Crop response to soils amended with biochar: expected benefits and unintended risks
Biochar (BC) from biomass waste pyrolysis has been widely studied due to its ability to increase carbon sequestration, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and enhance both crop growth and soil quality. This review summarises the current knowledge of BC production, characterisation, and types, with a fo...
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doaj-d8d41b85f921497eb2c9b8a27498580d2020-11-24T23:56:08ZengPAGEPress PublicationsItalian Journal of Agronomy1125-47182039-68052017-06-0112210.4081/ija.2017.794580Crop response to soils amended with biochar: expected benefits and unintended risksRaghunath Subedi0Chiara Bertora1Laura Zavattaro2Carlo Grignani3Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Turin, Grugliasco (TO)Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Turin, Grugliasco (TO)Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Turin, Grugliasco (TO)Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Turin, Grugliasco (TO)Biochar (BC) from biomass waste pyrolysis has been widely studied due to its ability to increase carbon sequestration, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and enhance both crop growth and soil quality. This review summarises the current knowledge of BC production, characterisation, and types, with a focus on its positive effects on crop yield and soil properties vs the unintended risks associated with these effects. Biochar-amended soils enhance crop growth and yield via several mechanisms: expanded plant nutrient and water availability through increased use efficiencies, improved soil quality, and suppression of soil and plant diseases. Yield response to BC has been shown to be more evident in acidic and sandy soils than in alkaline and fine-textured soils. Biochar composition and properties vary considerably with feedstock and pyrolysis conditions so much that its concentrations of toxic compounds and heavy metals can negatively impact crop and soil health. Consequently, more small-scale and greenhouse-sited studies are in process to investigate the role of BC/soil/crop types on crop growth, and the mechanisms by which they influence crop yield. Similarly, a need exists for long-term, field-scale studies on the effects (beneficial and harmful) of BC amendment on soil health and crop yields, so that production guidelines and quality standards may be developed for BCs derived from a range of feedstocks.https://www.agronomy.it/index.php/agro/article/view/794Feedstock typePyrolysis temperatureCrop yieldCarbon sequestrationSoil quality |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Raghunath Subedi Chiara Bertora Laura Zavattaro Carlo Grignani |
spellingShingle |
Raghunath Subedi Chiara Bertora Laura Zavattaro Carlo Grignani Crop response to soils amended with biochar: expected benefits and unintended risks Italian Journal of Agronomy Feedstock type Pyrolysis temperature Crop yield Carbon sequestration Soil quality |
author_facet |
Raghunath Subedi Chiara Bertora Laura Zavattaro Carlo Grignani |
author_sort |
Raghunath Subedi |
title |
Crop response to soils amended with biochar: expected benefits and unintended risks |
title_short |
Crop response to soils amended with biochar: expected benefits and unintended risks |
title_full |
Crop response to soils amended with biochar: expected benefits and unintended risks |
title_fullStr |
Crop response to soils amended with biochar: expected benefits and unintended risks |
title_full_unstemmed |
Crop response to soils amended with biochar: expected benefits and unintended risks |
title_sort |
crop response to soils amended with biochar: expected benefits and unintended risks |
publisher |
PAGEPress Publications |
series |
Italian Journal of Agronomy |
issn |
1125-4718 2039-6805 |
publishDate |
2017-06-01 |
description |
Biochar (BC) from biomass waste pyrolysis has been widely studied due to its ability to increase carbon sequestration, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and enhance both crop growth and soil quality. This review summarises the current knowledge of BC production, characterisation, and types, with a focus on its positive effects on crop yield and soil properties vs the unintended risks associated with these effects. Biochar-amended soils enhance crop growth and yield via several mechanisms: expanded plant nutrient and water availability through increased use efficiencies, improved soil quality, and suppression of soil and plant diseases. Yield response to BC has been shown to be more evident in acidic and sandy soils than in alkaline and fine-textured soils. Biochar composition and properties vary considerably with feedstock and pyrolysis conditions so much that its concentrations of toxic compounds and heavy metals can negatively impact crop and soil health. Consequently, more small-scale and greenhouse-sited studies are in process to investigate the role of BC/soil/crop types on crop growth, and the mechanisms by which they influence crop yield. Similarly, a need exists for long-term, field-scale studies on the effects (beneficial and harmful) of BC amendment on soil health and crop yields, so that production guidelines and quality standards may be developed for BCs derived from a range of feedstocks. |
topic |
Feedstock type Pyrolysis temperature Crop yield Carbon sequestration Soil quality |
url |
https://www.agronomy.it/index.php/agro/article/view/794 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT raghunathsubedi cropresponsetosoilsamendedwithbiocharexpectedbenefitsandunintendedrisks AT chiarabertora cropresponsetosoilsamendedwithbiocharexpectedbenefitsandunintendedrisks AT laurazavattaro cropresponsetosoilsamendedwithbiocharexpectedbenefitsandunintendedrisks AT carlogrignani cropresponsetosoilsamendedwithbiocharexpectedbenefitsandunintendedrisks |
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