Effect of Using Biochar with Some Other Fertilizers on Growth and Productivity of Cucumbers under Sandy Soil Conditions

Abstract

There was a need to look for new materials that might be put into sandy soil to enhancement fertility and maintain minerals that are readily lost in it. The study's purpose was to see how biochar alone or incorporated with different fertilizers affects cucumber growth and yield under greenhouse in sandy soil. Rocket cultivar (Cucumis sativas) was used for this study by applying (RCBD) design with three replicates. Farmyard manure at 40 m3/fed., chicken manure at 20 m3/fed., compost at 20 m3/fed., and mineral fertilizers at 300 kg/N: 600 kg/P: 200 kg/K fed-1 were added either to the soil separately or combined with the biochar (4.2 ton/fed.), which was used as a control sample when used alone. The data were examined at 0.05 %. It is illustrated how different fertilizers affect plant height, the number of branches, leaf, fresh and dry weight, leaf area, chlorophylls, carotenoids, yield, fruit features, and the concentration of NPK in leaf. When the effect of individual fertilizers was examined, biochar beat compost and mineral fertilizers in terms of crop growth and yields, while chicken manure and farmyard manure outperformed the biochar treatment. Using chicken manure achieved the best yield of the previous fertilizers studied. Finally, it was discovered that combining biochar with organic and chemical fertilizers (farmyard or chicken manure or compost or mineral fertilizers) increased cucumber crop productivity and quality, particularly when biochar and chicken manure were mixed.

Keywords: Cucumber, Sandy soil, Biochar, Farmyard manure, Chicken manure, Compost, Mineral fertilizers

DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/12-8-02

Publication date: April 30th 2022