Effects of Peanut Shell and Eucalyptus Wood Biochars on Soil Chemical Properties and Pearl Millet (Pennisetum americanum L.) Yield in a Salt-Affected Soil.

ASA Southern Regional Branch

February 7-9, 2016

San Antonio, TX

Effects of peanut shell and eucalyptus wood biochars on soil chemical properties and pearl millet (Pennisetum americanum L.) yield in a salt-affected soil (Senegal).

Andre Diatta, J. Fike, S. Diatta, E. Faye, G. Evanylo, and J. Galbraith

Dept of Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences

Virginia Tech

Abstract

Biochar is a promising amendment for mitigating or even eliminating stress impacts of salt additions on plants, enhancing soil fertility and crop productivity. Biochars have potential to increase soil nutrient status and soil moisture retention while simultaneously leaching losses, and thus may lower fertilizer input needs. In this research, the effects of peanut shell and eucalyptus wood biochars on plant-available nitrogen (ammonium and nitrate) supply and millet yield were studied under fertilized conditions. In this field experiment, treatments consisted of a combination of the two biochar sources at three rates (0, 10, and 20 Mg ha⁻¹) under fertilized conditions with three replicates in a randomized completely block design. Ion-exchange membranes were used to assess temporal changes in plant-available N concentrations at 4-week intervals over the growing season. We hypothesized that biochar amendments will result in the formation of a carbon sink and in the accumulation of N in soil. Biochar addition will also have a positive effect on leaf chlorophyll content and crop productivity in a sandy and salt-affected soil.