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Biochar-Based Fertilizers in Agriculture: Soil—Plant Interactions and Functions

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A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant–Soil Interactions".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 9199

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Genxing Pan

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Guest Editor

College of Resources and Environment Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
Interests: biochar; soil-plant interaction and healthy agriculture

Prof. Dr. Stephen Joseph

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Guest Editor

1. School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of NSW, Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
2. Institute of Resources, Ecosystem and Environment of Agriculture, Center of Biochar and Green Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
Interests: reduction; biomass; oxidation; pyrolysis; humic substances; forest soils; organic-matter; black carbon biochar; bamboo charcoal; nitrogen loss

Dr. Hans Peter Schmidt

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Guest Editor

Ithaka Institute for Carbon Strategies, CH-1974 Arbaz, Switzerland
Interests: biochar; agricultural engineering; ecology
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Prof. Dr. Daniel P. Rasse

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Guest Editor

Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO), Høgskoleveien 7, NO-1431 Ås, Norway
Interests: biogeochemistry; soil organic matter; carbon cycle; greenhouse gases; biochar

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As a recent development in biochar technology in agriculture, biochar-based fertilizers are increasingly developed and applied in crop and food production worldwide. Biochar-based fertilizers include biochar-based organic fertilizers/soil amendments, biochar mixed mineral fertilizers and biochar blended N (urea) fertilizer and N-P-K compound fertilizers, as well as biochar-carried/enhanced biological fertilizers. These biochar-based fertilizers are known to increase nutrient use efficiency and plant responses while reducing N₂O emissions, in addition to soil C accrual, in croplands. However, much remains to be discovered, as biochars are increasingly produced using various types of feedstock biowaste, and these fertilizers are applied in various land uses, soil types, climate conditions and crop types (cereals, legumes and vegetable/fruits).

This Special Issue will discuss biochar-based fertilizers’ agronomic effects (productivity, quality and growth performance) and their ability to improve soil–microbe–plant–root interactions and plant nutrition (nutrient availability and use efficiency). It will focus on plant responses to biochar-based fertilizers (root traits, leaf activity and metabolic functions), and will also address plant–environment relations regarding plants’ resilience to climate stress and their tolerance to soil-borne diseases. We also welcome papers on technology for designing, manufacturing and characterizing novel biochar-based fertilizers, and on the environmental, socioeconomic and ethnic aspects of using biochar-based fertilizers.

Prof. Dr. Genxing Pan
Prof. Dr. Stephen Joseph
Dr. Hans Peter Schmidt
Prof. Dr. Daniel P. Rasse
Guest Editors

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Keywords

biochar
soil–plant interaction
plant and environment
soil and plant health
plant nutrition
plant performance
stress tolerance
legacy effects

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 4071 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploring the Relationship Between Biochar Pore Structure and Microbial Community Composition in Promoting Tobacco Growth

by Linyuan Yang, Shichen Li, Waqar Ahmed, Tao Jiang, Fupeng Mei, Xiaodong Hu, Wubo Liu, Fatima M. Abbas, Rujun Xue, Xiaoci Peng and Zhengxiong Zhao

Plants 2024, 13(21), 2952; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13212952 - 22 Oct 2024

Viewed by 348

Abstract

The potential benefits of biochar, a carbon-rich substance derived from biomass, for enhancing agricultural yield and soil health have drawn increasing interest. Nevertheless, owing to the lack of specialized studies, the role of its poly-spatial structure in the success of fostering plant growth remains unclear. This study aimed to assess the effects of various biochar pore shapes on tobacco growth and the underlying microbiological processes. Three pyrolysis temperatures (250 °C, 400 °C, and 550 °C) were used to produce biochar from tobacco stems, resulting in different pore structures (T3 > T2 > T1). We then used BET-specific surface area (BET), t.Plot micropore specific surface area (t.Plot), mesopore specific surface area (MSSA), specific pore volume (SPV), average pore size (AP), and mesopore pore volume (MPV) measurements to evaluate the effects of these biochars on tobacco growth and biomass accumulation, and microbial analyses were performed to investigate the underlying mechanisms. When applied to plants, biochar increased their growth compared to untreated controls. The most notable improvement in tobacco growth was observed in the biochar produced at 400 °C (T3), which possessed the largest and most advantageous pore structure among all treatments. Further studies demonstrated that biochars with greater specific surface areas (BET, t.Plot, and MSSA) positively altered the abundance of key microbial taxa (e.g., Stenotrophobacter, Ensifer, Claroideoglomus) and community composition, thereby encouraging plant development and biomass accumulation. Conversely, greater pore volumes (SPV, AP, and MPV) inhibited microbial activity and significantly affected growth and biomass accumulation. Structural equation modeling further demonstrated that the pore structure of biochar greatly affected plant growth by changing the relative abundance and community composition of soil microbes. Maximizing the benefits of biochar in stimulating plant growth and improving soil microbial communities depends on optimizing the material’s pore structure, particularly by increasing the specific surface area. These findings will help expand the use of biochar in sustainable agriculture. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biochar-Based Fertilizers in Agriculture: Soil—Plant Interactions and Functions)

