Abstract
Purpose
Cereal-based crop** systems under arid and semiarid climates have typically low soil organic matter and fertility, and natural fallowing during summer gap could have negative effects on soil quality and health. We tested an alternative approach of using biochar and leguminous cover crops to replace natural summer fallowing of about 75 days in the wheat-maize-wheat crop** systems with a view of studying the effects on legume productivity, soil organic carbon (C), and soil nutrients over the 2-year experiments.
Materials and methods
The two-factor completely randomized block experimental design consisted of biochar, developed from acacia tree biowaste and applied at 0, 5, and 10 t ha−1 rate, and leguminous cover crops (cowpea, mungbean, and sesbania) with natural fallow were used to test soil fertility and crop productivity. Treatments were laid out following completely randomized block design and each treatment had three replicates leading to 36 experimental plots in total. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were calculated to find the relationships between plant and soil variables. Regression analysis was performed to study correlations of total organic C with soil available N, P, and K contents.
Results and discussion
Results from the 2-year experiment indicated that plant height, pods plant−1, grains pod−1, 1000-grain weight, fresh and dry biomass, and grain yield were higher at 10 t ha−1 biochar rate; however, the nodule density plant−1 of cowpea and sesbania was the highest at 5 t ha−1 biochar. Integrating legumes with biochar further conserved and improved soil C which significantly positively correlated with soil fertility indicators. Despite linear positive changes in soil pH and electrical conductivity (EC) with biochar rate, increase was minor and was never significant. We observed significant positive relationships of biochar rate with soil organic C contents and soil N and K contents whereas soil P contents were higher at 5 t ha−1 biochar rate. However, not always significant difference between 5 and 10 t ha−1 biochar rates for legume and soil productivity suggested flexibility of choosing the biochar application rate.
Conclusions
Our study emphasized that adopting integrative biochar-leguminous cover crop fallowing to replace natural summer fallowing could yield beneficial effects in terms of conserving soil organic carbon, sustaining soil fertility, and improving soil quality. In addition to positive supplementary effects on the succeeding crops, this approach also allows at utilizing and recycling on-farm biowaste more efficiently and environment friendly.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adetunji AT, Ncube B, Mulidzi R, Lewu FB (2020) Management impact and benefit of cover crops on soil quality: a review. Soil Tillage Res 204:104717
Adnan M, Shah Z, Fahad S, Arif M, Alam M, Khan IA, Mian IA, Basir A, Ullah H, Arshad M, Rahman IU, Saud S, Ihsan MZ, Jamal Y, Amanullah HHM, Nasim W (2017) Phosphate-solubilizing bacteria nullify the antagonistic effect of soil calcification on bioavailability of phosphorus in alkaline soils. Sci Rep 7:16131
Agboola K, Moses S (2015) Effect of biochar and cowdung on nodulation, growth and yield of soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill). Int J Agric Biol Biosc 4:154–160
Ahmed A, Kurian J, Raghavan V (2016) Biochar influences on agricultural soils, crop production, and the environment: a review. Environ Rev 24:495–502
Angst TE, Sohi SP (2013) Establishing release dynamics for plant nutrients from biochar. GCB Bioenrgy 5:221–226
Arif M, Ali K, Jan MT, Shah Z, Jones DL, Quilliam RS (2016) Integration of biochar with animal manure and nitrogen for improving maize yields and soil properties in calcareous semi-arid agroecosystems. Field Crop Res 195:28–35
Arif M, Ilyas M, Riaz M, Ali K, Shah K, Haq IU, Fahad S (2017) Biochar improves phosphorus use efficiency of organic-inorganic fertilizers, maize-wheat productivity and soil quality in a low fertility alkaline soil. Field Crop Res 214:25–37
Aslam M, Mahmood I, Peoples M, Schwenke G, Herridge D (2003) Contribution of chickpea nitrogen fixation to increased wheat production and soil organic fertility in rain-fed crop**. Biol Fertil Soils 38:59–64
