Effect of Application of Biochar, Poultry and Farmyard Manures in Combination with Synthetic Fertilizers on Soil Fertility and Cotton Productivity under Arid Environment

Sustainable cotton production is under threat due to poor soil health, exhaustive nature of cotton crop in terms of depleting soil fertility and conventional farming practices. Hence, we investigated the role of soil amendments like biochar, poultry and farmyard manures with synthetic fertilizers to improve the soil mineral nutrients uptake, cotton productivity and overall reduction in nutrients losses. Two year field experiments were conducted to evaluate the impact of soil amendment of biochar, poultry and farmyard manures with synthetic fertilizers in improving the soil fertility and cotton productivity under arid climate of South-Punjab, Pakistan in a randomized complete block design (RCBD). Experimental findings showed that highest values of soil available nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and soil organic matter (SOM) were recorded with the soil incorporation of 5 Mg ha⁻¹ poultry manure (PM) with 80:45:30 kg ha⁻¹ NPK which was followed by soil incorporation of 10 Mg ha⁻¹ farmyard manure (FYM) with 80:45:30 kg ha⁻¹ NPK and soil incorporation of 3.5 Mg ha⁻¹ biochar (BC) with 80:45:30 kg ha⁻¹ NPK and ultimately improved soil fertility. Similarly, highest values of plant height, leaf area index (LAI), monopodial, sympodial branches and total bolls plant⁻¹, boll weight, seed cotton and biological yield were recorded with amendment of 5 PM Mg ha⁻¹ with 80:45:30 kg NPK ha⁻¹ which was followed by 10 Mg FYM ha⁻¹ with 80:45:30 kg NPK ha⁻¹ and soil incorporation of 3.5 Mg BC ha⁻¹ with 80:45:30 kg NPK ha⁻¹ and ultimately improved cotton productivity. Conclusively, soil incorporation of biochar, poultry and farmyard manures with synthetic fertilizers as integrated nutrient management strategy might be a promising adaptation strategy for improving soil mineral nutrients uptake, cotton productivity and overall reduce the nutrients losses under arid environmental conditions