Effect of treatment with biochar on the pH evolution in degraded forest soil

Ecopedology

As part of the Ambohimanga Rova natural forest restoration, classified as UNESCO (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization) word heritage site in Madagascar, a research project to rehabilitate the degraded soil after fires in the western part of the forest is currently under way. This article focuses on the pH evolution of degraded soil treated with biochar combined with ox manure and useful microorganisms collected from healthy forest soil. The main objective was to increase soil pH after treatment. For that matter, the effect of dose and incubation period of biochar treatment in soil was studied during greenhouse semi- controlled condition. Phyllarthron madagascariense or Zahana, an endemic species of Madagascar was used as a test plant during the experiment. The results show a significant effect of dose and incubation period of biochar in the substrate on the pH increase after treatment. Indeed, compared to the control, the pH value increases with the biochar at respectively 50 g, 100 g and 150 g. In addition, biochar incubated in the substrate one week before transplantation seems to influence the pH increase in soil. In contrast, incubation of biochar three weeks before transplantation has no significant effect on increasing soil pH. The statistical test also shows a positive correlation between the pH evolution and the test plant development.

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