Abstract
Cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata ssp. unguiculata ) is a promising legume crop for arid and semi-arid regions due to its short growth duration, nutritional value, and drought tolerance. However, sandy soils in Egypt suffer from low fertility, weak aggregation, and poor water-holding capacity, which limit crop productivity. This study evaluated the combined effects of biochar and microbial inoculants ( Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Saccharomyces cerevisiae ) on sandy soil fertility and cowpea productivity in Egypt. A two-season (2020–2021) field experiment was conducted in the Ismailia Governorate, Egypt, using cowpea cv. Dokki 126 in a randomized complete block design with 12 treatments (biochar, microbial inoculants, nitrogen fertilizer, and their combinations) and three replicates. The integrated application of biochar and microbial inoculants significantly increased total microbial counts by up to 65% and dehydrogenase activity by 42% compared to the control. Soil bulk density decreased by 18%, total porosity increased by 22%, and available soil N, P, and K contents increased by 45%, 52%, and 39%, respectively, leading to higher chlorophyll content (+ 28%), plant length (+ 21%), and seed yield (+ 33%) relative to the control. These findings indicate that integrating biochar with microbial inoculants significantly enhances sandy soil fertility and cowpea productivity, offering a sustainable pathway for soil restoration in arid ecosystems.
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Claims 10
Claim · model-written summary
Integrated biochar and microbial inoculants changed cowpea-system total microbial counts by up to 65% relative to the control.
- Taxon
- Cowpea
Vigna unguiculatat0 - Treatment
- integrated application of biochar and microbial inoculantse0
- Outcome
- total microbial countse0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- up to 65%e0
- Comparator
- the controle0
Not reportedMaterial
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The integrated application of biochar and microbial inoculants significantly increased total microbial counts by up to 65% and dehydrogenase activity by 42% compared to the control.”
t0“Cowpea”
Claim · model-written summary
Integrated biochar and microbial inoculants changed cowpea-system dehydrogenase activity by 42% relative to the control.
- Taxon
- CowpeaVigna unguiculatat0
- Treatment
- integrated application of biochar and microbial inoculantse0
- Outcome
- dehydrogenase activitye0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 42%e0
- Comparator
- the controle0
Not reportedMaterial
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The integrated application of biochar and microbial inoculants significantly increased total microbial counts by up to 65% and dehydrogenase activity by 42% compared to the control.”
t0“Cowpea”
Claim · model-written summary
Integrated biochar and microbial inoculants changed cowpea-system Soil bulk density by 18% relative to the control.
- Taxon
- CowpeaVigna unguiculatat0
- Treatment
- biochar and microbial inoculantse1
- Outcome
- Soil bulk densitye0
- Direction
- decreasede0
- Value
- 18%e0
- Comparator
- the controle0
Not reportedMaterial
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Soil bulk density decreased by 18%, total porosity increased by 22%, and available soil N, P, and K contents increased by 45%, 52%, and 39%, respectively, leading to higher chlorophyll content (+ 28%), plant length (+ 21%), and seed yield (+ 33%) relative to the control.”
t0“Cowpea”
e1“integrated application of biochar and microbial inoculants”
Claim · model-written summary
Integrated biochar and microbial inoculants changed cowpea-system total porosity by 22% relative to the control.
- Taxon
- CowpeaVigna unguiculatat0
- Treatment
- biochar and microbial inoculantse1
- Outcome
- total porositye0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 22%e0
- Comparator
- the controle0
Not reportedMaterial
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Soil bulk density decreased by 18%, total porosity increased by 22%, and available soil N, P, and K contents increased by 45%, 52%, and 39%, respectively, leading to higher chlorophyll content (+ 28%), plant length (+ 21%), and seed yield (+ 33%) relative to the control.”
t0“Cowpea”
e1“integrated application of biochar and microbial inoculants”
Claim · model-written summary
Integrated biochar and microbial inoculants changed cowpea-system available soil N by 45% relative to the control.
