Malaysian Journal of Sustainable Agriculture (MJSA)

Climate change affects agricultural productivity because it impacts agroclimatic factors such as soil physical, chemical, and biological properties, rainfall, temperature, irradiation, and carbon dioxide concentrations. Climate change’s adverse impacts warrant studies showing how these factors influencing crop productivity can be sustainably managed in an altered climate. This study tested the effectiveness of biochar obtained from pyrolyzed sugarcane leaves collected from the field following mechanical harvesting. The biochar was applied in the soil alone or in combination with NPK fertilizer and planted with Oryza longstaminata. Farmyard manure was included as a common soil amendment to compare the results. Eight treatments were replicated four times and set up in a completely randomized design (CRD) under greenhouse conditions. Watering was done twice daily, and soil samples were taken after four months. During sampling, soil from only three replicates were removed, placed on a canvas and homogenized, and a 500 g each was taken for processing. The samples from the three replicates were mixed again and air-dried for two days, and triplicate (n=3) samples were taken again, placed in separate paper bags per replicate and sent to the laboratory for analysis and measurements using standard analytical procedures. The data from the replicates of the treatments were pooled, averages taken, and analyzed statistically. The results showed biochar application had no significant effect on soil pH, electrical conductivity, organic matter content, and carbon stock even when planted, compared to the effects on water holding capacity, bulk density, and total porosity. Consequently, there was no significant effect on soil nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, magnesium, and the calcium contents. The results were the opposite when co-application with the chemical NPK fertilizer was made. To a large extent, our results showed biochar interaction is quite effective when co-application is made with another nutrient source, and the findings have implications for the management of sandy loam soil under humid lowland tropical climatic conditions.