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Effects of Biochar Derived from Maize Stover and Rice Straw on the Early Growth of their Seedlings

Received: 20 June 2014     Accepted: 8 July 2014     Published: 20 October 2014
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Abstract

Crop residues such as maize and rice are important sources of nutrients and their restitution to the soil is an important residue management strategy for maintaining or improving soil and crop productivity. However, most maize and rice farmers in Sierra Leone burn crop residues during land preparation thereby depriving the soil of this vital resource. An alternative approach is the recycling of crop residues through biochar production. This study was therefore carried out to assess the effects of (i) maize stover biochar on the early growth of maize and (ii) rice straw biochar on the early growth of rice. In this study, biochar (0g, 12.5g, 25.0g, 37.5g and 50.0g) was mixed with 3kg of soil (fine sandy loam) and placed in perforated black polythene bags. Maize or rice seeds (3 per pot) were planted to 2cm depth and later thinned to one plant per pot. All pots were placed in the open under direct sunlight and rainfall. No supplemental irrigation was done since there was sufficient rainfall to supply the required moisture. The experiment was laid in completely randomized design with five treatments and three replications. After four weeks, the experiment was terminated. Mean plant height, stem girth, fresh- and dry-shoot weights of both maize and rice plants generally increased significantly (p<0.05) relative to the control at biochar applications ≥8.3g/kg soil. The results showed that growing maize and rice on soils treated with biochar derived from their residues (maize stover and rice straw respectively) has the potential to improve crop production. Confirmatory field trials and costs/benefits analysis of converting rice and maize residues to biochar will serve as a good guide for policy makers and end-users (farmers) for increased productivity of maize and rice in Sierra Leone.

Published in American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry (Volume 2, Issue 5)
DOI 10.11648/j.ajaf.20140205.14
Page(s) 232-236
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2014. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Biochar, Rice Straw, Maize Stover, Early Growth, Plant Height

References
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[2] W. Zech, N. Senesi, G. Guggenberger, K. Kaiser, J. Lehmann, T. M. Miano, A. Miltner, G. Schroth. Factors controlling humification and mineralization of soil organic matter in the tropics. Geoderma 79, 117-161, 1997.
[3] P. M. Fearnside. Global warming and tropical land-use change: greenhouse gas emissions from biomass burning, decomposition and soils in forest conversion, shifting cultivation and secondary vegetation. Climatic Change 46:115–158, 2000.
[4] B. Glaser, J. Lehmann, and W. Zech. Ameliorating physical and chemical properties of highly weathered soils in the tropics with charcoal: A review. Biol Fertil Soils., 35, 219–230, 2002.
[5] M. I. Bird, P. L. Ascough, I. M. Young, C. V. Wood, and A. C. Scott. (2008). X-ray microtomographic imaging of charcoal. J. Archaeol. Sci. 35, 2698–2706.
[6] B. Liang, J. Lehmann, D. Kinyangi, J. Grossman, B. O’Neill, J. O. Skjemstad, J. Thies, F. J. Luizao, J. Peterson, and E.G. Neves. Black carbon increases cation exchange capacity in soils. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 70: 1719–1730, 2006.
[7] K. Chan and Z. Xu. Biochar: Nutrient Properties and Their Enhancement. In ‘Biochar for Environmental Management: Science and Technology’. (Eds J. Lehmann and S. Joseph) pp.53-66, 2009. (Earthscan: London, UK).
[8] J. W. Gaskin, R. A. Speir, K. Harris, K. C. Das, R. D. Lee, L. A. Morris and D. S. Fisher. Effect of Peanut Hull and Pine Chip Biochar on Soil Nutrients, Corn Nutrient Status, and Yield. Agronomy Journal. 102:623-633, 2010.
[9] L. Van Zwieten, S. Kimber, S. Morris, K. Y. Chan, A. Downie, J. Rust, S. Joseph, and A. Cowie. Effects of biochar from slow pyrolysis of papermill waste on agronomic performance and soil fertility, Plant and Soil 327(1–2): 235–46, 2010.
[10] D. Granatstein, C. Kruger, H. P. Collins, M. Garcia-Perez, and J. Yoder. Use of biochar from the pyrolysis of waste organic material as a soil amendment. Center for Sustaining Agric. Nat. Res. 2009. Washington State University, Wenatchee, WA. WSDA Interagency Agreement. C0800248. (http://www.ecy.wa.gov/pubs/0907062.pdf).
[11] C. Steiner, W. G. Teixeira, J. Lehmann, T. Nehls, J. L. V. de Macedo, W. E. H. Blum, and W. Zech. Long-term effect of manure, charcoal and mineral fertilization on crop production and fertility on highly weathered central amazonian upland soil. Plant Soil, 291, 275-290, 2007.
[12] J. M. Novak, W. J. Busscher, D. L. Laird, M. Ahmedna, D. W. Watts, and M. A. S. Niandou. Impact of biochar amendment on fertility of a southeastern Coastal Plain soil. Soil Science, 174(2), p.105-112, 2009
[13] K. Y. Chan, B. L. Van Zwieten, I. Meszaros, D. Downie, D. and S. Joseph. Using poultry litter biochars as soil amendments. Australian Journal of Soil Research, 46, 437- 444, 2008.
[14] A. Masulili, W. H. Utomo, and Syekhfani. Rice husk biochar for rice based cropping system in acid soil 1. The characteristics of rice husk biochar and its influence on the properties of acid sulfate soils and rice growth in West Kalimantan, Indonesia. Journal of Agriculture Science, 3, 25-33, 2010.
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    Alie Kamara, Mary Mankutu Mansaray, Abibatu Kamara, Patrick Andrew Sawyerr. (2014). Effects of Biochar Derived from Maize Stover and Rice Straw on the Early Growth of their Seedlings. American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry, 2(5), 232-236. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajaf.20140205.14

