Biochar and Nitrogen Fertilizer Change the Quality of Waxy and Non-Waxy Broomcorn Millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) Starch

Abstract

The overuse of nitrogen fertilizers has led to environmental pollution, which has prompted the widespread adoption of biochar as a soil conditioner in agricultural production. To date, there has been a lack of research on the effects of biochar and its combination with nitrogen fertilizer on the quality of broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) starch. Thus, this study examined the physicochemical characteristics of starch in two types of broomcorn millet (waxy and non-waxy) under four different conditions, including a control group (N0), nitrogen fertilizer treatment alone (N150), biochar treatment alone (N0+B), and a combination of biochar and nitrogen fertilizer treatments (N150+B). The results showed that, in comparison to the control, all the treatments, particularly N150+B, decreased the content of amylose and gelatinization temperature and enhanced the starch transparency gel consistency and swelling power. In addition, biochar can improve the water solubility of starch and the gelatinization enthalpy. Importantly, the combination of biochar and nitrogen fertilizer increased the proportion of A-granules, final viscosity, starch content, and the average degree of amylopectin in polymerization. Thus, this research indicates that the combinations of biochar and nitrogen fertilizer result in the most significant improvement in the quality of starch produced from broomcorn millet.

Effects of Organic Fertilizers on the Quality, Yield, and Fatty Acids of Maize and Soybean in Southeast Kazakhstan

“…The HansePlant, Agroflorin, and Bioecohum treatments resulted in significantly elevated starch contents compared with control maize samples, with values of 3.97%, 5.61%, and 5.67%, respectively. Previous research reported that N fertilizer application substantially increased maize starch [46].…”