Biochar In Agriculture Research Articles

Quantitative Analysis of Major Metals in Agricultural Biochar Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy with an Adaboost Artificial Neural Network Algorithm.

To promote the green development of agriculture by returning biochar to farmland, it is of great significance to simultaneously detect heavy and nutritional metals in agricultural biochar. This work aimed first to apply laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) for the determination of heavy (Pb, Cr) and nutritional (K, Na, Ca, Mg, Cu, and Zn) metals in agricultural biochar. Each batch of collected biochar was prepared to a standardized sample using the separating and milling method. Two types of univariate analysis model were developed using peak intensity and integration area of the sensitive emission lines, but the performance did not satisfy the requirements of practical application because of the poor correlations between the measured values and predicted values, as well as large relative standard deviation of the prediction (RSDP) values. An ensemble learning algorithm, adaboost backpropagation artificial neural network (BP-Adaboost), was then used to develop the multivariate analysis models, which had a more robust performance than traditional univariate analysis, partial least squares regression (PLSR), and backpropagation artificial neural network (BP-ANN). The optimized RSDP values for K, Ca, Mg, and Cu were less than 10%, while the RSDP values for Pb, Cr, Zn, and Na were in the range of 10–20%. Moreover, the pairwise t-test of its prediction set showed that there was no significant difference between the measurements of LIBS and ICP-MS. The promising results indicate that rapid and simultaneous detection of major heavy and nutritional metals in agricultural biochar can be achieved using LIBS and reasonable chemometric algorithms.

Biomonitoring of phthalate esters in breast-milk and urine samples as biomarkers for neonates' exposure, using modified quechers method with agricultural biochar as dispersive solid-phase extraction absorbent

Phthalates are known hepatotoxins and carcinogens besides being endocrine disruptors with a possible link to adverse reproductive and neuro-developmental outcomes. Their use in diverse industrial, consumer and personal care products resulted in widespread exposure of the human population, particularly vulnerable groups including pregnant women and infants. This study focused on the assessment of the levels of phthalates in the breast-milk and urine samples of lactating mothers using a modified QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe) technique. The extracts obtained with acetonitrile solvent were purified using agricultural materials (spent seedcake of Calophyllum inophyllum, coconut husk (Cocos nucifera) and Moringa oleifera seeds) as dispersive solid-phase extraction (d-SPE) absorbents before gas chromatography analyses. The method's performance in terms of purification efficiency and recovery were evaluated before applying the method for the extraction of phthalates from breast-milk and urine samples.Calibration curves for all the phthalates determined showed correlation coefficients better than 0.99 with detection limits ranging from 0.012 to 0.020 µg/L. The proposed method showed satisfactory recoveries at two fortification levels (5 µg/L & 100 µg/L) with the least recovery being 83% with good precision indicated by relative standard deviations < 20%. The results showed significant correlations between bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (BEHP) levels in Breast-milk and medication use, intravenous transfusion and caesarean mode of delivery. Diethyl phthalate (DEP) in urine correlated significantly with the use of cosmetics and personal care products. The high concentration of phthalates in nursing mothers' breast-milk may be an indication of neonates exposure to the chemical.

A Review of Biochar Properties and Their Utilization in Crop Agriculture and Livestock Production

When it comes to the use of biochar in agriculture, the majority of research conducted in the last decade has focused on its application as a soil amendment and for soil remediation. This treatment improves soil quality, increases crops yields, and sequestrates atmospheric carbon to the soil. Another widely studied aspect connecting biochar with agriculture is the composting processes of various agricultural waste with the addition of biochar. Obtaining the material via the pyrolysis of agricultural waste, including animal manure, has also been investigated. However, given the remarkable properties of biochar, its application potential could be utilized in other areas not yet thoroughly investigated. This review paper summarizes the last decade of research on biochar and its use in crop agriculture and livestock production. Knowledge gaps are highlighted, such as using biochar for the mitigation of odorous emissions from animal manure and by feeding the biochar to animals.

