Biochar increases plant-available water in a sandy loam soil under an aerobic rice crop system
The main objective of this study was to assess the impact of biochar rate (0, 8, 16 and 32 Mg ha<sup>−1</sup>) on the water retention capacity (WRC) of a sandy loam Dystric Plinthosol. The applied biochar was a by-product of slow pyrolysis (∼450 °C) of eucalyptus wood,...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Copernicus Publications
2014-09-01
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| Series: | Solid Earth |
| Online Access: | http://www.solid-earth.net/5/939/2014/se-5-939-2014.pdf |
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| author | M. T. de Melo Carvalho A. de Holanda Nunes Maia B. E. Madari L. Bastiaans P. A. J. van Oort A. B. Heinemann M. A. Soler da Silva F. A. Petter B. H. Marimon Jr. H. Meinke |
| author_facet | M. T. de Melo Carvalho A. de Holanda Nunes Maia B. E. Madari L. Bastiaans P. A. J. van Oort A. B. Heinemann M. A. Soler da Silva F. A. Petter B. H. Marimon Jr. H. Meinke |
| author_sort | M. T. de Melo Carvalho |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The main objective of this study was to assess the impact of biochar rate (0,
8, 16 and 32 Mg ha<sup>−1</sup>) on the water retention capacity (WRC) of a sandy
loam Dystric Plinthosol. The applied biochar was a by-product of slow
pyrolysis (∼450 °C) of eucalyptus wood, milled to pass
through a 2000 μm sieve that resulted in a material with an
intrinsic porosity ≤10 μm and a specific surface area of
∼3.2 m<sup>2</sup> g<sup>−1</sup>. The biochar was incorporated into the top
15 cm of the soil under an aerobic rice system. Our study focused on both
the effects on WRC and rice yields 2 and 3 years after its application.
Undisturbed soil samples were collected from 16 plots in two soil layers
(5–10 and 15–20 cm). Soil water retention curves were modelled using a
nonlinear mixed model which appropriately accounts for uncertainties inherent
of spatial variability and repeated measurements taken within a specific soil
sample. We found an increase in plant-available water in the upper soil layer
proportional to the rate of biochar, with about 0.8% for each
Mg ha<sup>−1</sup> biochar amendment 2 and 3 years after its application. The
impact of biochar on soil WRC was most likely related to an effect in overall
porosity of the sandy loam soil, which was evident from an increase in
saturated soil moisture and macro porosity with 0.5 and 1.6% for each
Mg ha<sup>−1</sup> of biochar applied, respectively. The increment in soil WRC did
not translate into an increase in rice yield, essentially because in both
seasons the amount of rainfall during the critical period for rice production
exceeded 650 mm. The use of biochar as a soil amendment can be a worthy
strategy to guarantee yield stability under short-term water-limited
conditions. Our findings raise the importance of assessing the feasibility of
very high application rates of biochar and the inclusion of a detailed
analysis of its physical and chemical properties as part of future
investigations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T20:45:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-35969b46179042d180cf4b5635b8804a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1869-9510 1869-9529 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T20:45:21Z |
| publishDate | 2014-09-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Solid Earth |
| spelling | doaj.art-35969b46179042d180cf4b5635b8804a2022-12-22T00:51:23ZengCopernicus PublicationsSolid Earth1869-95101869-95292014-09-015293995210.5194/se-5-939-2014Biochar increases plant-available water in a sandy loam soil under an aerobic rice crop systemM. T. de Melo Carvalho0A. de Holanda Nunes Maia1B. E. Madari2L. Bastiaans3P. A. J. van Oort4A. B. Heinemann5M. A. Soler da Silva6F. A. Petter7B. H. Marimon Jr.8H. Meinke9Embrapa Rice and Beans, Santo Antônio de Goiás, Goiás, BrazilEmbrapa Environment, Jaguariúna, SP, BrazilEmbrapa Rice and Beans, Santo Antônio de Goiás, Goiás, BrazilWageningen University, Centre for Crop Systems Analysis, Wageningen, the NetherlandsWageningen University, Centre for Crop Systems Analysis, Wageningen, the NetherlandsEmbrapa Rice and Beans, Santo Antônio de Goiás, Goiás, BrazilEmbrapa Rice and Beans, Santo Antônio de Goiás, Goiás, BrazilFederal University of Mato Grosso, Sinop, Mato Grosso, BrazilState University of Mato Grosso, Nova Xavantina, Mato Grosso, BrazilWageningen University, Centre for Crop Systems Analysis, Wageningen, the NetherlandsThe main objective of this study was to assess the impact of biochar rate (0, 8, 16 and 32 Mg ha<sup>−1</sup>) on the water retention capacity (WRC) of a sandy loam Dystric Plinthosol. The applied biochar was a by-product of slow pyrolysis (∼450 °C) of eucalyptus wood, milled to pass through a 2000 μm sieve that resulted in a material with an intrinsic porosity ≤10 μm and a specific surface area of ∼3.2 m<sup>2</sup> g<sup>−1</sup>. The biochar was incorporated into the top 15 cm of the soil under an aerobic rice system. Our study focused on both the effects on WRC and rice yields 2 and 3 years after its application. Undisturbed soil samples were collected from 16 plots in two soil layers (5–10 and 15–20 cm). Soil water retention curves were modelled using a nonlinear mixed model which appropriately accounts for uncertainties inherent of spatial variability and repeated measurements taken within a specific soil sample. We found an increase in plant-available water in the upper soil layer proportional to the rate of biochar, with about 0.8% for each Mg ha<sup>−1</sup> biochar amendment 2 and 3 years after its application. The impact of biochar on soil WRC was most likely related to an effect in overall porosity of the sandy loam soil, which was evident from an increase in saturated soil moisture and macro porosity with 0.5 and 1.6% for each Mg ha<sup>−1</sup> of biochar applied, respectively. The increment in soil WRC did not translate into an increase in rice yield, essentially because in both seasons the amount of rainfall during the critical period for rice production exceeded 650 mm. The use of biochar as a soil amendment can be a worthy strategy to guarantee yield stability under short-term water-limited conditions. Our findings raise the importance of assessing the feasibility of very high application rates of biochar and the inclusion of a detailed analysis of its physical and chemical properties as part of future investigations.http://www.solid-earth.net/5/939/2014/se-5-939-2014.pdf |
| spellingShingle | M. T. de Melo Carvalho A. de Holanda Nunes Maia B. E. Madari L. Bastiaans P. A. J. van Oort A. B. Heinemann M. A. Soler da Silva F. A. Petter B. H. Marimon Jr. H. Meinke Biochar increases plant-available water in a sandy loam soil under an aerobic rice crop system Solid Earth |
| title | Biochar increases plant-available water in a sandy loam soil under an aerobic rice crop system |
| title_full | Biochar increases plant-available water in a sandy loam soil under an aerobic rice crop system |
| title_fullStr | Biochar increases plant-available water in a sandy loam soil under an aerobic rice crop system |
| title_full_unstemmed | Biochar increases plant-available water in a sandy loam soil under an aerobic rice crop system |
| title_short | Biochar increases plant-available water in a sandy loam soil under an aerobic rice crop system |
| title_sort | biochar increases plant available water in a sandy loam soil under an aerobic rice crop system |
| url | http://www.solid-earth.net/5/939/2014/se-5-939-2014.pdf |
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