Azeem M, Hayat R, Hussain Q, Ahmed M, Pan G, Tahir MI, Imran M, Irfan M, Mehmood-ul-Hassa (2019) Biochar improves soil quality and N2-fixation and reduces net ecosystem CO2 exchange in a dryland legume-cereal crop** system. Soil Tillage Res 186:172–182
Bamminger C, Poll C, Sixt C, Hogy P, Wust D, Kandeler E, Marhan S (2016) Short-term response of soil microorganisms to biochar addition in a temperate agroecosystem under soil warming. Agric Ecosyst Environ 233:308–317
Berihun T, Tolosa S, Tadele M, Kebede F (2017) Effect of biochar application on growth of garden pea (Pisum sativum L.) in acidic soils of Bule Woreda Gedeo Zone Southern Ethiopia. Int. J Agron 6827323
Bista P, Ghimire R, Machado S, Pritchett L (2019) Biochar effects on soil properties and wheat biomass vary with fertility management. Agronomy 9:623
Blake GR, Hartge KH (1986) Bulk density. In: Klute A (Ed.), Methods of soil analysis. Part 1. Physical and mineralogical methods, Agronomy Monograph No. 9, 2nd ed. SSSA, Madison, pp. 363–375
Borges BMMN, Strauss M, Camelo PA, Sohi SP, Franco HCJ (2020) Re-use of sugarcane residue as a novel biochar fertiliser - increased phosphorus use efficiency and plant yield. J Clean Prod 262:121406
Bouldin D (1988) Effect of green manure on soil organic matter content and nitrogen availability. Sustainable agriculture. Sustainable agriculture: green manure in rice farming. The International Rice Research Institute, Los Baños, pp 151–164
Bouyoucos GJ (1936) Directions for making mechanical analyses of soils by the hydrometer method. Soil Sci 42:225–229
Bremner J, Mulvaney C (1982) Nitrogen–total. In: Page AL, Miller RH, Keeney DR (eds) Methods of soil analysis, Part 2. Chemical and microbiological properties, 2nd edn. Soil Science Society of America, Madison, pp 595–624
Burgess MS, Mehuys GR, Madramootoo CA (2002) Decomposition of grain-corn residues (Zea mays L.): a litterbag study under three tillage systems. Can. J. Soil Sci 82, 127–138
Campbell C, Zentner R, Basnyat P, De Jong R, Lemke R, Desjardins R (2008) Nitrogen mineralization under summer fallow and continuous wheat in the semiarid Canadian prairie. Can J Soil Sci 88:681–696
Case SDC, McNamara NP, Reay DS, Whitaker J (2012) The effect of biochar addition on N2O and CO2 emissions from a sandy loam soil-the role of soil aeration. Soil Biol Biochem 51:125–134
Cayuela M, van Zwieten L, Singh B, Jeffery S, Roig A, Sánchez-Monedero M (2014) Biochar’s role in mitigating soil nitrous oxide emissions: a review and meta-analysis. Agric Ecosyst Environ 191:5–16
Chalk P (1998) Dynamics of biologically fixed N in legume-cereal rotations: a review. Aust J Agric Res 49:303–316
Chan KY, van Zwieten L, Meszaros I, Downie A, Joseph S (2008) Agronomic values of greenwaste biochar as a soil amendment. Soil Res 45:629–634
Chapman HD, Pratt PF (1961) Methods of analysis for soils, plants and waters. University of California, Division of Agriculture Science Riverside, USA
Cherr C, Scholberg J, McSorley R (2006) Green manure approaches to crop production. Agron J 98:302–319
de Melo Carvalho MT, Madari BE, Bastiaans L, van Oort PAJ, Heinemann AB, da Silva MAS, Maia AHN, Meinke H (2013) Biochar improves fertility of a clay soil in the Brazilian Savannah: short term effects and impact on rice yield. J Agr Rural Dev Trop 114:101–107
Ding Y, Liu Y, Liu S, Li Z, Tan X, Huang X, Zeng G, Zhou L, Zheng B (2016) Biochar to improve soil fertility: a review. Agron Sustain Dev 36:36
Egamberdieva D, Li L, Ma H, Wirth S, Bellingrath-Kimura SD (2019) Soil amendment with different maize biochars improves chickpea growth under different moisture levels by improving symbiotic performance with mesorhizobium ciceri and soil biochemical properties to varying degrees. Front Microbiol 10:2423
El-Naggar A, El-Naggar AH, Shaheen SM, Sarkar B, Chang SX, Tsang DCW, Rinklebe J, Ok YS (2019) Biochar composition-dependent impacts on soil nutrient release, carbon mineralization, and potential environmental risk: a review. J Environ Manag 241:458–467
