Effect of Levels of Coconut Shell Biochar and Farm Yard Manure on Soil Properties under Upland Rice Cultivation

An field experiment were conducted at ZAHRS, UAHS, Shivamogga, during summer 2018 to know the effect of biochar and Farm Yard Manure (FYM) on soil properties. The experiment was planned in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with 16 treatments consisting of four levels of biochar at 2, 4, 6 and 8 t ha-1 and two levels of FYM at 5 and 10 t ha-1 which were applied alone and in combinations. The recommended dose of fertilizer was applied commonly to all the treatments with three replications. The result revealed that combined application of 8 t ha-1 biochar + 10 t ha-1 FYM with Recommended Dose of Fertilizer (RDF) (100:50:50 kg ha-1) to soil significantly decreased the soil Bulk density (1.30%) and Permanent wilting point (2.13%) and increased the soil porosity (50.94%), Maximum water holding capacity (37.30%), Field capacity (19.71%) and water stable aggregates (67.40%) as compared to initial soil properties of experimental site. Significantly increased the soil pH (initial acidic (5.88) to neutral at harvest (7.05)), Electrical Conductivity (EC) (0.37 dS m-1), Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) (17.86 [cmol (p+ kg-1)]), available Nitrogen (340.24 kg ha-1), Phosphorus (79.54 kg ha-1), Potassium (252.46 kg ha-1) and Sulfur (13.55 mg kg-1). Soil Diethylene triamine penta acetic acid (DTPA) extractable micronutrients, soil enzymes and microbial biomass compared to absolute control and RDF alone treatments.