Effect of Simultaneous Application of Coal-biomass Briquette Combustion Ash and Animal Compost on Plants Growth in Acidic Soil Area

Abstract

The bio-briquette is a solid fuel which is produced from pulverized coal, biomass, and a sulfur fixation agent under high pressure without any binder. The ash generated from the bio-briquette combustion has been evaluated for use as an acid soil improvement agent. In this study, we tried to evaluate the effect of coaddition of the ash and manure compost on crop growth and element uptake by a laboratory-scale radish growth test. Radish plants cultivated during coaddition condition showed a sufficent growth without chemical fertilizer and no detrimental effect was recognized. The coaddition of the ash and manure compost contributed to fixation of potentially toxic elements derived from the ash or manure compost. The crop absorption of copper and zinc, which are considered as toxic heavy metals in the case of manure application, was decreased by the coaddition of the ash and manure compost, and the inhibition effect of Zn absorption by other than the soil pH reclamation was suggested. Our results suggested that the coaddition was a more effective method than the single application of the ash or manure compost for soil amelioration and crop production.