Fatima S, Riaz M, Al-Wabel MI, Arif M, Yasmeen T, Hussain Q, Roohi M, Fahad S, Ali K, Arif M (2020) Higher biochar rate strongly reduced decomposition of soil organic matter to enhance C and N sequestration in nutrient-poor alkaline calcareous soil. J Soils Sediments (in press). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-020-02753-6
Glaser B, Lehr VI (2019) Biochar effects on phosphorus availability in agricultural soils: a meta-analysis. Sci Rep 9:9338
Granatstein D, Kruger C, Collins H, Garcia-Perez M, Yoder J (2009) Use of biochar from the pyrolysis of waste organic material as a soil amendment. Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, USA
IUSS Working Group WRB (2006) World reference base for soil resources 2006: a framework for international classification, correlation and communication, 2nd edn. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome
Katakula AAN, Gawanab W, Itanna F, Mupambwa HA (2020) The potential fertilizer value of Namibian beach-cast seaweed (Laminaria pallida and Gracilariopsis funicularis) biochar as a nutrient source in organic agriculture. Sci Afr 10:e00592
Keatinge J, Easdown W, Yang R, Chadha M, Shanmugasundaram S (2011) Overcoming chronic malnutrition in a future warming world: the key importance of mungbean and vegetable soybean. Euphytica 180:129–141
Khalequzzaman M, Haque A, Hashem M, Sattar M (2005) Integrated use of various organic sources of nitrogen and urea on growth yield and nutrient uptake by wheat. J Bangladesh Soc Agric Sci Technol 2:157–160
Kue S (1996) Phosphorus. In: Spakr DL (ed) Methods of soil analysis Part-3. Chemical methods. SSSA, Inc., ASA, Inc., Madison, pp 869–919
Lehmann J, da Silva JP, Steiner C, Nehls T, Zech W, Glaser B (2003) Nutrient availability and leaching in an archaeological Anthrosol and a Ferralsol of the Central Amazon basin: fertilizer, manure and charcoal amendments. Plant Soil 249:343–357
Li L, Yang T, Liu R, Redden B, Maalouf F, Zong X (2017) Food legume production in China. Crop j 5:115–126
Lindemann WC, Glover CR (2003) Nitrogen fixation by legumes. Guide A-129, Cooperative Extension Service, College of Agriculture and Home Economics, New Mexico State University
Liu L, Wang Y, Yan X, Li J, Jiao N, Hu S (2017) Biochar amendments increase the yield advantage of legume-based intercrop** systems over monoculture. Agric Ecosyst Environ 237:16–23
Ma H, Egamberdieva D, Wirth S, Bellingrath-Kimura SD (2019) Effect of biochar and irrigation on soybean-rhizobium symbiotic performance and soil enzymatic activity in field rhizosphere. Agronomy 9:626
Madari B, Lima L, Silva M, Novotny E, Alcantara F, Carvalho M, Petter FA (2013) Carbon distribution in humic substance fractions extracted from soils treated with charcoal (biochar). In: Xu J, Wu J, He Y (eds) Functions of natural organic matter in changing environment. Springer Nature, Switzerland, pp 1003–1006
Major J, Rondon M, Molina D, Riha SJ, Lehmann J (2012) Nutrient leaching in a Colombian savanna Oxisol amended with biochar. J Environ Qual 41:1076–1086
Mandal UK, Singh G, Victor U, Sharma K (2003) Green manuring: its effect on soil properties and crop growth under rice–wheat crop** system. Eur J Agron 19:225–237
Mann RA, Zia MS, Salim M (2000) New dimensions in green manuring for sustaining the productivity of rice wheat system. In: Ahmad N, Hamid A (eds) Proceedings of symposium on integrated plant nutrition management, November 8–10, 1999. NFDC, Islamabad, pp 166–185
Maraseni T, Cockfield G (2011) Does the adoption of zero tillage reduce greenhouse gas emissions? An assessment for the grains industry in Australia. Agric Syst 104:451–458
Mekuria W, Noble A (2013) The role of biochar in ameliorating disturbed soils and sequestering soil carbon in tropical agricultural production systems. Appl Environ Soil Sci:354965
Mia S, Dijkstra FA, Singh B (2018) Enhanced biological nitrogen fixation and competitive advantage of legumes in mixed pastures diminish with biochar aging. Plant Soil 424:639–651
Miranda NO, Pimenta AS, Silva GGCD, Oliveira E, Mota M, Carvalho MABD (2017) Biochar as soil conditioner in the succession of upland rice and cowpea fertilized with nitrogen. Rev Caatinga 30:313–323
