Effect of Corn Residue Biochar on the Hydraulic Properties of Sandy Loam Soil

Abstract

Abstract:Biochar has an ability to alter the biological, chemical, and physical properties of soil due to its physicochemical properties such as surface area, porosity, nutrient retention ability, available nutrient contents, aromaticity, etc. The present study was designed to evaluate the impact of physical properties and application rate of biochar on the hydraulic properties of a sandy loam soil in the short term. Biochar was produced at 500 • C from dried corn residue (BC500). The BC500 was incorporated at the rates of 0, 2.5%, 5.0%, 7.5%, and 10% (w·w −1 ) into the sandy loam soil and filled up to a height of 4 cm, in cores having 5 cm diameter and height. Each treatment was performed in triplicate and equilibrated for 30 days. Then saturated hydraulic conductivity (K sat ), water holding capacity (WHC), and bulk density were determined in each sample after four days of saturation at room temperature in a water bath. The BC500 particle size distribution, pores, and surface functional groups were assessed. The K sat exhibited a highly significant exponential reduction from 0% to 7.5% of BC500 application and approached an asymptote at 10% BC500. Bulk density showed a significant negative correlation to biochar application rate. The WHC and BC500 application rate illustrated a strong positive relationship. Biochar surface was free from hydrophobic functional groups. The addition of BC500 has a positive influence on soil hydraulic properties, primarily due to the increased soil porosity. The BC500 is composed of a microporous structure and hydrophilic surface that retain water in sandy textured soils. The application of BC500 would be a wise investment to maximize the water use efficiency in soils for agricultural production.

Reconfiguration of macropore networks in a silty loam soil following biochar addition identified by X‐ray microtomography and network analyses

“…The decrease in saturated hydraulic conductivity in biochar‐amended soils was also observed in previous research (Brockhoff, Christians, Killorn, Horton, & Davis, ; Esmaeelnejad et al, ; Lim et al, ). Moreover, the saturated hydraulic conductivity of sandy or loamy soil decreased with the increase rate of biochar application (Brockhoff et al, ; Igalavithana et al, ). However, the reverse was true for loamy clay and clay soil (Eibisch et al, ; Gamage et al, ).…”

Synergistic use of biochar, compost and plant growth‐promoting rhizobacteria for enhancing cucumber growth under water deficit conditions

“…Moreover, biochar can hold large amounts of water, thereby improving the water‐holding capacity of soil . A number of studies under normal conditions report improvement in plant growth by biochar amendment . The data are limited, but a few investigations have found that biochar application mitigates the negative impact of drought stress on plant growth .…”

A scientometric review of biochar research in the past 20 years (1998–2018)

“…The research about biochar amendment for improving the quality of a sandy loam soil received great interest (Amoakwah et al 2017a;Cheng et al 2017;Igalavithana et al 2017;Sun et al 2017). The biochar amendment could effectively improve water retention capacity in a sandy loam soil (Aller et al 2017;Amoakwah et al 2017b;Hansen et al 2016;Igalavithana et al 2017) consequently decreasing the N fertilizer leaching (Sanger et al 2017;Sun et al 2017).…”

“…The research about biochar amendment for improving the quality of a sandy loam soil received great interest (Amoakwah et al 2017a;Cheng et al 2017;Igalavithana et al 2017;Sun et al 2017). The biochar amendment could effectively improve water retention capacity in a sandy loam soil (Aller et al 2017;Amoakwah et al 2017b;Hansen et al 2016;Igalavithana et al 2017) consequently decreasing the N fertilizer leaching (Sanger et al 2017;Sun et al 2017). The studies investigating the beneficial effects of biochar on soil properties and plant growth were conducted on a long-term basis (Griffin et al 2017;Haider et al 2017;Hardy et al 2017;He et al 2018b;Laird et al 2017;Luo et al 2017;Madari et al 2017;Qin et al 2016;Sanger et al 2017;Wang et al 2018).…”