Combined effect of biochar, manure and compost on canola growth, yield parameters and soil chemical properties

Agricultural productivity relies on several factors where soil fertility and health are some of the vital concerns that need to be addressed. Excessive use of chemical fertilizers can result in significant contamination of soil and other environmental media. The use of organic amendments, such as biochar, compost, manure and their combination, can serve as cost effective and environmentally friendly strategy for healthy soil management. The present study was designed to evaluate the impact of different organic amendments on canola growth and yield. Four soil types, namely loamy sand (LS), sandy loam (SL), silty clay (SC) and loam were used for cultivation of canola. Silty clay was found to produce the highest flower count and seeds’ weight, while slightly higher number of seeds per pod were detected in loam. Biochar alone produced better results on flower count and 100 seeds weight, while among the combination treatments manure + compost + biochar, manure + biochar and compost + biochar showed positive impact on the number of pods and 100 seeds weight. Organic treatments, soil types and their interaction significantly impacted carbon, nitrogen (N), potassium (K) and phosphorus (P) concentrations in all soil types compared to controls. pH was found to be a limiting factor affecting shoot length, canola pods and 100 seeds weight.