- Taxon
- CowpeaVigna unguiculatat0
- Treatment
- biochar and microbial inoculantse1
- Outcome
- available soil Ne0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 45%e0
- Comparator
- the controle0
Not reportedMaterial
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Soil bulk density decreased by 18%, total porosity increased by 22%, and available soil N, P, and K contents increased by 45%, 52%, and 39%, respectively, leading to higher chlorophyll content (+ 28%), plant length (+ 21%), and seed yield (+ 33%) relative to the control.”
t0“Cowpea”
e1“integrated application of biochar and microbial inoculants”
Claim · model-written summary
Integrated biochar and microbial inoculants changed cowpea-system available soil P by 52% relative to the control.
- Taxon
- CowpeaVigna unguiculatat0
- Treatment
- biochar and microbial inoculantse1
- Outcome
- available soil N, P, and K contentse0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 52%e0
- Comparator
- the controle0
Not reportedMaterial
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Soil bulk density decreased by 18%, total porosity increased by 22%, and available soil N, P, and K contents increased by 45%, 52%, and 39%, respectively, leading to higher chlorophyll content (+ 28%), plant length (+ 21%), and seed yield (+ 33%) relative to the control.”
t0“Cowpea”
e1“integrated application of biochar and microbial inoculants”
Claim · model-written summary
Integrated biochar and microbial inoculants changed cowpea-system available soil K by 39% relative to the control.
- Taxon
- CowpeaVigna unguiculatat0
- Treatment
- biochar and microbial inoculantse1
- Outcome
- available soil N, P, and K contentse0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 39%e0
- Comparator
- the controle0
Not reportedMaterial
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Soil bulk density decreased by 18%, total porosity increased by 22%, and available soil N, P, and K contents increased by 45%, 52%, and 39%, respectively, leading to higher chlorophyll content (+ 28%), plant length (+ 21%), and seed yield (+ 33%) relative to the control.”
t0“Cowpea”
e1“integrated application of biochar and microbial inoculants”
Claim · model-written summary
Integrated biochar and microbial inoculants changed cowpea-system chlorophyll content by + 28% relative to the control.
- Taxon
- CowpeaVigna unguiculatat0
- Treatment
- biochar and microbial inoculantse1
- Outcome
- chlorophyll contente0
- Direction
- highere0
- Value
- + 28%e0
- Comparator
- the controle0
Not reportedMaterial
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Soil bulk density decreased by 18%, total porosity increased by 22%, and available soil N, P, and K contents increased by 45%, 52%, and 39%, respectively, leading to higher chlorophyll content (+ 28%), plant length (+ 21%), and seed yield (+ 33%) relative to the control.”
t0“Cowpea”
e1“integrated application of biochar and microbial inoculants”
Claim · model-written summary
Integrated biochar and microbial inoculants changed cowpea-system plant length by + 21% relative to the control.
- Taxon
- CowpeaVigna unguiculatat0
- Treatment
- biochar and microbial inoculantse1
- Outcome
- plant lengthe0
- Direction
- highere0
- Value
- + 21%e0
- Comparator
- the controle0
Not reportedMaterial
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Soil bulk density decreased by 18%, total porosity increased by 22%, and available soil N, P, and K contents increased by 45%, 52%, and 39%, respectively, leading to higher chlorophyll content (+ 28%), plant length (+ 21%), and seed yield (+ 33%) relative to the control.”
t0“Cowpea”
e1“integrated application of biochar and microbial inoculants”
Claim · model-written summary
Integrated biochar and microbial inoculants changed cowpea-system seed yield by + 33% relative to the control.
- Taxon
- CowpeaVigna unguiculatat0
- Treatment
- biochar and microbial inoculantse1
- Outcome
- seed yielde0
- Direction
- highere0
- Value
- + 33%e0
- Comparator
- the controle0
Not reportedMaterial
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Soil bulk density decreased by 18%, total porosity increased by 22%, and available soil N, P, and K contents increased by 45%, 52%, and 39%, respectively, leading to higher chlorophyll content (+ 28%), plant length (+ 21%), and seed yield (+ 33%) relative to the control.”
t0“Cowpea”
e1“integrated application of biochar and microbial inoculants”
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8 of 10 groups shown: named compounds and organisms first, then groups whose results differ (checked claim by claim), then those with positive and negative results, then the smaller groups.
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.