PHOTOACOUSTIC SPECTROSCOPY TO ANALYZE THE SOIL FERTILITY TREATED WITH BIOCHAR AND MICORRIZA

Abstract

For proper plant growth, soil substrates must be successful for chemical and physical properties in a way that ensures a high capability to reach the nutritional demand of the plant. A suitable nutritional method is the application of organic compounds, urea and, recently, biochar. Here, using the photoacoustic absorption spectroscopy in the visible range, it was analyzed the nutritional capacity of soil samples, submitted to different treatments. This analysis was carried out through the absorption peaks of A and B chlorophylls and cuticle of papaya leaves planted in soils with addition of biochar and with (without) mycorrhiza. All treated samples showed an increase in the peaks of chlorophyll activity in relation to the base sample. Moreover, the samples containing both mycorrhiza and biochar presented the highest peaks of chlorophyll activity, proving to be the best soil fertilization treatment.

Keywords:
photoacoustic technique; soil characterization; biochar; mycorrhiza