Enhancing Sustainable Agriculture through King Coconut Husk Ash: Investigating Optimal Processing Parameters for High Potassium Content and Efficient Waste Management

Abstract

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Assessing the Impact of King Coconut Husk Ash and Biochar, Combined with Chemical Fertilizer Application, on Enhancing Soil Fertility in Coconut Plantations

“…When tested in field conditions, the nutrient-incorporated treatment (Supplementary Materials) exhibited significantly higher soil K content than the other treatments. This highlights the potential of KCH ash as a valuable source of potassium for coconut cultivation [8]. KCH ash can be utilized as a nutrient (Supplementary Materials) in coconut cultivation, effectively boosting potassium levels in the soil.…”

“…According to Das and Ghosh [50], the slow-release behavior of biochar-based fertilizers helps reduce nutrient leaching and improve nutrient use efficiency. Biochar also has the potential to retain and absorb major nutrients, suppressing their leaching potential [8].…”

“…This not only supplies essential nutrients, but also aids in breaking down clay soils and improving their structure [4][5][6]. Another promising strategy is the utilization of biochar and ash in coconut cultivation, as suggested by Rodríguez et al [7] and Dissanayaka et al [8]. Biochar and ash have emerged as highly promising soil amendments with distinct advantages in recent years.…”

“…King coconut husks (KCHs), an abundant agricultural waste material in Sri Lanka from the king coconut water industry, present an opportunity. Converting KCH into biochar and ash mitigates environmental impact and aligns with resource conservation principles [8,9]. Numerous studies, including those by Hossain et al [10] and Knoblauch et al [11], have highlighted its potential to increase soil organic carbon sequestration while enhancing critical soil health components.…”

“…Additionally, research has proven that the application of biochar to agricultural fields helps improve airflow through the soil, increases the total pore space available, and leads to an overall enhancement in soil quality and health [12][13][14]. KCH ash, as an effective and sustainable soil additive, offers the potential to enhance the productivity of coconut plantations by serving as an economical and eco-friendly source of potassium [8]. This, in turn, translates into reduced fertilizer costs and other associated advantages [15,16].…”