Abstract
Biochar application in the soil has shown its potential for improved plant growth, root structure, and nutrient availability. However, uncertainties remain regarding the optimal depth for biochar application and its interaction with roots, which significantly influence plant growth and development. This transparent rhizobox trial consists of five treatments: control treatment (T1) with recommended dose of fertilizer, and four biochar addition treatments with different depths viz. 5 (T2), 10 (T3), 15 (T4) and 20 cm (T5). FESEM, EDX-Spectroscopy was performed to elucidate the change in morphology and element distribution pattern of biochar after application in soil. Fresh biochar has 53.7% carbon and 19.9% oxygen, however, aged biochar shown 37.4% carbon and 36.4% oxygen content. The T5 exhibit the best outcomes, with the most significant increment in maize root traits over the control treatment (T1). In particular, T5 recorded a maximum improvement in root length (+ 48.2%), root volume (+ 42.7%) and root dry biomass (+ 56.7%) compared to the control treatment when biochar was applied at 20 cm soil depth. Shoot traits at 20 cm biochar incorporation revealed an increase in shoot fresh biomass (+ 23.1%), shoot dry biomass (+ 15%), leaf area (+ 50.5%) and number of leaves (+ 40.7%) as compared to the control treatment. As compared to the control, a considerable rise in soil nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium was observed in biochar amendment at 20 cm depth, with the highest nitrogen in T5 (20.9%), phosphorus in T5 (103%), and the percentage increase in potassium in T5 (55.5%). One of the most consistently prevalent molecules examined by GC-MS was methyl stearate, a fatty acid ester detected in all five treatments. Methyl stearate content increased as the depth of biochar increased: T1 (10.26%), T2 (8.67%), T3 (12.40%), T4 (12.93%), and T5 (14.65%). Overall, the findings of this study suggest that uniform application of biochar in the top soil layer significantly enhances the above- and below-ground attributes of plants.
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Claims 14
Claim · model-written summary
Aged biochar had less carbon than fresh biochar, 37.4% versus 53.7%.
Zea maysNot reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Fresh biochar has 53.7% carbon and 19.9% oxygen, however, aged biochar shown 37.4% carbon and 36.4% oxygen content.”
t0“on maize roots”
Claim · model-written summary
Aged biochar had more oxygen than fresh biochar, 36.4% versus 19.9%.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Fresh biochar has 53.7% carbon and 19.9% oxygen, however, aged biochar shown 37.4% carbon and 36.4% oxygen content.”
t0“on maize roots”
Claim · model-written summary
At 20 cm depth, biochar increased maize root length by 48.2% over control.
- Treatment
- biochar was applied at 20 cm soil depthe0
- Outcome
- root lengthe0
- Direction
- improvemente0
- Value
- + 48.2%e0
- Comparator
- control treatmente0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“T5 recorded a maximum improvement in root length (+ 48.2%), root volume (+ 42.7%) and root dry biomass (+ 56.7%) compared to the control treatment when biochar was applied at 20 cm soil depth.”
t0“maize roots”
Claim · model-written summary
At 20 cm depth, biochar increased maize root volume by 42.7% over control.
- Treatment
- biochar was applied at 20 cm soil depthe0
- Outcome
- root volumee0
- Direction
- improvemente0
- Value
- + 42.7%e0
- Comparator
- control treatmente0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“T5 recorded a maximum improvement in root length (+ 48.2%), root volume (+ 42.7%) and root dry biomass (+ 56.7%) compared to the control treatment when biochar was applied at 20 cm soil depth.”
t0“maize roots”
Claim · model-written summary
At 20 cm depth, biochar increased maize root dry biomass by 56.7% over control.
- Treatment
- biochar was applied at 20 cm soil depthe0
- Outcome
- root dry biomasse0
- Direction
- improvemente0
- Value
- + 56.7%e0
- Comparator
- control treatmente0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“T5 recorded a maximum improvement in root length (+ 48.2%), root volume (+ 42.7%) and root dry biomass (+ 56.7%) compared to the control treatment when biochar was applied at 20 cm soil depth.”
t0“maize roots”
Claim · model-written summary
Biochar at 20 cm increased maize shoot fresh biomass by 23.1% over control.
