Browsing by Subject "yield component"

Biochar has been proposed to a promising future product as a carbon sink in carbon sequestration and as a soil conditioner. The aim of this master thesis is to clarify, how biochar affects on the crop formation and yield of faba bean Vicia faba in Southern-Finland. The research includes 3 growing seasons (2010-2012), but the biochar was spred in spring 2010. The study was carried out at the fields of the Viikki research farm, owned by the University Of Helsinki. The study was a split plot experiment, in which as the main plot factor was biochar rate (0, 5, 10 t ha?1). As the sub-plot factor was used fertilizing rate (12, 26 and 40 kg ha?1). To analyzing the yield components, the crop mass samples from the vegetation of every experimental plot were taken. The samples were taken at the end of crop maturation, at the development stage of > 85 (BBCH). Then the samples were dried. The yield components from the samples were separated, such as vegetative (leaves, stalks) and generative parts (pods). After that these parts were weighed. Pods were also calculated and seeds were separated from the pods, and then they were weighed. From obtained data, it was then possible to calculate the key number of yield com-ponents. And finally, the statistical analysis were done with these data. Biochar reduced the plant density at dry growing seasons 2010-2011. But at the same time it enhanced the number of pods per plant and number of seeds per pod. At moist year 2012 there were no significant differences in these components. Biochar didn’t affect significantly on the seed yield of faba bean. Fertilizing didn’t affect significantly on any yield component. Biochar and fertilizing affected significantly together only on 1 000 seeds weight on the year 2010. The lack of statistically significant affects was possibly due to the high fertility of the experimental field. There was evidence that biochar may enhance yield formation of faba bean through the ability of plants to compensate the decreased plant density during dry years. In this situation, a plant in-creases the other yield components. Due to biochar, the tolerance of plants to drought stress can become better. As a conclusion, biochar can be remarkable soil conditioner in the future, in particular during dry growing seasons. However, in fertile soils of Southern-Finland, there are no expected big yield increases in the first three years.