Abstract
Sandy soils represent most of the arable lands in Egypt. These soils are infertile and therefore incorporating organic products such as biochar in their surface soil layers are recommended to improve their productivity. Yet, biochar is of alkaline nature which may diminish the availability of many soil nutrients needed for proper plant growth. Thus, the current study investigates the impacts of adding elemental sulfur together with biochar to lessen the negative consequences of normal biochar on productivity of maize plants grown on a poor fertile light-textured soil. Also, acid modified biochars with either sulfuric or phosphoric acids were used herein to attain this goal. To attain this goal, a pot experiment of a randomized block design was conducted, comprising 2- factors: (1) 3-types of biochar (non acidified (BC), acid modified biochar with sulfuric acid (SMBA) and acid modified biochar with phosphoric acid (PMBA)) mixed with a soil (loamy sand, 97% sand) at a rate of 10 g kg-1 as well as the non-amended-control. (2) elemental S applied at rates of 0, 2 and 4 g kg-1 soil. All pots received 1.6 g kg-1 compost then left to equilibrate for two weeks. Later, maize seeds were planted for 60 days. Results reveal that maize dry weights and heights were significantly enhanced owing to application of acidified-biochars; while the corresponding increases owing to application of non-acidified biochar were almost significant. Such increases were correlated significantly and positively with both Olsen-P and AB-DTPA-Zn. On the other hand, application of S recorded no direct significant impacts on maize growth parameters, nevertheless it decreased significantly soil-pH, especially with increasing the dose of application and this in turn upraised extractable-AB-DTPA-extractable-Fe and Zn. Interactions between non-acidified biochar and S recorded further positive improvements in nutrient availability and plant growth versus applying each soil; yet such increases were still below the ones recorded for acidified biochars. The environmental impacts for using these additives on global warming threats were also considered in this study via calculating C-cycle feedback and all estimated values were positive. This indicates that sequestered C was probably higher than its emissions. Future perspectives are needed to investigate the efficiencies of using these additives under field conditions for at least two successive seasons while evaluating the economic and environmental outcomes for these additives.
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Claims 12
Claim · model-written summary
Acidified biochars significantly increased maize dry weight and height.
Zea maysNot reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“maize dry weights and heights were significantly enhanced owing to application of acidified-biochars”
Claim · model-written summary
Non acidified biochar produced almost significant increases in maize dry weight and height.
Not reportedTaxonComparator
Verbatim
e0“the corresponding increases owing to application of non-acidified biochar were almost significant.”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Maize growth increases correlated positively and significantly with Olsen-P.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“Such increases were correlated significantly and positively with both Olsen-P and AB-DTPA-Zn.”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Maize growth increases correlated positively and significantly with AB-DTPA-Zn.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“Such increases were correlated significantly and positively with both Olsen-P and AB-DTPA-Zn.”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Elemental sulfur had no directly significant effect on maize growth parameters.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“application of S recorded no direct significant impacts on maize growth parameters”
Claim · model-written summary
Sulfur decreased soil pH significantly, especially at higher doses.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“it decreased significantly soil-pH, especially with increasing the dose of application”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Sulfur increased extractable soil Fe and Zn.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“this in turn upraised extractable-AB-DTPA-extractable-Fe and Zn.”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Non acidified biochar with sulfur further improved nutrient availability compared with either amendment alone, but less than acidified biochar.
- Treatment
- non-acidified biochar and Se0
- Outcome
- nutrient availabilitye0
- Direction
- improvementse0
- Comparator
- acidified biocharse0
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“Interactions between non-acidified biochar and S recorded further positive improvements in nutrient availability and plant growth versus applying each soil; yet such increases were still below the ones recorded for acidified biochars.”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Non acidified biochar with sulfur further improved plant growth compared with either amendment alone, but less than acidified biochar.
- Treatment
- non-acidified biochar and Se0
- Outcome
- plant growthe0
- Direction
- improvementse0
- Comparator
- acidified biocharse0
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“Interactions between non-acidified biochar and S recorded further positive improvements in nutrient availability and plant growth versus applying each soil; yet such increases were still below the ones recorded for acidified biochars.”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Calculated carbon cycle feedback values were all positive for the amendments.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“C-cycle feedback and all estimated values were positive.”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors inferred sequestered carbon probably exceeded emissions.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“This indicates that sequestered C was probably higher than its emissions.”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors recommend field trials across at least two seasons with economic and environmental evaluation.
- Outcome
- investigate the efficiencies of using these additives under field conditionse0
- Value
- at least two successive seasonse0
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“Future perspectives are needed to investigate the efficiencies of using these additives under field conditions for at least two successive seasons while evaluating the economic and environmental outcomes for these additives.”
t0“Maize”
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