Long term biochar effects on corn yield, soil quality and profitability in the US Midwest

Abstract

Corn production in the US Midwest has the potential to generate a large amount of crop residue for bioenergy production. However, unconstrained harvesting of crop residues is associated with a long-term decline in soil quality. Biochar applications can mitigate many of the negative effects of residue removal but data and economic analyses to support decision making are lacking. To explore sustainable and profitable practices for residue harvesting in central Iowa we used 11 years of soil, crop yield, and management data to calibrate the Agricultural Production Systems sIMulator (APSIM) biochar model. We then used the model to evaluate how different biochar types and application rates impact productivity and environmental performance of conventional corn and corn-soybean cropping systems in Iowa under different N fertilizer application rates and residue harvesting scenarios. A cost-benefit analysis was also employed to identify the economically optimal biochar application rate from both producer and societal perspectives. Modeling results showed for both continuous corn and corn-soybean rotations that as biochar application rate increased (from 0 to 90 Mg ha-1) nitrate leaching decreased (from 2.5 to 20 %) and soil carbon levels increased (from 8 to 115 %), but there was only a small impact on corn yields (from -2.6 to 0.6 %). The cost-benefit analysis revealed that public benefits, evaluated from decreased nitrate leaching and increased soil carbon levels, significantly outweighed the private revenue accrued from crop yield gains, and that a biochar application rate of 22 Mg ha-1 was more cost-effective (per ton) compared to higher biochar rates. Overall, this study found that applying biochar once at a rate of 22 Mg ha-1 allows for the sustainable annual removal of 50% of corn residue for 32 years, is profitable for farmers even with minimal impact on grain yield, and beneficial to society through reduced nitrate leaching and increased soil organic carbon levels.

Biochar's cost constraints are overcome in small‐scale farming on tropical soils in lower‐income countries

“…First, various online databases including Google Scholar, Scopus, the Web of Science and Crossref were searched using keyword combinations of 'biochar' and 'cost benefit analysis', 'economic' and 'life cycle analysis'. After considering whether the publications assessed the financial feasibility of biochar where applied to soil, 33 results were found to be relevant (Aller et al, 2018;Blackwell et al, 2010;Brown et al, 2011;Bushell, 2018;Clare et al, 2015;Dickinson et al, 2015;Field et al, 2013;Fru et al, 2018;Galinato, Yoder, & Granatstein, 2011;Granatstein et al, 2009;Harsono et al, 2013;Joseph, Anh, et al, 2015;Kulyk, 2012;Kumar et al, 2018;Kung, McCarl, & Cao, 2013;Li et al, 2015;McCarl, Peacocke, Chrisman, Kung, & Sands, 2009;Mekuria et al, 2013;Mohammadi et al, 2017;Pandit et al, 2018;Radlein & Bouchard, 2009;Robb & Dargusch, 2018;Roberts et al, 2010;Shackley et al, 2012;Shackley et al, 2015;Shackley et al, 2011;Sparrevik, Lindhjem, Andria, Fet, & Cornelissen, 2014;Steiner et al, 2018;Widiastuti, 2016;Widowati & Asnah, 2014;Wrobel-Tobiszewska, Boersma, Sargison, Adams, & Jarick, 2015;Zheng et al, 2017), consisting of 26 papers in peer reviewed journals, two grey literature reports, three book chapters and two postgraduate theses. These included publications such as Shackley et al (2011) that did not consider any agronomic benefits in their biochar application scenarios, but considered avoided waste disposal fees and coproduction revenues (biofuels, bioenergy).…”

Regenerating Agricultural Landscapes with Perennial Groundcover for Intensive Crop Production

“…A regenerative system with optimized maize hybrids could allow producers to remove and market more of the maize stover and generate positive yield impacts on the following crop. There is evidence that biochar, a byproduct of certain stover processing systems, when applied to fields, can also mitigate the potential negative effects of maize stover removal and also reduce nitrogen leaching from soils [192].…”

Soil loss and run‐off characteristics under different soil amendments and cropping systems in the semi‐deciduous forest zone of Ghana

“…For example, most of the few earlier studies (Jien & Wang, 2013;Aston, 2014;Hseu, Jien, Chien, & Liou, 2014;Nyambo, Taeni, Chiduza, & Araya, 2018;) that involved biochar effects on soil loss were mostly under simulated rainfall events and not under field conditions that involved cropping systems and natural rainfall regimes. Furthermore, most of the research on biochar production and applications has been conducted in the USA, Australia, South America, China and Europe (Gwenzi, Chaukura, Mukome, & Machado, 2015;Aller et al, 2018), whereas, such research in Africa is rather at the infant stage.…”