Effects of Different Soil-biochar on Physico-Chemical Soil Properties, Rooting and Growth of Bougainvillea glabra and Ficus benjemena Using Stem Cuttings

A study was conducted at the Department of Horticulture, KNUST, to determine the effect of biochar-soil mixes on the soil physico-chemical properties for rooting and growth performance using air-layering. A 2X5 Factorial Randomized Complete Block Design which consisted of five soil-biochar amendments (2 part Coconut husk biochar: 1 part Topsoil, 2 part Maize stover biochar: 1 part Topsoil, 2 part Rice husk biochar: 1 part Topsoil, 2 part Paspalum conjugatumbochar: 1 part Topsoil and only Topsoil) and the two plant type (Bougainvillea glabra and Ficus benjamena). Parameters measured for the air layers included; days to root emergence, number of survived air layers, number of rooted air layers and root length (cm) per air layer. The 2Rhb: 1Tp mix recorded the highest water holding capacity of 601.70%, 21.8 times greater than the Tp. The 2Pcb:1Tp recorded the highest percentage increase of air porosity of 10.6%, better than Tp. The total nitrogen in 2Pcb:1Tp at 4WAP recorded an increase of 38.7% as the highest among the media 4WAP. 2 part Maize stover biochar: 1 part Topsoil recorded 23.0% increase in organic matter 4WAP which was the highest among the media. 2Msb: 1Tp had a slight percentage increase of 6.0% as the highest among the media 4WAP.There was an increase of 45.7% 0f calcium content in 2Pcb: 1Tp which was the highest among the media at 4WAP. The results indicated that, significant (p<0.05) interaction between media and plant material type for the number of days to sprouting of Bougainvillea glabra air layers in 2Pcb:1Tp and 2Msb: 1Tp, 2Rhb: 1Tp1 and 2Pcb:1Tp, 2Rhb: 1Tp and 2Pcb:1Tp and 2Msb:1Tp and 2Pcb:1Tp influenced the number of fully developed leaves 5 WAP, 6 WAP and 7 WAP respectively. There were significant differences in the number of roots per air- layer of Bougainvillea glabra in 2Msb: 1Tp, 2Rhb: 1Tp and 2Pcb: 1Tp. Root length per air layers for Bougainvillea glabra was also significantly influenced by 2Msb:1Tp and 2Pcb: 1Tp.