THE ROLE OF BIOCHAR ON GERMINATION AND EARLY GROWTH OF  MAIZE, WHEAT AND FABA BEAN

Jemal, Ali

dc.contributor.author	Jemal, Ali
dc.date.accessioned	2018-01-05T04:35:09Z
dc.date.available	2018-01-05T04:35:09Z
dc.date.issued	2018-01-05
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/8396
dc.description.abstract	The effect of prosipis biochar application on the growth of Maize (Zea mays) and wheat (Triticum aestivum), and faba bean (Vicia faba) were assessed under a field experiment in Sulula, South Wollo Zone, Amhara National Regional State, Ethiopia. Biochar were applied at 5t/ha, 10t/ha and 20t/ha with and without recommended rates of N and P fertilizers and two control treatments. A complete randomized block design (CRBD) with three replications was used. Composite soil samples were taken from the experimental sites using soil auger at 0-20 cm soil depth before and after treatments and pH, organic carbon, CEC, total N and available P were analyzed using standard laboratory procedures. The prosopis biochar used was slightly alkaline (pH 7.2), increased the pH of the soil and the biochar treatments were found to significantly increase biomass, root length, plant height and number of leaves as compared with the control groups. A significant variation was recorded for all parameters of different combination of biochar. However, the highest root length of Zea mays occur in 5t/ha BC +NP (39.8cm), shoot dry weight in NP Fertilizer (81.60g), percent plant germination 10 t/ha BC +NP (100 %), highest plant height was recorded in NP fertilizer (102.3 cm) and leaf number (14.05 leaves/plant) in 10t/ha BC +NP fertilizer. Wheat showed the highest root length in 10 t/ha BC +NP (12.57 cm), shoot dry weight on 20 t/ha BC +NP fertilizer treatment (10.37 g), percent germination in 20 t/ha BC (100 %), highest plant height in 10 t/ha BC was (64.6 cm) and leaf number (37 leaves) in 10 t/ha BC + NP fertilizer. Whereas, Bean showed the highest root length (25.79 cm) in10 t/ha BC +NP, shoot dry weight (57.3g) in 10 t/ha BC + NP Fertilizer, and percent germination (98.3 %) in 20 t/ha BC + NP fertilizer, height in 10 t/ha BC was (81.8 cm) and leaf number (313.7 leaves/plant) 10t/ha BC +NP fertilizer. However, the lowest performances were recorded among the controls. Biochar combined with NP fertilizers has increased yield significantly compared to controls. It can be concluded that application of prosopis biochar (up to 20t/ha) could improve the growth of crops and pulses in combination with fertilizers and used as a multipurpose environmental solution for problems of fertilizer use and the invasive prosopis control. Keywords: Germination, Plant growth, Prosopis biochar, Pyrolysis, Soil properties	en_US
dc.language.iso	en_US	en_US
dc.subject	biology	en_US
dc.title	THE ROLE OF BIOCHAR ON GERMINATION AND EARLY GROWTH OF MAIZE, WHEAT AND FABA BEAN	en_US
dc.type	Thesis	en_US