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Effect of different tillage practices and biochar treatments on soil carbon contents and on yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under rainfed condition

. Mehmood ul Hassan, Seemab Ashraf, Muhammad Sajid, Awais Anwar, Shukaib Anwar, Malik Faizan Shaukat


Abstract

Wheat is the crop which is most commonly consumed worldwide. Wheat has countless varieties throughout the world and it comes from a grass type Triticum. Tillage provides favorable condition for wheat growth. Soil tillage consist of breaking the hard pan of the soil and make it feasible for better penetration of roots of the wheat crop. The large carbon storage source in soil is biochar. Biochar have the capability to absorb CO2 from air and it can retain this CO2 for hundred of years. Biochar have also the property to enhance soil physical and chemical characteristics. The present study aimed to determine the influence of tillage practices and biochar treatments on soil carbon contents and on yield of wheat crop. Arrangement of treatments performed in a factorial randomized block design which include three replications. Tillage treatments includes three levels; T1= 6 tillage operation with cultivator (farmer practice), T2 (minimum tillage), T3 (2 cultivation with cultivator + mold board plough). The biochar treatments consist of four levels; B1=0, B2=10, B3=15, and B4=20 t ha-1. The interaction effect of biochar treatments and tillage practices was observed on CO2 emission, dissolved organic carbon, soil organic carbon and on yield and yield components of wheat. Biochar applied @ 15 t ha-1 in combination with minimum tillage gave significant results on soil health in terms of CO2 emission, dissolved organic carbon and on soil organic carbon. In addition to this, biochar @15 t ha-1 combined with minimum tillage practices also gave significant differences on yield and yield components on wheat.

 

Key Words: Tillage, Biochar, Soil carbon, Organic carbon, Wheat

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