Formulation and characterization of biochar-based nutrient tablets to overcome plant nutrition deficiencies in agricultural soils

Abstract

To raise agricultural output and guarantee food security, slow-release fertilizers (SRFs) have emerged as a potential solution to the problems caused by the poor nutrient usage efficiency of urea and its environmental implications. These NutriTab fertilizers are designed to synchronize nutrient delivery I accordance with plant requirements. Densification of nutrient-loaded biochar into tablets can improve biochar handling and transportation efficiencies. It was proposed that nutrient-loaded biochar tablets might gradually release embedded nutrients in time for optimal nutrient absorption by crops. This plant nutrient tablet was made utilizing a single punch tablet press to densify a biochar-nutrient combination with starch. The purpose of this research was to formulate and evaluate plant-nutrient tablets. After tablets were successfully created, different characterization techniques will be applied to check the properties of slow-release fertilizer. The mean hardness of the nutrient tablets was found to be 2.2N/mm2, indicating good mechanical strength and suitability for transportation. The NutriTab is designed to dissolve within 15-20 days and persist in the soil as biochar, which functions as a soil amendment and removes pollutants from the soil. The FTIR and XRD analysis were conducted to confirm the presence of salts in the NutriTab fertilizer tablets, which were added as a source of nutrients during the tablet formulation process. The purpose of these tests was to ensure that the salts were present in sufficient quantities and had not been lost due to minute amounts. In pot experiments using Spinach and Brassica Juncea crops, the NutriTab treatment yielded exceptional results, with maximum shoot FM yield (0.94± 0.05 g), Root FM yield (0.44± 0.03 g), Plant height (8.78± 0.78 cm), Leaf diameter (5.8± 0.17 m 2 ), Root length (17.1± 0.92 cm), chlorophyll content (34.7± 0.9), Root DM yield (0.04± 0.003 g),No of leaves (26.5± 3.4) and Shoot DM yield (0.04± 0.003 g) from spinach was recorded. From Brassica Juncea, maximum Shoot FM yield (0.72± 0.06 g), Root FM yield (0.22± 0.01 g), Plant height (10.7± 0.48 cm), Leaf diameter (5.6± 0.3 m 2 ), Root length (12.7± 0.57cm), Root DM yield (0.04± 0.003 g), No of leaves (26± 1.8), and Shoot DM yield (0.04± 0.003 g) was recorded. This research concludes that biochar-based nutrient fertilizer tablets demonstrate a high degree of durability and nutrient preservation, making them an effective and efficient fertilizer option for plant growth.