Mode of Biochar Application to Vertisols Influences Water Balance Components and Water Use Efficiency of Maize (<i>Zea mays</i> L.)

Abstract

Vertisols belong to a group of soils with high fertility but poor physical properties of swelling when wet and shrinking and cracking when dry. The swelling inhibits infiltration, resulting in flooding, limiting the production of upland crops. Biochar (<BC) application has been shown to reduce the shrink-swell behaviour of Vertisols. However, the mode of biochar application to these soils may affect the effectiveness of the amendment. This study investigated the water relations and maize (Zea mays L.) growth under two BC application modes: (i) biochar applied into cracks that develop with drying, C, and (ii) biochar that was surface broadcast and incorporated into the topsoil, FM. A control treatment did not receive any BC amendment. Maize was grown on the BC-amended Vertisols using the two modes of application in a greenhouse under two seasonal water regimes of 610 and 450 mm. The results showed that the proportion of total water application lost to runoff was 37%, 49% and 53% for C, FM and control treatments, respectively. Both maize yield and Water Use Efficiency (WUE), for the C treatments were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than those for FM treatments. The maize yield under the C treatments was 19% over the control. Similarly, the WUE for the C treatments was 28% above the control treatment. It is concluded that the application of biochar into cracks is a more effective way of improving the water relations and upland crop productivity and WUE in Vertisols than the traditional surface incorporation.