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eISSN: 2083-5906
ISSN: 1230-1485
ISSN: 1230-1485
ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Evaluation of Biochar for Increasing Maize Growth
and Phosphorus Use Efficiency
in an Alkaline Calcareous Soil with Different
Inorganic Phosphorus Sources
1
Institute of Soil and Environmental Science, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan, School of Environmental
and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China
2
Institute of Soil and Environmental Science, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan,
Soil and Water Testing Lab for Research, Thokar Niaz Baig, Lahore, Govt. of Punjab, Pakistan
3
Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, South Korea
4
School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Canada
5
Department of Soil Science, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan
6
Pests and Plant Diseases Unit, College of Agricultural and Food Sciences,
King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
7
Agricultural Biotechnology Department, College of Agricultural and Food Sciences,
King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
8
Research and Training Station, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
9
Department of Arid Land Agriculture, College of Agricultural and Food Sciences,
King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
10
Department: Agribusiness and Consumer Sciences, College of Agricultural and Food Sciences,
King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
Submission date: 2025-07-11
Final revision date: 2025-12-27
Acceptance date: 2026-02-15
Online publication date: 2026-06-30
Corresponding author
Ammara Arooj
Institute of Soil and Environmental Science, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan, School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China
Institute of Soil and Environmental Science, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan, School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China
Ahmed Mahmoud Ismail
Pests and Plant Diseases Unit, College of Agricultural and Food Sciences, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia
Pests and Plant Diseases Unit, College of Agricultural and Food Sciences, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
The efficiency of different inorganic phosphorus (P) sources in an alkaline calcareous soil is
significantly reduced due to elevated pH levels, which lead to phosphorus immobilization and
the formation of insoluble phosphorus compounds with calcium (Ca). In this study, a greenhouse
experiment was conducted to determine the efficiency of various P fertilizers using different rates of
biochar. Using a completely randomized design (CRD), three levels of biochar were used: 0%, 1%, and
2% (w/w of 17 kg of soil), followed by three types of inorganic P fertilizers, i.e., single superphosphate
(SSP), double superphosphate (DAP), and rock phosphate (RP). The application of biochar significantly increased phosphorus use efficiency (PUE). The PUE of SSP and DAP fertilizers was greatly increased
by the 2% biochar application in the soil, i.e., 22.43% and 21.41%, respectively, as compared to the
control (12.06%). Moreover, soil pH declined from 7.84 to 7.58 by the 2% biochar application in the
soil, and a reasonable increase in soil chemical characteristics was reported, providing an optimum
range for nutrient availability. Overall, soil available P, plant P contents, plant P uptake, and PUE were
significantly affected by both biochar and inorganic P sources, which indicates that these findings can be
valuable for understanding and optimizing agricultural practices, soil management, and plant growth in
relevant ecosystems.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
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| eISSN: | 2083-5906 |
| ISSN: | 1230-1485 |
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