+44 330 818 7254The pyrolysis of plant materials to produce bio-char has the potential to promote plant growth in soilless media. The effects of bio-char amendments on soilless growth media, the makeup of the microbial community, and the fate of chemical constituents in the media are all, however, poorly understood. This study used meta-genomics and gamma spectroscopy to investigate the chemical components of the microbial composition and soilless media after adding various quantities of bio-char to each (Barns SM et al., 2007).
Under ideal fertigation circumstances, the effects of additions (1–5% by weight) of a nutrient-poor, wood-derived bio-char on pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) and tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill.) plant development and production were studied. When compared to the unaltered controls, pepper plant development in the bio-chartreated pots was significantly improved. Most measured plant metrics, including leaf area, canopy dry weight, number of nodes, and yields of buds, flowers, and fruit, all increased across the board as a result.
Along with the observed improvements in plant growth and production, pepper plants supplemented with biochar also had significantly larger abundances of culturable microorganisms from well-known soil-associated groups in their rhizospheres. Based on 16S rRNA gene analysis, phylogenetic analysis of unique bacterial isolates revealed that 16 of the 20 isolates from the char-amended growing mix's roots and bulk soil were connected to previously documented plant growth-promoting and/or bio-control agents.
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