Contribution of corncob biochar to the chemical properties of a ferralsol in Uganda

Management of degraded soils using biochar combined with inorganic and organic resources has been reported to improve the productivity of the soils. However, the contribution of this integrated nutrient management strategy to improve the chemical properties of ferralsol has not received adequate research attention. Hence, this study examined the effects of biochar, NPK, and compost application on soil chemical properties of ferralsol. A field experiment was conducted on haplic ferralsol with two rates of biochar (10 t/ha and 20 t/ha) solely applied and co-applied with compost and NPK using Brassica oleracea var. viridis as a test crop. Co-applied biochar with compost and NPK significantly increased soil pH, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, soil organic carbon, cation exchangeable capacity, potassium, and calcium than the solely applied compost and NPK. Also, co-applied biochar with compost increased cation exchange capacity, soil organic carbon, calcium, magnesium, and potassium than the co-applied biochar with NPK. These findings are a clear indication that combing biochar with organic or inorganic resources appears to be an effective or promising reclamation strategy for improving the chemical properties of ferralsol. © 2021, Saudi Society for Geosciences.