The combination of compost or biochar with urea and NBPT can improve nitrogen-use efficiency in maize

Abstract

The addition of organic residues to agricultural soils has been used as a practical alternative to improve crop quality and health. The objective of this work was to evaluate maize physiological and nutritional responses to the application of compost and biochar combined with urea (N) and N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT). The experiment was performed in plastic pots with 3 kg of soil under greenhouse conditions for 30 days. The compost and biochar were applied at the rate of 0.3 ton ha-1, using an amount of nutrient (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) demanded by crop growth. The physiological responses of maize were monitored by measuring the plant height, stalk diameter, leaf chlorophyll content, shoot dry weight and root dry weight. The nutritional responses of maize were assessed by using the nutrient concentration and the total nutrient assimilation by the plants. The results showed that the addition of compost or biochar did not alter the maize physiological response compared to the addition of mineral fertilizer used under the same conditions. However, a difference occurred in the maize nutritional responses to the compost and biochar amendments combined with urea and NBPT. The greatest N concentration in maize was observed in the treatment consisting of biochar combined with urea + NBPT. All the treatments in which compost or biochar was applied in combination with urea and NBPT presented greater total N assimilation compared to the treatment with conventional fertilization. The results of this survey showed that the combination of urea and NBPT improved the nitrogen-use efficiency of maize.

Zinc-oxide and nano ZnO oxide effects on growth, some biochemical aspects, yield quantity, and quality of flax (Linum uitatissimum L.) in absence and presence of compost under sandy soil

“…The soil was classified as sandy soil. Mechanical, chemical, and nutritional analysis of the experimental soil is reported in Table 1 according to Chapman and Pratt (1978).…”

Biochar and its importance on nutrient dynamics in soil and plant

“…Biochar can contribute to nutrient use efficiency in plants, both directly through increased nutrient uptake and indirectly by decreasing the loss of nutrients through leaching and gaseous emissions. Several studies (Cao et al 2019;Coelho et al 2018;Li et al 2017a;Nguyen et al 2017a;Yu et al 2017 report that application of biochar increases N uptake, thereby increasing N use efficiency (NUE) in crops. Addition of wood biochar (10 t ha −1 ) in an alkaline soil improved P use efficiency (PUE) of both wheat and maize (Arif et al 2017).…”

Co-composted Biochar Enhances Growth, Physiological, and Phytostabilization Efficiency of Brassica napus and Reduces Associated Health Risks Under Chromium Stress

“…Various studies reported that combined application of compost and BC could be a better approach as BC increases compost stability and improves the productiveness of the soil, HM adsorption, and production of crop and carbon sequestration ( Agegnehu et al, 2015 ; Coelho et al, 2018 ). The mixing of BC and compost adds value in increasing soil fertility by different aspects such as reducing the volatility of ammonia from manure or minimizing methane emission ( Coelho et al, 2018 ). Compost provides high nutrients to the soil compared to BC, whereas BC could be reducing the decomposition rate of compost ( Ditta et al, 2015 ).…”