Influence of Rice Husk Biochar and Lime in Reducing Phosphorus Application Rate in Acid Soil: A Field Trial with Maize

Mehnaz Mosharrof, Md. Kamal Uddin, Shamim Mia, Muhammad Firdaus Sulaiman, Shordar M. Shamsuzzaman and Ahmad Numery Ashfaqul Haque
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Mehnaz Mosharrof: Department of Land Management, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia
Md. Kamal Uddin: Department of Land Management, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia
Shamim Mia: Department of Agronomy, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Patuakhali 8602, Bangladesh
Muhammad Firdaus Sulaiman: Department of Land Management, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia
Shordar M. Shamsuzzaman: Divisional Laboratory, Soil Resource Development Institute (SRDI), Krishi Khamar Sharak, Dhaka 1215, Bangladesh
Ahmad Numery Ashfaqul Haque: Department of Land Management, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 12, 1-16

Abstract: Biochar has been suggested for application in acidic soils for increasing agricultural productivity, as it may result in the benefits of sustainable carbon offset into soils and of increasing soil fertility improvement. However, the role of biochar in enhancing nutrient bioavailability and plant performance is manifested through the complex interactions of biochar-soil-plant. Moreover, it is not yet known how a crop-residue-derived biochar would perform in acidic soil when applied with a reduced rate of lime and phosphorus. Here, we examined the performance of maize with different combinations of biochar, lime, and phosphorus (P) application rates under field conditions. Specifically, rice husk biochar (10 t ha −1 ) was applied with 75% of the required lime and three rates of phosphorus fertilizer (100%, 75%, and 50%). The results showed that incorporation of biochar and lime, irrespective of the rates of P application, significantly increased soil nutrient (nitrogen and P) availability, while aluminum (Al) and iron (Fe) concentrations in soil were reduced. Furthermore, when biochar was combined with a lower amount of lime (75% of the recommended amount) and half of the required P, maize production increased by 62.38% compared to the control. Similarly, nutrient uptake in plants increased significantly in the same treatment (e.g., P uptake increased by 231.88%). However, soil respiration (CO 2 emission) increased with lime only and the combined application of lime with biochar compared to the control; these treatments resulted in a higher carbon loss, as CO 2 from the soil (84.94% and 67.50% from only lime treatment (T 2 ), and rice husk biochar (RHB) and lime with 50% triple superphosphate (TSP) (T 5 ), respectively). Overall, our findings imply that biochar application may sustain productivity in acid soils even when lime and P fertilizer applications are made at a reduced rate.

Keywords: maize; rice husk biochar; lime; triple superphosphate; CO 2; yield (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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