Chemical and Biological Enhancement Effects of Biochar on Wheat Growth and Yield under Arid Field Conditions

Zarmeena Khan, Muhammad Habib ur Rahman, Ghulam Haider, Rabia Amir, Rao Muhammad Ikram, Shakeel Ahmad, Hannah Kate Schofield, Bilal Riaz, Rashid Iqbal, Shah Fahad, Rahul Datta, Alaa Baazeem, Ayman EL Sabagh and Subhan Danish
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Zarmeena Khan: Department of Agronomy, MNS-University of Agriculture, Multan 60000, Pakistan
Muhammad Habib ur Rahman: Department of Agronomy, MNS-University of Agriculture, Multan 60000, Pakistan
Ghulam Haider: Department of Agronomy, MNS-University of Agriculture, Multan 60000, Pakistan
Rabia Amir: Department of Plant Biotechnology, Atta-Ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
Rao Muhammad Ikram: Department of Agronomy, MNS-University of Agriculture, Multan 60000, Pakistan
Hannah Kate Schofield: Biogeochemistry Research Centre, School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Science, University of Plymouth, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK
Bilal Riaz: Department of Agronomy, MNS-University of Agriculture, Multan 60000, Pakistan
Rashid Iqbal: Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture & Environment, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Punjab 63100, Pakistan
Shah Fahad: Department of Agronomy, The University of Haripur, Haripur 22620, Pakistan
Rahul Datta: Department of Geology and Pedology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska1, 61300 Brno, Czech Republic
Alaa Baazeem: Department of Biology, College of Science, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia
Ayman EL Sabagh: Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafrelsheikh 33156, Egypt
Subhan Danish: Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Bahauddin Zakaria University, Multan 60800, Pakistan

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 11, 1-18

Abstract: Nitrogen (N) losses are prevalent under South East Asia’s due to high N fertilizer inputs, but low N fertilizer use efficiency. This leaves a large quantity of reactive N at risk of loss to the environment. Biochar has been found to reduce N losses across a variety of soil types, however, there is limited data available for semi-arid climates, particularly at a field-scale. Herein we present an exploration of the biological and chemical enhancement effects observed of a cotton stalk-based biochar on wheat growth and yield under arid field conditions. The biochar was treated with urea-N and biofertilizer (bio-power) in different treatment setups. The six experimental treatments included; (i) a full N dose “recommended for wheat crops in the region” (104 kg N ha −1 ) as a positive control; (ii) a half N dose (52 kg N ha −1 ); (iii) a half N dose + biofertilizer (4.94 kg ha −1 ) as a soil mixture; (iv) a half N dose + biofertilizer as a seed inoculation; (v) a full N dose as broadcast + biochar (5 t ha −1 ) inoculated with biofertilizer; and (vi) a full N dose loaded on biochar + biofertilizer applied as a soil mixture. The half dose N application or biofertilizer addition as soil mix/seed inoculated/biochar inoculation with biofertilizer caused reduced wheat growth and yield compared to the control (conventional N fertilization). However, co-application of chemically enhanced biochar (loaded with a full N dose) and biofertilizer as soil mixture significantly increased the crop growth rate (CGR) and leaf area index (LAI). A significantly higher crop growth and canopy development led to a higher light interception and radiation use efficiency (RUE) for total dry matter (TDM) and grain yield (11% greater than control) production compared to the control. A greater grain yield, observed for the full N dose loaded on biochar + biofertilizer applied as a soil mixture, is attributed to prolonged N availability as indicated by greater plant and soil N content at harvest and different crop growth stages, respectively. The present study has improved our understanding of how the application of nitrogen loaded biochar and biofertilizer as soil mixtures can synergize to positively affect wheat growth and soil-nitrogen retention under arid environmental conditions.

Keywords: NO 3 − -N; NH 4 -N; canopy growth; IPAR; RUE; pollution; wheat; food security (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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