Assessing Phosphorus Uptake, Soil Phosphorus Availability and the Growth of Maize (Zea mays. L) upon Biochar Application at Different Rates in Tropical Acid Soil

Phosphorous deficiency is considered to be one of the most frequently occuring limitations in the productivity of crops grown in tropical and subtropical ecological regions where P can strongly fixed to the soil through adsorption and precipitation thereby reducing its bioavailability to the plants. Biochar could be used to improve soil chemical properties and minimize P fixation in acid soils because these organic amendments have high affinity for Al and Fe. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize the soil samples and biochar used and determine the soil P availability, total P uptake and phosphorous use efficiancy of maize (Zea mays L.) to biochar application. A field experiment was conducted in Agro Techno Park at Universiti Malaysia Kelantan. Treatments with biochar showed significant increase in the soil pH, and significant reduction of exchangeable aluminium and iron in the soils with biochar compared to treatments with soil only and soil with chemical fertilizers only. There was also significant increase in the phosphorus uptake and dry matter production (leaves, stems, and roots) of Zea mays L. in treatments amended with biochar. This was due to reduction of soil exchangeable aluminium and iron concentrations, thus reduced the aluminium toxicity in the root zone, and increased the phosphorus availability in the soil. As conclusion, biochar can be used to improve the P availability, phosphorus uptake and dry matter production of Zea mays L. cultivated in tropical acid soil by reducing the soil phosphorus fixation.