Biomonitoring tools for biochar and biochar-compost amended soil under viticulture: Looking at exposure and effects

Benefits that biochar can bring to unirrigated vineyards are related mainly to soil chemistry, soil structure and water retention improvements. Little is still known about effects of biochar on soil biotic processes and organisms that mediate them. For a sustainable use of biochar in agriculture, alone or in combination with other soil amendments, there is a need for better understanding of soil-biochar-biota interactions, particularly in the long term. Here we applied an ecotoxicological monitoring programme to evaluate the effects of field plot-scale biochar and biochar-compost mixture into vineyard soil. Standard and well described laboratory bioassays were used, assessing the survival and reproduction of Folsomia candida and food consumption and biomass change of Porcellionides pruinosus. The present study examined the effects of biochar- and biochar-compost-enriched soil treatments in a commercial vineyard subjected to conventional pesticide management practices. We considered two sampling events, corresponding to: i) the time of initial application of fresh biochar and biochar-compost (T0); and ii) the 18 month-period after the application of the amendments (T18). Additionally, based on the time and rates of the pesticides application prior to the second sampling event, a theoretical exposure was estimated alongside with risk quotients. The risk quotients were elevated for certain active ingredients in the mixture (cyprodinil, propiconazole, copper oxychloride and copper sulfate). This corroborates the overall decrease in organisms' performance observed after they were exposed to the field-aged samples. The ecotoxicological response to the tested biochar and biochar-compost enriched soil was species-specific, time-dependent, and to some extent, treatment-dependent. The most sensitive endpoint obtained in the study was the reproduction output of F. candida. While freshly amended soil did not induce substantial changes on organisms' performance, the measured endpoints were significantly lower when the organisms were exposed to the treatments from the second sampling event which was subjected to various climatic factors and conventional pesticides. Regarding food consumption of P. pruinosus, and number of F. candida juveniles the effects were more pronounced in 40 t ha−1 biochar and biochar-compost amended treatments than in 4 t ha−1 treatment. Results of the study show that bioavailability of potentially toxic elements might not be prevented over time by the presence of biochar and biochar-compost in commercial vineyards that receive conventional plant protection products.

Biochar properties and soil type drive the uptake of macro‐ and micronutrients in maize (Zea mays L.)

AbstractThe use of biochar in agriculture is a promising management tool to mitigate soil degradation and anthropogenic climate change. However, biochar effects on soil nutrient bioavailability are complex and several concurrent processes affecting nutrient bioavailability can occur in biochar‐amended soils. In a short‐term pot experiment, the concentration of N, P, K, S, Ca, Mg, Cu, Zn, Mn, B, Fe, and Na in the shoots of maize grown in three different soil types [sandy soil (S1), sandy loam (S2), and sandy clay loam (S3)] was investigated. The soils were either unamended or amended with two different biochars [wheat straw biochar (SBC) or pine wood biochar (WBC)] at two P fertilizer regimes (–/+ P). We used three‐way ANOVA and Principal Component Analyses (PCA) of transformed ionomic data to identify the effects of biochar, soil, and P fertilizer on the shoot nutrient concentrations. Three distinct effects of biochar on the shoot ionome were detected: (1) both biochars added excess K to all three soils causing an antagonistic effect on the uptake of Ca and Mg in maize shoots. (2) Mn uptake was affected by biochar with varying effects depending on the combined effect of biochar and soil properties. (3) WBC increased maize uptake of B, despite the fact that WBC increased soil pH and added additional calcite to the soil, which would be expected to reduce B bioavailability. The results of this study highlight the fact that the bioavailability of several macro and micronutrients is affected by biochar application to soil and that these effects depend on the combined effect of biochar and soils with different properties.

Biochar in the Agroecosystem-Climate-Change-Sustainability Nexus.

