The management of invasive aquatic plants (IAPs), which is primarily accomplished through manual grubbing, incurs significant costs for populations, especially since the operations must be renewed on a regular basis. Converting IAPs into biochar for use as soil amendment will help offset the costs of this mechanical control strategy, while also improving carbon sequestration, soil fertility and crop yields. The objective of this study is to examine the effects of using IAPs biochar amendment on the quality of acidic soils and subsequently maize growth. Ten treatment groups including nine treatments and one control were established with four replicates each on freshly sown maize soils. Treatments options include applying IAP biochar (group 1), different combinations of IAP biochar and poultry manure (group 2), and mineral fertilizer (group 3). After 37 days, the average height of maize plants in the control group is 68.83±7.91cm, compared to 69.82 ± 7.34 cm (group1), 64.44 ± 7.82cm (group 2) and 69.08 ± 9.51cm (group 3). Multivariate analyses suggest that the IAPs biochar have significantly higher potential to improve plant growth parameters than either poultry manure or synthetic fertilizer. Based on the foregoing, the use of IAPs biochar amendment should be promoted among smallholder farmers because it is environmentally friendly, easy to produce, has a lower operational cost than other fertilizers, and has been shown to improve the acidic and impoverished dryland soils prevalent in Burkina Faso.
In Burkina Faso, soil fertility decline is a major constraint in cotton-based farming systems. In this area, most of the soil fertility management are mainly focus on soil amendment with organic manure and the used of mineral fertilizers. In addition to these techniques, the present study on the use of stones bunds was conducted at Gombélédougou in order to limit erosion and improve availability of fertilizers provided to plants. Gombélédougou is in the district of Koumbia in Sudanese zone of Burkina Faso. About 605ha covering six (6) soil types were managed using stone bunds established along the contour lines. The spacing between the stone rows was 2.5 m. Concerning additional soil fertility management, it consisted in crops rotation (cotton//cereals); the application of mineral fertilizer at the dose of(110 ± 25 kg/ha for NPK (14-23-15) and 52.5 ± 15 kg / ha for urea (46%)) and organic manure (1787.50 ± 1390.96 kg / ha). The indicators for assessment of the effects of the stone bunds were evaluated using the variation of the carbon and of the major elements (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) contained in soil as well as the overall evolution of the fertility of these soils. The results showed that the stone bunds in combination with current fertilization techniques increased the soil carbon level by 0.04% and 0.15%, respectively in Lixisols (FLIP) and Cambisols(BEF) in one hand, and in the other hand, Nitrogen contents decreased from -0.01 to -0.02% and those in Phosphorus from -1.21 to -2.61 mg/kg in these soils. The stone bunds reduced significantly the transfer of sediments and nutrients from upper to the down slopes. As consequences soil fertility was improved in thelixisols located at the up slops at the detriment of Cambisolin the down slop. These results show that the stone bunds are more effective when producers combine an appropriate technique of organic (compost) and mineral fertilization.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.