- Treatment
- 20 cm biochar incorporatione0
- Outcome
- shoot fresh biomasse0
- Direction
- increasee0
- Value
- + 23.1%e0
- Comparator
- control treatmente0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Shoot traits at 20 cm biochar incorporation revealed an increase in shoot fresh biomass (+ 23.1%), shoot dry biomass (+ 15%), leaf area (+ 50.5%) and number of leaves (+ 40.7%) as compared to the control treatment.”
t0“maize roots”
Claim · model-written summary
Biochar at 20 cm increased maize shoot dry biomass by 15% over control.
- Treatment
- 20 cm biochar incorporatione0
- Outcome
- shoot dry biomasse0
- Direction
- increasee0
- Value
- + 15%e0
- Comparator
- control treatmente0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Shoot traits at 20 cm biochar incorporation revealed an increase in shoot fresh biomass (+ 23.1%), shoot dry biomass (+ 15%), leaf area (+ 50.5%) and number of leaves (+ 40.7%) as compared to the control treatment.”
t0“maize roots”
Claim · model-written summary
Biochar at 20 cm increased maize leaf area by 50.5% over control.
- Treatment
- 20 cm biochar incorporatione0
- Outcome
- leaf areae0
- Direction
- increasee0
- Value
- + 50.5%e0
- Comparator
- control treatmente0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Shoot traits at 20 cm biochar incorporation revealed an increase in shoot fresh biomass (+ 23.1%), shoot dry biomass (+ 15%), leaf area (+ 50.5%) and number of leaves (+ 40.7%) as compared to the control treatment.”
t0“maize roots”
Claim · model-written summary
Biochar at 20 cm increased maize leaf number by 40.7% over control.
- Treatment
- 20 cm biochar incorporatione0
- Outcome
- number of leavese0
- Direction
- increasee0
- Value
- + 40.7%e0
- Comparator
- control treatmente0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Shoot traits at 20 cm biochar incorporation revealed an increase in shoot fresh biomass (+ 23.1%), shoot dry biomass (+ 15%), leaf area (+ 50.5%) and number of leaves (+ 40.7%) as compared to the control treatment.”
t0“maize roots”
Claim · model-written summary
At 20 cm depth, biochar increased soil nitrogen by 20.9% over control.
- Treatment
- biochar amendment at 20 cm depthe0
- Outcome
- soil nitrogene0
- Direction
- risee0
- Value
- 20.9%e0
- Comparator
- controle0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“As compared to the control, a considerable rise in soil nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium was observed in biochar amendment at 20 cm depth, with the highest nitrogen in T5 (20.9%), phosphorus in T5 (103%), and the percentage increase in potassium in T5 (55.5%).”
t0“maize roots”
Claim · model-written summary
At 20 cm depth, biochar increased soil phosphorus by 103% over control.
- Treatment
- biochar amendment at 20 cm depthe0
- Outcome
- phosphoruse0
- Direction
- risee0
- Value
- 103%e0
- Comparator
- controle0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“As compared to the control, a considerable rise in soil nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium was observed in biochar amendment at 20 cm depth, with the highest nitrogen in T5 (20.9%), phosphorus in T5 (103%), and the percentage increase in potassium in T5 (55.5%).”
t0“maize roots”
Claim · model-written summary
At 20 cm depth, biochar increased soil potassium by 55.5% over control.
- Treatment
- biochar amendment at 20 cm depthe0
- Outcome
- potassiume0
- Direction
- increasee0
- Value
- 55.5%e0
- Comparator
- controle0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“As compared to the control, a considerable rise in soil nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium was observed in biochar amendment at 20 cm depth, with the highest nitrogen in T5 (20.9%), phosphorus in T5 (103%), and the percentage increase in potassium in T5 (55.5%).”
t0“maize roots”
Claim · model-written summary
Methyl stearate was found in every biochar treatment.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Methyl stearate, a fatty acid ester detected in all five treatments.”
t0“maize roots”
Claim · model-written summary
Methyl stearate content increased with greater biochar depth, reaching 14.65% in T5.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Methyl stearate content increased as the depth of biochar increased: T1 (10.26%), T2 (8.67%), T3 (12.40%), T4 (12.93%), and T5 (14.65%).”
t0“maize roots”
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