Influence Of Biochar On The Productivity Of Cotton Maize Cropping System

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted at ICAR-Central Institute for Cotton Research, newlineRegional Station, Coimbatore in cotton maize cropping system during 2017-18 and newline2018-19 to evaluate the influence of different source of biochar at varied levels on growth newlineand yield of cotton and its residual effect on succeeding maize crop. newlineThe experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with 11 treatments newlineand three replications. The treatments involve three doses of maize biochar (MB), cotton newlinebiochar (CB) and prosopis biochar (PB) at 2.0 t ha-1 (2T), 3.0 t ha-1 (3T) and 4.0 t ha-1 newline(4T), respectively besides a control and Farm Yard Manure at 12.5 t ha-1. The newlinerecommended doses of fertilizers were applied to all the plots irrespective of treatments newlineto both cotton and maize crops. Biochar was incorporated as per the treatments into newlinedifferent plots to cotton crop only. The cotton variety Suraj and maize hybrid CO(H)M 6 newlinewere used for conduct of experiment. The biochars utilized for conduct of experiment newlineexhibited varied physical and chemical properties. Biochar recovery from the biomass was newlinehigher in PB than CB and MB. It also recorded higher bulk density, particle density, pore newlinespace, pH, EC, CEC and organic carbon along with secondary nutrients. The total nitrogen newlineand potassium were higher in CB. The SEM image of PB indicated larger pore space and size newlinecompared to CB and MB. Presence of nutrients such as carbon, boron, nitrogen, calcium and newlinepotassium on the surface of biochar were confirmed by EDAX report. newlineThe release pattern of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and organic carbon newlinesignificantly varied with doses and sources of biochar during incubation of 70 days. newlineThe pots amended at the rate of PB 4T and CB 4T showed slow release of N at initial newlinephase and it was higher at fag end of incubation over control. The P and K availability newlinewere increased throughout the duration of incubation in biochar treatments whereas in the newlinecontrol it was reduced. Substantial increase in organic carbon content was noted in PB 4T newlineand CB 4T amende