Evaluation of Biofertilizer Application on the Physicochemical Characteristics of Peat Soil under Drought Stress
Abstract
Peat soils are highly susceptible to drought stress because of their high organic matter content, low nutrient availability, and vulnerability to degradation under prolonged drying. This study evaluated the effects of biofertilizer application and irrigation interval on maize growth and selected physicochemical properties of hemic peat soil under drought stress. A factorial randomized block design with four biofertilizer rates (0, 10, 20, and 30 g polybag⁻¹) and four irrigation intervals (daily, every 3, 5, and 7 days) was used, with four replications, resulting in 64 experimental units. Measured variables included plant height, stem diameter, shoot dry weight, root length, soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, cation exchange capacity, soil porosity, and soil respiration. Analysis of variance indicated that biofertilizer application, irrigation interval, and their interaction did not significantly affect maize growth or the measured soil physicochemical properties (P > 0.05). Numerical variation among treatments was observed; however, the magnitude of these differences was insufficient to produce statistically significant responses. Peat soil exhibited a substantially higher respiration rate (2.76 μg CO₂–C g⁻¹ soil h⁻¹) than mineral soil (0.44 μg CO₂–C g⁻¹ soil h⁻¹), indicating greater carbon turnover under the experimental conditions. The results suggest that the inherent properties of hemic peat exerted a stronger influence on soil characteristics than short-term biofertilizer application or irrigation management during one cropping season. Further long-term studies are needed to evaluate the cumulative effects of biofertilizer on peat soil quality and crop productivity.
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.30596/agrium.v29i2.27590
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