Vario macro chns analyzer

The pure soil from agricultural experimental field used as a substrate in EP was characterized as silty-loam texture (sieving and sedimentation method were used [38] ) (Table 2). According to the results of soil chemical analysis, the soil used was slightly acidic (1 M KCl in 1:2.5 (m/v) [39] ) and rich in humus (wet combustion method with sulfochromic oxidation [40] ). The soil was rich in total nitrogen (classification according to Woltmann) (dry combustion (Dumas) method [41] ). The elements C, N, and S were analyzed by dry combustion method on the Vario Macro CHNS analyzer (Elementar, Langenselbold, Germany, 2006). The supply of plant available phosphorous and potassium to the soil was very low (classification according to Baumgarten) (AL method; extraction with ammonium lactate acetic acid at a ratio of 1:20 (m/v) [42] ). The CEC value was 18.9 cmol(+) kg -1 (barium chloride method in the ratio of 1:40 (m/v) [43] ).

The first above-ground biomass harvest took place on 15 March 2019, while the second was carried out on 12 March 2020. Stem and leaves biomass was weighted directly after the harvest and expressed as t/ha. The water content in plant tissue was determined on a mass basis (gravimetric method [45] ). Total leaf N [41] , C [46] , and S [47] content (%) were analyzed by dry combustion method on Vario Macro CHNS analyzer (Elementar, Langenselbold, Germany, 2006).