EFFECT OF BIOCHAR ADDITION ON SOIL PROPERTIES AND CARROT PRODUCTIVITY GROWN IN POLLUTED SOILS

Abstract

oil contamination with heavy metals has become apparent in many Egyptian areas such as El-Gabal El-Asfer and 10 th Ramadan areas, as a result to the reuse of contaminated water for irrigation as an alternative to freshwater irrigation in these areas. Biochar plays a major role to stabilize heavy metals contained in contaminated soils by reduction. The study aimed studied effect of biochar application rates (0, 15, and 30 ton/feddan) on carrot production, nutrients content and heavy metals reduction using some of measurements to assess heavy metal accumulation as the bio-accumulation (BCF), and translocation factors (TF) to determine heavy metals in the studied soils. The obtained results showed that carrot yield production and macronutrients content (NPK) increased with elevating biochar and mineral fertilizers application rates. Heavy metals content in shoot and roots of carrot plant reduced with increasing application rates of biochar and highest rates of mineral fertilizers. The most effective treatment was 30 ton/feddan biochar with 41 N, 16.9 P 2 O 5 and 41.7 K 2 O kg/feddan, which achieved the highest yield of 12.2 and 13.1 ton/feddan of carrot roots in El-Gabal El-Asfer and 10 th Ramadan soils, respectively, and also it was the highest reduction for heavy metals in comparison with the other studied treatments. Biochar application increased available nutrients (NPK) in both studied soils, and decreased availability of heavy metals in polluted soils. The highest values of BAF were found in the control treatment, while the lowest values appeared with the most effective S