Direct and residual effect of biochar application on mycorrhizal root colonisation, growth and nutrition of wheat

Abstract

The influence of biochar (biomass-derived black carbon) on crop growth and nutrient uptake varies based on the rate of biochar applied with fertilisers. We investigated the effect of deep-banded oil mallee biochar at different rates (0, 1.5, 3.0, and 6 t/ha) with 2 types of fertiliser (non-inoculated MultiMAPS ® at 30 or 55 kg/ha; inoculated Western Mineral Fertiliser at 100 kg/ha) on wheat growth at a farmer's field in a low rainfall area of Western Australia. Wheat yield increased significantly when biochar was applied with inoculated fertiliser and 30 kg/ha non-inoculated fertiliser. Mycorrhizal colonisation in wheat roots increased significantly with biochar application with inoculated mineral fertiliser. Mycorrhizal hyphae may have improved water supply to reduce drought stress in these treatments by extending crop exploration of water from the wide inter-rows. Grain yield increases were due to better grain survival and grain fill with reduced drought stress. Early stage phosphorus uptake was not improved by mycorrhizal colonisationphosphorus supply from the soil and applied fertiliser was already adequate. The residual effect of biochar and mineral fertilisers was assessed using a mycorrhizal bioassay for soil collected from the field trial 2 years after application of biochar. Biochar and both fertilisers increased mycorrhizal colonisation in clover bioassay plants. Deep-banded biochar provided suitable conditions for mycorrhizal fungi to colonise plant roots.

Growth Performance, Nutrient Absorption of Tobacco and Soil Fertility after Straw Biochar Application

“…And biochar application positively affected above-ground biomass production and decreased in plant tissue nutrient concentrations (N and P) in maize (Rogovska et al, 2014). Furthermore, the crop growth, biomass and yield could increase greater when biochar was applied with chemical fertilizers (Solaiman et al, 2010). So, the application of straw biochar to soil has been shown to improve crop growth and yield, which might be related to nutrient uptake by enhancing soil properties.…”

Contrasting effects of biochar versus manure on soil microbial communities and enzyme activities in an Aridisol

“…Furthermore, Amazonian Terra Preta soils have greater microbial biomass, and in some cases, greater bacterial diversity than the surrounding area (Kim et al, 2007). Biochar has also been found to positively affect the abundance of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) and ectomycorrhizal fungi in soil (Ishii and Kadoya 1994;Warnock et al, 2007), as well as the percent root colonization of host plants (Solaiman et al, 2010). Thies and Rillig (2009) hypothesized that biochar could have a positive effect on the soil microbial communities by providing a habitat where bacteria and fungi could escape from predators as well as find substrates to meet many of their diverse C, energy, and mineral nutrient needs.…”

A bioszén felhasználásának lehetőségei a talaj tápanyag-utánpótlásában – Szemle

“…A javulás hátterében közvetlen -azaz a bioszén saját tápelem-tartalmán alapuló -és közvetett, a talaj fizikai, kémiai és biológiai tulajdonságainak módosulásából eredő hatások állnak (DELUCA et al, 2009;BLACKWELL et al, 2010;SOLAIMAN et al, 2010;ENDERS et al, 2012;PENG et al, 2012;). A közvetlen és a közvetett hatás egyaránt befolyásolja a növények tápanyag-ellátását, de ezt a két folyamatot nehéz egymástól elkülöníteni (XU et al, 2013).…”