Nelson DW, Sommers LE (1996) Total carbon, organic carbon, and organic matter. In: Sparks DL, Page AL, Helmke PA, Loeppert RH (eds) Methods of soil analysis part 3- chemical methods. Soil Science Society of America and American Society of Agronomy, Madison, pp 961–1010
Øien A, Selmer-Olsen AR (1980) A laboratory method for evaluation of available nitrogen in soil. Acta Agric Scand 30(2):149–156
Oram NJ, van de Voorde TFJ, Ouwehand GJ, Bezemer TM, Mommer L, Jeffery S, van Groenigen JW (2014) Soil amendment with biochar increases the competitive ability of legumes via increased potassium availability. Agric Ecosyst Environ 191:92–98
Pakhale S, Navlakhe S, Solunke P (2009) Influence of in situ organic recycling of different legumes on soil moisture content, nutrient uptake and yield of rainfed cotton. Ann Plant Physiol 23:62–65
Peoples M, Herridge D, Ladha J (1995) Biological nitrogen fixation: an efficient source of nitrogen for sustainable agricultural production? Plant Soil 174:3–28
Quilliam RS, Marsden KA, Gertler C, Rousk J, DeLuca TH, Jones DL (2012) Nutrient dynamics, microbial growth and weed emergence in biochar amended soil are influenced by time since application and reapplication rate. Agric Ecosyst Environ 158:192–199
Rab A, Khan MR, Haq SU, Zahid S, Asim M, Afridi MZ, Arif M, Munsif F (2016) Impact of biochar on mungbean yield and yield components. Pure Appl Biol 5:632
Rahman M, Islam M, Jahiruddin M, Rafii M, Hanafi M, Malek M (2013) Integrated nutrient management in maize-legume-rice crop** pattern and its impact on soil fertility. J Food Agric Environ 11:648–652
Ramnarine R, Voroney R, Wagner-Riddle C, Dunfield K (2015) Conventional and no-tillage effects on the distribution of crop residues and light fraction organic matter. Soil Sci Soc Am J 79:74–80
Rayment GE, Lyons DJ (2011) Soil chemical methods - Australasia. CSIRO Publishing, Victoria
Rhoades JD (1996) Salinity: electrical conductivity and total dissolved salts. In: Sparks DL (ed) Methods of soil analysis, part 3- chemical methods. Soil Science Society of America, Madison, pp 417–435
Riaz M, Roohi M, Arif MS, Hussain Q, Yasmeen T, Shahzad T, Shahzad SM, Muhammad HF, Arif M, Khalid M (2017) Corncob-derived biochar decelerates mineralization of native and added organic matter (AOM) in organic matter depleted alkaline soil. Geoderma 294:19–28
Rondon MA, Lehmann J, Ramírez J, Hurtado M (2007) Biological nitrogen fixation by common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) increases with bio-char additions. Biol Fertil Soils 43:699–708
Saxena J, Rana G, Pandey M (2013) Impact of addition of biochar along with Bacillus sp. on growth and yield of French beans. Sci Hortic 162:351–356
Shah Z, Shah S, Peoples M, Schwenke G, Herridge D (2003) Crop residue and fertiliser N effects on nitrogen fixation and yields of legume–cereal rotations and soil organic fertility. Field Crop Res 83:1–11
Sharratt B, Wendling L, Feng G (2010) Windblown dust affected by tillage intensity during summer fallow. Aeolian Res 2:129–134
Sileshi G, Mafongoya P (2006) Long-term effects of improved legume fallows on soil invertebrate macrofauna and maize yield in eastern Zambia. Agric Ecosyst Environ 115:69–78
Sohi SP, Krull E, Lopez-Capel E, Bol R (2010) A review of biochar and its use and function in soil. Adv Agron 105:47–82
Solaiman ZM, Blackwell P, Abbott LK, Storer P (2010) Direct and residual effect of biochar application on mycorrhizal root colonisation, growth and nutrition of wheat. Soil Res 48:546–554
Soltanpour PN, Schwab AP (1977) A new soil test for simultaneous extraction of macro- and micro-nutrients in alkaline soils. Commun Soil Sci Plant Anal 8:195–207
Steiner C, Glaser B, Geraldes TW, Lehmann J, Blum WE, Zech W (2008) Nitrogen retention and plant uptake on a highly weathered central Amazonian Ferralsol amended with compost and charcoal. J Plant Nutr Soil Sci 171:893–899
Sun M, Gao Z, Zhao W, Deng L, Deng Y, Zhao H, Ren H, Li G, Yang Z (2013) Effect of subsoiling in fallow period on soil water storage and grain protein accumulation of dryland wheat and its regulatory effect by nitrogen application. PLoS One 8:e75191
