Zeitschrift für Gartenbau
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Investigating the Effects of Twelve Biochars on the Growth of Capsicum annuum 'Jalapeno' Pepper, Microbial Population and Enzyme Activities in Soil

Shagufta Gaffar, Clara Riquelme, Krishnaswamy Jayachandran*

In recent years biochar is being applied extensively to agricultural soils because of the potential influence on plant productivity and soil microbial activities. This study was conducted to observe the effects of twelve biochar treatments (made from six different feedstocks at 350°C and 500°C) on Jalapeno pepper (Capsicum annuum ‘Jalapeno’) growth, bacteria and fungi population, arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi root colonization and soil enzyme activities in an organic rich soil. Biochar treatments did not significantly affect the growth and yield of Jalapeno pepper plant but significant influence on soil microbial and enzyme activities were observed. There was an overall increase in the bacteria (10%) population with a decrease in fungi (8%) population in soils during the entire growing period of Jalapeno. Treatments consisting of biochars made at 350°C and 500°C from coconut husk (T7 and T8), loblolly pine (T9 and T10), cypress (T11 and T12), and pecan shell (T13 and T14) resulted in 159%, 169%, 203%, and 179%, respectively, significantly higher root colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi compared to the control (T2). Higher β-1-4-glucisidase (9 times) and alkaline phosphatase (3.5 times) enzyme activities were detected in soils treated with cypress biochars made at 350°C (T11) and Brazilian pepper biochars made at 500°C (T6), respectively, relative to the control. Among the different biochar properties, the pore structure (pore size and volume), surface behavior (SSA and CEC), pH and ash content were responsible for influencing plant growth, soil microbial population and enzyme activities. Overall, it was the type of feedstocks that had a significant effect rather than the pyrolysis temperatures.