Vine Pruning-Derived Biochar for Agronomic Benefits

Abstract

The agronomic benefits of biochar (BC) prepared by slow pyrolysis of vine pruning residues, which are produced in large quantities in Romania, were evaluated. Three soil types, i.e., slightly alkaline fluvisol (S1), slightly acidic chernozem (S2), and strongly acidic luvisol (S3), with mean values of pH of 7.99, 6.26, and 5.40, were amended with BC at a volumetric ratio between BC and soil of 20/80. A greenhouse experiment was performed for 109 days to assess the effects of BC amendment on bell pepper growth. The following treatments were applied: foliar fertilizer, BC, BC + foliar fertilizer (using two concentrations of foliar fertilizer solution), and a control. Strongly alkaline BC (pH of 9.89 ± 0.01) had a significant positive effect on the growth performance of bell pepper plants sown in the strongly acidic soil S3. The mean values of height, collar diameter, number of leaves, and root volume of plants grown in BC-amended soil S3 without foliar treatment were significantly higher (13–72% and 14–33%, respectively) than those of plants grown in non-amended soil S3 without and with foliar treatment. This beneficial effect of BC on bell pepper plant growth was due to the changes in the soil properties. BC significantly increased (up to eight times) electrical conductivity, pH, soluble phosphorus, potassium, and ammonium nitrogen concentrations of soil S3, and decreased its bulk density by 51%, resulting in improved water/nutrient uptake and plant growth performance. BC had no favourable effect on the growth parameters of bell pepper plants sown in slightly alkaline soil S1, and slightly acidic soil S2.

Residual Effect of Compost and Biochar Amendment on Soil Chemical, Biological, and Physical Properties and Durum Wheat Response

“…This lack of significant differences in soil water retention capacity at explored h among the treatments contrasts with some expectations based on previous research indicating potential benefits of organic amendments on soil properties. For instance, other studies reported that the addition of organic amendments determines a reduction in the bulk density and an increase in the water retention capacity in the entire potential range considered [58,73,[75][76][77][78][79][80][81], with effects varying as a function of soil textural composition, application rates, incorporation depth, and amendment characteristics, and with more marked effects observed in sandy soils [73,78]. In addition, an increase in the micropores (diameter of 5-30 µm), playing an important role in retaining soil water [82,83]; and the larger specific surface area of the biochar, providing more adsorption sites for soil water, were reported to improve the water content of soils amended with biochar [80].…”

Effects of Extraction Process Factors on the Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa L.) Fruit Extracts

“…One-way ANOVA with Tukey's HSD post hoc test was applied to evaluate whether the process factors had a significant effect (p < 0.05) on dependent variables in terms of TPC, TAC, AC, and phenolic compound contents. The values of dependent variables obtained at different levels of extraction factors were processed using principal component analysis (PCA) [34][35][36]. The Pearson correlation coefficient (r) was used to evaluate the strength of linear correlations between dependent variables.…”

Medium-Term Effects and Economic Analysis of Biochar Application in Three Mediterranean Crops

“…In some studies, grapevine residues were converted to biochar [80,81]. However, few studies have assessed the effect of biochar application on soils used for cultivating grapevines.…”