Soil fertility management through inorganic fertilizer application in areas with moisture shortage needs due care. the fertilizer application fashion should vary from areas with ample moisture so that the plants can easily access and efficiently use it. Therefore, field experiment was conducted in 2014 and 2015 during the main cropping season under rain-fed condition to evaluate the effect of micro-dose application of n and p fertilizers on sorghum yield at Aybra and Shumshiha sites of Wag-Lasta areas in Amhara Region, ethiopia where moisture shortage is acute. the treatments were comprised of a factorial combination of three levels of NP i.e. 1), 25% of the recommended NP = 10.25 kg N + 11.5 kg p 2 o 5 ha −1 , 2), 50% of the recommended NP = 20.5 kg N + 23 kg P 2 o 5 ha −1 and 3), 75% of the recommended np = 30.75 kg N + 34.75 kg P 2 o 5 ha −1 and three n application times plus control (without fertilizer) and recommended NP (41 kg N ha −1 and 46 kg P 2 o 5 ha −1 ). The experiment was laid down in a randomized complete block design with three replications. the fertilizers were applied to the spot where the seed was planted except for the recommended NP which was drilled to the planting rows right before planting. phosphorus was applied at planting while nitrogen was applied in split as per the treatment setup. All soil and agronomic data were collected and analyzed following the standard procedures. The analysis of variance revealed that application of 30.75 kg N ha −1 and 34.5 kg P 2 o 5 ha −1 (N applied 1/3 at sowing, 1/3 at emergence and 1/3 at 45 days after emergence) increased the grain yield by 122% over the control and 28.4% over the recommended NP and saves 25% of the recommended fertilizer at Aybra. While at Shumshiha-Lasta Lalibela, application of 20.5 kg N ha −1 and 23 kg P 2 o 5 ha −1 (N applied 1/3 at sowing, 1/3 at emergence and 1/3 at 45 days after emergence) increased the grain yield by 174% over the control and 15% over the recommended NP and saves 50% of the recommended fertilizer. Therefore, micro-dosing application of 30.75 kg N ha −1 and 34.5 kg P 2 o 5 ha −1 for Aybra-Sekota and of 20.5 kg N ha −1 and 23 kg P 2 o 5 ha −1 for Shumshiha-Lasta Lalibela (n applied in three splits) are recommended for sorghum production. open Scientific RepoRtS | (2020) 10:6889 | https://doi.

Addition of biochar to soil showed increased plant growth and crop yield, improved soil properties, 7 enhanced the bioavailability of nutrients, improved stress tolerance of plants to salinity, drought, heavy metal toxicity and high temperature 8 and also decreased soil nutrients leaching. 9 Biochar has also received increasing attention due to its ability to mitigate climate change 10 due to high carbon sequestration capacity. 11 Basically, amendment of biochar reduced emission of soil nitrous oxide (N 2 O), methane (CH 4), 12 and had capable of offsetting about 12% of anthropogenic CO 2-C emission. 13 In addition to this, biochar has been suggested as one of the most eco-friendly and promising approach to reduce environmental contaminants. 14 Objective General objective The general objective of this review was to understand role of biochar on soil fertility improvement and greenhouse gases sequestration Specific objectives Based on the general objective mentioned above, the following specific objectives were stated as. i. To recognize the role of biochar in soil fertility improvement and ii. To recognize the role of biochar in greenhouse gases sequestration and gaps Significance of the review Presence of different research findings about the role of biochar in soil fertility improvement and greenhouse gases sequestration were known at large but most of these findings were scattered. So, this reviewed document will help readers to accesses compiled data. Scope of the review As much as possible, the review was focused at findings and reports that have done around the globe about the role of biochar in soil fertility and greenhouse gases sequestration. Methodology Published articles (62 article with peer reviewed, 3 article with single author), 1 organizational report, 1 in-press paper, totally 67 references were used. An as much as possible, latest article which contains quantitative data were searched in Google Scholar and purposively selected. Endnote software was used for citation in the text and end reference by using APA style of referencing with synchronization of it with seminar wring guideline of CDAN of Mekelle university. Review of literature and discussion Characteristics of biochar Biochar is carbon-rich, 15 and has high chemical and biological stability. 16 Usually, biochar has high porosity, large specific surface area, adsorption ability, and high cation exchange capacity. 17 The

