Abstract
Maize (Zea mays L.) is a major nitrogen consuming crop, as nitrogen is considered as an important determinant of its grain yield. Though inorganic fertilizer is widely recommended, the problem of high cost and inaccessibility limit its usage by resource poor farmers. Biochar application provides a new technology for both soil fertility and crop productivity improvement. With limited research on the suitability of biochar for soil improvement practices in Ghana, our objective was to determine the synergistic effect of biochar and inorganic fertilizer on the nitrogen uptake, nitrogen use efficiency, and yield of maize. Field experiment was conducted in Ghana, KNUST, in the major and minor raining seasons. Biochar was applied at 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 t ha−1 and fertilizer N applied at 0, 45, and 90 kg ha−1. The results showed significantly (p < .05) higher N uptake, N use efficiency and yield of maize when biochar was applied with fertilizer N compared to both the control and sole N fertilizer plots. Biochar applied at 10 t ha−1 supplemented with 45 kg N ha−1 increased N uptake by 200%, and grain yield by 213% and 160% relative to the control in the minor and major rainy seasons, respectively. The greater yield of maize recorded on biochar-amended soils was attributed to the improved N uptake and nitrogen use efficiency. In conclusion, our finding suggests that the application of combined biochar and inorganic N fertilizer is not only ecologically prudent, but economically viable and a practicable alternative to current farmers’ practice of cultivating maize in Ghana.
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Claims 6
Claim · model-written summary
Biochar applied with fertilizer N gave significantly higher N uptake, N use efficiency and yield of maize than the control and sole N fertilizer plots.
- Treatment
- biochar was applied with fertilizer Ne2
- Outcome
- N uptake, N use efficiency and yielde2
- Direction
- highere2
- Comparator
- control and sole N fertilizer plotse2
- Setting
- Ghana, KNUSTe1
Zea maysOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Maize (Zea mays L.) is a major nitrogen consuming crop”
e1“Field experiment was conducted in Ghana, KNUST, in the major and minor raining seasons”
e2“The results showed significantly (p < .05) higher N uptake, N use efficiency and yield of maize when biochar was applied with fertilizer N compared to both the control and sole N fertilizer plots”
Claim · model-written summary
Biochar at 10 t ha−1 with 45 kg N ha−1 increased N uptake by 200% relative to the control.
- Treatment
- Biochar applied at 10 t ha−1 supplemented with 45 kg N ha−1e3
- Outcome
- N uptakee3
- Direction
- increasede3
- Value
- 200%e3
- Comparator
- controle3
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Maize (Zea mays L.) is a major nitrogen consuming crop”
e3“Biochar applied at 10 t ha−1 supplemented with 45 kg N ha−1 increased N uptake by 200%, and grain yield by 213% and 160% relative to the control in the minor and major rainy seasons, respectively”
Claim · model-written summary
Biochar at 10 t ha−1 with 45 kg N ha−1 increased grain yield by 213% relative to the control.
- Treatment
- Biochar applied at 10 t ha−1 supplemented with 45 kg N ha−1e3
- Outcome
- grain yielde3
- Direction
- increasede3
- Value
- 213%e3
- Qualifier
- in the minor and major rainy seasons, respectivelye3
- Comparator
- controle3
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Maize (Zea mays L.) is a major nitrogen consuming crop”
e3“Biochar applied at 10 t ha−1 supplemented with 45 kg N ha−1 increased N uptake by 200%, and grain yield by 213% and 160% relative to the control in the minor and major rainy seasons, respectively”
Claim · model-written summary
Biochar at 10 t ha−1 with 45 kg N ha−1 increased grain yield by 160% relative to the control.
- Treatment
- Biochar applied at 10 t ha−1 supplemented with 45 kg N ha−1e3
- Outcome
- grain yielde3
- Direction
- increasede3
- Value
- 160%e3
- Qualifier
- in the minor and major rainy seasons, respectivelye3
- Comparator
- controle3
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Maize (Zea mays L.) is a major nitrogen consuming crop”
e3“Biochar applied at 10 t ha−1 supplemented with 45 kg N ha−1 increased N uptake by 200%, and grain yield by 213% and 160% relative to the control in the minor and major rainy seasons, respectively”
Claim · model-written summary
The greater maize yield on biochar-amended soils is attributed to improved N uptake and nitrogen use efficiency.
- Treatment
- biochar-amended soilse4
- Outcome
- greater yielde4
- Qualifier
- attributed to the improved N uptake and nitrogen use efficiencye4
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e4“The greater yield of maize recorded on biochar-amended soils was attributed to the improved N uptake and nitrogen use efficiency”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors recommend combined biochar and inorganic N fertilizer for maize in Ghana as ecologically prudent, economically viable and a practicable alternative to current practice.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e5“our finding suggests that the application of combined biochar and inorganic N fertilizer is not only ecologically prudent, but economically viable and a practicable alternative to current farmers’ practice of cultivating maize in Ghana”
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