Mitigating Nitrogen Leaching in Mineral Soils using Pineapple Leaf Biochar

• Published in: Malaysian Journal of Soil Science
• Main Author: Jos S.; Mohidin H.; Ahmed O.H.; Kassim N.Q.B.; Mahdian S.; Rosli N.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malaysian Society of Soil Science 2024
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85186487339&partnerID=40&md5=57bdf80da039cd3c17b9559245741f30

As nitrogen is an essential nutrient for MD2 pineapple growth as a substantial quantity of nitrogen fertilizer is required for increasing yield production. Highly weathered soils such as Oxisols are low in pH and nutrient contents partly due to leaching. Excessive use of compound chemical fertilizers causes nutrient leaching. Using biochar as a soil amendment to provide nutrients for improving soil properties, nutrient uptake, water retention and nutrient recovery efficiency could also minimize nitrate losses in the soil. A leaching study of six treatments with compound fertilizer (CF) and pineapple leaf biochar (PLB) was conducted. The treatments were as follows: T1= Control (soil only); T2= 100% CF (control); T3= 75% CF + 25% PLB; T4= 50% CF + 50% PLB; T5= 25% CF + 75% PLB; and T6= 100% PLB. Standard Procedures were in this study. The objective of the study was to determine the effects and the PLB rate that improve soil nitrogen retention. The cumulative loss of exchangeable ammonium and available nitrate for the treatment without PLB (T2= 100% CF) at 30 days of leaching was significantly higher than in the treatments with PLB (T3, T4, T5 and T6). Treatment 5 with 25% CF + 75% PLB gave the lowest mean value for both the mineral soils tested. The higher soil organic matter of PLB had a direct effect on the capacity of the soil to retain exchangeable ammonium, available nitrate, and total nitrogen (p< 0.05). The PLB combined with compound fertilizer improve nitrogen availability by up to 20% through temporary retention besides enhancing the soil chemical properties via mitigating nitrogen leaching hence, causing lower losses of NH4+ and NO3- compared with compound fertilizer alone. © 2024, Malaysian Society of Soil Science. All rights reserved.