The Effect of Using of The Two Types of Agricultural and Marine Waste Biochar on Some Characteristics of a Sandy Soil

Abstract

The abundance of agricultural waste and fishing is one of the environmental issues in various regions. Converting these wastes to biochar and using them in the soil is a way to enhance diverse ecosystems and plays a vital role in environmental sustainability. In the present study, the effect of shrimp (Fenneropenaeus merguiensis) and eggplant (Solanum melongena) biochar suspension on certain chemical characteristics of sandy soil was investigated. For this purpose, samples of sandy soil from the agricultural lands around Bandar Abbas were collected intact in PVC columns with a height of 25, and diameter of 20 cm. Then the prepared suspension of shrimp and eggplant biochar was added to the soil in a completely random design in three concentrations of 0, 4, and 8 g/l in three replications. After adding the different soil treatments into columns, they were incubated for 100 days at a humidity range of field capacity and 50% of it was kept in nursery condition. Next, some soil chemical properties including of pH, EC, N, K, Ca, Mg, and Na were measured. Statistical analysis and comparison of means at P<0.05 between various treatments were performed using a one-way analysis of variance and the Duncan’s test in SPSS16. The results of ANOVA showed that the application of both types of biochar had a significant effect on the chemical properties of sandy soil, so that the application of shrimp and eggplant waste biochar caused a significant increase in the amount of K, N, and pH, and a decrease in EC, Na, and Ca compared to the control treatment. The maximum value of K was related to the concentration of 8 g/l of shrimp and eggplant biochar and the maximum value of N was obtained by applying 8 g/l of shrimp biochar. In addition, the increase in the concentration of the two types of biochar indicates an increase in K and N values. The lowest CE value was obtained by applying 8 g/l of eggplant biochar. Based on the results obtained, shrimp and eggplant biochar waste are suggested in the sand soil amendment.

Keywords

• eggplant
• shrimp
• suspension
• chemical properties
• biochar