The Impact Of Biochar And Compost As A Soil Amendment On The Growth, Yield, And Chemical Composition Of Maize (Zea Mays): A Study On Two Different Land Uses

Abstract

Soil health is the production base, and management allows manufacturers to work with the land. Healthy soil provides a clean environment and nutritious crop. The performance of the crop on alkaline-saline soil is incomplete due to poor nutrient management. Biochar and compost initiated distinctive biomass to improve soil health. Equally; limited studies were conducted on the co-application of biochar and compost produced from the same field of alkaline. Therefore; a pot experiment of two different soils i.e. banana cultivated fields (BCF) and Coastal fallow land (CFL) was conducted to estimate the effect of co-application of biochar and compost on the soil properties, growth, and yield attributes of Maize. Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with a total of 24 pots, filled with 15kg of soil, with four different treatments including control (Co), 1% Compost (C), 1% Biochar (B), and 1% Biochar + Compost (B+C), within three times replicate. Generally; study findings showed that 1%B+C has a significant (p<0.05) effect on the growth and yield followed by 1%C, 1%B, and Co. In the comparison of the alone 1%B and 1%C, 1%C performs better and more significantly (p<0.05) different compared to 1%biochar and control. Similarly; the availability of NPK, SOM%, and CEC of both BCF and CFL increased within co-application of 1% B+C, compared to 1%C, and 1%B. While; the increased order of the co-application was recorded as 1%B+C >1%B > 1%C and Co. Consequently, co-application of 1%B+C with fertilizer could be a suitable management approach to increased crop yield and improve soil health of the alkaline calcareous soil.