Abstract
Soil amendment with pyrogenic carbon (biochar) is discussed as strategy to improve soil fertility to enable economic plus environmental benefits. In temperate soils, however, the use of pure biochar mostly has moderately-negative to -positive yield effects. Here we demonstrate that co-composting considerably promoted biochars' positive effects, largely by nitrate (nutrient) capture and delivery. In a full-factorial growth study with Chenopodium quinoa, biomass yield increased up to 305% in a sandy-poor soil amended with 2% (w/w) co-composted biochar (BC(comp)). Conversely, addition of 2% (w/w) untreated biochar (BC(pure)) decreased the biomass to 60% of the control. Growth-promoting (BC(comp)) as well as growth-reducing (BC(pure)) effects were more pronounced at lower nutrient-supply levels. Electro-ultra filtration and sequential biochar-particle washing revealed that co-composted biochar was nutrient-enriched, particularly with the anions nitrate and phosphate. The captured nitrate in BC(comp) was (1) only partly detectable with standard methods, (2) largely protected against leaching, (3) partly plant-available, and (4) did not stimulate N2O emissions. We hypothesize that surface ageing plus non-conventional ion-water bonding in micro- and nano-pores promoted nitrate capture in biochar particles. Amending (N-rich) bio-waste with biochar may enhance its agronomic value and reduce nutrient losses from bio-wastes and agricultural soils.
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
Co-composted biochar increased quinoa biomass yield up to 305% in sandy-poor soil.
- Taxon
- Chenopodium quinoa
Chenopodium quinoae0 - Treatment
- 2% (w/w) co-composted biochare0
- Outcome
- biomass yielde0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 305%e0
- Setting
- sandy-poor soile0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“In a full-factorial growth study with Chenopodium quinoa, biomass yield increased up to 305% in a sandy-poor soil amended with 2% (w/w) co-composted biochar (BC(comp)).”
Claim · model-written summary
Untreated biochar reduced quinoa biomass to 60% of control.
- Treatment
- 2% (w/w) untreated biochare0
- Outcome
- biomasse0
- Direction
- decreasede0
- Value
- 60%e0
- Comparator
- the controle0
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“Conversely, addition of 2% (w/w) untreated biochar (BC(pure)) decreased the biomass to 60% of the control.”
Claim · model-written summary
Both growth promoting and growth reducing biochar effects were stronger at lower nutrient supply.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“Growth-promoting (BC(comp)) as well as growth-reducing (BC(pure)) effects were more pronounced at lower nutrient-supply levels.”
Claim · model-written summary
Co-composted biochar was enriched with nitrate and phosphate.
- Outcome
- nutrient-enriched, particularly with the anions nitrate and phosphatee0
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“co-composted biochar was nutrient-enriched, particularly with the anions nitrate and phosphate.”
Claim · model-written summary
Captured nitrate was only partly detectable with standard methods.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“The captured nitrate in BC(comp) was (1) only partly detectable with standard methods”
Claim · model-written summary
Captured nitrate was largely protected against leaching.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“The captured nitrate in BC(comp) was (1) only partly detectable with standard methods, (2) largely protected against leaching”
Claim · model-written summary
Captured nitrate was partly plant available.
- Outcome
- partly plant-availablee0
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“(3) partly plant-available”
Claim · model-written summary
Captured nitrate did not stimulate N2O emissions.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“(4) did not stimulate N2O emissions.”
Claim · model-written summary
Adding biochar to nitrogen rich biowaste may improve agronomic value and reduce nutrient losses.
- Outcome
- Amending (N-rich) bio-waste with biochare0
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“Amending (N-rich) bio-waste with biochar may enhance its agronomic value and reduce nutrient losses from bio-wastes and agricultural soils.”
The same questions in other papers
biochar · yield · Chenopodium quinoa (quinoa)Positive and negative results
3 papers in the same direction as this paper · 1 in the opposite direction
- no effect
- positive
- positive
1 paper more in this group
See all 5 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.