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Fourfold Increase in Pumpkin Yield in Response to Low-Dosage Root Zone Application of Urine-Enhanced Biochar to a Fertile Tropical Soil

Author

Listed:
  • Hans Peter Schmidt

    (Ithaka Institute for Carbon Strategies, Ancienne Eglise 9, Arbaz 1974, Switzerland)

  • Bishnu Hari Pandit

    (Nepal Agroforestry Foundation (NAF), Kathmandu 44600, Nepal)

  • Vegard Martinsen

    (Institute for Environmental Sciences (IMV), University of Life Sciences (NMBU), As, Akershus 1432, Norway)

  • Gerard Cornelissen

    (Institute for Environmental Sciences (IMV), University of Life Sciences (NMBU), As, Akershus 1432, Norway
    Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI), Oslo 0806, Norway
    Department of Environmental Sciences and Analytical Chemistry (ACES), Stockholm University, Stockholm 114 18, Sweden)

  • Pellegrino Conte

    (Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Forestali, Università degli Studi di Palermo, via delle Scienze, edificio 4, Palermo 90128, Italy)

  • Claudia I. Kammann

    (WG Climate Change Research for Special Crops, Department for Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, Hochschule Geisenheim University, Von-Lade-Str. 1, Geisenheim D-65366, Germany)

Abstract

A widely abundant and invasive forest shrub, Eupatorium adenophorum , was pyrolyzed in a cost-efficient flame curtain kiln to produce biochar. The resulting biochar fulfilled all the requirements for premium quality, according to the European Biochar Certificate. The biochar was either applied alone or mixed with fresh cow urine (1:1 volume) to test its capacity to serve as slow release fertilizer in a pumpkin field trial in Nepal. Treatments included cow-manure compost combined with (i) urine-only; (ii) biochar-only or (iii) urine-loaded biochar. All materials were applied directly to the root zone at a biochar dry matter content of 750 kg·ha −1 before seeding. The urine-biochar treatment led to a pumpkin yield of 82.6 t·ha −1 , an increase of more than 300% compared with the treatment where only urine was applied, and an 85% increase compared with the biochar-only treatment. This study showed for the first time that a low-dosage root zone application of urine-enhanced biochar led to substantial yield increases in a fertile silt loam soil. This was tentatively explained by the formation of organic coating of inner pore biochar surfaces by the urine impregnation, which improved the capacity of the biochar to capture and exchange plant nutrients.

Suggested Citation

  • Hans Peter Schmidt & Bishnu Hari Pandit & Vegard Martinsen & Gerard Cornelissen & Pellegrino Conte & Claudia I. Kammann, 2015. "Fourfold Increase in Pumpkin Yield in Response to Low-Dosage Root Zone Application of Urine-Enhanced Biochar to a Fertile Tropical Soil," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 5(3), pages 1-19, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:5:y:2015:i:3:p:723-741:d:55345
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Guido Fellet & Pellegrino Conte & Villiam Bortolotti & Fabiana Zama & Germana Landi & Delia Francesca Chillura Martino & Vito Ferro & Luca Marchiol & Paolo Lo Meo, 2022. "Changes in Physicochemical Properties of Biochar after Addition to Soil," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-21, February.
    2. Ana Castro & Nilcileny Da Silva Batista & Agnieszka E. Latawiec & Aline Rodrigues & Bernardo Strassburg & Daniel Silva & Ednaldo Araujo & Luiz Fernando D. De Moraes & Jose Guilherme Guerra & Gabriel G, 2018. "The Effects of Gliricidia -Derived Biochar on Sequential Maize and Bean Farming," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-15, February.
    3. Ariane Krause & Vera Susanne Rotter, 2018. "Recycling Improves Soil Fertility Management in Smallholdings in Tanzania," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 8(3), pages 1-31, February.
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    5. Ariane Krause & Franziska Häfner & Florian Augustin & Kai M. Udert, 2021. "Qualitative Risk Analysis for Contents of Dry Toilets Used to Produce Novel Recycling Fertilizers," Circular Economy and Sustainability,, Springer.
    6. Rujie Lv & Yong Wang & Xiuxia Yang & Yangping Wen & Xueming Tan & Yongjun Zeng & Qingyin Shang, 2021. "Adsorption and leaching characteristics of ammonium and nitrate from paddy soil as affected by biochar amendment," Plant, Soil and Environment, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 67(1), pages 8-17.
    7. Temesgen, J. & Ahmed, M., 2020. "Water and cow urine quenched biochar rate effect on yield and yield parameters of wheat," International Journal of Agricultural Research, Innovation and Technology (IJARIT), IJARIT Research Foundation, vol. 10(1), June.
    8. Farman Wali & Muhammad Naveed & Muhammad Asaad Bashir & Muhammad Asif & Zulfiqar Ahmad & Jawaher Alkahtani & Mona S. Alwahibi & Mohamed Soliman Elshikh, 2020. "Formulation of Biochar-Based Phosphorus Fertilizer and Its Impact on Both Soil Properties and Chickpea Growth Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-20, November.

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