Impact of different levels of natural biochar on some soil properties, germination percentage, and yield of Pamirian winterfat (Eurotia ceratoides) rangeland plant

The use of biochar as a soil amendment is one of the new methods to improve soil properties and increase plant yield. In this study, in order to evaluate the effect of adding natural biochar on soil properties and yield of Pamirian winterfat (Eurotia ceratoides) plant, an experiment in a completely randomized design were performed with 11 treatments by different levels of biochar (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10% by weight) and three replications in greenhouse conditions. After the end of the growing season, some physical and chemical properties of the soil (pH, EC, organic matter (%), lime, bulk deisty, particle density, and porosity percentage), germination percentage, and yield of E. ceratoides were measured. In all the studied traits of the soil (except for the particle density), and the characteristics of the E. ceratoides plant, the statistical difference between the various levels of biochar was significant (a = 0.01). Adding different levels of biochar increased pH, ECy, soil porosity percentage, soil organic matter, whereas decrased bulk density, lime percentage, clay percentage, sand, and silt.