Synthesis of enriched biochar as a vehicle for phosphorus in tropical soils

Phosphorus (P) is one of the nutrients that most limits agricultural productivity, especially in tropical soils. Enriched biochar has been proposed to increase the bioavailability of P and other nutrients in the soil. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the availability of P in phosphate biochar (composed of biomass and soil) as a function of the triple superphosphate mixture before and after the pyrolysis process. We produced eight types of enriched biochar via pyrolysis by combining sandy or clayey soil with rice or coffee husk, and by adding triple superphosphate before or after pyrolysis. The heating of the phosphate fertilizer during the pyrolysis process resulted in a higher crystallinity of the phosphates, lower content of labile fractions of P and lower content of available P in phosphate biochars than when the superphosphate was added after pyrolysis. (AU)

Cultivo do tomateiro em substratos orgânicos sob aplicação foliar de silicato de potássio em ambiente protegido / Cultivation of tomato in organic substrates under leaf spraying of potassium silicate in protected environment

Conduziu-se este trabalho, com o objetivo de avaliar o efeito da aplicação, via foliar, de diferentes doses de silicato de potássio, sob os teores de clorofila a, b e total em folhas de tomateiro cultivados em dois substratos e a influência desses fatores na produtividade da cultura sob ambiente protegido. O delineamento experimental foi de blocos ao acaso, em esquema fatorial 2 x 4, com quatro repetições. Foram utilizados os substratos fibra de coco (S1) e fibra de coco acrescido de casca de café carbonizada (S2). As doses de silicato de potássio foram 0; 0,1; 0,2 e 0,4 por cento do produto Sili-K®. As doses do produto foram aplicadas semanalmente nas folhas das plantas, durante o ciclo da cultura. Antes da primeira colheita de frutos, quantificaram-se os teores de clorofila a, b e total, que apresentaram diferenças significativas apenas para S1. O aumento das doses de silicato de potássio aplicadas estimulou, de forma linear, a concentração de clorofila a, b e total em folhas de tomateiros. A massa média de frutos com diâmetro de 60 a 65 mm cultivados em S2 foi influenciada pelas diferentes doses de silicato de potássio. A dose 0,2 por cento foi significativamente superior às concentrações testadas.

This study was to evaluate the effect of leaf application of different doses of potassium silicate, on the levels of chlorophyll a, b and total in leaves of tomato cultivated in two substrates as well as the influence of these factors on crop yield under protected environment. The used experimental design was randomized blocks with four replicates. A factorial scheme 2 x 4 was used. The substrates were coconut fiber (S1) and coconut fibercombined with carbonized coffee husk (S2). The Used doses of potassium silicate were 0, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.4 percent of Sili-K®. These doses were sprayed weekly on the leaves during the dant cycle. Before the first harvest, chlorophylls a, b and total. that present significative differences only for S1 were quantified. The increase of potassium silicate doses stimulated the concentration of chlorophyll a, b and total chlorophyll. The average mass of fruits with 60 to 65 mm, diameter cultivated in S2 was influenced by the different doses of potassium silicate. The dose of 0.2 percent was the best concentration.