Document Type : Research Article
Authors
1
Department of Water Engineering, Faculty of Water and Soil, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran
2
Department of Water Engineering, Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan, Mollasani, Iran
10.22067/jsw.2024.83859.1322
Abstract
Introduction
Appropriate and practical use of agricultural waste will reduce the pressure on the environment. Recently, the use of biochar in agricultural land as a source of organic material for plant growth and as a modifier to improve soil properties has been greatly promoted. Due to its unique chemical and physical properties, biochar can be used as a soil conditioner and has many benefits for optimal agricultural and environmental management. Studies have shown that biochar is a useful modifier for improving the physical and chemical properties of soil, effective in maintaining organic matter and soil moisture.
Materials and Methods
This research was conducted with the aim of investigating the effects of biochar on the physical and chemical properties of soil under conditions of water stress and irrigation water salinity. The experiment was carried out in a factorial and completely randomized design with three replications in greenhouse conditions. The treatments include three irrigation water treatments (60, 80, and 100 percent water requirement of the plant, respectively, I1, I2, and I3), three treatments of biochar prepared from northern forest trees at a temperature of 300 degrees Celsius (0, 2, and 4 percent by weight of potting soil, respectively, B1, B2, and B3) and three water quality treatments (with electrical conductivity 1, 4 and 7 dS/m respectively S1, S2 and S3). The pots were weighed every other day and at each level of biochar and salinity, the water deficit up to the agricultural moisture level was calculated based on the changes in the pot's weight. After the end of the growing season (harvesting in the first half of April 1401), in order to investigate the effect of biochar on the amount of soil nutrients and some physical and chemical parameters of the soil under the conditions of water stress and irrigation water salinity, sampling was done from the soil of each pot. The samples were taken to the laboratory and parameters of apparent and actual specific gravity, acidity and salinity of the soil, percentage of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium absorbable of the soil were measured in the laboratory.
Water productivity
Referring to the yield to irrigation water ratio, is obtained by the following relation (Payero et al., 2009): WP=Y/IR (1)
In this equation, WP represents water productivity (kg/m3), Y denotes the yield (kg/ha), and IR shows the amount of irrigation water (m3/ha).
Statistical analysis
The analysis of variance for the results obtained from different treatments was conducted using SAS software (SAS 9.1, SAS Institute, Cary, NC, USA). The mean values of the main factors and interactive effects were compared using the Duncan method at the 1% and 5% levels of significance
Results and Discussion
The results showed that the amount of biochar, irrigation water and water salinity and their mutual effects had a significant effect on the measured parameters at the probability level of one and five percent. Adding 2 and 4 mass percent biochar to the soil increases the amount of phosphorus (35 and 60 percent, respectively), potassium (57 and 61 percent), nitrogen (83 and 91 percent), pH (13 and 13 percent) and electrical conductivity of the soil. (EC) (13 and 57 percent). By adding 2% and 4% of biochar to the soil, the actual specific gravity of the soil decreased by 13% and 21%, respectively, and the apparent specific gravity decreased by 11% and 22%, respectively. The actual and apparent specific gravity of the soil decreased by adding biochar to the soil. Decreasing the depth of irrigation water and increasing water salinity increased the amount of phosphorus, potassium, nitrogen, pH and EC of the soil. The amount of irrigation water had no significant effect on the apparent and actual specific gravity, but the salinity of the irrigation water caused a significant increase in the apparent and actual specific gravity of the soil. Although the addition of biochar to the soil increased the nutrients required by plants in the soil, but considering that the addition of this organic matter to the soil at high levels increases the electrical conductivity of the soil, therefore the use of high amounts of biochar in the soil should be careful. According to the results obtained from the research, the use of biochar is recommended as a suitable method for improving the chemical quality and productivity of poor and light soils.
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