Indonesian biochar application research - Recent publication

The Effect of Biochar on the Growth and N Fertilizer Requirement of Maize (Zea mays L.) in Green House Experiment

Widowati, W. H. Utomo, B. Guritno, L. A. Soehono

Abstract

Greenhouse experiments were carried out to study the effect of biochar and other organic amendment (Chicken Manure, CM; and City waste compost, CW) using on the growth and N fertilizer requirement of maize. The first experiment was carried out to study the effect of biochar application to maize growth, and then continued to study the residual effect of biochar. The second experiment was carried out to study the effect of biochar application on nitrogen fertilizer requirement. The results show that the first season of maize biomass of organic amendment of treated soils did not significantly different from no organic amendment. However, organic amendment improved soil fertility status, especially increasing C-organic, N, K and CEC. The biomass of the second season maize of biochar of treated soil was higher compared to the other treatments. The second experiment shows that biochar application decreased N fertilizer requirement. To produce 3.23 Mg ha^-1 biomass, it required 90 kg ha^-1 N for 15 Mg ha^-1 CM biochar treated soil, and 160 kg ha^-1 for the non treated soil.
http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/jas/article/view/16140