aquatic plants in particular, Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms, Azolla africana (Desv.), Myriophyllum aquaticum (Vell.) Verdc., Cyperus articulatus L. (Cyperaceae) are threatening wetlands of the country (PNGIRE, 2016) These invasive aquatic plants degrade water quality and reduce its groundwater volume by raising evaporation rates by between 3 and 7% as compared to pristine water bodies (MAAH, 2016). They limit the accessibility and availability of water for human, livestock, and wildlife use and provide habitats for vectors of waterborne diseases (malaria, bilharzia, cholera, and onchocerciasis).
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