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. 2024 Sep 19;19(9):e0310221.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0310221. eCollection 2024.

Effects of the combination of biochar and organic fertilizer on soil properties and agronomic attributes of soybean (Glycine max L.)

Marianus Evarist Ngui  1 , Yong-Hong Lin  2 , I-Lang Wei  3 , Chia-Chung Wang  3 , Ya-Zhen Xu  4 , Ying-Hong Lin  4
Affiliations

Effects of the combination of biochar and organic fertilizer on soil properties and agronomic attributes of soybean (Glycine max L.)

Marianus Evarist Ngui et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

This research aimed to investigate the impacts of a combination of rice husk biochar and organic fertilizer on the physical and chemical properties of soil, the population of soil bacteria, the relative chlorophyll content of leaves, the development of soybean root nodules, and yield components under strongly acid soil conditions. A greenhouse and pot experiment was designed using a randomize complete block design with factorial 2 × 3 treatments and three replications. The experimental treatments comprised two rates of biochar (35 and 70 g/pot) and three rates of organic fertilizer (70, 105, and 140 g/pot). After 100 days of amendment of strongly acidic soils, the results showed that application of treatments B35F70 and B70F140 increased soil pH by 16.80% compared to the control group (CK). On the other hand, treatments B35F140 and B70F105 resulted in an increase of soil electrical conductivity by 66.67% compared to CK. In addition, after 100 days of amendment with treatments B35F105, B35F105, B35F140, B70F105, B70F70, B70F70, and B35F140, organic matter, available phosphorous (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn), organic matter, available phosphorous (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn), significantly increased when compared to the control group (CK). Treatment B35F140 increased relative leaf chlorophyll content and soybean seed weight per plant by 60.76% and 100.56%, respectively when compared to the CK. Furthermore, treatment B35F70 produced 125% more root nodules than CK. Moreover, each amended strongly acid soil resulted with a significant upsurge in total soil bacteria compared to the CK. Overall, statistics proved that a combination of biochar and organic fertilizer improved soil properties and soybean agronomic attributes.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. The conceptual mechanism of the interaction between biochar and organic fertilizer (OF) in soil.
When soil organic matter contained in organic fertilizer is mineralized by soil bacteria, N, P, K, Cu, and Zn nutrients are released into the soil solution. Subsequently, the dissolved minerals are adsorbed by the biochar surface due to the numerous pores that cover its surface. This enhances the retention of various nutrients in the soil-biochar-organic fertilizer interface for a long period to benefit plants during the development.
Fig 2
Fig 2. Preparation of combined soil containing Organic fertilizer (OF), acid soil (SOIL) and biochar.
Fig 3
Fig 3. Amalgamated soil deposited in experimental pot.
Fig 4
Fig 4. Total soil bacterial population per treatment after 100 days of amendment of strongly acidic soil.
Bars sharing the same lower-case letters are not statistically significant, as determined by Turkeys test at a significance level of p< 0.05. Numbers preceding the letters B and F indicate grams of biochar and organic fertilizer applied, respectively. CK represents un-amended soil.
Fig 5
Fig 5. Average number of soybean root nodule per plant.
Numbers preceding the letters B and F represent grams of applied biochar and organic fertilizer, respectively. CK represents un-amended soil.
Fig 6
Fig 6. Linear regression relationship between soil properties and soybean traits.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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The author(s) received no specific funding for this work.

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