Evaluating Slow Pyrolysis of Parthenium hysterophorus Biochar: Perspectives to Acidic Soil Amelioration and Growth of Selected Wheat (Triticum aestivum) Varieties

Table 5

The status of chemical properties in acidic soil into two soil sample years and parthenium biochar dosages (mean ± SD).

Soil parameters	Soil sample	Parthenium biochar rates						LSD
	Years	PB0%; 0 t/ha	PB5.33%; 12.5 t/ha	PB8.0%; 16 t/ha	PB10.67%; 19.5 t/ha	PB13.3%; 23 t/ha	PB16%; 26.5 t/ha
pH (H2O)	First year	5.44 ± 0.12^b	6.3 ± 0.5^ab	6.7 ± 0.5^a	7.1 ± 1.1^a	7.5 ± 0.6^a	7.3 ± 0.6^a	2.06
	Second year	5.45 ± 0.14^d	7.0 ± 0.2^c	7.6 ± 0.5^b	7.96 ± 0.2^ab	8.1 ± 0.2^a	8.1 ± 0.15^a	1.58
	Combined	5.44 ± 0.12^c	6.7 ± 0.^5b	7.2 ± 0.7^ba	7.55 ± 0.8^a	7.8 ± 0.5^a	7.8 ± 0.5^a	1.74
pH (KCl)	First year	4.8 ± 0.05^b	5.64 ± 0.5^a	6.1 ± 0.6^a	6.4 ± 1.0^a	6.8 ± 0.6^a	6.8 ± 0.6^a	2.01
	Second year	5.2 ± 0.7^c	6.3 ± 0.1^b	6.9 ± 0.5^a	7.3 ± 0.13^a	7.4 ± 0.1^a	7.4 ± 0.1^a	1.78
	Combined	5.0 ± 0.5^c	5.99 ± 0.5^b	6.5 ± 0.7^ab	6.9 ± 0.8^a	7.1 ± 0.5^a	7.1 ± 0.5^a	1.55
EC (ms/cm)	First year	0.09 ± 0.05^d	0.63 ± 0.04^c	0.76 ± 0.07^c	0.8 ± 0.2^bc	0.97 ± 0.16^b	1.34 ± 0.2^a	0.58
	Second year	0.15 ± 0.05^d	0.8 ± 0.15^c	1.37 ± 0.07^b	1.62 ± 0.1^a	1.75 ± 0.11^a	1.85 ± 0.1	0.57
	Combined	0.12 ± 0.04^d	0.71 ± 0.14^c	1.1 ± 0.34^b	1.2 ± 0.5^b	1.36 ± 0.4^a	1.6 ± 0.3^a	0.35
Ca (cmol^+/kg)	First year	11.95 ± 0.9^c	12.9 ± 0.3^bc	14.15 ± 0.3^ab	15.12 ± 1.8^a	13.9 ± 0.7^ab	14.9 ± 1.0^a	3.17
	Second year	11.14 ± 0.3^c	15.9 ± 0.6^b	17.9 ± 1.4^ab	18.45 ± 0.9^a	19.32 ± 1.5^a	18.7 ± 1.2^a	4.8
	Combined	11.54 ± 0.7^c	14.4 ± 1.7^b	16.01 ± 2.2^ab	16.8 ± 2.2^a	16.6 ± 3.1^a	16.8 ± 2.2^a	4.4
K (cmol^+/kg)	First year	0.6 ± 0.05^b	1.75 ± 0.7^b	3.9 ± 1.5^a	5.3 ± 2.0^a	5.2 ± 1.5^a	4.2 ± 0.6^a	4.63
	Second year	0.72 ± 0.08^d	3.1 ± 0.5^c	5.3 ± 0.6^b	7.4 ± 1.0^a	7.8 ± 1.0^a	8.3 ± 1.1^a	4.3
	Combined	0.64 ± 0.1^d	2.4 ± 0.9^c	4.6 ± 1.3^b	6.4 ± 1.8^a	6.5 ± 1.8^a	6.2 ± 2.3^a	3.8
Na (cmol^+/kg)	First year	0.21 ± 0.04^c	0.81 ± 0.2^b	0.5 ± 0.09^a	0.6 ± 0.04^ab	0.45 ± 0.1^ac	0.43 ± 0.03^ac	0.6
	Second year	0.24 ± 0.05^c	0.6 ± 0.08^b	0.74 ± 0.12^ab	0.8 ± 0.06^ab	0.92 ± 0.2^a	0.83 ± 0.2^ab	0.53
	Combined	0.22 ± 0.04^b	0.7 ± 0.2^a	0.62 ± 0.1^a	0.7 ± 0.1^a	0.7 ± 0.3^a	0.6 ± 0.2^a	0.39
Mg (cmol^+/kg)	First year	3.99 ± 0.9	5.4 ± 1.5	5.8 ± 2.0	5.0 ± 2.8	5.99 ± 1.3	4.8 ± 1.1	NS
	Second year	3.8 ± 0.5^b	7.4 ± 1.5^a	8.7 ± 0.6^a	8.5 ± 1.2^a	7.9 ± 2.2^a	7.6 ± 1.9^a	4.75
	Combined	3.9 ± 0.7	6.4 ± 1.8	7.3 ± 2.0	6.8 ± 2.7	6.9 ± 1.9	6.2 ± 2.0	NS
OC (%)	First year	0.8 ± 0.09^d	0.8 ± 0.1^d	1.1 ± 0.08^c	1.22 ± 0.04^c	1.47 ± 0.1^b	1.71 ± 0.1^a	0.42
	Second year	0.77 ± 0.1^d	1.4 ± 0.15^c	1.9 ± 0.07^b	2.2 ± 0.12^b	2.8 ± 0.2^a	2.6 ± 0.1^a	0.52
	Combined	0.8 ± 0.1^d	1.1 ± 0.3^c	1.5 ± 0.4^b	1.7 ± 0.5^b	2.1 ± 0.7^a	2.2 ± 0.5^a	0.63
Av. P (ppm)	First year	13.6 ± 1.9^e	24.2 ± 1.5^dc	32.6 ± 3.4^c	38.8 ± 9.4^bc	49.2 ± 3.2^b	65.8 ± 7.5^a	24.9
	Second year	14.06 ± 1.5^c	58.1 ± 2.5^b	59.8 ± 2.9^b	62.7 ± 5.0^b	79.7 ± 2.8^a	80.7 ± 3.9^a	16.9
	Combined	13.8 ± 1.5^e	41.1 ± 18.6^d	46.1 ± 15.1^cd	50.78 ± 14.7^c	64.4 ± 16.9^b	73.2 ± 9.7^a	13.6
CEC (cmol^+/kg)	First year	19.7 ± 1.3^b	21.1 ± 0.9^b	24.9 ± 2.1^a	24.8 ± 1.4^a	25.6 ± 0.9^a	24.6 ± 2.5^a	5.9
	Second year	20.6 ± 0.9^d	27.1 ± 1.5^c	28.3 ± 1.0^b	31.8 ± 1.0^a	32.7 ± 1.8^a	33.2 ± 1.7^a	5.5
	Combined	20.2 ± 1.1^c	24.1 ± 3.4^b	26.6 ± 2.4^a	28.4 ± 3.9^a	29.2 ± 4.0^a	28.9 ± 5.0^a	4.8

Within rows, means followed by the same letter are not significantly different ; significant at ; significant at ; NS, not significant; LSD, least significant difference; PB; parthenium biochar; SD, standard deviation.