2026-09-24T18:49:08Zhttps://univendspace.univen.ac.za/server/oai/requestoai:univendspace.univen.ac.za:11602/22772024-09-10T14:37:22Zcom_11602_1919com_11602_1913com_11602_1897com_11602_737col_11602_2208col_11602_738
Odhiambo, J. J O.
Adeleke, R.
Maseko, S. T.
Lusiba, Siphiwe Gloria
2022
2022-09-17T15:51:51Z
2022-09-17T15:51:51Z
2022-07-15
Lusiba, S. G. (2022) Chickpea nitrogen fixation, rhizosphere nutrient concentration and contribution of residual nitrogen to improve maize production in response to biochar application in three different soil types. University of Venda. South Africa.<http://hdl.handle.net/11602/2277>.
http://hdl.handle.net/11602/2277
Lusiba SG. Chickpea nitrogen fixation, rhizosphere nutrient concentration and contribution of residual nitrogen to improve maize production in response to biochar application in three different soil types. []. , 2022 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11602/2277
Lusiba, S. G. (2022). <i>Chickpea nitrogen fixation, rhizosphere nutrient concentration and contribution of residual nitrogen to improve maize production in response to biochar application in three different soil types</i>. (). . Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11602/2277
Lusiba, Siphiwe Gloria. <i>"Chickpea nitrogen fixation, rhizosphere nutrient concentration and contribution of residual nitrogen to improve maize production in response to biochar application in three different soil types."</i> ., , 2022. http://hdl.handle.net/11602/2277
TY - Thesis
AU - Lusiba, Siphiwe Gloria
AB - Soil degradation is a major challenge affecting agricultural production around the world in the
twenty-first century. Alternative approaches including the use of biochar and the introduction
of legumes that will fix nitrogen though the process of biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) are
essential for improving soil quality of current low productive soils, thus increasing crop yields,
and maintaining food security while conserving the environment. To address this problem,
three experiments were conducted in this study. First, two locally produced biochar from
poultry litter and acacia feedstocks were assessed whether they qualify as ‘biochar’ for use as
soil amendment according to the international biochar bodies. Secondly, a pot experiment was
then conducted to investigate the potential impact of poultry litter biochar (PLB) and acacia
biochar (ACB) to improve rhizospheric soil nutrient availability, bacteria abundance and
diversity, chickpea growth and total nitrogen fixation in three contrasting soil types. Thirdly,
another pot experiment was conducted to determine the contribution of residual N from biochar
and N-fixed by chickpea to the following maize crop grown in three contrasting soil type.
The treatments consisted of three soil types classified as Fernwood [Arenosol]; Pinedene
[Gleyic Acrisol]; Griffin [Helvic Acrisol], sampled from three different smallholder farmers at
Dopeni village, Limpopo Province. The two biochars [PLB and ACB] were applied at four
application rates of [0% (control), 0.5, 1 and 2% w/w]. The treatments were arranged in a
completely randomized design and replicated four times. For the first experiment, chickpea
(Cicer arietinum) desi cultivar was inoculated and grown for 65 days in soils with uniformly
applied P at 60 kg P/kg in all pots and water maintained at 60% field capacity. For the second
experiment, maize (Zea mays) was grown for 95 days in the same soil as chickpea and biochar
treatments as well as after harvesting maize that was used as a reference crop.