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14 pages, 783 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Short-Term Effect of the Combined Application of Rice Husk Biochar and Organic and Inorganic Fertilizers on Radish Growth and Nitrogen Use Efficiency

by War War Mon and Hideto Ueno

Plants 2024, 13(17), 2376; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13172376 - 26 Aug 2024

Viewed by 703

Abstract

Research on soil biochar fertilization has mainly been conducted on cereal crops, and information on its potential for radish production remains inconsistent. Therefore, a pot experiment was conducted to examine the short-term effects of rice husk biochar on radish growth and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). An investigation was conducted with two application rates of biochar alone, (10 t ha⁻¹ (B10) and 25 t ha⁻¹ (B25), and biochar + chicken manure application with and without NPK fertilizer. The results indicated that the application of biochar 25 t ha⁻¹ + chicken manure (B25:CHM) and the combination of biochar 25 t ha⁻¹ + chicken manure + NPK fertilizer (B25:CHM:NPK) significantly increased root yield by improving NUE, fertilizer recovery efficiency (RE_N), agronomic efficiency (AE), nitrogen harvest index (NHI), and retaining soil NH₄⁺-N. Although biochar application alone did not significantly influence radish growth on a short-term basis, B10 and B25 increased root yields by 10% and 20%, respectively, compared with the control. Notably, the role of biochar application when combined with organic and inorganic fertilizers was to retain fertilizer N and promote N uptake efficiency by radishes, as higher rates of biochar resulted in higher NUE. Our results suggest that B25:CHM is a suitable combination for organic farming. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biochar-Based Fertilizers in Agriculture: Soil—Plant Interactions and Functions)

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14 pages, 2655 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nano-Biochar Suspension Mediated Alterations in Growth, Physio-Biochemical Activities and Nutrient Content in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) at the Vegetative Stage

by Muhammad Yousaf Shani, Samia Ahmad, Muhammad Yasin Ashraf, Maria Nawaz, Iqra Arshad, Arslan Anjum, Francesco De Mastro, Claudio Cocozza, Zafran Khan, Nimra Gul and Gennaro Brunetti

Plants 2024, 13(17), 2347; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13172347 - 23 Aug 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 746

Abstract

Nano-biochar is a source of blackish carbonaceous material, a prerequisite for sustainable crop productivity. By using a variety of feedstock materials, nanobiochar synthesis can be employed via pyrolysis. Therefore, a project was initiated to explore the morpho-physio-biochemical alteration at the vegetative stage of wheat crops after the foliar application of nanobiochar suspension (NBS). This investigation was conducted at the Botanical Research Area of the University of Lahore in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) arrangement, with four treatments (0, 1, 3, and 5% NBS) by maintaining three replications for each treatment using the wheat variety “Zincol”. Nano biochar suspension in above mentioned concentrations were foliarly applied at the end of tillering/beginning of leaf sheath elongation of wheat seedlings to assess the morphological changes (root length, shoot length, number of leaves, fresh biomass/plant, dry biomass/plant), physio-biochemical alterations (total free amino acids, total sugars, chlorophyll content, protein, phenols, flavonoids), and nutrient uptake (Na, K, Ca, Mg, N, P contents. Our findings indicate that the foliar application of 3% NBS yielded the most favorable results across all measured attributes. Furthermore, Treatment-4 (5% NBS) specifically improved certain traits, including leaf area, total soluble proteins, and leaf calcium content. Finally, all NBS resulted in a decrease in carotenoid and sodium content in wheat seedlings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biochar-Based Fertilizers in Agriculture: Soil—Plant Interactions and Functions)

