Impact of a woody biochar on properties of a sandy loam soil and spring barley during a two-year field experiment

Nelissen, Victoria; Ruysschaert, Greet; Manka’abusi, Delphine; D’Hose, Tommy; Beuf, Kristof De; Al-Barri, Bashar; Cornelis, Wim; Boeckx, Pascal

doi:10.1016/j.eja.2014.09.006

Cited by 140 publications

(90 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…Others have reported no yield effect (Cornelissen et al, 2013;Uzoma et al, 2011;Nelissen et al, 2015;Subedi et al, 2016aSubedi et al, , 2016bNielsen et al, 2014;Tammeorg et al, 2014;Suddick and Six, 2013;Schmidt et al, 2014;Bass et al, 2016). Conversly, few studies have instead described reduced crop yields (Deenik et al, 2010;Baronti et al, 2010;Marks et al, 2014;Nelissen et al, 2014;Bass et al, 2016;Butnan et al, 2015;Laghari et al, 2015).…”

Section: Biochar Effects On Crop Productivitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…On the other hand, Schmidt et al (2014) reported neither a grape yield nor quality effect after wood BC was applied to Swiss vineyard soils during a four-year field trial. A two-year field study in Belgian sandy soil with sub-acidic pH by Nelissen et al (2015) also found no effect on either spring barley or winter rye crop yields after wood BC application (22 t ha −1 ). Jones et al (2012) conducted an open field experiment in the UK and found no effect on maize yield in the first year of application on a near-neutral pH sandy clay-loam soil, but observed a 30% increase in hay grass yield in the second and third years.…”

Section: Interaction With Crop Typementioning

confidence: 99%

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Crop response to soils amended with biochar: expected benefits and unintended risks

et al. 2017

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Biochar (BC) from biomass waste pyrolysis has been widely studied due to its ability to increase carbon sequestration, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and enhance both crop growth and soil quality. This review summarises the current knowledge of BC production, characterisation, and types, with a focus on its positive effects on crop yield and soil properties vs the unintended risks associated with these effects. Biochar-amended soils enhance crop growth and yield via several mechanisms: expanded plant nutrient and water availability through increased use efficiencies, improved soil quality, and suppression of soil and plant diseases. Yield response to BC has been shown to be more evident in acidic and sandy soils than in alkaline and fine-textured soils. Biochar composition and properties vary considerably with feedstock and pyrolysis conditions so much that its concentrations of toxic compounds and heavy metals can negatively impact crop and soil health. Consequently, more small-scale and greenhouse-sited studies are in process to investigate the role of BC/soil/crop types on crop growth, and the mechanisms by which they influence crop yield. Similarly, a need exists for long-term, field-scale studies on the effects (beneficial and harmful) of BC amendment on soil health and crop yields, so that production guidelines and quality standards may be developed for BCs derived from a range of feedstocks.

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Section: Biochar Effects On Crop Productivitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Interaction With Crop Typementioning

confidence: 99%

Crop response to soils amended with biochar: expected benefits and unintended risks

et al. 2017

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“…Emerging data have shown that biochar used as soil amendment remarkably influences the physical, chemical, and microbiological properties of the soil. These influences include reducing soil bulk density, improving soil porosity and aggregation, increasing water holding capacity and water availability (Nelissen et al 2015;Zhang et al 2016), increasing soil pH, decreasing the toxicity of Al 3+ and Mn 2+ in acidic soil, enhancing the soil cation exchange capacity (CEC), increasing nutrient availability and nutrient use efficiency (Dong et al 2013;Yuan et al 2016), increasing gram negative bacteria (G -) and actinomycetes abundance, and reducing gram positive bacteria (G + ) abundance (Luo 2012). Both field and pot trials in tropical, subtropical, and temperate zones have shown that biochar soil amendment induces major increases in the crop yields of cereals, legumes, and tubers (Biederman and Harpole 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characteristics and Potential Values of Bio-Products Derived from Switchgrass Grown in a Saline Soil Using a Fixed-Bed Slow Pyrolysis System

et al. 2017

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“…Nelissen et al [8] reported enhanced WHC in sandy loam soil in response to biochar incorporation. The biochar incorporation increases the WHC due to the reduction of bulk density and the enhancement of porosity in soils.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The biochar incorporation increases the WHC due to the reduction of bulk density and the enhancement of porosity in soils. In the long term, biochar acts as a binding material to form stable microaggregates [8,61]. These microaggregates facilitate the formation of capillaries in the soil system [62] and thereby increase the water retention [63].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of Corn Residue Biochar on the Hydraulic Properties of Sandy Loam Soil

Igalavithana

Niazi

et al. 2017

Sustainability

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Abstract:Biochar has an ability to alter the biological, chemical, and physical properties of soil due to its physicochemical properties such as surface area, porosity, nutrient retention ability, available nutrient contents, aromaticity, etc. The present study was designed to evaluate the impact of physical properties and application rate of biochar on the hydraulic properties of a sandy loam soil in the short term. Biochar was produced at 500 • C from dried corn residue (BC500). The BC500 was incorporated at the rates of 0, 2.5%, 5.0%, 7.5%, and 10% (w·w −1 ) into the sandy loam soil and filled up to a height of 4 cm, in cores having 5 cm diameter and height. Each treatment was performed in triplicate and equilibrated for 30 days. Then saturated hydraulic conductivity (K sat ), water holding capacity (WHC), and bulk density were determined in each sample after four days of saturation at room temperature in a water bath. The BC500 particle size distribution, pores, and surface functional groups were assessed. The K sat exhibited a highly significant exponential reduction from 0% to 7.5% of BC500 application and approached an asymptote at 10% BC500. Bulk density showed a significant negative correlation to biochar application rate. The WHC and BC500 application rate illustrated a strong positive relationship. Biochar surface was free from hydrophobic functional groups. The addition of BC500 has a positive influence on soil hydraulic properties, primarily due to the increased soil porosity. The BC500 is composed of a microporous structure and hydrophilic surface that retain water in sandy textured soils. The application of BC500 would be a wise investment to maximize the water use efficiency in soils for agricultural production.

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Impact of a woody biochar on properties of a sandy loam soil and spring barley during a two-year field experiment

Cited by 140 publications

References 52 publications

Crop response to soils amended with biochar: expected benefits and unintended risks

Crop response to soils amended with biochar: expected benefits and unintended risks

Characteristics and Potential Values of Bio-Products Derived from Switchgrass Grown in a Saline Soil Using a Fixed-Bed Slow Pyrolysis System

Effect of Corn Residue Biochar on the Hydraulic Properties of Sandy Loam Soil

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