Biochar and Its Broad Impacts in Soil Quality and Fertility, Nutrient Leaching and Crop Productivity: A Review

Abstract

Biochar is gaining significant attention due to its potential for carbon (C) sequestration, improvement of soil health, fertility enhancement, and crop productivity and quality. In this review, we discuss the most common available techniques for biochar production, the main physiochemical properties of biochar, and its effects on soil health, including physical, chemical, and biological parameters of soil quality and fertility, nutrient leaching, salt stress, and crop productivity and quality. In addition, the impacts of biochar addition on salt-affected and heavy metal contaminated soils were also reviewed. An ample body of literature supports the idea that soil amended with biochar has a high potential to increase crop productivity due to the concomitant improvement in soil structure, high nutrient use efficiency (NUE), aeration, porosity, and water-holding capacity (WHC), among other soil amendments. However, the increases in crop productivity in biochar-amended soils are most frequently reported in the coarse-textured and sandy soils compared with the fine-textured and fertile soils. Biochar has a significant effect on soil microbial community composition and abundance. The negative impacts that salt-affected and heavy metal polluted soils have on plant growth and yield and on components of soil quality such as soil aggregation and stability can be ameliorated by the application of biochar. Moreover, most of the positive impacts of biochar application have been observed when biochar was applied with other organic and inorganic amendments and fertilizers. Biochar addition to the soil can decrease the nitrogen (N) leaching and volatilization as well as increase NUE. However, some potential negative effects of biochar on microbial biomass and activity have been reported. There is also evidence that biochar addition can sorb and retain pesticides for long periods of time, which may result in a high weed infestation and control cost.

Mechanisms of Chitosan Nanoparticles in the Regulation of Cold Stress Resistance in Banana Plants

“…Nanoparticles (NPs) are an effective tool for promoting plant growth and enhancing stress tolerance [17][18][19][20]43]. NPs have properties distinct from those of bulk materials due to their small size and larger surface area which, as a result, mean that their surface reactivity is higher [17][18][19][20].…”

“…Nanoparticles (NPs) are an effective tool for promoting plant growth and enhancing stress tolerance [17][18][19][20]43]. NPs have properties distinct from those of bulk materials due to their small size and larger surface area which, as a result, mean that their surface reactivity is higher [17][18][19][20]. Spraying plants with nutrients, growth hormones, and important elements is an important agricultural process that stimulates plants to resist abiotic stress [13,18,24].…”

“…In the case of the 200 mg L −1 treatment, these increases were 19, 8, 33, 33, and 4%, respectively. Spraying banana plants with the highest concentration of CH-NPs (400 mg L −1 ) increased the N, P, K, Ca, and Fe by 19,12,44,40, and 5%, respectively, compared to the untreated plants. C = control treatment without cold stress and without CH-NP amendment.…”

“…Indeed, nanoparticle (NP) compounds may have a significant impact on sustainable agriculture and the development of precision agriculture by maximizing agricultural output (i.e., crop yields) and minimizing inputs (i.e., fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides) via control of environmental conditions and the application of proper management [16]. NPs have properties distinct from those of bulk materials due to their small size and larger surface area which, as a result, mean that their solubility and surface reactivity are higher [17][18][19][20].…”

Assessing primary areas for a sustainable biochar application in soil by using GIS-based multi-criteria evaluation

“…In addition, biochar application may exacerbate the weed infestation as it can be sorb and retain pesticides for long periods of time. Alkharabsheh et al (2021) indicated that the application of high doses of biochar has inhibitory effects on soil aging. Aged biochar applied to the soil has harmful effects on the growth of earthworms, and it caused to a reduction in the roots and shoots biomass of rice and tomato plants according to Anyanwu et al (2018).…”