Effect of Mulberry Stalk Biochar on Soil Nutrients Status and Productivity of Mulberry (Morus alba L.)

Abstract

Biochar as an organic amendment improves soil attributes, with a potentially significant effect on soil fertility. The main objective of this study was to quantify the effect of biochar addition on nutrients status in mulberry cultivated soil. A field experiment was conducted in the mulberry crop to know the effect of soil application of mulberry stalk biochar on nutrients build up in soil at farmer’s field at Sidlaghatta (TQ), Chikkaballapura District during 2020-2021 (rabi2020, summer and kharif-2021). A randomized block design was employed with eight treatments replicated thrice T1: Control (NPK375:140:140 kg ha-1 alone) T2: POP (FYM (25 t ha-1) + NPK 375:140:140 kg ha-1) T3: Soil application of biochar @ 5 t ha-1T4: Soil application of biochar @ 7.5 t ha-1 T5: Soil application of biochar @ 10 t ha-1T6: Soil application of biochar @ 5 t ha-1   + FYM @ 10 t ha-1T7: Soil application of biochar @7.5 t ha-1 + FYM @ 10 t ha-1T8: Soil application of biochar @ 10 t ha-1 + FYM @ 10 t ha-1NPK is common for all the treatments.  Combined soil application of biochar @ 10 t ha-1 and FYM @ 10 t ha-1 (T8) increased the leaf yield (13.07 t ha-1) by 21 %  over control (10.45 t ha-1 Significantly higher soil primary, secondary and micronutrients were recorded in T8 (soil application of biochar @ 10 t ha-1 + FYM @ 10 t ha-1) followed by treatment T7 which received soil application of biochar @ 7.5 t ha-1 + FYM @ 10 t ha-1. The lower soil primary, secondary and micronutrients were recorded in T1 which is devoid of biochar. The findings revealed that utilization of mulberry stalk as a biochar has positive effect on the improvement of nutrient status and it could partly replace chemical fertilizers and promote organic farming in a circular economy concept.