Effect of different biochars on soil moisture retention and nutrient release pattern

Abstract

Soil incubation study in pots was carried out to study the effect of three different biochars on soil moisture retention percentage. The treatments involve three doses of maize biochar (MB), cotton biochar (CB) and prosopis biochar (PB) @ 2.0 t ha-1 (2T), 3.0 t ha-1 (3T) and 4.0 t ha-1 (4T), respectively besides a control and Farm Yard Manure @ 12.5 t ha-1. Significantly higher moisture per cent was noted in treatments of higher doses of all the biochars in second and third day of incubation. The significant increase in moisture per cent was noted in PB 4 T incubated pot, which was followed by CB 4T. The reduction in moisture per cent was noted with lower doses of biochar irrespective of source. Results of another incubation study with different biochars with varied doses, to find out nutrient release pattern revealed that the available N, P and K was higher at the start of incubation in control, where as in later days of incubation N, P and K availability was higher in Prosopis Biochar 4T after 70 days of incubation which was followed by cotton biochar 4T.