Abstract:
Physical and chemical properties of the biochar varied as a function of feedstock selection and
pyrolysis temperatures. Biochar additions to acidic soils have the potential to improve soil fertility
and crop yield. Biochar materials were produced from coffee husk and corn cob at temperatures of
350 and 500°C and characterized by their physical and chemical properties. These were mixed with
acidic soil at the rates of 0, 5, 10 and 15 t haG1
and were laboratory incubated for 2 months at
ambient temperature to examine changes in soil properties. Types of feedstock used at two different
pyrolysis temperatures and application rate had no significant effects on soil textural classes but
showed highly significant effects (p<0.01) on soil pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC), Cation Exchange
Capacity (CEC), Organic Carbon (OC), Organic Matter (OM), Total Nitrogen (TN), exchangeable
cations and available phosphorous. Application of coffee husk biochar showed relatively better
improvement in soil chemical properties (pH, EC, CEC, OC, OM, TN, exchangeable cations and
available phosphorous) than corn cob biochar at all application rates. The highest values of
chemical properties were recorded when coffee husk biochar produced at 500°C temperature was
applied at a rate of 15 t haG1
. Therefore, we generated an evidence that application of biochar is
very important to improve physical and chemical properties of acidic soil