Biochars made from poultry litter and acacia feedstocks meet the International Biochar
Initiative (IBI) and European Biochar Certificate (EBC) requirements and qualifies as biochar
for use as a soil amendment. Both biochars had C content greater than 50%, with H/C and
O/C ratios less than 0.6 and 0.4, respectively, indicating that both biochars are stable for C
sequestration and can remain in the soil for about 1000 years. Because poultry litter biochar
(PLB) contained more nutrients than acacia biochar (ACB), PLB improved rhizospheric pH,
CEC, and nutrient concentration (N, P, K, and Ca) when applied at 0.5-2% in the Griffin and
Pinedene soils, resulting in higher biomass production and nutrient uptake of chickpea. In
addition, when 2% PLB was applied to those two soils, bacteria capable of fixing N, especially
those from the phylum Proteobacteria, were more abundant. Thus, chickpea grown in these
soils and at these PLB rates derived more N from the atmosphere, fixed more N, and
xvi
accumulated more N and C in the shoot, but was less water use efficient. Furthermore, maize
grown in 1% residual PLB treatments produced more biomass and accumulated more N and
other nutrients than maize grown with 0.5-2% residual ACB treatments. However, when grown
after chickpea harvest in residual PLB treatments of 2% in the Griffin and Pinedene soils,
maize produced greater biomass and accumulated more N and other nutrients. Application of
PLB and ACB at 0.5% in the Fernwood soil was ideal to improve rhizospheric nutrient
availability, the abundance of bacteria communities [from the phylum Proteobacteria,
Acidobacteria, and Firmicutes which are important for C and N cycling and bioremediation],
as well as growth, BNF, and C accumulation of chickpea, including maize growth and nutrient
uptake in monocropping or in rotation with chickpea. The greatest variation in relative
abundance of bacteria communities and growth of chickpea was due to the substantial change
in soil pH and rhizospheric nutrient availability such as N, P, K, and Mg, while biomass
production and N accumulation were largely attributed to the improved BNF and C
accumulation of chickpea in the clay textured soils. The increased growth and nutrient uptake
of the following maize crop in the Griffin and Pinedene soils was attributed to high N inputs
through BNF and biochar mineralisation, whereas the variation in bacteria communities,
chickpea and maize performance in the Fernwood soil was due to the change in rhizospheric
soil pH, P, and K.
The findings of this study conclude that biochar made from poultry litter is recommended for
use as a soil amendment to improve nutrients and soil quality, although caution should be
taken when applied at higher rates (40 t/ha) as it may immobilize N or result in high release of
toxic elements. Furthermore, incorporating chickpea into existing maize cropping systems of
smallholder farmers and using biochar made from poultry litter will help reduce nitrogen input
costs by adding residual nitrogen from biochar mineralisation and through BNF, improving soil
quality and maize production. On the other hand, biochar made from acacia feedstock will be
excellent for use to improve soil organic carbon and water adsorption, but it should be applied
months before planting or supplemented with high organic N and P materials when used as a
soil amendment to improve nutrient availability, as it may temporary fix N and P in the soil.
When using poultry litter or acacia biochar on a poorly buffered loamy sand soil like the
Fernwood, care should be taken to avoid over liming, which can cause nutrient deficiency and
negatively affect nutrient uptake. Moreover, to improve chickpea and maize performance in
sandy textured, highly leached soils like the Fernwood, biochar should be applied regularly or
combined with organic materials to improve soil organic carbon to allow the soil to retain and
release nutrients for plant uptake.
DA - 2022-07-15
DB - ResearchSpace
DP - Univen
KW - Acacia
KW - Biochar
KW - Chickpea
KW - Nitrogen fixation
KW - Poultry litter
KW - Soil types
LK - https://univendspace.univen.ac.za
PY - 2022
T1 - Chickpea nitrogen fixation, rhizosphere nutrient concentration and contribution of residual nitrogen to improve maize production in response to biochar application in three different soil types
TI - Chickpea nitrogen fixation, rhizosphere nutrient concentration and contribution of residual nitrogen to improve maize production in response to biochar application in three different soil types
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11602/2277
ER -
PhD (Soil Science)
Department of Plant and Soil Sciences
Soil degradation is a major challenge affecting agricultural production around the world in the
twenty-first century. Alternative approaches including the use of biochar and the introduction
of legumes that will fix nitrogen though the process of biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) are
essential for improving soil quality of current low productive soils, thus increasing crop yields,
and maintaining food security while conserving the environment. To address this problem,
three experiments were conducted in this study. First, two locally produced biochar from
poultry litter and acacia feedstocks were assessed whether they qualify as ‘biochar’ for use as
soil amendment according to the international biochar bodies. Secondly, a pot experiment was
then conducted to investigate the potential impact of poultry litter biochar (PLB) and acacia
biochar (ACB) to improve rhizospheric soil nutrient availability, bacteria abundance and
diversity, chickpea growth and total nitrogen fixation in three contrasting soil types. Thirdly,
another pot experiment was conducted to determine the contribution of residual N from biochar
and N-fixed by chickpea to the following maize crop grown in three contrasting soil type.
