IMPORTANCE OF CHARCOAL IN ORGANIC AGRICULTURE

Organic agriculture is a form of agriculture that relies on nonchemical inputs and ecologically sustainable techniques of using the soil, and maintaining control of pests, weeds, and diseases. The experimental site was cleared manually and the size of each subplot was 3.0 × 3.0 (9m²) with an inter-plot space of 0.5m. The treatment used was charcoal. Seed of cowpea was purchased at Wazo market, Ogbomoso. The study involved 30 experimental pots, with 10 serving as the control group, 10 receiving 30% charcoal treatment and 10 receiving 50% charcoal treatment. The ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) test was used to determine whether significant differences existed between the soil fertility levels and plant yields in the treated and untreated plots. Charcoal, when used as biochar, has shown promising results in improving soil health and enhancing plant growth due to its capacity to retain nutrients, enhance microbial activity, and improve soil structure. The proximate composition of the soil sample, particularly the balanced levels of protein, minerals, fiber, and carbohydrates, suggests a favorable environment for microbial and plant health, likely influenced by charcoal's presence in the organic system.