Biochar improves fertility of a clay soil in the Brazilian Savannah: short term effects and impact on rice yield
2013
alexandre b. heinemann | lammert bastiaans | márcia t. de melo carvalho | aline de holanda nunes maia maia | mellissa a. s. da silva | beáta e. madari | pepijn a. j. van oort | holger meinke
Márcia T. de Melo Carvalho et al., 'Biochar improves fertility of a clay soil in the Brazilian Savannah: short term effects and impact on rice yield', Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development in the Tropics and Subtropics, vol. 114(2), pp.101-107, 2013
Show more [+] Less [-]The objective of this study was to report single season effects of wood biochar (char) application coupled with N fertilization on soil chemical properties, aerobic rice growth and grain yield in a clayey Rhodic Ferralsol in the Brazilian Savannah. Char application effected an increase in soil pH, K, Ca, Mg, CEC, Mn and nitrate while decreasing Al content and potential acidity of soils. No distinct effect of char application on grain yield of aerobic rice was observed. We believe that soil properties impacted by char application were inconsequential for rice yields because neither water, low pH, nor the availability of K or P were limiting factors for rice production. Rate of char above 16 Mgha ?1 reduced leaf area index and total shoot dry matter by 72 days after sowing. The number of panicles infected by rice blast decreased with increasing char rate. Increased dry matter beyond the remobilization capacity of the crop, and high number of panicles infected by rice blast were the likely cause of the lower grain yield observed when more than 60 kgNha?1 was applied. The optimal rate of N was 46 kg ha?1 and resulted in a rice grain yield above 3Mgha?1.
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