Interest in the use of biochar in agriculture has increased exponentially during the past decade. Biochar, when applied to soils is reported to enhance soil carbon sequestration and provide other soil productivity benefits such as reduction of bulk density, enhancement of water-holding capacity and nutrient retention, stabilization of soil organic matter, improvement of microbial activities, and heavy-metal sequestration. Furthermore, biochar application could enhance phosphorus availability in highly weathered tropical soils. Converting the locally available feedstocks and farm wastes to biochar could be important under smallholder farming systems as well, and biochar use may have applications in tree nursery production and specialty-crop management. Thus, biochar can contribute substantially to sustainable agriculture. While these benefits and opportunities look attractive, several problems, and bottlenecks remain to be addressed before widespread production and use of biochar becomes popular. The current state of knowledge is based largely on limited small-scale studies under laboratory and greenhouse conditions. Properties of biochar vary with both the feedstock from which it is produced and the method of production. The availability of feedstock as well as the economic merits, energy needs, and environmental risks—if any—of its large-scale production and use remain to be investigated. Nevertheless, available indications suggest that biochar could play a significant role in facing the challenges posed by climate change and threats to agroecosystem sustainability.

Willingness to Adopt Biochar in Agriculture: The Producer’s Perspective

Most research on biochar has focused either on the mechanistic or the biophysical aspects, and there has been relatively little research into the social applicability and acceptance of biochar as a soil enhancer in agriculture. However, whether to adopt biochar in their practice is ultimately the farmers’ decision, and their willingness to do so is crucial. Here, we show the producer’s perspective on adopting biochar, using Polish farmers as a case study. Poland is an interesting case study because biochar has only recently attracted the attention of researchers, entrepreneurs, and other stakeholders there. We performed standardized, semi-structured interviews with 161 Polish farmers to evaluate the socioeconomic potential of biochar application in practice. We found that 27% of the respondents claimed to be familiar with biochar. The respondents with a technical, non-agricultural level of education were most familiar with the term ‘biochar’ (36%), followed by the group of respondents with a higher-level agricultural education (31%). It was surprising that among the latter respondents, the majority (69%) did not know the term ‘biochar’, either in the context used for this study or in any other context. Twenty percent of the respondents expressed an interest in using biochar, while 43% were not willing to adopt it in their agricultural practice (37% ‘did not know yet’). If a farmer was familiar with the concept of sustainable agriculture, the probability of familiarity with biochar increased by 16% (p &lt; 0.05). In addition, farmers interested in using biochar indicated that sustainable agriculture might improve the financial situation of their farms (52%). The perceived benefits of biochar that drive the willingness to adopt it included improved soil quality and increased income due to increased yields, while the constraints on its adoption were associated mainly with high costs. Our results also point to the necessity of information flow as well as engaging farmers in participatory research to adjust the research to their needs. Furthermore, our results highlight the importance of transparency with the farmers and appropriate dissemination and presentation of both the positive and the negative aspects of biochar adoption. We urge those studying biochar to engage in more interdisciplinary research and to go beyond laboratory and field research. Many innovations, even those that work, will not be adopted if socioeconomic considerations are not incorporated into the research.

Research progress in effects of biochar application on crop growth and synergistic mechanism of biochar with fertilizer

The application of biochar made from crop straw to soil has already become a research hotspot in the field of agriculture at home and abroad, because it can increase crop production capacity with specific environmental benefits. This review summarized the progress of recent research regarding the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of biochar on crop growth, with particular emphasis on the interactions between crop roots and biochar in soil. The biological effects of the interactions between fertilizer and biochar application and the probable mechanisms underlying the synergistic effect were discussed. The current work proposed the prospects of biochar in agriculture and would promote the relative researches in China. The recent researches indicated that auxin and related signaling molecules play a key role in the growth stimulation in response to biochar application by promoting the expression of genes controlling cell expansion, loosening of the cell wall, and membrane transport for water and nutrients. Biochar and its interaction with plant roots could directly or indirectly influence the physical, chemical and biological properties of soil, which would regulate the function and synergistic effects of biochar coupled with fertilizer.

Current economic obstacles to biochar use in agriculture and climate change mitigation

ABSTRACTBiochar may become a key instrument at the nexus of managed carbon flows, including value added potential in soil amelioration, climate protection, energy supply and organic waste management. This article reflects the potential use of biochar in agriculture from the perspective of the farming economy. Biochar soil amendment in crop production is regarded as a win–win situation, both for assumed increases in cropping yields and carbon sequestration in soil organic matter. However, an extensive review on biochar effect on crop yield has not yet been able to provide compelling arguments to foster more widespread biochar use in cropping systems. Furthermore, the half-lives of biochars are frequently shorter than commonly suggested, and other financial incentives, such as including biochar in carbon credit systems, are not in place to compensate for the extra cost of applying biochar. As a result, we conclude with a somewhat skeptical view for a widespread use of biochar in agriculture in the near future.

