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Impact of biochar amendment on the growth, physiology and fruit of a young commercial apple orchard

Trees volume 29, pages 1817–1826 (2015)Cite this article

Abstract

Key message

Potential benefits of biochar and compost soil amendments may not be realised in high-input perennial horticultural systems such as an apple orchard.

Abstract

Mechanistic understanding of how biochar affects tree physiology is deficient. We determined the effects of biochar amendment on crop yields, growth and tree physiology of a high-input perennial horticultural system. The biochar was acacia whole tree green waste that had undergone pyrolysis in a continuous flow kiln at temperatures up to 550 °C for 30–40 min. Tree growth, crop yield efficiency and fruit quality were assessed to investigate the effects of biochar, compost and combined biochar and compost (B + C) treatments on the productivity of a newly planted apple orchard over a four-year period. The site was characterised by an A1 horizon 38 cm deep with a CEC of 35.15 cmol kg−1, \({\text{pH}}_{{{\text{CaCl}}_{2} }}\) of 5.7 and an organic carbon of 2.42 %. All treatments received approximately 42.5, 5.98, 131.1 and 12 kg ha−1 year−1 of N, P, K and Ca via fertiliser and green fowl manure inputs, respectively. Leaf gas exchange, leaf nutrient concentration and water status were recorded during the second cropping season in the biochar and control treatments only. Crop yield and fruit quality parameters were unaffected by the soil amendment treatments. Trunk girth was significantly higher than the control in the B + C and biochar treatments, in the first year and fourth year, respectively, while compost had no effect in any year. Neither photosynthetic capacity nor leaf nutrient concentration was influenced by treatment. Seasonal daily tree water use was similar between biochar and control treatments. The general lack of difference between treatments suggests that perennial horticultural systems characterised by high inputs of nutrients and water may not respond to biochar. This is the first report investigating the whole-plant physiology of apple trees with biochar amendment.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Drs. Mark Boersma and Caroline Mohammed for valuable comments on an earlier draft of the manuscript. We thank Adrian and Scott Stevenson for their continued support of the research undertaken in their orchard. Justin Direen and Steve Paterson provided valuable technical support to the project. This project was conducted as part of the apple and pear industry Productivity Irrigation Pests and Soils (PIPS) flagship program and funded by HAL using the apple and pear industry levy and voluntary contributions from the Institute for New Zealand Plant and Food Research and matched funds from the Australian Government.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 98, Hobart, TAS, 7001, Australia

    Alieta Eyles, Sally A. Bound, Garth Oliver, Ross Corkrey, Marcus Hardie & Dugald C. Close

  2. Plant and Food Research, Food Industry Science Centre, Bachelor Road, PO Box 11-600, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand

    Steve Green

Authors
  1. Alieta Eyles
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  2. Sally A. Bound
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  3. Garth Oliver
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  4. Ross Corkrey
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  5. Marcus Hardie
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  6. Steve Green
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  7. Dugald C. Close
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Correspondence to Alieta Eyles.

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Communicated by D. Treutter.

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Eyles, A., Bound, S.A., Oliver, G. et al. Impact of biochar amendment on the growth, physiology and fruit of a young commercial apple orchard. Trees 29, 1817–1826 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-015-1263-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-015-1263-7

Keywords

  • Tree water status
  • Gas exchange
  • Crop yield
  • Leaf water potential
  • Growth
  • Fruit quality