Biochar for urban agriculture: Impacts on soil chemical characteristics and on Brassica rapa growth, nutrient content and metabolism over multiple growth cycles

Song, Shuang; Arora, Srishti; Laserna, Anna Karen Carrasco; Shen, Ye; Thian, Brian Wen Yao; Cheong, Jia Chin; Tan, Jonathan K.N.; Chiam, Zhongyu; Fong, Siew Lee; Ghosh, Subhadip; Ok, Yong Sik; Li, Sam Fong Yau; Tan, Hugh Tiang Wah; Dai, Yanjun; Wang, Chi Hwa

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138742

Cited by 41 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 70 publications

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“…Whenever UA takes place in potentially contaminated sites, the integration of peat or potting soil may also be an option to overtake contamination (Pennisi et al, 2016(Pennisi et al, , 2017, although at the expenses of increased associated environmental impacts (Dahlin et al, 2019), which on a large-scale could pose at risk the overall sustainability of UA (Meharg, 2016). Alternatives to commercial/potting soils should therefore be considered, these including among others composted urban waste (Shrestha et al, 2020), spent coffee grounds (Cervera-Mata et al, 2019) or biochar (Song et al, 2020), assuming they do not contain further contaminants and are suitable for plant cultivation (Beniston and Lal, 2012;Hardgrove and Livesley, 2016).…”

Section: Environmental Contaminationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Features and Functions of Multifunctional Urban Agriculture in the Global North: A Review

Orsini

Pennisi

Michelon

et al. 2020

Front. Sustain. Food Syst.

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Section: Environmental Contaminationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Features and Functions of Multifunctional Urban Agriculture in the Global North: A Review

Orsini

Pennisi

Michelon

et al. 2020

Front. Sustain. Food Syst.

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“…The effects of biochar on germination are still under debate, as several authors found contradictory results. Song et al [55] studied the phytotoxicity of biochar and reported a phytostimulatory effect rather than a phytotoxic effect. Liopa-Tsakalidi and Barouchas [56] also reported increases in germination after biochar addition.…”

Section: Effect Of Biochar Amendments On Plant Germination and Growthmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing the Effects of Biochar on the Immobilization of Trace Elements and Plant Development in a Naturally Contaminated Soil

Campos

Rosa

2020

Sustainability

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Soil contamination with trace elements is an important and global environmental concern. This study examined the potential of biochars derived from rice husk (RHB), olive pit (OPB), and a certified biochar produced from wood chips (CWB) to immobilize copper (Cu2+) and lead (Pb2+) in aqueous solution to avoid its leaching and in a pot experiment with acidic Xerofluvent soils multicontaminated with trace elements. After assessing the adsorption potential of Cu2+ and Pb2+ from an aqueous solution of the three studied biochars, the development of Brassica rapa pekinensis plants was monitored on polluted soils amended with the same biochars, to determine their capability to boost plant growth in a soil contaminated with several trace elements. RHB and CWB removed the maximum amounts of Cu2+ and Pb2+ from aqueous solution in the adsorption experiment. The adsorption capacity increased with initial metal concentrations for all biochars. The efficiency in the adsorption of cationic metals by biochars was clearly affected by biochar chemical properties, whereas total specific surface area seemed to not correlate with the adsorption capacity. Among the isotherm models, the Langmuir model was in the best agreement with the experimental data for both cations for CWB and RHB. The maximum adsorption capacity of Cu2+ was 30.77 and 58.82 mg g−1 for RHB and CWB, respectively, and of Pb2+ was 19.34 and 77.52 mg g−1 for RHB and CWB, respectively. The application of 5% of RHB and CWB to the acidic polluted soils improved soil physico-chemical properties, which permitted the development of Brassica rapa pekinensis plants. RHB and CWB have been shown to be effective for the removal of Cu2+ and Pb2+, and the results obtained regarding plant development in the soils contaminated with trace elements indicated that the soil amendments have promising potential for the recovery of land polluted with heavy metals.

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“…In this context, one significant point is that the processing costs can be externalized (held by the energy producer) instead of being charged by the growing media manufacturer [17]. Biochar is a source of organic matter, nitrogen and other nutrients that can be beneficial for use as growing substrate [12,[18][19][20]. The initial nutrient content and its rate of release into the nutrient solution should be computed in the final nutrient supply count.…”

Section: Advantages and Limits Of Soilless Agriculture In The Process Towards Sustainabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Soilless systems represent a valid approach to producing vegetable food for sale in local markets in urban and suburban environments. Urban horticulture is gaining relevance in food production [20]. The rising trend is driven by the increase in global population and by the projection that 70% of the population will be living in urban areas by 2050 [39].…”

Section: Advantages and Limits Of Soilless Agriculture In The Process Towards Sustainabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

The Evolution of Soilless Systems towards Ecological Sustainability in the Perspective of a Circular Economy. Is It Really the Opposite of Organic Agriculture?

Gonnella

Renna

2021

Agronomy

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Soilless cultivation systems were primarily developed in response to the excessive spread of soil pathogens; however, they also allow an optimal control of plant grow, high productivity and product quality as well as very high efficiency of water and fertilizer use. At the same time, consumers remain critical towards soilless-cultivated vegetables, mainly due to the perception of these techniques as unnatural, resulting from artificial growth and consequently characterized by low quality. This mini review analyzes the evolutionary process of soilless cultivation within a vision of agriculture that supports environmental sustainability as the central theme of the discussion. Current knowledge suggests that, although apparently opposite, organic and high-tech soilless cultivation have several common or converging points in view of a sustainable use of resources on the planet. As a consequence, new policies should be oriented toward a reduction of environmental “pressure” by introducing a process certification of low environmental impact, which, together with an adequate product certification, related not only to the environmental aspect but also to product quality, can reduce the opposition of the two cultivation systems.

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Biochar for urban agriculture: Impacts on soil chemical characteristics and on Brassica rapa growth, nutrient content and metabolism over multiple growth cycles

Cited by 41 publications

References 70 publications

Features and Functions of Multifunctional Urban Agriculture in the Global North: A Review

Features and Functions of Multifunctional Urban Agriculture in the Global North: A Review

Assessing the Effects of Biochar on the Immobilization of Trace Elements and Plant Development in a Naturally Contaminated Soil

The Evolution of Soilless Systems towards Ecological Sustainability in the Perspective of a Circular Economy. Is It Really the Opposite of Organic Agriculture?

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