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Biochars have been proposed as a novel biotechnology to increase crop yields in acidic soils due to a liming effect. However, the application of biochar to soils with a neutral soil pH is less likely to improve yield. A rise in pH typically increases the availability of macronutrients (e.g., PO43-, NO3-) but biochar is known to immobilize some elements due to a pH increase and adsorption on the biochar surface. Therefore, biochar application may reduce the uptake of important micronutrients (e.g., Cu, Fe, and Zn) into the edible portions of food crops. Before recommending indiscriminate biochar application to tropical soils, an understanding of the potentially negative impacts of biochar application to contrasting soil types should be fully appreciated to prevent unintended consequences. Our aim was to determine the impact of biochar amendment to an acidic soil and a neutral soil on micronutrient availability and uptake into leafy greens. We produced biochars from 3 different organic feedstock materials (corn cobs, rice husk and teak sawdust) and applied these in pot experiments to an acidic tropical soil (pH 4.5) and a neutral tropical soil (pH 6.9) collected from urban farms in Tamale and Kumasi, respectively, in Ghana. We grew leafy greens (Amaranthus, Corchorus, and Lettuce) and measured their growth and the uptake of Cu, Fe, and Zn, alongside supporting measurements of soil pH and micronutrient availability in the soil. We also measured water soluble Cu, Fe, and Zn in the soils amended with biochars pyrolyzed at different temperatures. The corn cobs biochar increased soil pH and considerably increased plant growth in the acidic soil from Tamale. In the neutral soil from Kumasi we found that, while corn cob biochar increased soil pH, rice husk biochar decreased soil pH. Furthermore, corn cob biochar considerably reduced plant growth in the neutral soil. The concentration of micronutrients in the edible portions of leafy greens was not greatly affected by biochar application, but the total uptake (i.e., concentration multiplied by biomass) of micronutrients into leaves was generally increased by biochar application in the acidic (Tamale) soil and application of the corn cob biochar generally decreased total uptake of micronutrients in the neutral (Kumasi) soil. Our results highlight the need for site-specific information on biochar feedstock and soil pH prior to recommending biochar application to tropical urban soils so that the benefits can be optimized and unintended consequences can be prevented.

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An investigation was done to assess the graft success on seedlings and canopy substitution using grafting techniques, retention of basal leaves on the rootstock, age of rootstock and period of grafting in a randomize complete block design with twenty plants per treatment and replicated three times. Young vigorously growing cashew seedlings were used for grafting whilst poor performing cashew trees (in yield and young trees) were stumped to produce shoots for the top working. Significantly (p < 0.05) higher grafting success was obtained for softwood grafting technique in the month of July with October recording the lowest for canopy substitution. Grafting on 60 days old seedlings with the retention of four (4) matured basal leaves on the rootstocks significantly (p < 0.05) gave high success in graft union whilst the root stocks without basal leaves recorded low graft successes. However, there was significant (p < 0.05) off-shoots development below the graft union of the rootstock. Softwood grafting was the best technique for high graft success with the month of July being suitable period for grafting in canopy substitution. Retaining four (4) matured leaves at the base of 60 days old rootstock was the best for achieving high graft success with reduction of infection. An investigation was done to assess the graft success on seedlings and canopy substitution using grafting techniques, retention of basal leaves on the rootstock, age of rootstock and period of grafting in a randomize complete block design with twenty plants per treatment and replicated three times. Young vigorously growing cashew seedlings were used for grafting whilst poor performing cashew trees (in yield and young trees) were stumped to produce shoots for the top working. Significantly (p < 0.05) higher grafting success was obtained for softwood grafting technique in the month of July with October recording the lowest for canopy substitution. Grafting on 60 days old seedlings with the retention of four (4) matured basal leaves on the rootstocks significantly (p < 0.05) gave high success in graft union whilst the root stocks without basal leaves recorded low graft successes. However, there was significant (p < 0.05) off-shoots development below the graft union of the rootstock. Softwood grafting was the best technique for high graft success with the month of July being suitable period for grafting in canopy substitution. Retaining four (4) matured leaves at the base of 60 days old rootstock was the best for achieving high graft success with reduction of infection.