Enhancing Agricultural Biodiversity through EFB Biochar -Trichoderma Synergies: Effect on Growth and Nutrient Content of Capsicum annuum

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6463-944-5_16How to use a DOI?

Keywords

EFB biochar (EFBB); Trichoderma biofertilizer; soil amendment; organic; Capsicum annuum

Abstract

Rising demand for palm oil increases waste production, mainly empty fruit bunches (EFB), which causes environmental pollution. However, EFB can be converted to biochar as a soil amendment. This research investigates how the integration of EFB biochar (EFBB) and Trichoderma biofertilizer (TBF) impacts the agronomic performance of C. annuum. While individual benefits of EFBB and TBF have been studied, their combined effects on C. annuum have yet to be investigated. Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with six treatments and four replications was employed. The treatment includes T1= Control (Chemical Fertilizer), T2= 100% EFBB, T3= 100% TBF, T4= 75% EFBB + 25% TBF, T5= 50% EFBB + 50% TBF, and T6= 25% EFBB + 75% TBF. The data collection included plant growth, yield, and nutrient analysis. Analytical procedures included SPAD readings, biomass quantification, Kjeldahl and ICP-OES analyses. C. annuum was cultivated in a polybag filled with topsoil under net house conditions and drip irrigation with a timer system for 120 days. The study revealed the positive impacts of combining EFBB and TBF on the agronomic performance of C. annuum, with 25% EFBB + 75% TBF treatment (T6) yields the best overall performance in terms of plant height (52.52 cm), fruit weight per plant (97.95 g), and number of harvests per cycle (2.90), indicating a strong synergistic effect. The findings provide valuable insights into EFBB and TBF application as a soil amesndment to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers. However, further studies are essential to confirm the persistence and scalability of the observed effects before making recommendations for commercial settings.

Copyright

© 2025 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Nurmaliena Rosli
AU  - Hasmah Mohidin
AU  - Suraiya Mahdian
AU  - Junaidah Mat Jusoh
AU  - Syahira Jos
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/12/26
TI  - Enhancing Agricultural Biodiversity through EFB Biochar -Trichoderma Synergies: Effect on Growth and Nutrient Content of Capsicum annuum
BT  - Proceedings of the International Conference on Sustainable Energy: Toward Energy Transition and Net-Zero Emission (ICOSE 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 217
EP  - 230
SN  - 3005-155X
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6463-944-5_16
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6463-944-5_16
ID  - Rosli2025
ER  -