Impact of Poultry Manure-Derived Biochar and Bio-Fertilizer Application to Boost Production of Black Cumin Plants ( Nigella sativa L.) Grown on Sandy Loam Soil

Yasser A. Sayed, Ahmed M. Ali, Mostafa F. Ibrahim, Mohamed E. Fadl (), Cristiano Casucci, Marios Drosos, Antonio Scopa () and Hassan M. Al-Sayed
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Yasser A. Sayed: Department of Soils and Water, Faculty of Agriculture, Al-Azhar University, Assiut 71524, Egypt
Ahmed M. Ali: Department of Soils and Water, Faculty of Agriculture, Al-Azhar University, Assiut 71524, Egypt
Mostafa F. Ibrahim: Horticulture Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Al-Azhar University, Assiut 71524, Egypt
Mohamed E. Fadl: Division of Scientific Training and Continuous Studies, National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences (NARSS), Cairo 11769, Egypt
Cristiano Casucci: Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
Marios Drosos: Department of Agricultural, Forest, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Basilicata, Viale dell’Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy
Antonio Scopa: Department of Agricultural, Forest, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Basilicata, Viale dell’Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy
Hassan M. Al-Sayed: Department of Soils and Water, Faculty of Agriculture, Al-Azhar University, Assiut 71524, Egypt

Agriculture, 2024, vol. 14, issue 10, 1-19

Abstract: Biochar derived from poultry manure increases nutrient availability and promotes plant growth. This study investigated the effect of biochar with mycorrhizal and/or plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria on soil fertility, chemical properties, oil, and seed yield of Black Cumin ( Nigella sativa L.) plants. A split-plot design with three replicates was employed, with biochar derived from poultry litter (BC) applied at rates of 0, 5, and 10 t ha −1 , with beneficial microbes such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) affecting the growth of Black Cumin plants, and some soil properties, such as pH, electrical conductivity (EC), soil organic matter (SOM) and fertility index (FI), showing significant differences ( p ≤ 0.05) among biochar and/or bio-fertilizer treatments. All biochar treatments with or without bio-fertilizers significantly increased pH, EC, OM and FI in comparison to the control treatment. The results demonstrated that applying biochar at the highest rate (10 t ha −1 ) increased fresh and dry capsule weights by 94.51% and 63.34%, respectively, compared to the control treatment (C). These values were significantly increased by 53.05 and 18.37%, compared to untreated plants when combined with AMF and PGPR. Furthermore, when biochar was applied in conjunction with both AMF and PGPR, fresh and dry capsule weights saw significant increases of 208.84% and 91.18%, respectively, compared to the untreated control treatment. The interaction between biochar, AMF, and PGPR significantly improved plant growth, yield, soil properties, and the fixed and volatile oil content of Black Cumin. These findings suggest that the combined application of biochar, AMF, and PGPR enhances nutrient availability and uptake, leading to improved growth and higher yields in Black Cumin plants, resulting in increased yield production.

Keywords: arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF); biochar; Black Cumin; plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR); bio-fertilizers (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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