Tammeorg P, Simojoki A, Mäkelä P, Stoddard FL, Alakukku L, Helenius J (2014) Biochar application to a fertile sandy clay loam in boreal conditions: effects on soil properties and yield formation of wheat, turnip rape and faba bean. Plant Soil 374:89–107
Tanaka D, Aase J (1987) Fallow method influences on soil water and precipitation storage efficiency. Soil Tillage Res 9:307–316
Tanwar S, Rao S, Regar P, Datt S, Jodha B, Santra P, Kumar R, Ram R (2014) Improving water and land use efficiency of fallow-wheat system in shallow Lithic Calciorthid soils of arid region: introduction of bed planting and rainy season sorghum–legume intercrop**. Soil Tillage Res 138:44–55
Tejada M, Gonzalez J (2007) Influence of organic amendments on soil structure and soil loss under simulated rain. Soil Tillage Res 93:197–205
Tian G, Kang BT, Kolawole GO, Idinoba P, Salako FK (2005) Long-term effects of fallow systems and lengths on crop production and soil fertility maintenance in West Africa. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 71:139–150
Tomczyk A, Sokołowska Z, Boguta P (2020) Biochar physicochemical properties: pyrolysis temperature and feedstock kind effects. Rev Environ Sci Biotechnol 19:191–215
Tsai WT, Hsu CH, Lin YQ (2019) Highly porous and nutrients-rich biochar derived from dairy cattle manure and its potential for removal of cationic compound from water. Agriculture 9(6):114
van Zwieten L, Kimber S, Morris S, Chan K, Downie A, Rust J, Joseph S, Cowie A (2010) Effects of biochar from slow pyrolysis of papermill waste on agronomic performance and soil fertility. Plant Soil 327:235–246
Verheijen FGA, Jeffery S, Bastos AC, van der Velde M, Diafas I (2009) Biochar application to soils – a critical scientific review of effects on soil properties, processes and functions. EUR 24099 EN. Office for the Official Publications of the European Communities, Luxembourg
Walkley A, Black AI (1934) An examination of the degtjareff method for determining soil organic matter and a proposed modification of the chromium acid titration method. Soil Sci 37:29–38
Wang Q, Wang Y, Wang S, He T, Liu L (2014) Fresh carbon and nitrogen inputs alter organic carbon mineralization and microbial community in forest deep soil layers. Soil Biol Biochem 72:145–151
Whitebread AM, Blair GJ, Lefroy RDB (2000) Managing legume leys, residues and fertilisers to enhance the sustainability of wheat crop** systems in Australia: 2. Soil physical fertility and carbon. Soil Tillage Res 54:77–89
Wolf B (1982) The comprehensive system of leaf analysis and its use for diagnosing crop nutrient status. Commun Soil Sci Plant Anal 13:1035–1059
**ang Y, Deng Q, Duan H, Guo Y (2017) Effects of biochar application on root traits: a meta-analysis. GCB Bioenergy 9:1563–1572
Yamato M, Okimori Y, Wibowo IF, Anshori S, Ogawa M (2006) Effects of the application of charred bark of Acacia mangium on the yield of maize, cowpea and peanut, and soil chemical properties in South Sumatra, Indonesia. Soil Sci Plant Nutr 52:489–495
Yang S, Chen X, Jiang Z, Ding J, Sun X, Xu J (2020) Effects of biochar application on soil organic carbon composition and enzyme activity in paddy soil under water-saving irrigation. Int J Environ Res Public Health 17:333
Zahran HH (1999) Rhizobium-legume symbiosis and nitrogen fixation under severe conditions and in an arid climate. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 63:968–989
Funding
This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 21477105), Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant No. 2019FZA6009), and the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan under project no. 5140/2015-17.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Additional information
Responsible editor: Qiaoyun Huang
Publisher’s note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Supplementary information
ESM 1
(DOCX 41 kb)
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Arif, M., Ikramullah, Jan, T. et al. Biochar and leguminous cover crops as an alternative to summer fallowing for soil organic carbon and nutrient management in the wheat-maize-wheat crop** system under semiarid climate. J Soils Sediments 21, 1395–1407 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-020-02866-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-020-02866-y