Displaying all 2 publications

Abstract:
Sort:
  1. Impact of biochar and compost amendment on soil quality, growth and yield of a replanted apple orchard in a 4-year field study
    Safaei Khorram M, Zhang G, Fatemi A, Kiefer R, Maddah K, Baqar M, et al.
    J Sci Food Agric, 2019 Mar 15;99(4):1862-1869.
    PMID: 30264414 DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.9380
    BACKGROUND: Numerous studies have addressed the positive effects of organic amendments on soil and plant productivity under short-term field studies. However, to date, few studies have been conducted on the effects of organic amendment on the orchards where high nutrient bioavailability is required. This study deals with the effects of biochar and compost on soil quality, growth and yield of a replanted apple orchard in the northeast of Iran.

    RESULTS: Biochar+compost application resulted in 37% and 300% higher soil total organic carbon and available phosphorus content, respectively, during the first 3 years of experimentation compared to control. Similarly, trunk diameter and shoot number of apple trees increased 23-26% by the end of the first year. Nevertheless, there were no significant changes in fruitfulness, fruit weight or starch pattern index as productivity indices.

    CONCLUSION: Biochar and compost were beneficial in improving soil quality, mainly by increasing soil nutrient content and decreasing soil bulk density, and in increasing plant growth at early growth stages of apple orchards. However, they failed to enhance overall yield and fruit quality, most likely due to their limited ability to suppress apple replant disease. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

  2. Effect of walnut shell biochars on soil quality, crop yields, and weed dynamics in a 4-year field experiment
    Safaei Khorram M, Zhang G, Fatemi A, Kiefer R, Mahmood A, Jafarnia S, et al.
    Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2020 May;27(15):18510-18520.
    PMID: 32198685 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-08335-w
    The introduction of biochar has been extensively tested under short-term greenhouse or field studies mainly in sandy or acidic soils, while its effects on soil properties, crop plants, and weed species especially in neutral or alkaline soils are still not well understood. Therefore, this study focused on relatively long effects of two walnut shell biochars (5 t ha-1) on soil nutrient dynamics, two crop plants (wheat and lentil) growth and developments, and weed growth dynamics over 4 years (2014-2017). Applied biochar added once at the beginning of the experiment while planted crops were supplied with macro-nutrients and sprayed with pesticides according to conventional requirements of the region. Biochars improved soil properties by 10-23% during the first and second years while positive effects of biochars on weed growth were drastically higher (60-78% higher weed density) during the whole period of this study most likely due to increase in bioavailability of nutrient shortly after biochar amendment and indirect positive effects of biochars on soil physical properties as well. Consequently, biochar macro- and micro-nutrient will be utilized by weed plants with higher efficacy compared with crop plants.
Related Terms
    Try searching for something
Filters
Contact Us

Please provide feedback to Administrator (afdal@afpm.org.my)

External Links