Abstract
This study assessed the effect of soil amendment with biochar on the production of some Mediterranean crops. Pine-derived biochar (B1) and partially pyrolyzed pine-derived biochar (B2) were used with a dose of 8 L/m2 in a corn crop, reporting a production increase of 38–270% over three years with B1, and no effect of B2 due to its poor quality. Olive stone-derived biochar (B3) was used in lavandin and vineyard crops with doses of 0.04–0.9 L/m2 and 0.37–2.55 L/m2, respectively. An increase of 23–25% in plant volume of lavandin was reported, while the production of grapes per plant was not significantly altered, although it increased by up to 66%. Soil analysis indicated that biochar does not significantly alter soil physicochemical parameters; therefore, biochar may affect plants by altering soil structure and increasing its cation exchange capacity and water management efficiency. Depending on its price, biochar application may be profitable for lavandin and corn crops, with a return-on-investment period ranging from 1 to 4 years. However, the profitability of its use in vineyards is questionable, particularly for the varieties with the lowest market price. Studies examining the economics of biochar application indicate that CO2 abatement certification may help in covering biochar application costs.
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
Pine-derived B1 biochar increased corn production by 38–270% over three years.
- Taxon
- corn
Zea mays subsp. mayse0 - Treatment
- Pine-derived biochar (B1)e0
- Outcome
- productione0
- Direction
- increasee0
- Value
- 38–270%e0
- Qualifier
- over three yearse0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Pine-derived biochar (B1) and partially pyrolyzed pine-derived biochar (B2) were used with a dose of 8 L/m2 in a corn crop, reporting a production increase of 38–270% over three years with B1”
Claim · model-written summary
Partially pyrolyzed B2 biochar had no effect on corn production.
- Taxon
- cornZea mays subsp. mayse0
- Treatment
- partially pyrolyzed pine-derived biochar (B2)e0
- Outcome
- productione0
- Direction
- no effecte0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Pine-derived biochar (B1) and partially pyrolyzed pine-derived biochar (B2) were used with a dose of 8 L/m2 in a corn crop, reporting a production increase of 38–270% over three years with B1, and no effect of B2 due to its poor quality”
Claim · model-written summary
Olive stone biochar increased lavandin plant volume by 23–25%.
- Taxon
- lavandine0
- Treatment
- Olive stone-derived biochar (B3)e0
- Outcome
- plant volumee0
- Direction
- increasee0
- Value
- 23–25%e0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“Olive stone-derived biochar (B3) was used in lavandin and vineyard crops with doses of 0.04–0.9 L/m2 and 0.37–2.55 L/m2, respectively. An increase of 23–25% in plant volume of lavandin was reported”
Claim · model-written summary
Grape production per plant increased by up to 66% but was not significantly altered by biochar.
- Taxon
- grapese0
- Treatment
- biochart0
- Outcome
- production of grapes per plante0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- up to 66%e0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“the production of grapes per plant was not significantly altered, although it increased by up to 66%”
t0“Biochar”
Claim · model-written summary
Biochar did not significantly alter soil physicochemical parameters.
Not reportedTaxonComparator
Verbatim
e0“biochar does not significantly alter soil physicochemical parameters”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors suggest biochar may affect plants through soil structure and cation exchange and water management.
- Taxon
- plantsViridiplantaee0
- Treatment
- biochare0
- Outcome
- affect plantse0
- Qualifier
- altering soil structure and increasing its cation exchange capacity and water management efficiencye0
Verbatim
e0“biochar may affect plants by altering soil structure and increasing its cation exchange capacity and water management efficiency”
Claim · model-written summary
Biochar application may be profitable for lavandin depending on price.
Verbatim
e0“Depending on its price, biochar application may be profitable for lavandin and corn crops, with a return-on-investment period ranging from 1 to 4 years”
Claim · model-written summary
Biochar application may be profitable for corn depending on price.
- Taxon
- cornZea mays subsp. mayse0
- Outcome
- may be profitablee0
- Value
- 1 to 4 yearse0
- Qualifier
- Depending on its pricee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Depending on its price, biochar application may be profitable for lavandin and corn crops, with a return-on-investment period ranging from 1 to 4 years”
Claim · model-written summary
Biochar profitability in vineyards is questionable, particularly for low-price varieties.
Verbatim
e0“the profitability of its use in vineyards is questionable, particularly for the varieties with the lowest market price”
The same questions in other papers
biochar · yield · Zea mays (maize)Positive and negative results
174 papers in the same direction as this paper · 15 in the opposite direction · 3 reporting no difference from an alternative
- positive
- positive
- negative
189 papers more in this group
See all 193 papers →biochar · yield · VitisResults agree
1 paper in the same direction as this paper
- positive
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.