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Research
Biochar Application for Rice Cultivation in Salt-Affected Soils
Saowanee Wijitkosum
Chulalongkorn University
Corresponding Author
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In many areas, soil salinization is a major threat to ecosystems, agriculture, and food security. Human activities and climate change contribute to its increasing prevalence. In Thailand, Nakhon Ratchasima is the most severely affected province in the country’s Northeast region, and was selected for this study. The underlying geology and human activities both contribute to the problem in this area. The roots of field crops bring saline groundwater up into the rhizosphere. Evaporation at the soil surface leads to salinization, reducing crop growth, and, ultimately, rendering the soil barren. This research aimed to improve the quality of saline soil using rice husk biochar (RHB) to enable rice cultivation and limit evaporation. The study examined the effect of RHB incorporation on improving the soil properties. Jasmine rice variety KDML 105 was planted in cement rings (80 cm diameter) filled with saline sodic soil at pH 10.6, with a total sodium content of 0.83%, electrical conductivity (EC) of 68.6 dS/m, and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) of 11707. The results indicated that RHB can significantly reduce the soil salinity, EC, Na+ content, and SAR value, while elevating the levels of available macronutrients, such as nitrogen, calcium, and magnesium. In addition, the study found that incorporation of RHB at a rate of 1.5 kg/cement ring was optimal for growing Jasmine Rice (KDML105) under these conditions.
Keywords
Biochar, Saline soil, Soil revitalization, Soil amendment, KDML 105 (Oryza sativa L.)
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This is a preprint. It has not completed peer review.
Research
Biochar Application for Rice Cultivation in Salt-Affected Soils
Saowanee Wijitkosum
Chulalongkorn University
Corresponding Author
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
History
CURRENT STATUS: Posted
Version 1
Posted 25 Sep, 2020
No community comments so far
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
Subject Areas
Environmental Policy
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
In many areas, soil salinization is a major threat to ecosystems, agriculture, and food security. Human activities and climate change contribute to its increasing prevalence. In Thailand, Nakhon Ratchasima is the most severely affected province in the country’s Northeast region, and was selected for this study. The underlying geology and human activities both contribute to the problem in this area. The roots of field crops bring saline groundwater up into the rhizosphere. Evaporation at the soil surface leads to salinization, reducing crop growth, and, ultimately, rendering the soil barren. This research aimed to improve the quality of saline soil using rice husk biochar (RHB) to enable rice cultivation and limit evaporation. The study examined the effect of RHB incorporation on improving the soil properties. Jasmine rice variety KDML 105 was planted in cement rings (80 cm diameter) filled with saline sodic soil at pH 10.6, with a total sodium content of 0.83%, electrical conductivity (EC) of 68.6 dS/m, and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) of 11707. The results indicated that RHB can significantly reduce the soil salinity, EC, Na+ content, and SAR value, while elevating the levels of available macronutrients, such as nitrogen, calcium, and magnesium. In addition, the study found that incorporation of RHB at a rate of 1.5 kg/cement ring was optimal for growing Jasmine Rice (KDML105) under these conditions.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5