Biochar is one of the pyrolysis products of organic wastes which can be used as a fertilizer. Thus, considering the importance of reuse of agricultural wastes, this study was carried out to assess the effect of rice husk biochar as an amendment on some soil properties and corn ( Zea maize ) growth. The experiment scheme was a split factorial completely randomized design in three replications. The treatments were soil without biochar (control), soil+ biochar (1%, 2% and 3% w/w) and soil+vermicompost (produced from mixture of tea waste and cow manure at 2%w/w) which were investigated in two acidic and alkali soils, separately. Composite acidic and alkali soil samples including 4 subsamples were taken from a tea farm at Tonekabon (Mazandaran province) and Lavark Research Station of Isfahan University of Technology, respectively. The soil and treatment samples were air-dried and passed through a 2-mm sieve for primary analysis after transferring to laboratory. The air dried soil samples which were passed through a 4-mm sieve were mixed with amendments at certain levels and then the pots were transferred to a greenhouse for 45 days incubation. Soil moisture was maintained at 50% field capacity during the incubation period. Soil characteristics including pH, EC, soluble K, microbial respiration, available Zn, Mg, Mn, Fe and Cu (Extracted with DTPA) were analyzed every 15 days of incubation perid. Furthermore, CEC, available phosphorus, available potassium, organic carbon, total nitrogen content, lime content and bulk density were determined in the last 15 days of incubation. After the incubation period, the seeds of corn were planted in pots and harvested after two months growth. Then, shoots dry weight and uptake of nitrogen were measured. CEC, phosphorus, potassium, organic carbon and total nitrogen in both treated soils with amendments significantly increased and soil bulk density significantly decreased. During the incubation period, the use of biochar significantly enhanced EC, uptake of K, and Mn, and microbial respiration and decreased pH and available Fe of alkali soil. Adding biochar increased EC, soluble potassium and available contents of Fe, Mg and Mn and decreased microbial respiration of acidic soil. Adding vermicompost significantly increased pH of acidic soil and availability of Zn and Mn of alkali soil and also significantly increased EC, soluble potassium, microbial respiration, and available Mg of both soils. Increasing of incubation time significantly increased EC and soluble Cu in both soil and Fe and Zn availability of acidic soil, Howevere, pH, microbial respiration, Mg and Mn availability in both soils and available Fe in alkali soil were significantly decreased. Regarding the vegetative parameters of plants grown in both soils vermicompost was more effective than biochar. Vermicompost addition to the soil significantly increased shoot dry/fresh weight, root fresh weight, nitrogen uptake and stem diameter of maize in acidic soil, whereas shoot fresh weight and stem diameter increased in alkali soil. Overall, vermicompost was more effective than biochar on plant growth due to higher nutrient content. However, regarding the carbon content and soluble and available potassium in acidic and alkali soils biochar was more effective than vermicompost.