Effect of biochar on soil physical properties and growth parameters of ginger cv. Karthika

A field study was undertaken to compare the effectiveness of paddy husk biochar (PHB) and coconut frond biochar (CFB) on soil physical properties and growth and productivity of the dual-purpose ginger variety Karthika. Three different rates of PHB and CFB at 10, 20 and 30 t ha-1 along with NPK as per KAU package of practices (POP) recommendation (KAU, 2016) (30 t FYM + 75: 50: 50 kg NPK ha-1), KAU POP alone and absolute control were applied to a sandy soil. Characterization of biochar revealed that specific surface area (68.74 and 2.56 m2 g-1, respectively) and water holding capacity (276.33 and 256.51%, respectively) were higher for PHB compared to CFB, whereas bulk density was lower for PHB (0.27 mg m-3) compared to CFB (0.35 mg m-3). The physical properties of the soil were significantly improved by the application of the biochars compared to FYM as per KAU POP. The highest ginger yield was obtained for PHB @ 30 t ha-1 (12,858.3 kg ha-1), which was at par with CFB @ 30 t ha-1 (12,675.0 kg ha-1). From the investigations, it can be concluded that applying PHB or CFB @ 30 or 20 t ha-1 along with NPK as per KAU POP produces a significantly higher yield than the recommended dose of FYM as per KAU POP, hence can be regarded as an economically feasible option for sandy soil.