Abstract
The effect of a slow pyrolisys biochar on the watercress ( Lepidium sativum L) root growth, on the sandy loam Albic Luvisol water retention, leachate acidity and mineral nitrogen leaching were studied in a six-week laboratory experiment. The experiment included four treatments: control soil; soil + biochar (20 t ha -1 ); soil + fertiliser (120 kg N ha -1 ); soil + biochar (20 t ha -1 ) + fertiliser (120 N kg ha -1 ). Spring wheat ( Triticum aestivum L) was sown to all the experimental pots. The soil in the pots was regularly watered to keep the water content at the field capacity level. When the wheat plants were strong with well-developed root systems, mineral fertiliser was added to the soil in liquid form according to the experiment setup. On the days 1, 3, 7, 14, 21, 28 and 41 after the fertilizer application high rates of water (400 cm 3 ) were applied to the soil. The leachate was collected and was tested for acidity (pH), available nitrogen in ammonium (N-NH 4 + ) and nitrate (N-NO 3 â ) forms. The water retention capacity of the soil samples was measured at water potentials between -5, and -300 kPa. The results have shown that the extract from the biochar had a stimulating effect on the watercress root growth. Water-holding capacity of the sandy loam Albic Luvisol was increasing after biochar application only at water potentials of â5 kPa and â10 kPa that corresponded to the soil capillary water. The studied biochar did not help in preventing N-NO 3 â or N-NH 4 + leaching from sandy loam Albic Luvisol.
Highlights
Intensive agriculture can significantly affect the movement of mineral components within the soil profile, and between the soil, atmosphere and hydrosphere
Biochar application can improve physical, chemical and biological properties of soils (Glaser et al, 2002; Juriga and Simansky, 2019), which has an indirect effect on increased yields (Liu et al, 2013)
In our earlier short-term experiment with more acidic soil (Abramova, Buchkina, 2022) we have shown, that leachate pH values were significantly increasing after high rate of biochar application (20 t ha-1) to the fertilised soil
Summary
Intensive agriculture can significantly affect the movement of mineral components within the soil profile, and between the soil, atmosphere and hydrosphere. The main processes involved are leaching of the components to the ground water, emission of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere and mineralization of organic matter (Hester et al, 1996; Ju et al, 2006; Cameron et al, 2013; Watanabe et al, 2018). All this results in soil deterioration and reduction in the environmental quality. Some research show (Hale et al, 2012) that biochar can contain dangerous inorganic and organic contaminants making agricultural utilisation of biochars questionable
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