Impacts of High-Frequency Chicken Manure Biochar Application on N2O and CH4 Emissions from Vegetable Field in Subtropical China

Abstract

Vegetable production in Subtropical China is distinguished by excessive nitrogen (N) fertilization, frequent irrigation, and multiple crop rotations in a single year. The aforementioned variables are closely related to soil nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4) emissions. Hence, we conducted a field trial to measure N2O and CH4 emissions using static chamber–gas chromatograph. Four treatments were used: control (CK) with no fertilizer, 100% chemical N fertilization (CN), the conventional 30% chicken manure N plus 70%CN (CMN + CN), and 30% chicken manure biochar N plus 70%CN (CMBN + CN). The annual cumulative N2O emissions reached 12.4, 63.5, 111.8, and 44.1 kg N2O-N ha−1 for the CK, CN, CMN + CN, and CMBN + CN treatments, respectively. Compared to the CN and CMN + CN treatments, the CMBN + CN treatment reduced N2O emissions by 35.9%–65.7%, while it simultaneously increased the total vegetable yield by 16.1% compared to the CN treatment. Seven seasons mean N2O emission factors are 1.3% for CN, 3.8% for CMN + CN, and 0.9% for CMBN + CN. The CH4 emission was negligible, ranging from 0.07 kg CH4-C ha−1 for the CK treatment to 0.8 kg CH4-C ha−1 for the CN treatment. N2O emissions peaked under the conditions of an interior chamber temperature of around 31.9 °C and the water-filled pore space (WFPS) of the soil being approximately 60%. Future climate change will intensify, triggering higher N2O emissions from subtropical vegetable fields. CMB can be one of the best substitutes for direct chicken manure application as a soil supplement because it has a beneficial effect on improving vegetable yield and reducing N2O emissions in Subtropical China.