Biochar reduced nitrate leaching and improved soil moisture content without yield improvements in a four-year field study

Haider, Ghulam; Steffens, Diedrich; Moser, Gerald M.; Müller, Christoph; Kammann, Claudia

doi:10.1016/j.agee.2016.12.019

Cited by 256 publications

(148 citation statements)

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“…The significant reduction in nitrate leaching with biochar suggests that biochar can reduce N losses to groundwater and possibly increase N use efficiency (Hagemann et al, 2017; Haider et al, 2017). Indeed, some researchers have used biochar as fertilizer coating material to slow the release of fertilizers, matching the crop needs for nutrients and reducing losses of excess nutrients through erosion or leaching (Hagemann et al, 2017).…”

Section: Biochar Amendment and Nutrient Leaching From Soilmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biochar and Water Quality

Blanco‐Canqui¹

2019

J of Env Quality

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Biochar application is considered to be an emerging strategy to improve soil ecosystem services. However, implications of such application on water quality parameters have not been widely discussed. This paper synthesizes the state‐of‐the‐art research on biochar effects on water erosion, nitrate leaching, and other sources of water pollution. Literature indicates that in general, biochar application reduces runoff by 5 to 50% and soil loss by 11 to 78%, suggesting that it can be effective at reducing water erosion, but the magnitude of erosion reduction is highly variable. Co‐application of biochar with other organic amendments (i.e., animal manure, compost) appears to be more effective at reducing water erosion than biochar alone. A main mechanism by which biochar can reduce water erosion is by improving soil properties (i.e., organic C, hydraulic conductivity, aggregate stability), which affect soil erodibility. This review also indicates that biochar reduces nitrate leaching, in most cases by 2 to 88%, but has mixed effect on phosphate and dissolved C leaching. Additionally, biochar effectively filters urban runoff, adsorbs pollutants, and reduces pesticides losses. Biochar feedstock, pyrolysis temperature, application amount, time after application, and co‐application with other amendments affect biochar impacts on water quality. Biochar erosion and potential reduction in nutrient and pesticide use efficiency due to the strong adsorption are concerns that deserve consideration. Overall, biochar application has the potential to reduce water erosion, nitrate leaching, pesticide losses, and other pollutant losses, but more field‐scale data are needed to better discern the extent to which biochar can improve water quality. Core Ideas Biochar can reduce water erosion, but the magnitude of reduction is variable. Biochar combined with other organic amendments can reduce water erosion more than biochar alone. Biochar can reduce nitrate leaching but has mixed effects on phosphate and dissolved C leaching. Biochar filters urban runoff, adsorbs organic pollutants, and reduces pesticide losses. More field data on the effectiveness of biochar for improving water quality are needed.

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Section: Biochar Amendment and Nutrient Leaching From Soilmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biochar and Water Quality

Blanco‐Canqui¹

2019

J of Env Quality

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“…Recent research has identified several environmental and agricultural benefits of applying biochar, including carbon sequestration for reducing carbon emission into the atmosphere (Mašek et al, 2013;Mukherjee and Lal, 2013;Zhang and Ok, 2014;Jiang et al, 2016;Wang et al, 2016); phytoremediation of soil contaminants (Ahmad et al, 2014;Mohan et al, 2014;Wiszniewska et al, 2016); adjusting soil physicochemical and biochemical properties for agriculture (Herath et al, 2013;Githinji, 2014;Bai et al, 2015;Abujabhah et al, 2016;Bera et al, 2016;Haider et al, 2017); creating soil health by inducing growth of beneficial and suppressing pathogenic organisms (Lone et al, 2015;Abujabhah et al, 2016;George et al, 2016;Xu et al, 2016); and improving crop growth and yield (Vaccari et al, 2015;Agegnehu et al, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Benefits of Biochar on Rice Growth and Yield in Tropical Riparian Wetland, South Sumatra, Indonesia

Lakitan¹,

Alberto²,

Lindiana³

et al. 2018

CMUJNS

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Biochar improves soil quality. However, most biochar research has focused on aerobic soil conditions. The objective of this research was to evaluate the agronomic benefits of applying biochar on unfertilized rice crop, cultivated under transitional anaerobic soil conditions during early vegetative growth phase, and gradually drying out to fully aerobic at harvest time. This transitional condition is typical during the rice growing season of the tropical riparian wetlands in Indonesia. Biochar was applied in the form of fine powder at rates of 0, 0.4, 0.8, and 1.2 Mg.ha -1 ; no inorganic fertilizer was applied. The research was conducted on a farmer's paddy field at Pemulutan Ulu Village, South Sumatra, Indonesia from July to November 2016. Results indicated that applying biochar at rates up to 1.2 Mg.ha -1 increased rice yield, but restrained shoot elongation rate and plant height. During the vegetative growth phase, applying biochar significantly increased the number of tillers, leaves, shoot dry weight, and root dry weight. Biochar significantly affected the following yield components: number of tillers, percentage of productive tiller, number of grains per panicle, panicle density, percentage of filled grain, and weight of 1,000 grains.

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“…Under such conditions, soil amendments with organic materials, such as biochar, could enhance NH 4 + and NO 3 − retention and thus reduce N losses (Abel et al, 2013;Aller et al, 2017;Haider et al, 2017). Biochar is a C-rich solid product produced by pyrolysis under limited supply of O 2 (Lehmann, 2007).…”

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confidence: 99%

Tillage and Biochar Effects on Wheat Productivity under Arid Conditions

et al. 2019

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Urea is an important source of inorganic N under wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production system in Multan, Pakistan. However, the average N loss is high, ranging from 22 to 53% of applied N, which poses adverse environmental impacts. Reduced tillage and combined application of biochar and optimal N fertilizer could improve wheat productivity and reduce N losses. We evaluated the effects of two tillage (conventional and reduced tillage), two biochar (no biochar and poultry waste biochar), and three inorganic N rate (0, 60, and 120 kg ha−1) treatments on productivity and economic profitability of wheat production for two continuous growing seasons (2014–2015 and 2015–2016). Generally, reduced tillage increased wheat grain yield, protein content, and total N uptake by 0.2 Mg ha−1, 3.0 kg kg−1, and 37.0 kg ha−1, respectively, when compared with conventional tillage. Biochar application increased wheat grain yield, protein content, and total N uptake by 0.3 Mg ha−1, 6.8 kg kg−1, and 38.6 kg ha−1, respectively, compared with no‐biochar plots. Reduced tillage was economically profitable within the two cropping seasons, but biochar application was not, because of the high price of biochar (US$1.00 kg−1 biochar) and application rate (10 Mg biochar ha−1). Overall, wheat production under reduced tillage, no biochar, and the 60‐kg N ha−1 rate resulted in the greatest economic profit in this study.

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Biochar reduced nitrate leaching and improved soil moisture content without yield improvements in a four-year field study

Cited by 256 publications

References 115 publications

Biochar and Water Quality

Biochar and Water Quality

The Benefits of Biochar on Rice Growth and Yield in Tropical Riparian Wetland, South Sumatra, Indonesia

Tillage and Biochar Effects on Wheat Productivity under Arid Conditions

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