ABSTRACT
This study was carried out during the two successive seasons of
2018 and 2019 at the Experimental Farm, Kaha station, Qulubia
Governorate to confirm the effect of different rates of biochar (0%
biochar (control), 20% biochar, 40% biochar and 60% biochar) mixture
with commercial media (peat moss and vermiculite (1:1 volume basis)
and two concentration from aqueous extract of biochar (2% and 4%) as
foliar spray on seed germination period and seedling growth parameters
of tomato, sweet pepper, cucumber and lettuce and behavior of seedlings
growth under the irrigation daily or every two days and study effect of
that on the vegetative growth and total yield of sweet pepper plants.
Biochar produced from gazwarina trees wood. Generally, it is clear that
adding the low rate of biochar (20%) to growing media significantly
affected positively on germination percentage, germination rate and
coefficient germination velocity for all previous crops this was true in
both growing season. Regarding to tomato, cucumber and lettuce
seedling, the results showed that adding the low rate of biochar (20%) to
growing media and irrigation daily or two days significantly affected
positively on all vegetative growth and root growth characters followed
by using aqueous extract of biochar at 2% as foliar spray and irrigation
daily or two day treatments. While, the best treatments were foliar spray
by aqueous extract of biochar at 4%, 2% followed by 40% and 20%
biochar addition to growing media, respectively according to sweet
pepper seedling. Generally, the effect of used different rates of biochar
under two periods of irrigation induced significant effect on all
vegetative growth, root growth parameters and leaf chlorophyll
concentration of all previous crops seedling as grown in the nursery. It
can be observed that with all biochar rates except addition the high rate
of biochar (60%) to growing media which significantly negative affected
on all vegetative growth and root growth characters, this was true in both
growing season.