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12 pages, 1506 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Biochar Blended with Alkaline Mineral Can Better Inhibit Lead and Cadmium Uptake and Promote the Growth of Vegetables

by Lianxi Huang, Weisheng Chen, Lan Wei, Xiang Li, Yufen Huang, Qing Huang, Chuanping Liu and Zhongzhen Liu

Plants 2024, 13(14), 1934; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13141934 - 14 Jul 2024

Viewed by 911

Abstract

Three successive vegetable pot experiments were conducted to assess the effects on the long-term immobilization of heavy metals in soil and crop yield improvement after the addition of peanut shell biochar and an alkaline mineral to an acidic soil contaminated with lead and cadmium. Compared with the CK treatment, the change rates of biomass in the edible parts of the three types of vegetables treated with B0.3, B1, B3, B9, R0.2 and B1R0.2 were −15.43%~123.30%, 35.10%~269.09%, 40.77%~929.31%, −26.08%~711.99%, 44.14%~1067.12% and 53.09%~1139.06%, respectively. The cadmium contents in the edible parts of the three vegetables treated with these six additives reduced by 2.08%~13.21%, 9.56%~24.78%, 9.96%~35.61%, 41.96%~78.42%, −4.19%~57.07% and 12.43%~65.92%, respectively, while the lead contents in the edible parts reduced by −15.70%~59.47%, 6.55%~70.75%, 3.40%~80.10%, 55.26%~89.79%, 11.05%~70.15% and 50.35%~79.25%, respectively. Due to the increases in soil pH, soil cation-exchange capacity and soil organic carbon content, the accumulation of Cd and Pb in the vegetables was most notably reduced with a high dosage of 9% peanut shell biochar alone, followed by the addition of a low dosage of 1% peanut shell biochar blended with 0.2% alkaline mineral. Therefore, the addition of a low dosage of 1% peanut shell biochar blended with 0.2% alkaline mineral was the best additive in increasing the vegetable biomass, whereas the addition of 9% peanut shell biochar alone was the worst. Evidently, the addition of 0.2% alkaline mineral can significantly reduce the amount of peanut shell needed for passivating heavy metals in soil, while it also achieves the effect of increasing the vegetable yield. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biochar-Based Fertilizers in Agriculture: Soil—Plant Interactions and Functions)

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22 pages, 4623 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Potential of Drought Tolerant Rhizobacteria Amended with Biochar on Growth Promotion in Wheat

by Sidra Noureen, Atia Iqbal and Hafiz Abdul Muqeet

Plants 2024, 13(9), 1183; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13091183 - 24 Apr 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1149

Abstract

Drought stress is the prime obstacle for worldwide agricultural production and necessitates innovative strategies for enhancing crop resilience. This study explores the efficacy of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and biochar (BC) as sustainable amendments for mitigating the effects of drought on wheat growth. Multiple experiments were carried out on isolated strains to assess their drought tolerance potential and multiple plant growth-promoting attributes. Experiments in the laboratory and natural environment were conducted to assess the impact of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, biochar, and their synergistic application on various growth parameters of wheat. The results revealed that the drought-tolerant PGPR strains (Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus tequilensis), alongside biochar (rice husk), alleviated the phytotoxic impact of drought by increasing the root length from 17.0% to 70.0% and shoot length from 30.0% to 82.0% as compared to un-inoculated stressed controls. The total chlorophyll and carotenoid contents of the plants were substantially increased to 477% and 423%, respectively, when biochar and PGPR were applied synergistically. Significant enhancements in membrane stability index, relative water content, proline, and sugar level were achieved by combining biochar and bacterial strains, resulting in increases of 19.5%, 37.9%, 219%, and 300%, respectively. The yield of wheat in terms of plant height, spike length, number of spikelets per spike, and number of grains per spike was enhanced from 26.7% to 44.6%, 23.5% to 62.7%, 91.5% to 154%, and 137% to 182%, respectively. It was concluded that the biochar-based application of PGPR induced drought tolerance in wheat under water deficit conditions, ultimately improving the production and yield of wheat. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biochar-Based Fertilizers in Agriculture: Soil—Plant Interactions and Functions)

