TY - JOUR
T1 - Biochar use in a legume–rice rotation system
T2 - effects on soil fertility and crop performance
AU - Partey, Samuel T.
AU - Saito, Kazuki
AU - Preziosi, Richard F.
AU - Robson, Geoffrey D.
PY - 2016/2/1
Y1 - 2016/2/1
N2 - The aim of this study was to determine whether by applying biochar, it is possible to augment the beneficial effects of legume–crop rotation systems on soil fertility and crop performance. Repeated experiments were established in 2012 and 2013 in South-western Benin using a split-split plot design. Two legumes, Mucuna pruriens (mucuna) and Vigna unguiculata (cowpea), were planted for 42 days on biochar-amended and unamended plots and subsequently cut and applied as mulch 5 days before planting rice. Rice plants were either fertilized or not using a fertilizer rate of 60, 30, and 30 kg ha−1 of N, P2O5, and K2O, respectively. The results showed that the application of legume green manures and fertilizer, either singly or in combination, improved soil nutrient availability, CEC, shoot yield, and grain yield of rice on both biochar-amended and unamended plots. However, the effect was significantly (p −1 for biochar-amended plots and 1.3 t ha−1 for unamended plots. The greater grain yield of rice on biochar-amended plots was associated with improved soil fertility and increased N uptake.
AB - The aim of this study was to determine whether by applying biochar, it is possible to augment the beneficial effects of legume–crop rotation systems on soil fertility and crop performance. Repeated experiments were established in 2012 and 2013 in South-western Benin using a split-split plot design. Two legumes, Mucuna pruriens (mucuna) and Vigna unguiculata (cowpea), were planted for 42 days on biochar-amended and unamended plots and subsequently cut and applied as mulch 5 days before planting rice. Rice plants were either fertilized or not using a fertilizer rate of 60, 30, and 30 kg ha−1 of N, P2O5, and K2O, respectively. The results showed that the application of legume green manures and fertilizer, either singly or in combination, improved soil nutrient availability, CEC, shoot yield, and grain yield of rice on both biochar-amended and unamended plots. However, the effect was significantly (p −1 for biochar-amended plots and 1.3 t ha−1 for unamended plots. The greater grain yield of rice on biochar-amended plots was associated with improved soil fertility and increased N uptake.
KW - biochar
KW - green manure
KW - Oryza sativa
KW - soil fertility
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84948588113&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/03650340.2015.1040399
DO - 10.1080/03650340.2015.1040399
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84948588113
SN - 0365-0340
VL - 62
SP - 199
EP - 215
JO - Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science
JF - Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science
IS - 2
ER -
