Productivity of Some Winter Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Varieties through Integrated Application of Vermicompost and Biochar in Sandy Soil

Abstract

T HE INCREASED productivity of cereals in sufficient quantities for the population is one of the largest problems currently facing farmers. Therefore, the aim of this study is to improve grain yield productivity of some common wheat varieties by adding biochar and vermicompost under sandy soil conditions. Two field experiments were carried out in Wadi El-Natrun, El-Beheira, Governorate, Egypt, during the winter seasons of 2020-2021 and 2021-2022. The experience was designed with a completely randomized split-plot with three replications. The main plot was planted with some winter wheat ( Triticum aestivum L) varieties, while fertilizer rates were assigned to the subplots. Results have shown that the treatments of biochar and vermicompost significantly increased all the yield metrics and chemical constituents compared to the control treatment in sandy soil conditions. The Skaha-95 variety considerably exceeded the Giza-171 variety on grain and straw yields and the percentage of nutritional values of the dry wheat grain, that is, NPK%, total proteins, and carbohydrates. Increasing the fertilizer rate from 1200 to 2400 kg/ha caused a significant increase in plant height (cm), number of grain/spike, 100 grain weight (g), grain and straw yields (ton/ha), NPK%, proteins, and total carbohydrates in the grains. In general, the maximum average values of all the parameters of our study were obtained from the variety Skaha-95 when the plants were fertilized by mixing (1200 biochar + 1200 vermicompost kg/ha). According to the results, mixing rates of biochar and vermicompost fertilizers might be an alternative for improving wheat productivity and quality metrics in sandy soil environments