Volume 11, Issue 23, January - June 2025

Soil carbon sequestration and maize yields in Alfisols of Northern Nigeria amended with different rates of compost and cocomposted biochar

Angyu MD^1♦, Garba J², Abdulkadir A²

¹Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Federal University Wukari, Taraba State, Nigeria
²Department of Soil Science, Institute for Agricultural Research/Faculty of Agriculture, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Nigeria

^♦Corresponding author
Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Federal University Wukari, Taraba State, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

A greenhouse experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of compost, biochar, co-composted biochar, and compost + biochar on soil carbon sequestration and yield of maize in Alfisols of the Northern Guinea Savanna of Nigeria. The experiment was conducted with three different rates (5.10 and 15 t/ha) along with sole NPK (recommended dose) and control (no fertilizer application). Each treatment combination was replicated 9 times. This gave rise to 126 experimental pots, sowed with SAMMAZ 16 variety of maize, which were laid out in a complete randomized design. Three replicates from each treatment were sampled at 4th, 8th and 12th week after sowing (WAS) and were analyzed for their pH and soil organic carbon. Meanwhile, maize grain yield and shoot dry weight were measured after harvest. The data collected were subjected to Analysis of Variance and the significant means were separated at p ≤ 0.05 using Duncan Multiple Range Test. Soil pH, was substantially enhanced by 17.67, 14.95 and 27.03 % at 4, 8 and 12th WAS when 5 t/ha of compost was applied, compared to the control. The application of 10 t/ha of compost resulted to 46.43, 17.86 and 26.39 % increase in soil carbon sequestration at 4, 8, and 12th WAS, compared to the control. Maize shoot dry weight and grain yield were enhanced by 93.80 and 54.57 % using15 t/ha of compost. Application of 10 t/ha compost showed increased yield and showed for carbon sequestration compared to 5 and 15 t/ha.

Keywords: Carbon Sequestration, Maize yield, Compost, Biochar, Co-composted Biochar, Alfisols.

Discovery Agriculture, 2025, 11, e5da3103

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi.v11i23.e5da3103

Published: 27 March 2025