COMMITTEE CHAIR: Dr. Ram Ray
TITLE: FIELD-SCALE ASSESSMENT OF JUNCUS-DERIVED BIOCHAR AND FERTILIZER RATE ON SOIL BIOPHYSICAL PROPERTIES, SORGHUM YIELD, AND GREENHOUSE GAS FLUXES IN SOUTHERN TEXAS
ABSTRACT: Biochar is a crucial soil amendment used in agriculture to enhance soil health, improve crop yields, and increase climate resilience for sustainable agriculture. Biochar from Juncus plants can also be used to improve soil health, increase water retention, and enhance nutrient and beneficial microbial levels, thereby promoting better plant growth and stress management. This research was conducted at the PVAMU research farm. It aimed to highlight how biochar produced from juncus, utilizing a circulator system that sequestrates heavy metals from the water and then converts it to biochar, can be used, and to investigate the effects that biochar may have on the soil biophysical and chemical properties in the context of sorghum production and greenhouse gas emission (CH4, N2O, CO2). To carry out the research, the application process involved banding, which was 5cm away from the plant stem and 5cm below the soil surface to prevent fertilizer burning. The study incorporated half, recommended, and double recommended rates, based solely on the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) standards, as well as the fertilizer application rate. For statistical analyses, one-way ANOVA and post hoc Tukey tests were used to evaluate statistically significant differences among the variables and groups. From the results obtained, it was clear to conclude that the Double recommended rate produced the highest amount of yield and biomass, but goes against the USDA standard. The recommended rates of fertilizer were the best among the treatments. Still, they provided no long-term benefits to the soil’s biophysical and chemical properties, making biochar and chemical fertilizer at recommended rates a more effective alternative.
Keywords: Biochar; Soil; Fertilizer; Nutrient Cycling; Crop Yield
Room Location: CARC Seminar RM # 015