Abstract

Potential of Biochar and Compost in Soil Amendment for Enhancing Crop Yield

Author(s): G. Kalyani, H. Joga Rao, Y. Prasanna Kumar and P. King

Biochar is presently being highly researched and promoted for its significant potential to improve soil properties, crop productivity and capability of carbon sequestration in soil. In this study, a novel drum pyrolysis technique was fabricated for the preparation of this bio fertilizer. Here, drum pyrolysis (slow) is used to convert cotton farm waste biomass into char at the temperature about 300-450oC. No air or oxygen is intentionally admitted in this process. Different carboxylic groups were observed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) then the different physical and chemical characteristics of soil, compost and biochar were determined by different specific analyses. After the analysis, seeds like beans, fenugreek and mint leaves are ready to sowed in such a way that only soil is present in one pot, soil and biochar mixture is in second pot, soil and compost mixture is in third and at last soil, compost and biochar mixture is present in the fourth pot. The main objective of this project to show effectiveness of the biochar and to compare those results with normal soil and also to prove the yield with biochar and compost mixture is more beneficial.