Biochar and Fertilizer Effects on Soil Properties and Maize Yield in Ethiopia

Northwest Ethiopia field study analyzes the integrated application of biochar, vermicompost, and inorganic N-P nutrients on acidic soils over two growing seasons (2023/24–2024/25). Research by Habtamu Tadele quantifies effects on soil bulk density, gravimetric moisture content, leaf area index, harvest index, and grain yield. The dataset supports a predictive model with an R² of 0.906 for yield based on soil and crop parameters.

Use Cases

• Predict grain_yield from soil bulk_density and gravimetric_moisture_content using regression analysis.
• Analyze the economic_return of different amendment rates (e.g., 4 t BC + 5.02 t VC + 120–30.2 kg N-P ha−1) versus yield outcomes.
• Model the relationship between leaf_area_index and harvest_index under varying biochar and vermicompost application levels.
• Compare the effect of high amendment rates (8 t BC + 10.04 t VC) versus moderate rates on soil physical properties and final yield.

Strengths

• Data spans two full growing seasons (2023/24–2024/25), capturing seasonal variation.
• Includes a strong predictive model for yield with a coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.906.
• Reports specific, quantified outcomes like a 10.8% decrease in bulk density and a 176% yield increase over control.

Limitations

• Dataset is very small (183.7 KB), indicating limited sample size and scope.
• Geographic scope is restricted to a specific region in Northwest Ethiopia, limiting generalizability.
• Specific row and column counts are unknown, complicating assessment of data volume and feature diversity.

Provenance

Source

figshare, authored by Habtamu Tadele.

Collection Method

Field experiment evaluating integrated soil amendment treatments.

Time Range

2023/24–2024/25 growing seasons.

Freshness

Data covers the 2023/24–2024/25 growing seasons and was last updated in April 2026.

Geography

Northwest Ethiopia.