The treatments consisted of three soil types classified as Fernwood [Arenosol]; Pinedene
[Gleyic Acrisol]; Griffin [Helvic Acrisol], sampled from three different smallholder farmers at
Dopeni village, Limpopo Province. The two biochars [PLB and ACB] were applied at four
application rates of [0% (control), 0.5, 1 and 2% w/w]. The treatments were arranged in a
completely randomized design and replicated four times. For the first experiment, chickpea
(Cicer arietinum) desi cultivar was inoculated and grown for 65 days in soils with uniformly
applied P at 60 kg P/kg in all pots and water maintained at 60% field capacity. For the second
experiment, maize (Zea mays) was grown for 95 days in the same soil as chickpea and biochar
treatments as well as after harvesting maize that was used as a reference crop.
Biochars made from poultry litter and acacia feedstocks meet the International Biochar
Initiative (IBI) and European Biochar Certificate (EBC) requirements and qualifies as biochar
for use as a soil amendment. Both biochars had C content greater than 50%, with H/C and
O/C ratios less than 0.6 and 0.4, respectively, indicating that both biochars are stable for C
sequestration and can remain in the soil for about 1000 years. Because poultry litter biochar
(PLB) contained more nutrients than acacia biochar (ACB), PLB improved rhizospheric pH,
CEC, and nutrient concentration (N, P, K, and Ca) when applied at 0.5-2% in the Griffin and
Pinedene soils, resulting in higher biomass production and nutrient uptake of chickpea. In
addition, when 2% PLB was applied to those two soils, bacteria capable of fixing N, especially
those from the phylum Proteobacteria, were more abundant. Thus, chickpea grown in these
soils and at these PLB rates derived more N from the atmosphere, fixed more N, and
xvi
accumulated more N and C in the shoot, but was less water use efficient. Furthermore, maize
grown in 1% residual PLB treatments produced more biomass and accumulated more N and
other nutrients than maize grown with 0.5-2% residual ACB treatments. However, when grown
after chickpea harvest in residual PLB treatments of 2% in the Griffin and Pinedene soils,
maize produced greater biomass and accumulated more N and other nutrients. Application of
PLB and ACB at 0.5% in the Fernwood soil was ideal to improve rhizospheric nutrient
availability, the abundance of bacteria communities [from the phylum Proteobacteria,
Acidobacteria, and Firmicutes which are important for C and N cycling and bioremediation],
as well as growth, BNF, and C accumulation of chickpea, including maize growth and nutrient
uptake in monocropping or in rotation with chickpea. The greatest variation in relative
abundance of bacteria communities and growth of chickpea was due to the substantial change
in soil pH and rhizospheric nutrient availability such as N, P, K, and Mg, while biomass
production and N accumulation were largely attributed to the improved BNF and C
accumulation of chickpea in the clay textured soils. The increased growth and nutrient uptake
of the following maize crop in the Griffin and Pinedene soils was attributed to high N inputs
through BNF and biochar mineralisation, whereas the variation in bacteria communities,
chickpea and maize performance in the Fernwood soil was due to the change in rhizospheric
soil pH, P, and K.
The findings of this study conclude that biochar made from poultry litter is recommended for
use as a soil amendment to improve nutrients and soil quality, although caution should be
taken when applied at higher rates (40 t/ha) as it may immobilize N or result in high release of
toxic elements. Furthermore, incorporating chickpea into existing maize cropping systems of
smallholder farmers and using biochar made from poultry litter will help reduce nitrogen input
costs by adding residual nitrogen from biochar mineralisation and through BNF, improving soil
quality and maize production. On the other hand, biochar made from acacia feedstock will be
excellent for use to improve soil organic carbon and water adsorption, but it should be applied
months before planting or supplemented with high organic N and P materials when used as a
soil amendment to improve nutrient availability, as it may temporary fix N and P in the soil.
When using poultry litter or acacia biochar on a poorly buffered loamy sand soil like the
Fernwood, care should be taken to avoid over liming, which can cause nutrient deficiency and
negatively affect nutrient uptake. Moreover, to improve chickpea and maize performance in
sandy textured, highly leached soils like the Fernwood, biochar should be applied regularly or
combined with organic materials to improve soil organic carbon to allow the soil to retain and
release nutrients for plant uptake.
NRF
1 online resource (xvi, 174 leaves) ; color illustrations
en
University of Venda
Acacia
Biochar
UCTD
Chickpea
Nitrogen fixation
Poultry litter
Soil types
635.657
Cicer
Chickpea
Organic fertilizers
Nitrogen-fixing plants
Soils -- Classification
Soil fertility
Chickpea nitrogen fixation, rhizosphere nutrient concentration and contribution of residual nitrogen to improve maize production in response to biochar application in three different soil types
Thesis
open.access