Characterization of biochar enriched with compost tea, its effects and after-effects in continuous cultivation of maize (Zea mays L.) on a ferralsol of Lubuya Bera, Tshopo Province, R.D.Congo
1 Faculty of Sciences, University of Kisangani; Democratic Republic of Congo.
2 Faculty of Management of Renewable Natural Resources, University of Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo.
3 Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Ikela; Democratic Republic of Congo.
4 Faculty of Applied Sciences, Catholic University of Kisangani; Democratic Republic of Congo.
Research Article
International Journal of Scientific Research Updates, 2023, 05(01), 079-092.
Article DOI: 10.53430/ijsru.2023.5.1.0003
Publication history:
Received on 01 December 2022; revised on 15 January 2023; accepted on 18 January 2023
Abstract:
The cultivation of maize, the second crop after cassava in terms of consumption in the Kisangani region, is faced with edaphic constraints aggravated by itinerant slash and burn agriculture.
Our study proposes the use of biochar enriched with compost tea to remove these constraints.
The chemical characteristics of biochar are: 2.48 to 4.68 c. moL.g-1 for the acid functions; 0.64 to 1.03 c. moL.g-1 for basic functions; 8 for the pH at the point of zero load; 64 to 103% for retention capacity; 875.3 mg.g-1 for the iodine index.
From a microbiological point of view, out of around thirty isolates, the majority of Gram-negative bacilli corresponding to the genera Nitrosomonas, Azotobacter and Nitrobacter were identified.
The experimental site was arranged according to the Device in complete random blocks with 4 blocks and 4 plots of dimensions 6 m x 4.5 m each corresponding to the following 4 treatments:
T0 (witness); T1 (Biochar over 2 mm in diameter); T2 (Biochar 2 mm in diameter); T3 (Biochar 2 mm in diameter and enriched with compost tea).
The average yields obtained increase during 8 cropping seasons under all the treatments and vary from 2.38 t.ha-1 under T0 to 7.39 t.ha-1 under T3. They are relatively higher in the dry season than in the rainy season with an average increase of around 18% and a marginal rate of return for grain maize of 4.4 under T3.
Compost tea-enriched biochar, due to its resilience, with substantial aftereffects is an important input for climate-smart agriculture.
Keywords:
Biochar; Compost Tea; Climate-Smart Agriculture; Slash-and-burn agriculture
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