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    ACS Style

    Alie Kamara; Mary Mankutu Mansaray; Abibatu Kamara; Patrick Andrew Sawyerr. Effects of Biochar Derived from Maize Stover and Rice Straw on the Early Growth of their Seedlings. Am. J. Agric. For. 2014, 2(5), 232-236. doi: 10.11648/j.ajaf.20140205.14

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    AMA Style

    Alie Kamara, Mary Mankutu Mansaray, Abibatu Kamara, Patrick Andrew Sawyerr. Effects of Biochar Derived from Maize Stover and Rice Straw on the Early Growth of their Seedlings. Am J Agric For. 2014;2(5):232-236. doi: 10.11648/j.ajaf.20140205.14

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ajaf.20140205.14,
      author = {Alie Kamara and Mary Mankutu Mansaray and Abibatu Kamara and Patrick Andrew Sawyerr},
      title = {Effects of Biochar Derived from Maize Stover and Rice Straw on the Early Growth of their Seedlings},
      journal = {American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry},
      volume = {2},
      number = {5},
      pages = {232-236},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajaf.20140205.14},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajaf.20140205.14},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajaf.20140205.14},
      abstract = {Crop residues such as maize and rice are important sources of nutrients and their restitution to the soil is an important residue management strategy for maintaining or improving soil and crop productivity. However, most maize and rice farmers in Sierra Leone burn crop residues during land preparation thereby depriving the soil of this vital resource. An alternative approach is the recycling of crop residues through biochar production. This study was therefore carried out to assess the effects of (i) maize stover biochar on the early growth of maize and (ii) rice straw biochar on the early growth of rice. In this study, biochar (0g, 12.5g, 25.0g, 37.5g and 50.0g) was mixed with 3kg of soil (fine sandy loam) and placed in perforated black polythene bags. Maize or rice seeds (3 per pot) were planted to 2cm depth and later thinned to one plant per pot. All pots were placed in the open under direct sunlight and rainfall. No supplemental irrigation was done since there was sufficient rainfall to supply the required moisture. The experiment was laid in completely randomized design with five treatments and three replications. After four weeks, the experiment was terminated. Mean plant height, stem girth, fresh- and dry-shoot weights of both maize and rice plants generally increased significantly (p<0.05) relative to the control at biochar applications ≥8.3g/kg soil. The results showed that growing maize and rice on soils treated with biochar derived from their residues (maize stover and rice straw respectively) has the potential to improve crop production. Confirmatory field trials and costs/benefits analysis of converting rice and maize residues to biochar will serve as a good guide for policy makers and end-users (farmers) for increased productivity of maize and rice in Sierra Leone.},
     year = {2014}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Effects of Biochar Derived from Maize Stover and Rice Straw on the Early Growth of their Seedlings
    AU  - Alie Kamara
    AU  - Mary Mankutu Mansaray
    AU  - Abibatu Kamara
    AU  - Patrick Andrew Sawyerr
    Y1  - 2014/10/20
    PY  - 2014
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajaf.20140205.14
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ajaf.20140205.14
    T2  - American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry
    JF  - American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry
    JO  - American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry
    SP  - 232
    EP  - 236
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2330-8591
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajaf.20140205.14
    AB  - Crop residues such as maize and rice are important sources of nutrients and their restitution to the soil is an important residue management strategy for maintaining or improving soil and crop productivity. However, most maize and rice farmers in Sierra Leone burn crop residues during land preparation thereby depriving the soil of this vital resource. An alternative approach is the recycling of crop residues through biochar production. This study was therefore carried out to assess the effects of (i) maize stover biochar on the early growth of maize and (ii) rice straw biochar on the early growth of rice. In this study, biochar (0g, 12.5g, 25.0g, 37.5g and 50.0g) was mixed with 3kg of soil (fine sandy loam) and placed in perforated black polythene bags. Maize or rice seeds (3 per pot) were planted to 2cm depth and later thinned to one plant per pot. All pots were placed in the open under direct sunlight and rainfall. No supplemental irrigation was done since there was sufficient rainfall to supply the required moisture. The experiment was laid in completely randomized design with five treatments and three replications. After four weeks, the experiment was terminated. Mean plant height, stem girth, fresh- and dry-shoot weights of both maize and rice plants generally increased significantly (p<0.05) relative to the control at biochar applications ≥8.3g/kg soil. The results showed that growing maize and rice on soils treated with biochar derived from their residues (maize stover and rice straw respectively) has the potential to improve crop production. Confirmatory field trials and costs/benefits analysis of converting rice and maize residues to biochar will serve as a good guide for policy makers and end-users (farmers) for increased productivity of maize and rice in Sierra Leone.
    VL  - 2
    IS  - 5
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Soil Science Department, School of Agriculture, Njala Campus, Njala University, Sierra Leone

  • Extension Division, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security, Sierra Leone

  • Extension Division, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security, Sierra Leone

  • Soil Science Department, School of Agriculture, Njala Campus, Njala University, Sierra Leone

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