Potential amendments for improving productivity of low carbon semiarid soil

Abstract

Applying soil amendments with high C content can potentially improve soil properties and increase crop yields. The objective of this 3-yr field study was to evaluate the effects of organic amendments on soil organic C (SOC), chemical properties, crop nutrient uptake, and crop yields in a low C sandy loam soil near Scottsbluff, NE. The field was planted to dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in 2017, maize (Zea mays L.) in 2018, and sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) in 2019. Char at 22.3, 44.6, 66.9, 89.2, and 133.8 Mg ha -1 ; biochar at 5.6 and 11.2 Mg ha -1 ; and composted manure and municipal compost each at 33.6 and 67.2 Mg ha -1 were applied and incorporated into the soil. In 1 yr after application, organic amendments increased SOC level in top 20 cm by 7-60%. In the second year, maize leaf tissue Fe was greater with char treatments and high biochar rate compared with the control. Greater Fe uptake in beet leaf tissue or trend for such was observed in amendment treatments at high rates compared with low rates and the control in the third year. Maize yield was enhanced with char, municipal compost, and high compost manure rate. Biochar was applied at lower rates than other amendments, and it had no effects on the parameters studied. Results suggest that locally available organic products can be potential soil amendments to increase SOC and enhance productivity. Care needs to be taken to prevent salt buildup and unwanted toxic material accumulation associated with amendments. INTRODUCTIONSoil degradation, nutrient depletion, and declining crop productivity are major constraints in agriculture, particularly in semiarid region of the U.

Applying coal char to cattle pens for sustainable agriculture in the semiarid US High Plains

“…In addition, adding char to agricultural soil along with chemical fertilizer or manure can provide other ecosystem service benefits such as SOC accumulation and soil health improvements. Maharjan, Panday et al (2021) reported an enhanced corn yield in a low C soil (7 g C kg −1 ; exposed subsoil) with char applied at >6.5 Mg C ha −1 . This suggests that C-deficient soils of water-limited regions may benefit more from soil amendments such as char or manure as they can increase soil water retention and nutrient cycling and supply (Blanco-Canqui et al, 2020;Panday et al, 2021).…”

Coal combustion residue for crop productivity in the semiarid US High Plains

“…This report underscores the significance of separating the application timing of organic amendments and herbicides and the benefit of incorporating amendments to avert herbicide absorption impacting their performance. Maharjan et al (2021) reported that the lower the original soil C level, the more significant and faster the CCR effect on soil properties and crop yield. The soil C in this experiment was 10.1 g kg −1 , but the yield benefit of CCR application was observed only in a few cases.…”

“…In contrast, Maharjan et al. (2021) reported improved maize yield in a dry bean–maize–sugar beet rotation with CCR applied at >6.5 Mg C ha −1 on exposed sub‐soil with C of 7 g C kg −1 , indicating that CCR amendments might have more pronounced benefits in soils with lower C content compared to those with higher C content. This underlines the significance of soil type in influencing the effects of CCR on crop yield, with low C‐content soils potentially benefiting from CCR due to enhanced soil water retention and nutrient availability (Blanco‐Canqui et al., 2020; Panday et al., 2021).…”

“…Numerous factors influence the effectiveness of C amendments in increasing crop yield. The CCR generally had a positive effect on soil chemistry (Blanco‐Canqui et al., 2020; Maharjan et al., 2021), but only CCR applied at rates ≤13.4 Mg C ha −1 reportedly reduced pH levels in a calcareous soil (Panday et al., 2021). The reduction in soil pH at lower CCR rates could be attributed to the dilution effect with CCR (Lai et al., 1999).…”

An Assessment of Plant Growth and Soil Properties Using Coal Char and Biochar as a Soil Amendment

“…During the coal pyrolysis procedure, volatile substances are released in gas and tar, accounting for up to 70% weight loss in the coal, and the remaining material (char) is porous activated carbon [21,22]. Heavy metal-containing soil amendments applied to farmlands can have harmful short-term or long-term effects on the wellbeing of people [23,24]. However, the CC and BC used in this study have very low concentrations of trace elements, which are far below the permissible levels in soil.…”