Effect of pineapple waste biochar and compost application on pineapple yield and quality in a low nutrient Coastal Savanna Acrisol

Abstract

Pineapple production in Ghana is constrained by low soil fertility due to continued cultivation without soil nutrients replenishment. Inorganic fertilizer use in Ghana is limited due to high cost, unreliable supply, and hence poor accessibility to the smallholder farmers. Biochar and compost can be used as alternative or supplemental nutrient sources to inorganic fertilizers. The experiment was conducted to determine the effect of combined application of pineapple waste biochar and compost on pineapple growth, yield, and nutritional composition of three pineapple varieties in a low nutrient coastal savanna Acrisol. Seven treatments were evaluated, sole biochar, sole compost, compost + biochar, sole NPK fertilizer (NPK), compost + NPK fertilizer, Biochar + NPK fertilizer, and control. A split-plot design with three replications was used, with pineapple variety as the main plot and fertilizer application as the sub-plots. The MD2, sugar loaf, and smooth cayenne pineapple varieties were used as a test crop in the study. The study revealed that the soil at the experiment field had low nutrients contents, especially nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Combined application of biochar and compost or inorganic NPK fertilizer increased pineapple plant height and number of leaves compared with unamended soil. Compost applied together with biochar and NPK fertilizer increased pineapple yield in terms of fruit weight, length, and diameter. However, the application of biochar and NPK fertilizer influenced N, P, and K content in pineapple leaf. Total soluble solids, total phenolic content, vitamin C, and pH of pineapple fruit was influenced by compost and biochar application. Therefore, it can be concluded that a combination of biochar and compost can be used as a soil amendment to increase pineapple yield and improve fruit quality.