Agronomic effects of biochar and wastewater irrigation in urban crop production of Tamale, northern Ghana

Akoto-Danso, Edmund Kyei; Manka’abusi, Delphine; Steiner, Christoph; Werner, Steffen; Häring, Volker; Nyarko, G.; Marschner, Bernd; Drechsel, Pay; Buerkert, Andreas

doi:10.1007/s10705-018-9926-6

Cited by 30 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…Nutrient uptake in Tamale from wastewater irrigation was pronounced during the two dry seasons on unfertilized, fertilized, and fertilized+biochar plots. During the dry seasons, more nutrients were supplied through the frequent application of nutrient‐rich wastewater ( Akoto‐Danso et al., ). In contrast, the use of wastewater did not affect the removal of nutrients by crops in Ouagadougou.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Biochar amendment mainly influenced K uptake in both fields, specifically, at the end of the first season in Tamale and end of the first and second season in Ouagadougou. In Tamale, biochar amendment could have led to sustained soil P availability for crop uptake ( Akoto‐Danso et al., ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Agronomic practices particularly nursing of seedlings, planting distance, weeding, tillage, and soil loosening during cropping cycles were in accordance with farmers' practice, whereby a total of 13 crops was cultivated sequentially during the experimental period. Before the commencement of each cropping cycle, individual plots were tilled with hoes to a depth of 0.2 m ( Akoto‐Danso et al., ; Tabs. and ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Nutrient flows and balances in intensively managed vegetable production of two West African cities

Akoto-Danso

Manka’abusi

Steiner

et al. 2019

J. Plant Nutr. Soil Sci.

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This study reports and analyzes nutrient balances in experimental vegetable production systems of the two West African cities of Tamale (Ghana) and Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) over a two‐year period comprising thirteen and eleven crops, respectively. Nutrient‐use efficiency was also calculated. In Tamale and Ouagadougou, up to 2% (8 and 80 kg N ha−1) of annually applied fertilizer nitrogen were leached. While biochar application or wastewater irrigation on fertilized plots did not influence N leaching in both cities, P and K leaching, as determined with ion‐absorbing resin cartridges, were reduced on biochar‐amended plots in Tamale. Annual nutrient balances amounted to +362 kg N ha−1, +217 kg P ha−1, and –125 kg K ha−1 in Tamale, while Ouagadougou had balances of up to +692 kg N ha−1, +166 kg P ha−1, and –175 kg K ha−1 y−1. Under farmers' practice of fertilization, agronomic nutrient‐use efficiencies were generally higher in Tamale than in Ouagadougou, but declined in both cities during the last season. This was the result of the higher nutrient inputs in Ouagadougou compared to Tamale and relatively lower outputs. The high N and P surpluses and K deficits call for adjustments in local fertilization practices to enhance nutrient‐use efficiency and prevent risks of eutrophication.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Nutrient flows and balances in intensively managed vegetable production of two West African cities

Akoto-Danso

Manka’abusi

Steiner

et al. 2019

J. Plant Nutr. Soil Sci.

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“…In Ghana, there are very few published field experimental results that show crop performance in biochar amended soils (e.g. Akoto‐Danso et al, ; Oppong Danso et al, ; Steiner et al, ). Akoto‐Danso et al () as well as Steiner et al () reported significant increases in maize and lettuce yield after amendment with 20 t/ha rice husk biochar.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Akoto‐Danso et al, ; Oppong Danso et al, ; Steiner et al, ). Akoto‐Danso et al () as well as Steiner et al () reported significant increases in maize and lettuce yield after amendment with 20 t/ha rice husk biochar. However, both studies were carried out under rainfed conditions and no attempt was made to investigate how biochar interacts with soil moisture to affect crop performance.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of rice straw biochar and irrigation on growth, dry matter yield and radiation‐use efficiency of maize grown on an Acrisol in Ghana

