| Autor: |
Shah, Tasneem, Tariq, Muhammad, Muhammad, Dost |
| Předmět: |
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| Zdroj: |
Soil & Environment; May2021, Vol. 40 Issue 1, p27-37, 11p |
| Abstrakt: |
Biochar can be used as a strategy to enhance soil microbial biomass (SMB) and improve soil health. The influence of added biochar was examined on soil microbial biomass in soil under different management practices including two cropping systems and two mineral fertilizer rates. The cumulative amount of biochar added both to summer and winter crops at different annual rates over the last six years to four biochar treatments were 0, 70, 105 and 140 t ha-1 by summer 2019. The soil microbial biomass-C (MBC) and -N (MBN) were significantly (p<0.05) greater for biochar treatment relative to control during both 2018 and 2019 years. Both MBC and MBN increased with increasing levels of biochar. The rate of CO2 evolution followed similar pattern of response to added biochar as of MBC and MBN during 2019. The rate of CO2 evolution per mg MBC increased from 252 µg in the control to 330 µg g-1 soil d-1 in the treatment receiving 140 t biochar ha-1 during 2019. Moreover, all microbial attributes were significantly greater for full than half of recommended NPK doses. The effects of cropping systems on all the studied microbial attributes were non-significant during both the years. Moreover, the interactive effects of biochar and mineral fertilizers were significant for all the microbial attributes. The correlations of MBC were positive with MBN and CO2 evolution but negative with C/N ratio in SMB suggesting that microbial activities were likely the functions of SMB and can be utilized as a predictor of microbial activity in soil. These results suggest that continuous application of biochar improves the SMB and their activity. Thus, regular application of biochar could be used as a strategy to improve soil health of a less fertile alkaline calcareous soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Databáze: |
Complementary Index |
| Externí odkaz: |
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