Abstract
Biochar is widely used as a soil amendment to increase crop yields. However, the impact of the interaction between the biochar and microbial inoculants (e.g., biofertilizer) on plant nutrient uptake and yield in forage rice is not fully understood. A greenhouse study was conducted to evaluate the synergistic effects of rice-husk biochar and Bacillus pumilus strain TUAT-1 biofertilizer application on growth, yield, and nutrient uptake in two forage rice genotypes; Fukuhibiki and the newly bred line, LTAT-29. Positive effects of biochar and biofertilizer, alone or in a combination, on growth traits, nutrient uptake, and yield components were dependent on the rice genotypes. Biochar and TUAT-1 biofertilizer influenced the overall growth of plants positively and increased straw and above-ground biomass in both genotypes. However, although biochar application significantly increased grain yield in LTAT-29, this was not the case in Fukuhibiki. Biochar and TUAT-1 biofertilizer, either alone or combined, significantly affected plant nutrient uptake but the effect largely depended on rice genotype. Results of this study indicate that biochar amendment and TUAT-1 biofertilizer can enhance forage rice productivity depending on genotypes, and therefore, there is a need to consider plant genetic composition when evaluating the potential for crop response to these soil amendments before application on a commercial scale.
Highlights
Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is the staple food for more than 50% of the world’s population, in Asia
The growth-promoting effect of TUAT-1 biofertilizer was observed in the shoot and root fresh weight and shoot dry weight in both genotypes, the increase was only significant for shoot fresh weight for both genotypes (Table 1)
A recent study of the influence of biochar on different growth traits in tomato showed differential effects depending on the tomato variety, suggesting that the effect of biochar on crop growth promotion is dependent on genotype [35], and that the gibberellin pathway may play a role in biochar-mediated growth promotion
Summary
Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is the staple food for more than 50% of the world’s population, in Asia. In Japan, it is used for multiple purposes, such as flour, livestock feed (including whole-crop silage), and biofuel [1]; rice plants, used for soil amendment, can maintain soil fertility. Forage rice production is being promoted by the government in Japan since the cultivation of forage crop in excess paddy fields is considered a promising way to enhance feed supply. Approximately 75% of the domestic demand of feed for livestock is dependent on imports from overseas [2]. To increase the percentage of self-sufficient food.
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