Abstract
Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) efficient use of nitrogen (NUE) determines its growth and yield. We assessed the interaction effect of N fertilizer and biochar of different particle sizes and rates on NUE, growth and yield of lettuce. A factorial design arranged in Randomized Complete Block Design with four replications was used to conduct a field experiment at the FRNR farm, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana. The treatment consisted of biochar at 8.33 t and 16.67 t ha−1 with different particle sizes (<2, 5 and 10 mm) and five rates (0, 31.3, 62.5, 93.83 and 125 kg ha−1) of inorganic N fertilizer. Our result showed that integrating 8.33 t ha−1 of <2 mm and 5 mm biochar with 62.5 and 93.8 kgN ha−1, respectively improved lettuce growth, NUE by 30% and yield. The yield (19.3 t ha−1) obtained with these applications is comparable to the achievable yield (20 t ha−1) of lettuce under the sole N recommended rate (125 kgN ha−1). In conclusion, with 8.33 t ha−1 of <2 mm biochar, farmers can reduce the recommended inorganic N rate of lettuce by half (62.5 kg ha−1) and still attain good yield with improved post-harvest soil fertility. This has implications for farmers’ production costs, agriculture waste management and climate change mitigation strategies.
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Claims 6
Claim · model-written summary
Integrating biochar with N fertilizer improved lettuce NUE by 30%.
- Taxon
- lettuce
Lactuca sativae1 - Treatment
- integrating 8.33 t ha−1 of <2 mm and 5 mm biochar with 62.5 and 93.8 kgN ha−1, respectivelye1
- Outcome
- NUEe1
- Direction
- improvede1
- Value
- 30%e1
- Setting
- FRNR farm, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghanae0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“A factorial design arranged in Randomized Complete Block Design with four replications was used to conduct a field experiment at the FRNR farm, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana”
e1“Our result showed that integrating 8.33 t ha−1 of <2 mm and 5 mm biochar with 62.5 and 93.8 kgN ha−1, respectively improved lettuce growth, NUE by 30% and yield”
Claim · model-written summary
Integrating biochar with N fertilizer improved lettuce growth.
- Taxon
- lettuceLactuca sativae1
- Treatment
- integrating 8.33 t ha−1 of <2 mm and 5 mm biochar with 62.5 and 93.8 kgN ha−1, respectivelye1
- Outcome
- lettuce growthe1
- Direction
- improvede1
- Setting
- FRNR farm, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghanae0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“A factorial design arranged in Randomized Complete Block Design with four replications was used to conduct a field experiment at the FRNR farm, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana”
e1“Our result showed that integrating 8.33 t ha−1 of <2 mm and 5 mm biochar with 62.5 and 93.8 kgN ha−1, respectively improved lettuce growth, NUE by 30% and yield”
Claim · model-written summary
Integrating biochar with N fertilizer improved lettuce yield.
- Taxon
- lettuceLactuca sativae1
- Treatment
- integrating 8.33 t ha−1 of <2 mm and 5 mm biochar with 62.5 and 93.8 kgN ha−1, respectivelye1
- Outcome
- yielde1
- Direction
- improvede1
- Setting
- FRNR farm, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghanae0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“A factorial design arranged in Randomized Complete Block Design with four replications was used to conduct a field experiment at the FRNR farm, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana”
e1“Our result showed that integrating 8.33 t ha−1 of <2 mm and 5 mm biochar with 62.5 and 93.8 kgN ha−1, respectively improved lettuce growth, NUE by 30% and yield”
Claim · model-written summary
The yield of 19.3 t/ha with these applications is comparable to the achievable yield of 20 t/ha under the sole N recommended rate.
- Taxon
- lettuceLactuca sativae2
- Treatment
- these applicationse2
- Outcome
- yielde2
- Direction
- comparablee2
- Value
- 19.3 t ha−1e2
- Comparator
- sole N recommended rate (125 kgN ha−1)e2
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e2“The yield (19.3 t ha−1) obtained with these applications is comparable to the achievable yield (20 t ha−1) of lettuce under the sole N recommended rate (125 kgN ha−1)”
Claim · model-written summary
Farmers can halve the recommended inorganic N rate of lettuce to 62.5 kg/ha when using 8.33 t/ha of fine biochar.
- Taxon
- lettuceLactuca sativae3
- Treatment
- 8.33 t ha−1 of <2 mm biochare3
- Outcome
- recommended inorganic N ratee3
- Value
- 62.5 kg ha−1e3
- Qualifier
- still attain good yielde3
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e3“In conclusion, with 8.33 t ha−1 of <2 mm biochar, farmers can reduce the recommended inorganic N rate of lettuce by half (62.5 kg ha−1) and still attain good yield with improved post-harvest soil fertility”
Claim · model-written summary
Fine biochar at 8.33 t/ha improved post-harvest soil fertility in lettuce fields.
- Taxon
- lettuceLactuca sativae3
- Treatment
- 8.33 t ha−1 of <2 mm biochare3
- Outcome
- post-harvest soil fertilitye3
- Direction
- improvede3
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e3“In conclusion, with 8.33 t ha−1 of <2 mm biochar, farmers can reduce the recommended inorganic N rate of lettuce by half (62.5 kg ha−1) and still attain good yield with improved post-harvest soil fertility”
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