The Effect of Two Different Biochars on the Soil Physical Properties Affecting Irrigation Management in Desert Regions

Water is the most important limiting factor for plant growth in dry and desert regions.  Addition of soil amendments is one of the most important practices to reduce water shortage by improving soil physical properties and water use efficiency. In this study, the effect of natural and urban waste-compost biochars on the soil physical properties (e.g., bulk density, particle density, field capacity, permanent wilting point, available water, saturated hydraulic conductivity, and irrigation interval) as the most effective parameters on irrigation were investigated.  This experiment was conducted as factorial and in a completely randomized blocks design with three factors and three replications in greenhouse condition. The proposed factors were consisted of four levels of natural biochar (0, 1, 3, and 5 % of weight) and four levels of municipal waste-compost biochar (0, 1, 3, and 5 %) and a plant factor at one level (Calligonum species). The results showed that the addition of biochars to the soil had a significant increasing effect on the field capacity, available water, and irrigation intervals and a significant decreasing effect on the saturated hydraulic conductivity, bulk and particle density. Field capacity, permanent wilting point, available water and irrigation interval had an average incremental rate of 17.2, 16.8, 17.4, and 3.2% respectively and hydraulic conductivity, bulk and actual density had an average decremental rate of 39.4, 4.4 and 11.7 % respectively as compared to the control treatment. Treatment No. 13 (soil+5% natural biochar+5% urban waste compost biochar) had the most effectiveness on the above mentioned parameters.