Browsing by Author "Kamaau, Meshack Mutungi"

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    Iron uptake in spinach (Spinacia oleracea) using biochar-iron complex derived from sugarcane bagasse under greenhouse conditions
    (Journal of Scientific Agriculture, 2025-10-30) Kamaau, Meshack Mutungi; Mbuvi, Harun; Maingi, Francis M.
    Iron deficiency limits spinach (Spinacia oleracea) growth and nutritional quality, particularly in alkaline soils. By investigating the complexation of iron with sugarcane bagasse-derived biochar, this study aimed to bridge that gap and offer insights into an innovative approach for improving iron nutrition in spinach crops. This study also evaluated the efficacy of sugarcane bagasse-derived biochar-iron complexes in enhancing iron uptake under controlled greenhouse conditions. Biochar-iron complexes were synthesized via pyrolysis and treated with iron (FeCl3) at 0.25 M, 0.50 M, and 0.75 M. In the greenhouse, using a Randomized Complete Design (RCD), the experiment compared treatments including FeCl3 only, biochar only and biochar-iron complexes at 0.25 M, 0.50 M, and 0.75 M concentrations against an untreated control. Iron uptake in spinach leaves was measured over three months using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS). Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis confirmed key functional groups involved in biochariron chelation, while X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) revealed increased iron loading, peaking at 0.75 M. Analysis of variance from the greenhouse study revealed significant effects of treatment, time, and their interaction (p<0.001). Although the 0.75 M treatment produced the highest iron content (220 to 300 ppm), the 0.50 M biochar-iron complex is considered optimal, as it achieved iron levels within the FAO guideline range (80-250 ppm). In contrast, conventional FeCl3 treatment-maintained leaf iron at only 1.7-1.9 ppm throughout the three months, reflecting poor soil retention and rapid leaching of FeCl3. These findings highlight the composite’s superior magnitude and temporal stability of iron delivery. Sugarcane bagasse biochar–iron composite thus emerges as a promising, eco-friendly alternative to synthetic iron fertilizers for improving soil fertility and crop nutrition, addressing iron deficiency in sustainable food production.