INTERACTIVE EFFECT OF NITROGEN FERTILIZER, BIOCHAR AND COMPOST ON CAULIFLOWER AND SOIL FERTILITY

Abstract

ABSTRACT Biochar is a carbon-rich material gained from thermo-chemical conversion of biomass in an oxygen-limited environment. Biochar can improve agricultural productivity, particularly in low-fertility and degraded soil. The experiment was conducted at the research farm of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka, Bangladesh during the Robi season from October 2019 to January 2020 to study the effects of nitrogen fertilizer with biochar and biochar-compost on cauliflower performance and soil fertility. The experiment was set out in two factors split plot design with three replications. The two factors were, Factor A: T 1

(Biochar and Compost), T 3 (No Nitrogen), N 2 (Biochar), T 2 (Control). Factor B: Four doses of nitrogen which were N 1 (50% Recommended dose of Nitrogen), N 3 (75% Recommended dose of Nitrogen) and N 4 (100% Recommended dose of Nitrogen). In combined effect of nitrogen with biochar-compost at 75 DAT, the maximum plant height (58.59 cm) was obtained from T 2 N 3 which was statistically similar with T 2 N 4 (58.12 cm) and minimum height from T 3 N 1 (52.63 cm). In combined effect of nitrogen with biocharcompost,

the maximum yield (40.94 ton/ha) was obtained from T 2 combination which was statistically different from all other combinations and the minimum yield (16.51 ton/ha) was found from T 3 N 1 combination treated plot. The maximum 1.97% organic carbon was recorded from T 2 N 3 combination which was statistically similar to T 2 N 4 (1.91%) and the minimum value 1.14% was recorded from T 3 combination treated plot. So, combined application of biochar and compost can reduce 25% of chemical fertilizer (nitrogen fertilizer) which is environmentally friendly and increase yield. N 3 N 1