Abstract

The study was conducted to investigate the effect of biochar on soil properties and teff yield at Koga watershed, West Gojam Zone, Amhara National Regional State, Ethiopia. Five rates of amendments including three rates of biochar (4, 8, 12 t ha-1), one rate of lime (2 t ha-1) and no amendment were combined in a factorial design with full, half and zero rates of the recommended N & P fertilizer rates. A randomized complete block design with three replications was used. Composite soil samples were taken from the experimental sites using soil auger at 0-20 cm soil depth before treatment application; and treatment based soil sampling was made after harvest. Soil pH, organic carbon, CEC, total N and available P were analyzed using standard laboratory procedures. Grain yield and biomass data were also collected and analyzed. Results of the study indicated that application of biochar increased soil pH, CEC, available P and organic carbon and significantly increased yield. Using 12 t ha-1, 8 t ha-1 biochar, and 2 t ha-1 lime rates of biochar, 2.67, 1.98 and 2.45 t ha-1, respectively teff grain yield was harvested while the lowest grain yield (1.44 t ha-1) was found from treatment with no lime or biochar. Biochar combined with NP fertilizers increased yield significantly compared to plots that received fertilizer or lime alone; suggesting that biochar improved fertilizer use efficiency.

Highlights

  • Teff (Eragrostis tef [Zuuc]) is one of the stable food crops in Ethiopia

  • Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) was determined following the wet digestion method used by Walkley and Black (Van Reeuwijk, 1992) and organic carbon was converted to organic matter by multiplying with a coefficient of 1.724

  • Application of biochar resulted in positive effect on soil chemical properties in the study site

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Summary

Introduction

Teff (Eragrostis tef [Zuuc]) is one of the stable food crops in Ethiopia. Teff covers 2.73 and 1.00 million ha of land with an average productivity of 1.28 and 1.31 t ha-1 in Ethiopia and Amhara Region, respectively (CSA, 2012). Biochar, ( commonly known as charcoal or agrichar) is defined as a carbon (C) rich product derived from the pyrolysis of organic material at relatively low temperatures (

Description of the Study Area
Soil Sampling
Soil Analysis
Agronomic Data Collection and Interpretation
Soil pH and Exchangeable Acidity
Available P
Organic Carbon and Total Nitrogen
Findings
Conclusions
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