Impact of pigeon pea biochar on cadmium mobility in soil and transfer rate to leafy vegetable spinach.

Introduction of heavy metals in the environment by various anthropogenic activities has become a potential treat to life. Among the heavy metals, cadmium (Cd) shows relatively high soil mobility and has high phyto-mammalian toxicity. Integration of soil remediation and ecosystem services, such as carbon sequestration in soils through organic amendments, may provide an attractive land management option for contaminated sites. The application of biochar in agriculture has recently received much attention globally due to its associated multiple benefits, particularly, long-term carbon storage in soil. However, the application of biochar from softwood crop residue for heavy metal immobilization, as an alternative to direct field application, has not received much attention. Hence, a pot experiment was conducted to study the effect of pigeon pea biochar on cadmium mobility in a soil-plant system in cadmium-spiked sandy loam soil. The biochar was prepared from pigeon pea stalk through a slow pyrolysis method at 300 °C. The experiment was designed with three levels of Cd (0, 5, and 10 mg Cd kg(-1) soil) and three levels of biochar (0, 2.5, and 5 g kg(-1) soil) using spinach as a test crop. The results indicate that with increasing levels of applied cadmium at 5 and 10 mg kg(-1) soil, the dry matter yield (DMY) of spinach leaf decreased by 9.84 and 18.29 %, respectively. However, application of biochar (at 2.5 and 5 g kg(-1) soil) significantly increased the dry matter yield of spinach leaf by 5.07 and 15.02 %, respectively, and root by 14.0 and 24.0 %, respectively, over the control. Organic carbon content in the post-harvest soil increased to 34.9 and 60.5 % due to the application of biochar 2.5 and 5 g kg(-1) soil, respectively. Further, there was a reduction in the diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA)-extractable cadmium in the soil and in transfer coefficient values (soil to plant), as well as its concentrations in spinach leaf and root, indicating that cadmium mobility was decreased due to biochar application. This study shows that pigeon pea biochar has the potential to increase spinach yield and reduce cadmium mobility in contaminated sandy soil.

Water Extract from Straw Biochar Used for Plant Growth Promotion: An Initial Test

The production of energy and biochar from the pyrolysis of straw and other agricultural residues is a developing industry that holds the potential to reduce air pollution from in-field burning, recycle nutrients, reduce chemical fertilizer inputs, and improve soil quality. Use of biochar in agriculture is undergoing tests globally. Water-soluble organic compounds from pyrolysis residue containing humic substances, low-molecular weight acids, and neutral compounds and inorganic elements containing macro and micro nutrients have been shown to be beneficial for plant growth. In the present study, crop straw biochars were extracted into hot water and the extracts tested for their effect on growth of Chinese cabbage. The extracts were sprayed 10 times at three different dilutions throughout the growing period. The extracts were characterized for inorganic elements by ICP-MS and for organic compound type by LC-OCD and FTIR. Results showed that extracts of both wheat and maize straw biochar can significantly increase the yield, vitamin C content, and soluble protein content while decreasing the nitrate content of the cabbage at dilutions of 50 or 100 times. Water extract from biochar was found to have great potential as a liquid amendment in agricultural.

