Abstract
Biochar (B) has low nutrient content and is recalcitrant to biodegradation. Supplementing B with a fast-releasing nutrient source may improve soil fertility and physical conditions and increase crop productivity. A three-season field study was conducted on sandy loam and sandy clay loam textured soils to investigate the effect of B mixed with livestock manure (LM) on soil properties (pH, organic carbon (OC), cation exchange capacity (CEC), total Nitrogen (TN), available Phosphorus (Avail P)), and French bean yield (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in Rwanda. The study used a factorial randomized block design with four replications. Treatments comprised three levels of B (0, 1, and 3 t/ha) and three levels of LM (0, 1, and 3 t/ha). Biochar was used from S. sesban, G. sepium, A. angustissima, Eucalyptus, and Grevillea sp., prepared using a drum kiln, while LM was prepared using the pit method. The Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Tukey (HSD) function at p < 0.05, and linear mixed-effects model were performed in R software version 4.3.3 (R Core Team, 2024). The analysis showed that the treated plots significantly increased French bean yield compared to the control plots, with the highest value found in plots treated with 3 t/ha. The combined plots showed an increased yield compared to sole Biochar or manure. The seasonal increase has been observed, with percentage increases recorded as follows: 16%, 33.56%, 173.06% in sole B plots; 40.28%, 14.43%, and 11.76% in sole LM plots and 125%, 156%, and 209.8% in B + LM plots for season 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Furthermore, the results indicated that the application of B alone or combined with LM significantly enhanced soil pH, OC, TN, avail P, and CEC with the pH ranging from 6.77 to 5.43 for B alone, 6.7–5.35 for LM alone, 8.53–6.06 for B-LM plots, and 4.34–3.78 for control plots. Applying Biochar, either alone or in combination with LM, at a low rate demonstrated positive effects on French bean yield and soil nutrients in smallholder farmers. This study encourages using natural materials such as B and LM to improve soil fertility and increase vegetable production while reducing chemical fertilizers that can cause pollution and damage the environment.
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Claims 17
Claim · model-written summary
Treated plots significantly increased French bean yield compared with control plots, highest with 3 t/ha.
- Taxon
- French bean
Phaseolus vulgarise0 - Treatment
- treated plotse1
- Outcome
- French bean yielde1
- Direction
- increasede1
- Qualifier
- highest value found in plots treated with 3 t/hae1
- Comparator
- control plotse1
- Setting
- Rwandae0
Not reportedValue
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“French bean yield (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in Rwanda”
e1“The analysis showed that the treated plots significantly increased French bean yield compared to the control plots, with the highest value found in plots treated with 3 t/ha”
Claim · model-written summary
Combined biochar and manure plots gave higher French bean yield than sole biochar or manure.
- Taxon
- French beanPhaseolus vulgarise0
- Treatment
- combined plotse1
- Outcome
- yielde1
- Direction
- increasede1
- Comparator
- sole Biochar or manuree1
- Setting
- Rwandae0
Not reportedValue
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“French bean yield (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in Rwanda”
e1“The combined plots showed an increased yield compared to sole Biochar or manure”
Claim · model-written summary
Sole biochar plots increased French bean yield by 16% in season 1.
- Taxon
- French beanPhaseolus vulgarise0
- Treatment
- sole Be1
- Outcome
- percentage increasese1
- Direction
- increasee1
- Value
- 16%e1
- Qualifier
- season 1e1
- Setting
- Rwandae0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“French bean yield (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in Rwanda”
e1“with percentage increases recorded as follows: 16%, 33.56%, 173.06% in sole B plots; 40.28%, 14.43%, and 11.76% in sole LM plots and 125%, 156%, and 209.8% in B + LM plots for season 1, 2, and 3, respectively”
Claim · model-written summary
Sole biochar plots increased French bean yield by 33.56% in season 2.
- Taxon
- French beanPhaseolus vulgarise0
- Treatment
- sole Be1
- Outcome
- percentage increasese1
- Direction
- increasee1
- Value
- 33.56%e1
- Qualifier
- season 1e1
- Setting
- Rwandae0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“French bean yield (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in Rwanda”
e1“with percentage increases recorded as follows: 16%, 33.56%, 173.06% in sole B plots; 40.28%, 14.43%, and 11.76% in sole LM plots and 125%, 156%, and 209.8% in B + LM plots for season 1, 2, and 3, respectively”
Claim · model-written summary
Sole biochar plots increased French bean yield by 173.06% in season 3.
- Taxon
- French beanPhaseolus vulgarise0
- Treatment
- sole Be1
- Outcome
- percentage increasese1
- Direction
- increasee1
- Value
- 173.06%e1
- Qualifier
- season 1e1
- Setting
- Rwandae0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“French bean yield (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in Rwanda”
e1“with percentage increases recorded as follows: 16%, 33.56%, 173.06% in sole B plots; 40.28%, 14.43%, and 11.76% in sole LM plots and 125%, 156%, and 209.8% in B + LM plots for season 1, 2, and 3, respectively”
Claim · model-written summary
Sole manure plots increased French bean yield by 40.28% in season 1.
- Taxon
- French beanPhaseolus vulgarise0
- Treatment
- sole LMe1
- Outcome
- percentage increasese1
- Direction
- increasee1
- Value
- 40.28%e1
- Qualifier
- season 1e1
- Setting
- Rwandae0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“French bean yield (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in Rwanda”
e1“with percentage increases recorded as follows: 16%, 33.56%, 173.06% in sole B plots; 40.28%, 14.43%, and 11.76% in sole LM plots and 125%, 156%, and 209.8% in B + LM plots for season 1, 2, and 3, respectively”
Claim · model-written summary
Sole manure plots increased French bean yield by 14.43% in season 2.
