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The Effect of Biochar on Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) Cultivar Micro-Tom Grown under Continuous Light

Larissa Nicholas, Aisling Devine Orcid Logo, Iain Robertson Orcid Logo, Ian Mabbett Orcid Logo

Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, Volume: 24, Issue: 4, Pages: 6775 - 6781

Swansea University Authors: Larissa Nicholas, Aisling Devine Orcid Logo, Iain Robertson Orcid Logo, Ian Mabbett Orcid Logo

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Abstract

Continuous lighting (CL) has the potential to increase crop yield in greenhouse production. Tomato plants, however, when exposed to CL develop inter-vascular chlorosis, a leaf injury which causes a reduction in chlorophyll content and necrosis. The application of biochar can reduce physiological str...

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Published in: Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition
ISSN: 0718-9508 0718-9516
Published: Springer Science and Business Media LLC 2024
Online Access: Check full text

URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa67511
Abstract: Continuous lighting (CL) has the potential to increase crop yield in greenhouse production. Tomato plants, however, when exposed to CL develop inter-vascular chlorosis, a leaf injury which causes a reduction in chlorophyll content and necrosis. The application of biochar can reduce physiological stress in plants, we examine if biochar also reduces necrosis in tomatoes when grown under CL. Faecal sludge biochar was applied to an acidic soil to examine plant growth and yield in Micro-Tom tomato plants grown under continuous light. We examined soil and plant growth properties of three soil application treatments: a control soil, biochar treatment (4%w/w) (Biochar), and a combined biochar (2% w/w) and fertilizer (2% w/w) treatment (Biochar + Fert). Faecal sludge biochar addition produced plant heights 216% greater than control and above ground biomass 583% greater than control. The biochar and fertilizer treatment group produced a 487% increase in leaf number compared to biochar. The combined biochar and fertilizer treatment produced a 398% increase in dried above ground biomass and a 177% increase in dried fruit yield compared with biochar. Plants in the biochar and fertilizer treatment group showed less visual evidence of continuous light induced leaf injury.Biochar addition did not limit continuous light induced leaf chlorosis whereas combined biochar and fertilizer treatment resulted in a significant reduction in leaf injury and death. Overall, the application of biochar and biochar and fertilizer combined increased crop yield.
Item Description: Brief Communication
Keywords: Continuous light stress; Biochar; Yield; Tomato; Soil
College: Faculty of Science and Engineering
Funders: This work was supported, in whole or in part, by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation [OPP1149054], and under the grant conditions of the Foundation, a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Generic License has already been assigned to the Author Accepted Manuscript version that might arise from this submission. The work was also supported by Swansea University’s ‘SUNRISE’ project funded through GCRF via EPSRC [EP/P032591/1].
Issue: 4
Start Page: 6775
End Page: 6781