Impact of Biochar Application on the Chemical Properties of Acidic and Neutral Soil

Abstract

Charcoal produced from plant matter and stored in the soil as a means of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The purpose of this research was to study the impact of biochar application on soil pH and chemical properties in both acidic and neutral soils. Three types of biochar were used in a greenhouse experiment: 1) red gram straw biochar produced at 400°C, 2) pongamia fruit husk biochar produced at 500°C, 3) Calophyllum fruit husk biochar produced at 500°C, and a control in which neither of the biochar was used. Each treatment was applied with four levels of 4t/ha,8t/ha.12t/ha and 16t/ha biochars. Each treatment was replicated five times and whole experiment set up was done in factorial CRD (Completely randomised design). Two-way ANOVA was also used to analyze the impact of the biochars on soil acidity and other chemical properties. The results showed the application of biochar increased the soil pH in both soils. The increase in pH was more noticeable in acidic soil. In acidic soil calophyllum fruit husk biochar produced at 500 °C applied at 16t/ha showed highest pH at all intervals except at 120 days. The increase in pH in neutral soil doesn’t show any particular pattern throughout the incubation period. In acidic soil exchangeable bases such as Ca, Mg, K and Na were highest in red gram straw produced at 400°C. In both acidic and neutral soils, there was no definite trend in micronutrient contents such as extractible Mn, Fe, Zn, and Cu. The incorporation of biochar can cause beneficial changes in soil chemical properties and improve the bioavailability of plant essential nutrients.

Impacts of Bamboo Biochar Amendment on Growth, Morphological Traits, and Biomass Allocation of Bambusa balcooa under Copper-Contaminated Soil Conditions

“…After 365 days of treatment, leaf area at different concentrations of 300, 600 and 1200 mg kg 1 Cu in comparison of mg kg -1 was less by 11.28 cm, 17.85 cm and 17.24 cm, whereas in treatments with biochar was 0.84, 10.32 and 11.82 cm, respectively as compared zero mg kg -1 treatment of Cu. Biochar improves the leaf area growth even in Cu-stressed plants by mitigating the Cu effects (Table 7).…”

“…Biochar application decreases the availability of heavy metals to the plant and concomitantly improves soil fertility [39]. The bio-solubility of heavy metals reduces to some extent by adsorbing Cu ions on the surface [1]. Notably, the different functional groups such as oxygen carboxyl, phenolic and hydroxyl on the surface can effectively interact with soil pollutants [17].…”

“…The rapidly growing population also increases ecosystem contamination and soil toxicity complications. The major component responsible for soil contamination is heavy metals [1]. Arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni) and lead (Pb) are common heavy metals classified as pollutants [2].…”

“…Recently, there has been increasing interest in the role of biochar in the remediation of contamination and its impact on soil as a soil conditioner [1]. Biochar is a carbon-rich product of pyrolysis, a reducing agent, a carrier of slowrelease fertilizer and a carbon storage agent.…”

“…Besides heavy metal immobilization in soil, biochar is utilized in water purification, carbon emission reduction and fixation [18]. With biochar, soil fertility is also enhanced by improving the soil structure and increasing the soil's organic carbon content, which is necessary for plant growth [1]. Although, several studies have been conducted on biochar amendments in the soil, the effects of biochar on B. balcooa morphology grown in Cu-contaminated soil have not been studied.…”