Is It Possible to Control the Nutrient Regime of Soils with Different Texture through Biochar Substrates?

Abstract

Understanding nutrient management is essential to ensure healthy and adequate food production, especially in the context of biochar applied to soil with different soil textures. Additionally, farmers are beginning to understand the importance of nutrient management and there are still several knowledge gaps in this area. Several studies on biochar showed its positive effects, especially in sandy and nutrient-poor soils. There is still a lack of information on the impact of biochar on nutrient regimes in texturally different soils with sufficient nutrient supply and favorable soil chemistry. This study investigates the effect of two biochar substrates (a) biochar blended with farmyard manure (BS1), and (b) biochar blended with farmyard manure and digestate (BS2) applied at rates of 10 and 20 t ha−1 alone or in combination with fertilization on the changes in sorption capacity and nutrient regime of two texturally different soils: (a) sandy Arenosol, and (b) loamy Chernozem, (both in western Slovakia) which have a favorable nutrient content. The results showed that in sandy soil, the BS2 at rate of 20 t ha−1 increased the sum of basic cations (by +112%) and CEC (by +93%) compared to the control. In sandy soil, the content of total P increased by +35 and +16% in BS1 20 t ha–1 and BS2 20 t ha−1, respectively, when compared to the unfertilized control. The content of total P increased by +18% in BS1 20 t ha−1 after fertilization compared to the fertilized control. In loamy soil, the content of total P increased significantly by +53 and +14% in unfertilized treatment BS2 20 t ha−1 and fertilized treatment with BS1 at 20 t ha−1 compared to the respective controls. Available Ca increased in sandy soil by +50 and +53% in fertilized treatments with BS2 at 20 t ha−1 and BS1 at 20 t ha−1, respectively, when compared to fertilized control. In loamy soil, available Mg increased by +13% in fertilized treatment with BS1 applied at 20 t ha−1. In conclusion, BS application at a dose of 20 t ha−1 had a stronger positive effect on soil sorption parameters in sandy soil than the application dose of 10 t ha−1. The same BS application rate significantly increased total P in both soils.

Optimizing Soil Management for Sustainable Viticulture: Insights from a Rendzic Leptosol Vineyard in the Nitra Wine Region, Slovakia

“…Aeration and subsequent soil organic matter oxidation result from soil tillage [27], leading to the stabilization of total C content, which was lowest in this treatment. On the other hand, the application of organic matter/manures/additives to the soil [1] as well as the creation of conditions for increased biomass production through higher available nutrient content [28], can be the result of a higher C content, as also evidenced by the findings in this study (Table 3). Total N content ranged from 1467 to 1936 mg kg −1 , in the first soil layer (0-30 cm) and from 1029 to 1254 mg kg −1 in the second soil layer (30-60 cm).…”

Biochar Substrates and their Combination with Fertilization as a Factor Affecting the Changes in pH and Surface Charge of Soil Particles in Soils with Different Texture

“…The result is that on the surface, the cations are absorbed from the soil solution. As Zołotajkin et al (2011) stated, ΔpH depends on the content of organic substances in soil, then it is obvious that the application of biochar substrates (because they are the considerable source of organic carbon) can influence the ΔpH values (Šimanský et al, 2019a), and in this way also the soil sorption properties (Liang et al, 2006;Novak et al, 2009;Šimanský et al, 2022). Overall, the average difference was distinct in both sandy and loamy soils during the period of 2018-2020.…”

“…Recently, the scientific community has focused its special attention on the biochar, the effects of which on the changes of soil pH have been documented under the different soil-climatic conditions (Hailegwan et al, 2019;Šimanský et al, 2022). After the biochar is applied into the soil, the increase of soil pH occurs, mainly in acidic soils (Horák, 2015;Heikkinen et al, 2019;Juriga and Šimanský, 2019).…”