Investigating the effect of biochar on soil moisture retention, crop growth and yield of kale

Abstract

Biochar is an amendment that can be used for enhancing soil water storage which may increase crop productivity. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of biochar on growth, yield and root development of kale under Drip irrigation. From early stage to maturity stages, the plants were subjected to 100g, 150g and 200g biochar and compared with the control. The experiment was conducted for 8 months under completely randomized design with four treatment and two replications in a greenhouse environment. Among the treatments, Biochar with 100g, 200g conserved 15%, 14% respectively under irrigation with 100% water crop requirement. More Sukuma wiki plant growth and yield were observed to be significantly different from the control making Biochar the best soil and water conservation agronomic measure.