Increase in potato yield by the combined application of biochar and organic fertilizer: key role of rhizosphere microbial diversity

Abstract

The combined application of biochar and organic fertilizer elevates potato yield mainly by improving the diversity of bacterial communities in potato rhizosphere soil, especially the combined application of biochar and organic fertilizer at a 1:2 ratio (biochar 0.66 t ha^-1+organic fertilizer 4.46 t ha^-1), which made the largest contribution to increasing potato yield.