Modelling the effect of wood and maize cob-derived biochar application on soil dynamics and maize growth for sustainable agriculture

Intensive agriculture has degraded global agricultural land and resulted in a food crisis. The application of biochar in agricultural soil has been proven effective at improving soil quality and increasing crop yield. This study aims to develop a simulation and investigate the effect of wood-derived biochar (WBC) and maize cob-derived biochar (MBC) at different application rates on soil pH, soil cation exchange capacity (CEC), soil organic carbon (SOC) and the productivity of the maize cropping system. The prediction regarding the effect of biochar on soil pH was the most accurate of all the parameters studied. The simulation was good at predicting the change of properties in calcareous clay soil for both WBC and MBC, as well as WBC in acidic, sandy soil. The results demonstrated that amendments to both WBC and MBC successfully improved the soil pH, SOC and CEC. The effect was more significant when higher biochar application rates were applied. The biochar amendment enhanced the properties of acidic sandy soil more significantly as compared to calcareous clay soil. Overall, WBC and MBC are potential green fertilisers capable of enhancing soil quality for the sustainable development in agriculture.