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16 pages, 5768 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Biochar Coating as a Cost-Effective Delivery Approach to Promoting Seed Quality, Rice Germination, and Seedling Establishment

by Kangkang Zhang, Xiaomeng Han, Yanfeng Fu, Yu Zhou, Zaid Khan, Junguo Bi, Liyong Hu and Lijun Luo

Plants 2023, 12(22), 3896; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12223896 - 18 Nov 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1890

Abstract

The application of high-quality seeds ensures successful crop establishment, healthy growth, and improved production in both quantity and quality. Recently, biochar-based seed coating has been recognized as a new, effective, and environmentally friendly method to enhance seed quality, seedling uniformity, and nutrient availability. To study the impact of biochar coating on the surface mechanical properties of coated seeds, rice emergence and growth, and related physical and physiological metabolic events, laboratory experiments were performed on two water-saving and drought-resistance rice (WDR) varieties (Huhan1512 and Hanyou73) using biochar formulations with varying contents (20%–60%). The results showed that the appropriate concentration of biochar significantly improved emergence traits and seedling performance of the two rice varieties, compared to the uncoated treatment, and that the optimal percentage of biochar coating was 30% (BC30). On average, across both varieties, BC30 enhanced emergence rate (9.5%), emergence index (42.9%), shoot length (19.5%), root length (23.7%), shoot dry weight (25.1%), and root dry weight (49.8%). The improved germination characteristics and vigorous seedling growth induced by biochar coating were strongly associated with higher water uptake by seeds, increased α-amylase activity and respiration rate, and enhanced accumulation of soluble sugar and soluble protein. Moreover, the evaluation results of mechanical properties related to seed coating quality found that increasing the proportion of biochar in the coating blend decreased the integrity and compressive strength of the coated seeds and reduced the time required for coating disintegration. In conclusion, biochar coating is a cost-effective strategy for enhancing crop seed quality and seedling establishment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biochar-Based Fertilizers in Agriculture: Soil—Plant Interactions and Functions)

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12 pages, 2720 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Potential of Biochar as a Peat Substitute in Growth Media for Lavandula angustifolia, Salvia rosmarinus and Fragaria × ananassa

by Giuseppina Iacomino, Alessia Cozzolino, Mohamed Idbella, Giandomenico Amoroso, Tomaso Bertoli, Giuliano Bonanomi and Riccardo Motti

Plants 2023, 12(21), 3689; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12213689 - 26 Oct 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1779

Abstract

Peat has long been the primary substrate for the production of ornamental and horticultural plants in pots. Today, peat is no longer considered a renewable resource due to its very lengthy regeneration time. Biochar, a solid by-product of biomass pyrolysis, has been proposed as an agricultural soil amendment. We investigated the effects of two types of biochar, namely biochar from pruning wood waste and biochar activated with wood vinegar (“smoked biochar”), on two ornamental plants (Lavandula angustifolia and Salvia rosmarinus) and on strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa). For both types of biochar, we measured the following parameters: the pH, density, electrical conductivity, humidity, calcium carbonate, total carbon, nitrogen, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, and water retention. For peat, we measured the following parameters: the pH, electrical conductivity, total carbon, and total nitrogen. Our results showed an overall increase in plant growth, particularly in L. angustifolia when using 10% and 50% biochar concentrations and a 10% concentration of biochar activated with wood vinegar. In S. rosmarinus, we observed a slight increase in the total plant weight with the application of 10% smoked biochar (biochar activated with wood vinegar). Finally, in F. × ananassa, we observed an increase in the plant weight and fruit production when 10% biochar was applied. On the other hand, when high concentrations of biochar (50% and 100%) and especially smoked biochar were applied, we observed a significant reduction in the growth of all plants. We concluded that biochar and biochar activated with wood vinegar showed remarkable biological activity with marked phytotoxicity at high concentrations. They promoted plant growth when applied diluted and their use as partial peat substitutes could help support more sustainable horticultural practices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biochar-Based Fertilizers in Agriculture: Soil—Plant Interactions and Functions)

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