The Effect of Phosphate Rock – Enriched RICE Husk Biochar on Lowland RICE Cultivation in Northern Ghana.

The effect of Burkina Phosphate Rock (BPR) enriched Biochar was evaluated for lowland rice cultivation on a Kandiustalf in the Guinea Savannah zone of Ghana. BPR, unlike water soluble phosphorus fertilizers like TSP, has low solubility that limits its P availability to plants. Calcination techniques that employ farmer friendly approaches that take advantage of the biomass from farmer fields are highly desirable to increase P availability to the rice plant. BPR was mixed with rice husk and charred at a ratio of 25:75 and 50:50 by weight to obtain P-enriched rice husk biochar. Eight treatments [ZERO no NPK, ZERO no P, BPR ENRICHED BIOCHAR (50:50), BPR ENRICHED BIOCHAR (25:75), BPR + RICE HUSK (50:50), TSP, BIOCHAR] were evaluated. All P based treatments were applied at a rate of 135kg ha^-1. The treatments were replicated four times and laid in a randomized complete block design. Plant parameters determined were: plant height, days to 50% flowering, vegetative and effective tiller counts, total weight of straw and grain, 1000 seed weight and moisture content of grain. Changes in soil pH and soil moisture content that may result from Biochar application were also monitored. The treatments significantly affected plant height, vegetative and effective tillers, days to 50% flowering, grain weigh and straw weight. P-enriched biochar 50:50 and BPR significantly (p < 0.05) influenced effective tiller count as compared with the positive control (TSP). P-enriched rice husk biochar (50:50) produced higher grain yield and straw weight than the water soluble phosphorus (TSP) which means that the calcination of BPR is highly effective and P- enriched rice husk Biochar could be used as a substitute phosphorus fertilizer in Northern Ghana.

Keyword: Biochar, BPR, rice husk, P-enriched, calcination