Effect of Biochar on Soil Properties and Organic Carbon Sink in Degraded Soil of Southern Guinea Savanna Zone, Nigeria

Abstract

Biochar incorporation into soil has been shown to improve the soil quality for crop production and sequestered organic carbon into the soil thereby mitigating climate change. The experiment was conducted during 2010 rainy season at the research and teaching farm of the college of agriculture, Lafia, Nasarawa state, Nigeria. To evaluate the effect of biochar on soil properties and the amount of organic carbon that can be sequestered in the soil. The treatments consist of biochar rates: 0, 5 and10t/ha laid in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD).10t/ha of biochar produced the highest levels of (pH, = 6.91; %Total Nitrogen, =0.38; K, =1.59; %Organic Carbon, = 0.56; Mg, = 2.50 and Cation Exchange Capacity = 11.35) compare to the other rate and control. However, application of 5t/ha of biochar did not show any significant effect compared with the control. Biochar