Co-composted hydrochar substrates as growing media for horticultural crops

Roehrdanz, Michael; Greve, T. R.; Jager, Megan de; Buchwald, Rainer; Wark, Michael

doi:10.1016/j.scienta.2019.03.055

Cited by 35 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…As shown by Liu et al (2017), the impact of biochar on soil water retention is strongly dependent on its porosity. Consistently with Roehrdanz et al (2019), our results indicated that incorporating biochar with low density and high porosity led to higher biomass production for basil and lettuce, respectively, which is most likely related to their beneficial effects on water availability. This is in line with Méndez et al (2015) showing that biomasses of lettuce grown on peabased growing media amended with biochar were positively related to the improvement of hydrophysical growing media properties.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Linking biochar properties to biomass of basil, lettuce and pansy cultivated in growing media

Nobile

Denier

Houben

2020

Scientia Horticulturae

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The use of biochar as an additive for growing media for the production of potted plants requires a sound knowledge of how its properties impact plant biomass production. This study aims at linking physical and chemical properties of biochar with horticultural crop biomass. For this purpose, we incorporated six different biochars into growing medium and grew basil (Ocimum basilicum L.), lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. var. crispa) and pansy (Viola wittrockiana Gams.) for one month in greenhouse conditions. We found that physical and chemical properties of biochars had a significant impact on plant growth. Biochars with low density and high porosity promoted the biomass of basil and lettuce. While nutrient concentration in biochars had no impact on plant growth, lettuce and pansy biomasses decreased with increasing biochar pH and basil biomass decreased with increasing biochar electrical conductivity. By identifying which biochar properties influence plant biomass, our study allows selection of the biochars which are the best suited for incorporation into growing media.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Linking biochar properties to biomass of basil, lettuce and pansy cultivated in growing media

Nobile

Denier

Houben

2020

Scientia Horticulturae

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“…These findings are in line with those of the previous study (de Jager et al 2020), which found no significant influence on the growth of Chinese cabbage using 5% HC. Few other studies have also reported a similar absence of seed germination-and plant growth inhibition, as well as contrasting effects on yield using various application rates (Bargmann et al 2013b;2014b;Puccini et al 2018;Röhrdanz et al 2019). Such findings have been attributed to a variety of mechanisms, including the removal of the potentially harmful substances inherent in HC via the HTC production parameters; by storage and/or aging the HC after production; by means of gaseous release prompted by openair experimental conditions; as well as the decomposition of phytotoxic compounds by microorganisms (Bargmann et al 2013b;2014b;Puccini et al 2018).…”

Section: Biomass Productionmentioning

confidence: 69%

“…As such, soil parameters and organic amendments to soils are less important for seed germination and have more influence once the seedlings emerge from the seed and become photoautotrophic. However, the absence of seed germination inhibition following HC application to soils contradicts numerous studies, which attribute this hindrance to the phytotoxic nature of the HC, due to its content of, inter alia, volatile fatty acids, phenols and tannins (Bargmann et al 2013b;2014a;Puccini et al 2018;Röhrdanz et al 2019).…”

Section: Seed Germinationmentioning

confidence: 99%

An investigation of the effects of hydrochar application rate on soil amelioration and plant growth in three diverse soils

