Effect of Burned Multi-Crop Ashes on Faba Bean-Development Parameters

Abstract

The use of burned plant biomass ashes could help not only with respect to utilizing combustion residues, but also with respect to optimizing the nutrition of cultivated agricultural plants without harming the environment. With this aim, a pot experiment of the effects of multi-crop biomass ash on faba bean seedlings was carried out in the Academy of Agriculture of the Vytautas Magnus University (VMU). Four ash fertilization rates were tested: 1. unfertilized (N0, comparative-control treatment); 2. fertilized at a low rate (N1, 200 kg ha−1); 3. fertilized at an average rate (N2, 1000 kg ha−1); 4. fertilized at a high rate (N3, 2000 kg ha−1). Final observations showed that ash fertilization significantly increases the height of faba bean sprouts by 21–38%, the length of the roots by 10–20% and the chlorophyll concentration in the leaves by 17%. The average green biomass of faba bean sprouts consistently increased with increasing fertilization rate, from 56% to 209%. Dried biomass increased by 160–220%. With increasing ash fertilization rate, the percentage of dry matter in the roots decreased by 10–50%. We recommend fertilizing faba bean with medium (1000 kg ha−1) and high (2000 kg ha−1) ash rates, as these rates led to the largest plants with the highest productivity potential.