Abstract

A field trial was conducted at Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS), Jamalpur, Bangladesh during 2016-2018 with the objectives to increase the groundnut yield productivity and carbon accumulation in soil considering sustainable agriculture using biochar and biofertilizer (Rhizobium). The crop variety was BARI Chinabadam-8 and Bradyrhizobium strain was BARI RAh-892. There were seven treatments comprising T1: Control, T2: Soil test based (STB) dose following FRG-2012, T3 : ( T2 – N) + biofertilizer, T4 : ( T3 + biochar), T5 : (STB +Biochar), T6 : only biofertilizer, and T7: only biochar, which was replicated in three times. The highest number of the nodule (78.17 plant-1) was obtained from T4 treatment. The lowest number of the nodule (43.83 plant-1) was obviously recorded from the control (T1) treatment. The highest weight of nodule (122.97 mg plant-1) was obtained from T4 treatment which was statistically identical with the T3 treatment (115.33 mg plant-1). The lowest weight of nodule (53.67 mg plant-1) was recorded from the control (T1) treatment. The highest root weight (1.47 g plant-1) was obtained from T4 treatment and the highest shoot weight (35.47 g plant-1) was recorded from T3 treatment. The lowest root weight (0.65g plant-1) and lowest shoot weight (16.50 g plant-1) were recorded from the control (T1) treatment. The highest nut yield (2.30 t ha-1 ) was obtained from T4 treatment and the lowest nut yield (0.79 t ha-1) was recorded from the control (T1) treatment. It was seen from the results that the highest nut yield performed by T4 treatment might be due to the combining effect of biochar and biofertilizer. Rhizobium could be inoculated in biochar amended soil to improve nodulation and growth parameters of groundnut plants. On the other hand, the highest soil organic carbon (SOC) was recorded in soil amended biochar and biofertilizer, about 26 % more than the control. The highest total SOC was obtained where biochar and biofertilizer were applied, leading to increased soil carbon accumulation in aspects of sustainable agriculture.