International Journal of Life Science and Agriculture Research

An experiment was conducted at the research station of the Center for Arid Farming and Conservation Agriculture Research C.AFCAR during the 2025–2026 growing season. The experiment comprised two factors: two bread wheat cultivars (Erbil and Khanaqin) and six biochar application rates (0, 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 g m⁻²). Grains with a 90% germination rate were sown in October in pots with a 30 cm diameter, following the incorporation and thorough mixing of the biochar with the soil. A factorial arrangement within a completely randomized design was employed, and treatment means were compared using Duncan's multiple range tests at the 5% probability level. Plants were regularly irrigated and monitored until the end of the season.

The main results showed that difference between cultivars had no significant impact on the growth and yield of bread wheat. In contrast, the biochar processing applied at 500 g m⁻² it significantly outperformed all other concentrations, its positive effect progressively diminishing as the application rate decreased, achieving the lowest effect in control treatment. Specifically, the number of grains per spike recorded values ​​of (23 and 29 grains.spike-1); the 1000-grain weight recorded (41.17 and 48.0 g); and grain yield per pot recorded (9.33 and 17.0 g pot-1) for the 0.0 and 500 g m⁻² application rates, respectively.

Regarding soil properties, the electrical conductivity (EC) increases from 655.00 µS cm⁻¹ in control to 798.33 µS cm⁻¹ at the 500 g m⁻² rate, while the soil nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium contents reached 84.17, 81.67, and 212 ppm, respectively.

Olive fruit residue biochar; bread wheat; biochar application rates; grain yield; yield components; soil properties.

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