Abstract
Biochar has emerged as a promising soil amendment with the potential to increase plant growth and improve nutrient availability. Its application not only increases nutrient retention but also supports rhizosphere activity, further accelerating nutrient cycling in the soil. In this study, rice straw biochar was applied at different doses to evaluate its effects on watermelon growth, yield, and soil quality. Six treatments were used: T1 (RDF), T2 (RDF + 1 t/ha biochar), T3 (RDF + 2 t/ha biochar), T4 (RDF + 3 t/ha biochar), T5 (RDF + 4 t/ha biochar), and T6 (RDF + 5 t/ha biochar). Compared with the non-biochar treatment, the biochar treatment significantly improved vine length, leaf number, branch count, and the chlorophyll index. Moreover, biochar application notably increased fruit diameter (+ 43.1%), fruit length (+ 72.4%), yield per plant (+ 41.6%), total soluble solids (TSS) (+ 37.1%), and water content (+ 2.7%) compared to non-biochar treatment (T1). Biochar improved the availability of both micronutrients and macronutrients in the rhizosphere. These findings highlight the potential of biochar to increase crop productivity while improving soil fertility, although the optimal dose for maximizing benefits remains an area of ongoing study.
doi: 10.17756/jfcn.2025-s1-006
Citation: Sharma G, Banik D, Mehta CM, Eiji N, Inubushi K, et al. 2025. Influence of Biochar Application Rates on Watermelon Growth, Yield, and Soil Nutrient Availability. J Food Chem Nanotechnol 11(S1): S36-S42.
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