Variations in mineral element concentrations of poultry manure biochar obtained at different pyrolysis temperatures, and their effects on crop growth and mineral nutrition

AbstractThe effect of pyrolysis temperature on the nutritional quality of agricultural biochar is unclear, so better understanding of its properties and how it affects soil nutrient availability and plant growth is needed. Biochars obtained at different pyrolysis temperatures (250, 300, 350 and 400 °C) were characterized by thermogravimetric analyser and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Biochars were applied at a rate of 10 g/kg to find out their effects on the mineral nutrition and growth of lettuce. The experimental results suggested that high biochar temperatures caused oxidation of the mineral elements, breaking of C–C and C–H bonds and removal of aliphatic and peptide groups from the pyrolysed materials. The total concentrations of phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn) and boron (B) were increased by increasing pyrolysis temperatures, although water‐soluble concentrations of those elements were greatly reduced (with the exception of K and B). Compared to the control, dry weights of lettuce and maize crops were significantly increased by the biochar treatments obtained at 300 and 350 °C. Biochar treatments significantly increased the P and K concentrations of both plants compared to the control, while concentrations of Ca and Mg in lettuce plants were decreased. Iron, Mn and B concentration of the lettuce plants were reduced and Zn concentration of maize increased by the biochar treatments. It was concluded that in terms of an agricultural product, biochars produced at low temperature are better.

Structure–mechanics property relationship of waste derived biochars

The widespread applications of biochar in agriculture and environmental remediation made the scientific community ignore its mechanical properties. Hence, to examine the scope of biochar's structural applications, its mechanical properties have been investigated in this paper through nanoindentation technique. Seven waste derived biochars, made under different pyrolysis conditions and from diverse feedstocks, were studied via nanoindentation, infrared spectroscopy, X–ray crystallography, thermogravimetry, and electron microscopy. Following this, an attempt was made to correlate the biochars' hardness/modulus with reaction conditions and their chemical properties. The pine wood biochar made at 900°C and 60min residence time was found to have the highest hardness and elastic modulus of 4.29 and 25.01GPa, respectively. It was shown that a combination of higher heat treatment (≥500°C) temperature and longer residence time (~60min) increases the values of hardness and modulus. It was further realized that pyrolysis temperature was a more dominant factor than residence time in determining the final mechanical properties of biochar particles. The degree of aromaticity and crystallinity of the biochar were also correlated with higher values of hardness and modulus.

Review on Prepation and Application of Biochar

Extensive application of biochar in agricultural and forestry production, environmental protection,energy and other areas has attracted widespread attention by researchers at home and abroad.By reviewing the progress on preparation and application of biochar in recent years , introduced pyrolysis,microwave carbonization,hydrothermal carbonization and analyzed the factors influence the ratio of gas,oil,and biochar,pointed out that the slow pyrolysis and medium speed pyrolysis can get more biochar ,fast pyrolysis can get more liquid product and flash pyrolysis can get more gas. Moreover, microwave carbonization can short the reaction time greatly and hydrothermal carbonization not only saved energy but also had a high production of biochar . Furthermore, described the use of biochar in agriculture , environmental protection and energy,thengave direction for the future research.

Biochar and fertiliser applications influence phosphorus fractionation and wheat yield

The use of biochar in agriculture to achieve the dual benefits of improving soil quality whilst sequestering carbon (C) has received much attention. However, in low-intensity broadacre agricultural systems where yield is constrained by rainfall and costs associated with phosphorus (P) fertiliser, the application of biochar at rates commonly reported (>10 t ha−1) are likely to be prohibitively expensive where yield benefits cannot be guaranteed. In marginal areas where calcareous soils dominate, biochar application has no liming effect, reducing its value compared to application in acidic soils. In the present study, we use a field experiment to investigate the interaction between P fertilisation and biochar banding at low application rates (<1 t ha−1) on wheat yield and soil P fractionation (assessed by a modified Hedley method) in a highly alkaline Haplic Calcisol in a dryland broadacre cropping system. Our results demonstrate no statistically significant effect of low rate biochar banding on wheat yield in this highly P-constrained soil, but a significant effect of both biochar and fertiliser on P fractionation in both years of the study. Higher P fertiliser rates significantly increased wheat yield in all biochar treatments. The interactions between biochar, P fertiliser and P fractionation indicate shifts in potential P availability both as a result of P fertilisation and also biochar application. Further work is required in low productivity calcareous systems such as that studied here to elucidate the potential for biochar amendment to improve productivity and sequester C.

Effects of biochar amendment in two soils on greenhouse gas emissions and crop production

Background Worldwide, there is an increasing interest in using biochar in agriculture to help mitigate global warming and improve crop productivity.