Abstract
Greenhouse cultivation consumes large volumes of freshwater, and excessive irrigation induces environmental problems, such as nutrient leaching and secondary salinization. Pyrochar (biochar from high-temperature pyrolysis) is an effective soil amendment, and researches have shown that pyrochar application could maintain soil nutrient and enhance carbon sequestration. In addition to pyrochar from pyrolysis, hydrochar from hydrothermic carbonization is considered as a new type of biochar and has the advantages of low energy consumption and a high productive rate. However, the effect of these two biochars on water evaporation in clayey soils under a greenhouse system has seldom been studied. The relationship between water evaporation and biochar properties is still unknown. Thus, in the present study, water evaporation under pyrochar and hydrochar application were recorded. Results showed that both pyrochar and hydrochar application could inhibit water evaporation in clayey soil under greenhouse cultivation. Pyrochar showed a better inhibition effect compared with hydrochar. Correlation analysis indicated that the water evaporation rate was significantly positively correlated with bulk density of biochar (p < 0.05). Overall, application of pyrochar or hydrochar could both reduce soil bulk density and inhibit soil evaporation, and be available for greenhouse cultivation. However, the inhibition effect depends on the properties of the biochar.
Highlights
Greenhouse cultivation has developed rapidly in recent years in China [1], and by 2017, the area under greenhouse cultivation reached 3.7 Mha [2]
Researches showed that the effect of pyrochar application on ES depended on the properties of the pyrochar
The present study could offer a comprehensive evaluation of the effect of pyrochar and hydrochar on ES in clayey soil and a possible alternative method for saving irrigation in greenhouse cultivation
Summary
Greenhouse cultivation has developed rapidly in recent years in China [1], and by 2017, the area under greenhouse cultivation reached 3.7 Mha [2]. Due to the enclosed environment, greenhouse cultivation cannot utilize natural precipitation. Large volumes of freshwater are consumed as irrigation. Large areas of China have the problem of water shortage [3] and the water resource per capita is only one-fourth of the world average [4]. Excessive irrigation induces the risk of nutrient loss and secondary soil salinization [2]. Soil evaporation (ES) is a major proportion of water loss in agriculture worldwide, and 30% to 75% of the growing season’s rainfall is
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