Danso

Yakubu

Arthur

et al. 2019

J Agronomy Crop Science

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In order to determine whether the current low productivity associated with rainfed cultivation on degraded soils in Ghana can be improved by biochar amendment and irrigation, field experiments with maize were conducted over two seasons in 2017 and 2018. Rice straw biochar at rates of 0 t/ha (B0), 15 t/ha (B15) and 30 t/ha (B30) was combined with irrigation regimes of full irrigation (I100), deficit irrigation (I60) and no irrigation (I0). The I100 treatment was irrigated to field capacity every 3–4 days according to time domain reflectometry measurements while the I60 treatment received 60% of the irrigation amount given to I100 but with the same irrigation frequency. The I0 treatment was not irrigated. In both seasons, the B30 treatment recorded the highest total dry matter yield (TDMY), intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (IPAR) and radiation‐use efficiency (RUE) and these were significantly (p ≤ .05) higher than B0 except for RUE in 2017. Irrigation regimes did not significantly affect TDMY, IPAR and RUE in 2017 but compared to I100, I0 significantly reduced TDMY, IPAR and RUE in the relatively dryer 2018 season. Measured ratio vegetation indices differentiated biochar treatments earlier in the 2018 season than during 2017 and increase of leaf chlorophyll content indices with biochar rate in both seasons indicated that biochar amendment improved nitrogen uptake. Our study demonstrated that rice straw biochar is capable of increasing TDMY, IPAR and RUE of maize grown on degraded soils in Ghana. The study further showed that TDMY, IPAR and RUE of deficit irrigated maize for two seasons were similar to the counterpart fully irrigated maize and may be a viable water management option for farmers in Ghana to save irrigation water resources.

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Pathogen and heavy metal contamination in urban agroecosystems of northern Ghana: Influence of biochar application and wastewater irrigation

et al. 2021

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The benefit of biochar as a soil fertility enhancer is well known and has been broadly investigated. Equally, many tropical and subtropical countries use wastewater for irrigation in urban agriculture. To assess the related health risks, we determined pathogen and heavy metal fate associated with biochar application and wastewater irrigation in the urban agriculture of northern Ghana. Rice (Oryza L.) husk biochar (20 t ha−1), N–P–K 15–15–15 fertilizer (212.5 kg ha−1), and their combinations were evaluated in a field‐based experiment. Untreated wastewater and tap water served as irrigation water. Red amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus L.) was used as a test crop and was grown in wet (WS) and dry (DS) cropping seasons. Irrigation water, soil, and vegetables were analyzed for heavy metals, Escherichia coli, fecal coliform, helminth eggs, and Salmonella spp. Unlike the pathogens, analyzed heavy metals from irrigation water and soil were below the FAO/WHO permissible standard for agricultural activities. Wastewater irrigation caused E. coli concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 0.6 (WS) and from 0.7 to 0.8 (DS) log10 colony forming units per gram fresh weight (CFU gFW−1) on vegetables and from 1.7 to 2.1 (WS) and from 0.6 to 1.0 (DS) log10CFU per gram dry weight (gDW−1) in soil. Average log10CFU gFW−1 rates of 6.19 and 3.44 fecal coliform were found on vegetables, whereas in soil, 4.26 and 4.58 log10CFU gDW−1 were observed in WS and DS, respectively. Helminth egg populations were high in wastewater and were transferred to the crops and soil. Biochar did not affect bacteria contamination. Pathogen contamination on vegetables and in soil were directly linked to the irrigation water, with minimal or no difference observed from biochar application.

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Agronomic effects of biochar and wastewater irrigation in urban crop production of Tamale, northern Ghana

Cited by 30 publications

References 52 publications

Nutrient flows and balances in intensively managed vegetable production of two West African cities

Nutrient flows and balances in intensively managed vegetable production of two West African cities

Effect of rice straw biochar and irrigation on growth, dry matter yield and radiation‐use efficiency of maize grown on an Acrisol in Ghana

Pathogen and heavy metal contamination in urban agroecosystems of northern Ghana: Influence of biochar application and wastewater irrigation

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