Biochar association with phosphate fertilizer and its influence on phosphorus use efficiency by maize

Abstract

The use of fertilizers with some degree of protection of the phosphate ions can reduce soil adsorption and increase the absorption by plants, increasing the efficiency of phosphorus (P) fertilization. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of a phosphate fertilizer associated with biochar in granules in a P-fixing soil in a greenhouse experiment. Biochars were produced from two sources of biomass: sugarcane bagasse (SB) and wood sawdust (WS), which were pyrolysed at two temperatures (350 °C and 700 °C). After chemical and physical characterization, the biochar samples were granulated with triple superphosphate (TSP) in a 3:1 ratio (TSP: biochar). The agronomic evaluation of the fertilizers was carried out by two successive maize crops (Zea mays L.) in the greenhouse, using a factorial scheme of (5x3) in randomized block design with four replicates. The treatments consisted of five fertilizers (TSP-WS350, TSP-WS700, TSP-SB350, TSP-SB700, and TSP) and three P doses (100, 200, and 400 mg dm-3). It was evaluated the dry matter production, P uptake in maize and P available in the soil after cultivation. The results indicate that dry matter production, considering the P uptake by the plant and the P available in the soil when using a dose of 400 mg dm-3, presented higher results in both crop cycles and the recovery rate in both cultivations occurred inversely to the P doses. The simple association of biochar with soluble phosphate fertilizer did not increase the efficiency of P use by maize, but it increased available P in soil.