Improvement of soil fertility, growth and yield of peanut applied with pelleted biochar
2023
Mendoza, B.M.
To evaluate the efficacy of different pelleted biochars on peanut, a RCBD experiment was conducted at Isabela State University - Echague Campus [Isabela, Philippines] from October 2022 to February 2023. The study assessed the performance of different biochars made from sugar cane bagasse, corn cobs, coconut husk, rice hull, and mungbean shell with poultry manure at a ratio of 40:60 along with vermicast, vermichar, and a treatment control (20-10-0 kg of NPK/ha). Pelleted biochars were applied to treatments 2-8 at 500 kg/ha, in addition to half RR of NPK. Various agronomic characteristics including plant height, number of branches and root nodules, leaf area index, and yield components were evaluated. Soil chemical properties were assessed before and after the experiment. The study used a statistical tool for agricultural research. The results showed that all treatments (2-8) improved the soil chemical properties after harvest. Plants treated with sugarcane bagasse bochar and vermichar exhibited the tallest plant height at 20 DAP, heaviest pod and fresh plant biomass, highest pod yield/ha, and produced more branches which was similar to plants treated with coconut husk biochar. The supplementation of biochars and vermichar resulted in comparable plant heights at 40 and 60 DAP, highest and lowest number of developed and undeveloped pods, heaviest dry plant bormass (excluding rice hull biochar-treated plants), highest and least number of effective and ineffective root nodules, greater leaf area index, and heaviest 100 seeds which was similar to plants treated with sole vermicast. Based on the results of net income and ROI, the application of sole vernmcast and vermichar yielded the best results among treatments, therefore both treatments are highly recommended. Furthermore, it is recommended to conduct a study spanning two cropping seasons to assess the longer-term efficacy of the various pelleted biochars.
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