Effect of the Application of Sunflower Biochar and Leafy Trees Biochar on Soil Hydrological Properties of Fallow Soils and under Soybean Cultivation

Abstract

Soils enriched with biochar are recommended as a cultivation grounds, especially in case they contain significant amount of sand. However, the interactions between biochar and plants, as well as the influence of the biochar on water retention, cultivation and air properties of soils, are still not obvious. The present study aimed to determine the impact of various biochar doses on soils used for soya cultivation, in comparison to soils maintained as black fallow soil, on their water retention and productivity, for the period of two years. Sunflower husk biochar (BC1) and biochar of leafy trees (BC2), in doses of 0, 40, 60, 80 t·ha−1, were used for field experiments. The water retention was investigated with porous boards in pressure chambers by a drying method. No differences in the hydrological properties of the soils that were differently managed (black fallow soil, crop) were observed following biochar application. Addition of BC1, in the amounts of 40, 60, and 80 t·ha−1, caused an increase in the plant available water capacity (AWC) by 15.3%, 18.7%, and 13.3%, respectively, whereas the field capacity (FC) increased by 7.4%, 9.4%, and 8.6% for soils without biochar. Application of BC2 analogously resulted in higher AWC, by 8.97, 17.2%, and 33.1%, respectively, and higher FC by 3.75, 7.5%, and 18.3%, respectively. Increasing the doses of BC1 and BC2, both on black fallow soils and soils enriched with soya, caused a rise in total porosity (TP) and drainage porosity (DP), and a decrease in soil bulk density (SBD). Biochar with a higher total area and higher porosity (BC1) applied to soils with soya cultivation resulted in lower reductions in AW and FC than BC2 in the second year of investigation.

Effects of Heat Treatment on the Physicochemical Properties and Electrochemical Behavior of Biochars for Electrocatalyst Support Applications

“…However, none of these options meets the above requirements since in most cases, the waste must be collected and transported to processing centers, which increases costs; otherwise, the alternative option is to leave the waste in municipal landfills, where the separation of biomass can be conducted for different purposes, but not for the production of energy since there are no facilities for this purpose at the municipal level, so they only accumulate, causing sources of infection and damage to the environment [ 4 , 5 ]. On the other hand, the synthesis of biocarbons is friendly to the environment, in addition to being not only economical, but also providing added value to the organic waste [ 6 ] and having extremely versatile applications; for instance, biocarbons can be used for the filtration and adsorption of contaminants [ 7 , 8 ] and as soil rectifiers [ 9 , 10 ], among other applications; therefore, this can be an excellent material alternative to carbon, which deserves further research.…”

Plant-Waste-Derived Sorbents for Nitazoxanide Adsorption

“…The problem in studies with biochar is its powdered form that requires additional separation after the process [25]. The solution will be pelletized feedstock [26], thus wheat straw pellets, sunflower husk pellets, and pelletized residues from biogas production were used for the preparation of the biochar. The dense structure of the adsorbent is superior in practical application and enabled easier removal after the process.…”

Mineral Coating Enhances the Carbon Sequestration Capacity of Biochar Derived from Paulownia Biowaste

“…Photosynthesis converts carbon dioxide in the atmosphere into biomass, which is naturally decomposed back into CO 2 if not buried in the soil to form a clay-organic complex or transformed into biochar via pyrolysis. Biochar is chemically stable for hundreds of years or longer on the Earth's surface, thus removing CO 2 from the atmosphere long-term and holding significant promise as a viable solution for carbon sequestration [1][2][3]. Adding biochar to soil is considered a carbon-negative scheme [4,5] and contributes to climate change mitigation efforts [6,7].…”