Abstract
A field experiment was carried out for two consecutive years to assess the yield response of maize and the use efficiency of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium following the application of biochar and mixed culture of Bacillus spp and Pseudomonas spp to Inorganic NPK fertilizer. Seven treatments comprising: control, inorganic NPK fertilizer at half rate (HR), inorganic NPK fertilizer at full rate (FR), inorganic NPK fertilizer (HR)+biochar (1500 kg ha-1), inorganic NPK fertilizer (FR) + biochar (1500 kg ha-1), inorganic NPK fertilizer (FR)+biochar (1500 kg ha-1)+P + B, inorganic NPK fertilizer (HR)+biochar (1500 kg ha-1)+P + B were laid in a randomized complete block design. Bulk density reduced only in fields amended with the treatments that included biochar. Also, soil pH increased in all plots that were co-amended with inorganic NPK and biochar. Soil organic carbon, cation exchange capacity, dehydrogenase activity and metabolic quotient significantly increased in the amended plots compared with the control. However, inorganic NPK fertilizer + biochar with mixed bacteria cultures, enhanced organic C, dehydrogenase activity and metabolic quotient compared with NPK alone or NPK + biochar. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium uptake and the use efficiency and yield of maize, were superior in treatments that included mixed bacteria cultures compared to the addition of NPK alone or NPK + biochar. Our study showed that the inclusion of mixed culture of bacteria in combination with biochar is a promising strategy to increase grain yield, enhance the use efficiency and reduce the rates of inorganic NPK fertilizer application recommended for cultivating maize in the coastal savannah agroecological zone of Ghana.
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Claims 8
Claim · model-written summary
Biochar amendments reduced field bulk density.
Zea maysNot reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Bulk density reduced only in fields amended with the treatments that included biochar.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Co-amendment with inorganic NPK and biochar increased soil pH.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“soil pH increased in all plots that were co-amended with inorganic NPK and biochar.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Amended plots had significantly increased soil organic carbon, cation exchange capacity, dehydrogenase activity and metabolic quotient versus control.
- Treatment
- amended plotse0
- Outcome
- Soil organic carbon, cation exchange capacity, dehydrogenase activity and metabolic quotiente0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Comparator
- controle0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Soil organic carbon, cation exchange capacity, dehydrogenase activity and metabolic quotient significantly increased in the amended plots compared with the control.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
NPK plus biochar and mixed bacteria enhanced soil organic C, dehydrogenase activity and metabolic quotient versus NPK alone or NPK plus biochar.
- Treatment
- inorganic NPK fertilizer + biochar with mixed bacteria culturese0
- Outcome
- organic C, dehydrogenase activity and metabolic quotiente0
- Direction
- enhancede0
- Comparator
- NPK alone or NPK + biochare0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“inorganic NPK fertilizer + biochar with mixed bacteria cultures, enhanced organic C, dehydrogenase activity and metabolic quotient compared with NPK alone or NPK + biochar.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Mixed bacteria culture treatments were superior for maize nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium uptake.
- Treatment
- mixed bacteria culturese0
- Outcome
- Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium uptakee0
- Direction
- superiore0
- Comparator
- NPK alone or NPK + biochare0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium uptake and the use efficiency and yield of maize, were superior in treatments that included mixed bacteria cultures compared to the addition of NPK alone or NPK + biochar.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Mixed bacteria culture treatments were superior for maize fertilizer use efficiency.
- Treatment
- mixed bacteria culturese0
- Outcome
- use efficiencye0
- Direction
- superiore0
- Comparator
- NPK alone or NPK + biochare0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium uptake and the use efficiency and yield of maize, were superior in treatments that included mixed bacteria cultures compared to the addition of NPK alone or NPK + biochar.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Mixed bacteria culture treatments were superior for maize yield.
- Treatment
- mixed bacteria culturese0
- Outcome
- yield of maizee0
- Direction
- superiore0
- Comparator
- NPK alone or NPK + biochare0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium uptake and the use efficiency and yield of maize, were superior in treatments that included mixed bacteria cultures compared to the addition of NPK alone or NPK + biochar.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors recommend mixed bacterial cultures with biochar to improve maize grain yield and fertilizer efficiency while reducing recommended NPK rates.
- Outcome
- inclusion of mixed culture of bacteria in combination with biochare0
- Setting
- coastal savannah agroecological zone of Ghanae0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the inclusion of mixed culture of bacteria in combination with biochar is a promising strategy to increase grain yield, enhance the use efficiency and reduce the rates of inorganic NPK fertilizer application recommended for cultivating maize in the coastal savannah agroecological zone of Ghana.”
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