The Potential of Biochar Application to Enhance Soil Quality, Yield, and Growth of Wheat and Barley Under Rainfed Conditions

Abstract

Biochar (BC) is a carbon-rich product obtained by heating biomass in a closed system with a finite amount of oxygen. BC has gained significant attention in agriculture as a soil amendment. This study investigated the effect of BC produced from agricultural bio-waste on soil physical and chemical properties and wheat and barley growth performance under rainfed conditions. The BC was applied at different rates before tillage at 0, 5, 10, and 15 t ha−1. The BC application significantly enhanced most soil-measured physical and chemical properties, increasing soil water retention capacity, soil nutrients, and saturated hydraulic properties. The growth performances of barley and wheat crops were enhanced by BC application, which significantly increased grain yield by around 6- and 2-folds at 15 t ha−1 compared to the control, respectively. The BC application demonstrated its usefulness in reducing the impact of drought conditions by maintaining better moisture content between rainfall events. Based on the output, we suggest that the BC application rate at 15 t ha−1 can be used to improve barley and wheat growth under rainfed conditions. Nevertheless, research is needed to investigate the effectiveness of BC from different feedstocks in improving soil properties in the field and plant development and performance.