Jager

Giani

2021

Biochar

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The hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of biogas digestate alters the raw materials inherent characteristics to produce a carbon (C)-rich hydrochar (HC), with an improved suitability for soil amelioration. Numerous studies report conflicting impacts of various HC application rates on soil properties and plant growth. In this study, the influence of HC application rate on soil improvement and plant growth aspects was investigated in three diverse soils (Chernozem, Podzol, and Gleysol). Pot trials were conducted in which all soils were amended with 5, 10, 20 and 30% (w/w) HC in quintuplicate, with two controls of pure soil (with and without plants, respectively) also included. Prior to potting, soil samples were collected from all HC-amended soils and controls and analyzed for soil pH, plant available nutrients (PO4-P and K), and microbial activity using standard laboratory and statistical methods. Immediately after potting, a 6-week seed germination experiment using Chinese cabbage was conducted to determine germination success, followed by a plant growth experiment of equal duration and plant species to determine biomass success. At the end of the study (after a total plant growth period of 12 weeks), each pot was sampled and comparatively analyzed for the same soil properties as at the beginning of the study. Soil pH shifted toward the pH of the HC (6.6) in all soils over the course of the study, but was most expressed in the 20% and 30% application rates, confirming the well-documented liming effect of HC. The addition of HC increased the PO4-P and K contents, particularly with 20% and 30% HC amendments. These results are proposedly due to the large labile C fraction of the HC, which is easily degradable by microorganisms. The rapid decomposition of this C fraction prompted the quick release of the HCs inherently high PO4-P and K content into the soil, and in turn, further stimulated microbial activity, until this fraction was essentially depleted. HC addition did not inhibit seed germination at any rate, presumably due to a lack of phytotoxic compounds in the HC from aging and microbial processes, and furthermore, showed no significant impact (positive or negative) on plant growth in any soil, despite improved soil conditions. In conclusion, although less pronounced, soil improvements were still achievable and maintainable at lower application rates (5% and 10%), whereas higher rates did not ensure greater benefits for plant growth. While the addition of high rates of HC did not detrimentally effect soil quality or plant growth, it could lead to leaching if the nutrient supply exceeds plant requirements and the soil’s nutrient retention capacity. Therefore, this study validates the previous study in the effectiveness of the biogas digestate HC for soil amelioration and suggests that smaller regularly repeated HC applications may be recommendable for soil improvement.

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“…Different kinds of hydrochar have been evaluated as soil conditioners due to some similarities with biochar, such as high carbon content [23][24][25][26][27][28]. Studies showed that the response to application of carbonaceous materials, as hydrochar and biochar, to the soil depends not only on the biomass used in the thermochemical conversion process, but also on the reaction parameters applied [29][30][31][32][33].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hydrochar from sugarcane industry by-products: assessment of its potential use as a soil conditioner by germination and growth of maize

Fregolente

Santos

Mazzati

et al. 2021

Chem. Biol. Technol. Agric.

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Background Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is a thermochemical process to convert biomass in carbon-rich materials (hydrochar). The use of sugarcane industry by-products in HTC has been evaluated, generating a hydrochar rich in nutrients, which could be used as a soil conditioner. We raised the hypothesis that the application of hydrochar in soil can improve its nutrient characteristics, bringing a better environment and favouring plant growth, expecting a development similar to that one observed in anthropogenic soils. Results Germination studies were performed expecting a species-dependent response, using maize and tomato seeds, whose development was assessed in two soluble fractions obtained from hydrochar aiming to evaluate different rhizosphere conditions. The results showed a better development of maize, especially in the aqueous soluble fraction, whose nutrient concentration was lower than that of the acid soluble fraction, as well as the organic composition. Maize growth in soils showed a better initial development in ultisol compared to oxisol, this being inferred by root:shoot biomass ratio and by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images. However, the development of maize was better in anthropogenic soil compared to soils that received hydrochar. Conclusion The maize growth, compared with that carried out in anthropogenic soil, suggests that during the period evaluated the addition of hydrochar in soil did not have a negative effect upon maize development in its initial phase, and could have even favoured rooting in ultisol.

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Co-composted hydrochar substrates as growing media for horticultural crops

Cited by 35 publications

References 19 publications

Linking biochar properties to biomass of basil, lettuce and pansy cultivated in growing media

Linking biochar properties to biomass of basil, lettuce and pansy cultivated in growing media

An investigation of the effects of hydrochar application rate on soil amelioration and plant growth in three diverse soils

Hydrochar from sugarcane industry by-products: assessment of its potential use as a soil conditioner by germination and growth of maize

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