The objective of this study was to characterize the biochar produced from different agricultural wastes to explore its potential use as organic soil amendments. The feedstock of Eucalyptus globules (EG), Acacia decarance (AD), farmyard manure (FYM) and rice straw (RS) were collected and biochar was produced by slow pyrolysis at 300 o C in the furnace. The biochar chemical composition was determined using standard laboratory procedure. Characterization of biochar mainly focused on chemical properties (pH, carbon, phosphorus, cation exchange capacity, electrical conductivity, exchangeable basic cations). Higher carbon content was observed in biochar produced from AD (65.00%) compared with that of biochar produced from other feedstock type included in this study. pH value of Biochar produced from EG and RS showed moderately acidic (pH 5.94) and neutral (pH 6.6), respectively, whereas biochar produced from AD (pH 8.07 and FYM (pH 8.17) revealed moderately alkaline pH level. High and low EC values were recorded in biochar produced from FYM (4.70DS m-1 ) and EG (0.68DS m-1) , respectively. The maximum concentration of exchangeable magnesium (20.95%), potassium (16.40%) and sodium (1.77%), EC and phosphorous (2288.75ppm) were testimony in biochar produced from FYM but calcium (39.50%) was from biochar produced from AD. Higher CEC(129.75cmolckg-1) was detected in biochar produced from EG followed by biochar produced from RS (127.5cmolc kg-1 ), AD (117cmolc kg-1 ), FYM (87.25cmolc kg-1 ). Generally, the current finding revealed that biochar from different feedstocks had different chemical properties, so this difference could contribute for soil fertility improvement as the result agricultural wastes is managed without pollution. But the current work was limited to the characterization of biochar. So, more detailed investigation on the rate and reclaiming the power of the biochar and other issues should be investigated.

Imprudently disposed and burning of organic wastes have been causing environmental pollution and greenhouse gas emission. The objective of this study was to characterize the biochar produced from different agricultural wastes to explore its potential use as organic soil amendments. The feedstock derived from each of Eucalyptus globules (EG), Acacia decarance (AD), farm yard manure (FYM) and rice straw (RS) were collected and biochar was produced by slow pyrolysis at 300oC in the furnace. The determination of pH, carbon, phosphorus, cation exchange capacity, electrical conductivity and exchangeable basic cations of individual biochar was performed and statistical analyses carried out to compare the means values obtained. Higher carbon content was observed in biochar produced from AD (65.00%) compared with that of biochar produced from other feedstock types included in this study. pH value of Bbiochar produced from EG and RS were moderately acidic (pH 5.94) and neutral (pH 6.6), respectively, whereas biochar produced from AD (pH 8.07 and FYM (pH 8.17) revealed moderately alkaline pH level. High and low EC values were recorded in biochar produced from FYM (4.70 DS m-1) and the low value from EG (0.68 DS m-1), respectively. The maximum concentration of exchangeable magnesium (20.95%), potassium (16.40%) and sodium (1.77%), EC and phosphorous (2288.75 ppm) were testimony in biochar produced from FYM is potential to prove phosphorus fertilizer requirement of a crop but calcium (39.50%) was from biochar produced from AD. Higher CEC (129.75 cmolc kg-1) was detected in biochar produced from EG followed by biochar produced from RS (127.5 cmolc kg-1), AD (117 cmolc kg-1) and FYM (87.25 cmolc kg-1). Generally, the current finding revealed that biochar from different feedstock’s had different chemical properties, so this difference could contribute for soil fertility improvement as the result agricultural wastes is managed without pollution. But, the current work was limited to the characterization of biochar. So, more detailed investigation on the rate and reclaiming the power of the biochar and other issues should be investigated.