IMPACT OF SULPHUR AND BIOCHAR APPLICATIONS ON SOIL PROPERTIES AND PRODUCTIONS OF WHEAT AND SOYBEAN YIELDS IN SOILS HAVING TEXTURE

Abstract

Lysimeter experiments were conducted during two consecutive seasons of winter 2017/2018 and summer season 2018 for wheat and soybean at EL-Gemmieza Agriculture Research Station, El Gharbiya Governorate to study the influence of sulphur and biochar on soil proprieties, productivity of wheat and soybean yields in soils have different texture classes. The experiments were lay out in a split plot (SP) design with three replicates. The main plots were occupied with three different types of soils (clay, calcareous and sandy soils), sub plots were devoted to soil amendments i.e T1: control, T2: sulphur (1.50 Mg ha-1), T3: biochar (5 Mg ha-1) and T4: sulphur (1.50 Mg ha-1) + biochar (5 Mg ha-1). Results indicated that application of sulphur or biochar and individually and in combination led to an increase in available N, P, K, cation exchange capacity, total porosity, organic matter, exchangeable Ca, Mg and K while EC, pH, bulk density and soil hydraulic conductivity high significantly decreased in sandy and calcareous soils. On the contrary, soil hydraulic conductivity high significantly increased by different treatments in the clay soil. Grain and straw yields as well as N, P and K concentration and uptake of wheat and soybean were high significantly increased by all application sulphur and biochar. Consequently the improvement of soil types on all properties can be arranged in the following order sandy soil < calcareous soil < clay soil. The combination application of biochar and sulphur (T4) lead to significant increase in yield of wheat and soybean (grain and straw).