Medium-term effects of clay-based mineral biochar on plant performance and soil properties

Abstract There is no detailed information about the effect of mineral biochar (MB) on soil properties and plant performance. Here, MB levels of 0, 5, … and 25% in three application methods; including mixed with the topsoil (MTS), subsoil (MSS), whole soil (MWS) were used through cultivating the Fortuynia bungei (bush), Calligonum comosum (shrub) and Ziziphus spina-christi (tree) in holes based on a completely randomized factorial design for two consecutive years in an arid region. Based on the results, even using 5% MB, a relative improvement in soil and plant properties was observed, but there was no significant difference between 20 and 25% MB application. Plant performance was significantly influenced by specie type, MB levels and application method. Using 20% MB under MWS, shrub C. comosum had the highest height and biomass production. OM, EC and pH showed the most changes, which were mostly influenced by the level of MB used (Sig.<0.001). Also, soil respiration, urease, b-glucosidase, dehydrogenase, and acid phosphatase showed an increase of 34.4, 79.1, 100.0, 65.3 and 22.5%, respectively, in comparison to its control (MB = 0). The Pearson-Kendall correlation through PCA also showed significant ecological relationships between soil-plant characteristics improvements by 15–20%MB application.