Response of canola and wheat to amendment with biochar under controlled environment conditions

Abstract

Response of canola (Brassica napus Invigor 5030) and wheat (Triticum aestivum Prodigy) to biochar amendments was examined in a controlled environment experiment. A Brown Chernozem soil was amended with two types of biochar (wheat and willow biochar) at 1 and 2 t ha-1 alone and in combination with N and P fertilizer. Canola was grown in amended pots in controlled environmental conditions over a four week period. Parameters evaluated were germination and biomass yield, soil organic carbon, above ground nitrogen and phosphorus uptake and % recovery of applied N and P after 4 weeks of growth. The addition of biochar alone had limited impact on biomass yield (Fig 2, 3, 4 and 5). Addition of fertilizer, especially N, significantly (p<0.05) increased canola yield. The calculated plant recovery of applied fertilizer was often increased by biochar addition at the 1 T/ha rate.