Biochar-amended compost as a promising soil amendment for enhancing plant productivity: A meta-analysis study

Abstract

A meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the effect of biochar-amended compost (BAC) on plant productivity (PP) and soil quality. The analysis was based on observations from 47 peer-reviewed publications. The results showed that BAC application significantly increased PP by 74.9 %, the total nitrogen content of soil by 37.6 %, and the organic matter content of soil by 98.6 %. Additionally, BAC application significantly decreased the bioavailability of cadmium (−58.3 %), lead (−50.1 %), and zinc (−87.3 %). However, the bioavailability of copper increased by 30.1 %. The study explored the key factors regulating the response of PP to BAC through subgroup analysis. It was found that the increase in the organic matter content of the soil was the key mechanism for PP improvement. The recommended rate of BAC application for improving PP was found to be between 10 and 20 t ha−1. Overall, the findings of this study are significant in providing data support and technical guidance for the application of BAC in agricultural production. However, the high heterogeneity of BAC application conditions, soil properties, and plant types suggests that site-specific factors should be considered when applying BAC to soils.