Biochar and/or Compost Applications Improve Soil Properties, Growth, and Yield of Maize Grown in Acidic Rainforest and Coastal Savannah Soils in Ghana

Table 5

Effects of biochar and/or compost applications on the plant growth performance of maize crop (local and improved varieties) grown on the Aiyinase soil over 40-day period.

Treatment rate	Dry matter (g)		Number of leaves		Plant height (cm)		Stem girth (mm)
	Improved variety	Local variety	Improved variety	Local variety	Improved variety	Local variety	Improved variety	Local variety
BC	1.3a	231.2b	3.00a	10.33b	24.7a	141.7b	3.83a	20.17b
B0	10.6a	306.8b	5.67b	12.00bc	59.3b	168.7b	10.00b	22.67bc
C20	318.4b	11.9a	10.33c	6.00a	163.3c	60.3a	23.17c	8.50a
B20	319.2b	251.2b	11.33c	12.67c	171.3c	165.3b	24.67c	24.20c
LSD, 0.05	75.9	146.1	2.31	2.24	17.55	40.21	5.16	3.21
F. Pr.	<0.001	0.01	<0.001	<0.001	<0.001	<0.001	<0.001	<0.001

B0 = control with no amendments; B20 = biochar 2%, w/w; C20 = compost 2%, w/w; BC = combined biochar and compost rate 1% compost + 1% biochar; LSD = least significant difference at 0.05. Means with different letters differ significantly at and with same letters do not differ significantly.