EFFECT OF ORANGE PEEL BIOCHAR ON THE FERTILITY OF THREE TYPES OF SOIL

Abstract

The orange juice production industry in Veracruz generates a large amount of peel waste, which is both an economic and environmental problem. One way to repurpose these residues is to create biochar, which can be used in agriculture to improve fertility and crop productivity. The aim was to determine how the addition of orange biochar affected the physical and chemical properties of different soils, as well as corn growth (Zea mays L.). The experimental design was completely randomized in factorial arrangement (3 x 4): three soil types (clay loam, sandy, and sandy loam), four biochar doses (0, 18, 90, and 180 equivalent to Mg ha-1), and nine replicates per treatment (n = 108). The highest biochar dose presented significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) in almost all soil physical and chemical variables, except for moisture holding capacity, which varied significantly only in the sandy loam soil with the medium and high doses. In the clay loam soil, the higher dose significantly reduced stem width, aerial biomass, and leaf area. In sandy soil, the medium dose increased stem height and root biomass. In addition, in the sandy loam soil, the highest dose increased stem height and width. The remaining growth variables showed no significant differences between doses or soil types. In conclusion, the use of this biochar altered the physical and chemical properties of the three different soils, as well as having a significant impact on some maize growth variables.