- Taxon
- French beanPhaseolus vulgarise0
- Treatment
- sole LMe1
- Outcome
- percentage increasese1
- Direction
- increasee1
- Value
- 14.43%e1
- Setting
- Rwandae0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“French bean yield (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in Rwanda”
e1“with percentage increases recorded as follows: 16%, 33.56%, 173.06% in sole B plots; 40.28%, 14.43%, and 11.76% in sole LM plots and 125%, 156%, and 209.8% in B + LM plots for season 1, 2, and 3, respectively”
Claim · model-written summary
Sole manure plots increased French bean yield by 11.76% in season 3.
- Taxon
- French beanPhaseolus vulgarise0
- Treatment
- sole LMe1
- Outcome
- percentage increasese1
- Direction
- increasee1
- Value
- 11.76%e1
- Setting
- Rwandae0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“French bean yield (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in Rwanda”
e1“with percentage increases recorded as follows: 16%, 33.56%, 173.06% in sole B plots; 40.28%, 14.43%, and 11.76% in sole LM plots and 125%, 156%, and 209.8% in B + LM plots for season 1, 2, and 3, respectively”
Claim · model-written summary
Biochar plus manure plots increased French bean yield by 125% in season 1.
- Taxon
- French beanPhaseolus vulgarise0
- Treatment
- B + LMe1
- Outcome
- percentage increasese1
- Direction
- increasee1
- Value
- 125%e1
- Qualifier
- season 1e1
- Setting
- Rwandae0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“French bean yield (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in Rwanda”
e1“with percentage increases recorded as follows: 16%, 33.56%, 173.06% in sole B plots; 40.28%, 14.43%, and 11.76% in sole LM plots and 125%, 156%, and 209.8% in B + LM plots for season 1, 2, and 3, respectively”
Claim · model-written summary
Biochar plus manure plots increased French bean yield by 156% in season 2.
- Taxon
- French beanPhaseolus vulgarise0
- Treatment
- B + LMe1
- Outcome
- percentage increasese1
- Direction
- increasee1
- Value
- 156%e1
- Setting
- Rwandae0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“French bean yield (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in Rwanda”
e1“with percentage increases recorded as follows: 16%, 33.56%, 173.06% in sole B plots; 40.28%, 14.43%, and 11.76% in sole LM plots and 125%, 156%, and 209.8% in B + LM plots for season 1, 2, and 3, respectively”
Claim · model-written summary
Biochar plus manure plots increased French bean yield by 209.8% in season 3.
- Taxon
- French beanPhaseolus vulgarise0
- Treatment
- B + LMe1
- Outcome
- percentage increasese1
- Direction
- increasee1
- Value
- 209.8%e1
- Setting
- Rwandae0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“French bean yield (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in Rwanda”
e1“with percentage increases recorded as follows: 16%, 33.56%, 173.06% in sole B plots; 40.28%, 14.43%, and 11.76% in sole LM plots and 125%, 156%, and 209.8% in B + LM plots for season 1, 2, and 3, respectively”
Claim · model-written summary
Biochar alone or with manure significantly enhanced soil pH, OC and total N.
- Taxon
- French beanPhaseolus vulgarise0
- Treatment
- B alone or combined with LMe1
- Outcome
- soil pH, OC, TNe1
- Direction
- enhancede1
- Setting
- Rwandae0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“French bean yield (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in Rwanda”
e1“the application of B alone or combined with LM significantly enhanced soil pH, OC, TN, avail P, and CEC”
Claim · model-written summary
Biochar alone or with manure significantly enhanced soil available P and CEC.
- Taxon
- French beanPhaseolus vulgarise0
- Treatment
- B alone or combined with LMe1
- Outcome
- avail P, and CECe1
- Direction
- enhancede1
- Setting
- Rwandae0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“French bean yield (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in Rwanda”
e1“the application of B alone or combined with LM significantly enhanced soil pH, OC, TN, avail P, and CEC”
Claim · model-written summary
Soil pH ranged from 6.77 to 5.43 under biochar alone.
- Taxon
- French beanPhaseolus vulgarise0
- Treatment
- B alonee1
- Outcome
- pHe1
- Value
- 6.77 to 5.43e1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“French bean yield (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in Rwanda”
e1“the pH ranging from 6.77 to 5.43 for B alone”
Claim · model-written summary
Soil pH ranged from 6.7 to 5.35 under manure alone.
- Taxon
- French beanPhaseolus vulgarise0
- Treatment
- LM alonee2
- Outcome
- pHe1
- Value
- 6.7–5.35e2
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“French bean yield (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in Rwanda”
e1“the application of B alone or combined with LM significantly enhanced soil pH, OC, TN, avail P, and CEC”
e2“6.7–5.35 for LM alone”
Claim · model-written summary
Soil pH ranged from 8.53 to 6.06 in biochar-manure plots.
- Taxon
- French beanPhaseolus vulgarise0
- Treatment
- B-LM plotse2
- Outcome
- pHe1
- Value
- 8.53–6.06e2
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“French bean yield (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in Rwanda”
e1“the application of B alone or combined with LM significantly enhanced soil pH, OC, TN, avail P, and CEC”
e2“8.53–6.06 for B-LM plots”
Claim · model-written summary
Soil pH ranged from 4.34 to 3.78 in control plots.
- Taxon
- French beanPhaseolus vulgarise0
- Outcome
- pHe1
- Value
- 4.34–3.78e2
- Qualifier
- control plotse2
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“French bean yield (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in Rwanda”
e1“the application of B alone or combined with LM significantly enhanced soil pH, OC, TN, avail P, and CEC”
e2“4.34–3.78 for control plots”
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See all 21 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.