Assessment of Biochar Effects on Essential Nutrient Uptake in Chickpea Under Field Conditions
ANAND NAIK *
Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, CoA, Kalaburgi, India.
MALLIKARJUN REDDY
Department of Soil and Water Engineering, CoA, Kalaburgi, India.
MEGHARANI
Young Professional of Soil and Water Engineering, CoA, Kalaburgi, India.
RAJEEV VERMA
Department of Soil science, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur, Karnataka, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted during the rabi season of 2021–22 at ICAR-Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kalaburagi, to assess the effects of biochar on essential nutrient uptake in chickpea under field conditions. The study employed a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with eight treatments: absolute control, recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) alone, biochar at 2 t ha⁻¹, biochar at 4 t ha⁻¹, 50% RDF + biochar at 2 t ha⁻¹, 50% RDF + biochar at 4 t ha⁻¹, 100% RDF + biochar at 2 t ha⁻¹, and 100% RDF + biochar at 4 t ha⁻¹. Significant differences in nutrient concentrations were observed among the treatments. The application of 100% RDF combined with biochar at 4 t ha⁻¹ resulted in the highest nutrient concentrations in both grain and stover—nitrogen at 3.62% and 1.25%, phosphorus at 0.51% and 0.30%, and potassium at 1.31% and 1.69%, respectively. In contrast, the absolute control recorded the lowest nutrient concentrations. The same treatment (100% RDF + biochar at 4 t ha⁻¹) also resulted in the highest nutrient uptake, with nitrogen uptake of 52.01 kg ha⁻¹ in grain and 22.10 kg ha⁻¹ in stover, phosphorus uptake of 7.32 kg ha⁻¹ in grain and 5.26 kg ha⁻¹ in stover, and potassium uptake of 18.80 kg ha⁻¹ in grain and 29.88 kg ha⁻¹ in stover.
Keywords: Biochar, RDF, uptake, grain and stover