Effects of the application of charred bark of Acacia mangium on the yield of maize, cowpea and peanut, and soil chemical properties in South Sumatra, Indonesia

Abstract Charred bark of Acacia mangium (bark charcoal), which is made of wood waste from pulp production, was applied as soil amendment for the cultivation of maize, cowpea and peanut to examine its effects on crop yield and soil chemical properties in South Sumatra, Indonesia. The yields of maize and peanut significantly increased after the application of bark charcoal under a fertilized condition in an infertile soil environment. In addition, increases in the root amount and colonization rate of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi after bark charcoal application were also observed in maize. In general, the application of bark charcoal induced changes in soil chemical properties by increasing the pH value,…