3.

1 Greenhouse Experiment

The study was set up in a greenhouse located at Institute of

Sustainable Agrotechnology, Sungai Chuchuh, UniMAP. The average

temperature at the location was around 33- 34 °C. There is a constant

supply of sunlight condition throughout the day. Plastic pots had been used

to plant the paddy. The pots were placed on the wood pellet to avoid

overheating due to its contact with the concrete floor. The pot sizes used

were 9cm x 23 cm x 26 of length, width and height respectively. Seedlings

were placed in the pots and have been watered once a day. The weeding

also has been done manually every day.

3.1.1 Soil preparation

5 kg of soil has been placed inside the plastic pots. The soil that has

been used was clay loam soil in which they manage to plant paddy more

efficiently compared to others type of soil. The soil has been dried for 3

days and crushed manually. The treatment method such as grinding and

sieving will affect the chemical, physical and biological properties of the

soil (ter Laak et al., 2007). Thus, the method of using grinder was avoided

since it will destroy the structure of the soil. The soil particle size was

crushed to approximately size less that 2mm.

 The soil was mixed with different types of biochar and with

different rates. Soil with no biochar in the pots was set up as a control

(Pratiwi and Shinogi, 2016). Table 3.4 shows the ratio in percent (%) and

gram (g ) of different rate of biochar for pot trial.

Table 3.4: Different rate of biochar for pot trial

RH RS
t/Ha (g) t/Ha (g)
0 0 0 0
20 56.2 20 56.2
40 112.4 40 112.4
60 168.6 60 168.6

3.1.2 Pot trial

The 40 pots of paddy had been used to conduct the experiment. The

amount of biochar that had been mix together with the soil were 20t/Ha,

40t/Ha, 60t/Ha and also a control (0 t/Ha). There were five replications in

each type of biochar and rates. The replication was used to determine the

average value of the further result. In each replication, there were 8

treatments with combination of different rates of biochar between rice husk

biochar (RH) and rice straw biochar (RS).

3.2 Plant Growth Analysis and Yield Components

Plant heights and number of tillers were measured for every plant on

20 days after transplanted and the next interval was 20 days . The

measurement of height was taken from the surface of the soil to the highest

tip of paddy leaf while for number of tillers were calculated for every plant

in pots. This measurement then was taken until 80 days after transplanted

and the data were recorded. The average of plant height and number of

tillers were calculated and recorded. For yield components of rice plant

were taken after harvested at 90 days after transplanted with more than 85%

of ripening. The components such are, number of panicles, panicle length,

panicle weight and dry matter weight. The data were recorded. The grain

yield of rice plant were calculated after few steps had been taken which are,

measuring of moisture content of grain, calculation of percentage of filled

grain and unfilled grain and 100 grain weight.