Evaluating Impacts of Biochar and Inorganic Fertilizer Applications on Soil Quality and Maize Yield Using Principal Component Analysis

• Published in: Agronomy (Basel) Vol. 14; no. 8; p. 1761
• Main Authors: Faloye, Oluwaseun Temitope, Ajayi, Ayodele Ebenezer, Kamchoom, Viroon, Akintola, Olayiwola Akin, Oguntunde, Philip Gbenro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01-08-2024
• Subjects: Agricultural production; Agrochemicals; Charcoal; Chemical properties; Climate change; Corn; Crop yield; Crops; Dry season; Fertilizer application; Fertilizers; Field tests; Grain; Irrigation; maize productivity; Mineral fertilizers; Moisture content; Nutrients; Phosphatic fertilizers; Physicochemical properties; principal component analysis; Principal components analysis; Soil amendment; soil amendments; Soil analysis; Soil chemistry; Soil erosion; Soil fertility; Soil moisture; Soil properties; Soil quality; Soil testing; Water content; Weather; Nigeria
• ISSN: 2073-4395; 2073-4395
• DOI: 10.3390/agronomy14081761

A 2-year field experiment was conducted to test the effects of individual and co-application of biochar and inorganic fertilizer on soil quality using the principal component analysis (PCA) technique. The dry season field experiments were performed with biochar applied at 0 and 20 t ha−1, and fertilizer at 300 and 0 kg ha−1 (control). The factorial combinations of the above-mentioned treatments were subjected to irrigation at 60, 80, and 100% of irrigation amounts (IAs). Soil hydro-physical and chemical properties and grain yield were determined at harvest. Results from the PCA indicated that the soil total nitrogen (N) and moisture content (MC) were the soil properties mostly affecting the grain yield. The amendments’ effects on the soil physico-chemical properties and maize yield were in the order control < biochar < fertilizer < biochar + fertilizer. The derived comprehensive soil quality index (CSQI) from the PCA showed that the soil quality increased by 76, 100, and 200% in treatments individually applied with biochar, inorganic fertilizer, and the co-applications. This study therefore showed that the PCA revealed the actual dynamics in soil properties, in terms of the SQI upon the soil amendment addition, as well as their relationship with maize yield under different weather conditions.