Assessing the potential of biochar aged by humic substances to enhance plant growth and soil biological activity
Abstract Background Soil carbon-rich organic amendments (biochar, humic substances) may improve the quality and fertility of arable soil. Their co-application can additively enhance the beneficial effect on soil. Hypothetically, the pre-treatment of biochar, by aging via soaking in a solution of com...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
SpringerOpen
2021-09-01
|
| Series: | Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40538-021-00242-7 |
| _version_ | 1818728667830812672 |
|---|---|
| author | Tereza Hammerschmiedt Jiri Holatko Vaclav Pecina Dalibor Huska Oldrich Latal Antonin Kintl Maja Radziemska Sadiq Muhammad Zygmunt M. Gusiatin Martina Kolackova Muhammad Nasir Tivadar Baltazar Niaz Ahmed Martin Brtnicky |
| author_facet | Tereza Hammerschmiedt Jiri Holatko Vaclav Pecina Dalibor Huska Oldrich Latal Antonin Kintl Maja Radziemska Sadiq Muhammad Zygmunt M. Gusiatin Martina Kolackova Muhammad Nasir Tivadar Baltazar Niaz Ahmed Martin Brtnicky |
| author_sort | Tereza Hammerschmiedt |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Soil carbon-rich organic amendments (biochar, humic substances) may improve the quality and fertility of arable soil. Their co-application can additively enhance the beneficial effect on soil. Hypothetically, the pre-treatment of biochar, by aging via soaking in a solution of commercially available humic substances, could result in synergism, which may exceed the benefit from simple co-application of both amendments to the soil. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the impact of biochar, humic substances, the combination of both, and the impact of biochar aged by humic substances solution on soil microbial activities and plant growth in a short-term pot experiment with lettuce. Results The aging of biochar decreased the C:N ratio as compared to non-activated biochar. The co-application of biochar and humic substances into the soil resulted in the highest microbial biomass carbon and respiration activity. The majority of enzyme activities (β-glucosidase, arylsulfatase, N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase, phosphatase) were the highest in humic substances-amended soil. The application of humic substances and biochar with humic substances seemed to stimulate microbial growth and activity followed by the competition of microflora for nutrients with plants, whereas the aged biochar behaved differently. The plants treated by aged biochar achieved the highest values of dry aboveground and root biomass of all variants. However, the assumed rapid uptake of nutrients by plants resulted in lower nutrient availability for microflora, and a decline in microbial viability. Conclusions Based on this study, the positive effect of co-applied humic substances and biochar on soil fertility, quality, and health can be concluded. The usability of biochar aging by humic solution requires further study. Graphic abstract |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T22:33:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-43b768e05ce349e596af0ba678bd0f19 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2196-5641 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T22:33:39Z |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture |
| spelling | doaj.art-43b768e05ce349e596af0ba678bd0f192022-12-21T21:30:08ZengSpringerOpenChemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture2196-56412021-09-018111210.1186/s40538-021-00242-7Assessing the potential of biochar aged by humic substances to enhance plant growth and soil biological activityTereza Hammerschmiedt0Jiri Holatko1Vaclav Pecina2Dalibor Huska3Oldrich Latal4Antonin Kintl5Maja Radziemska6Sadiq Muhammad7Zygmunt M. Gusiatin8Martina Kolackova9Muhammad Nasir10Tivadar Baltazar11Niaz Ahmed12Martin Brtnicky13Department of Agrochemistry, Soil Science, Microbiology and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of Agrisciences, Mendel University in BrnoDepartment of Agrochemistry, Soil Science, Microbiology and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of Agrisciences, Mendel University in BrnoDepartment of Agrochemistry, Soil Science, Microbiology and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of Agrisciences, Mendel University in BrnoDepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in BrnoDepartment of Agrochemistry, Soil Science, Microbiology and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of Agrisciences, Mendel University in BrnoDepartment of Agrochemistry, Soil Science, Microbiology and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of Agrisciences, Mendel University in BrnoDepartment of Agrochemistry, Soil Science, Microbiology and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of Agrisciences, Mendel University in BrnoSoil and Water Testing Laboratory for ResearchDepartment of Environmental Biotechnology, Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in OlsztynDepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in BrnoSoil and Water Testing Laboratory for ResearchDepartment of Agrochemistry, Soil Science, Microbiology and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of Agrisciences, Mendel University in BrnoDepartment of Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Bahauddin Zakariya UniversityDepartment of Agrochemistry, Soil Science, Microbiology and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of Agrisciences, Mendel University in BrnoAbstract Background Soil carbon-rich organic amendments (biochar, humic substances) may improve the quality and fertility of arable soil. Their co-application can additively enhance the beneficial effect on soil. Hypothetically, the pre-treatment of biochar, by aging via soaking in a solution of commercially available humic substances, could result in synergism, which may exceed the benefit from simple co-application of both amendments to the soil. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the impact of biochar, humic substances, the combination of both, and the impact of biochar aged by humic substances solution on soil microbial activities and plant growth in a short-term pot experiment with lettuce. Results The aging of biochar decreased the C:N ratio as compared to non-activated biochar. The co-application of biochar and humic substances into the soil resulted in the highest microbial biomass carbon and respiration activity. The majority of enzyme activities (β-glucosidase, arylsulfatase, N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase, phosphatase) were the highest in humic substances-amended soil. The application of humic substances and biochar with humic substances seemed to stimulate microbial growth and activity followed by the competition of microflora for nutrients with plants, whereas the aged biochar behaved differently. The plants treated by aged biochar achieved the highest values of dry aboveground and root biomass of all variants. However, the assumed rapid uptake of nutrients by plants resulted in lower nutrient availability for microflora, and a decline in microbial viability. Conclusions Based on this study, the positive effect of co-applied humic substances and biochar on soil fertility, quality, and health can be concluded. The usability of biochar aging by humic solution requires further study. Graphic abstracthttps://doi.org/10.1186/s40538-021-00242-7Lactuca sativaEnzyme activitiesPlant biomassPot experimentSoil organic matterSoil amendment |
| spellingShingle | Tereza Hammerschmiedt Jiri Holatko Vaclav Pecina Dalibor Huska Oldrich Latal Antonin Kintl Maja Radziemska Sadiq Muhammad Zygmunt M. Gusiatin Martina Kolackova Muhammad Nasir Tivadar Baltazar Niaz Ahmed Martin Brtnicky Assessing the potential of biochar aged by humic substances to enhance plant growth and soil biological activity Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture Lactuca sativa Enzyme activities Plant biomass Pot experiment Soil organic matter Soil amendment |
| title | Assessing the potential of biochar aged by humic substances to enhance plant growth and soil biological activity |
| title_full | Assessing the potential of biochar aged by humic substances to enhance plant growth and soil biological activity |
| title_fullStr | Assessing the potential of biochar aged by humic substances to enhance plant growth and soil biological activity |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessing the potential of biochar aged by humic substances to enhance plant growth and soil biological activity |
| title_short | Assessing the potential of biochar aged by humic substances to enhance plant growth and soil biological activity |
| title_sort | assessing the potential of biochar aged by humic substances to enhance plant growth and soil biological activity |
| topic | Lactuca sativa Enzyme activities Plant biomass Pot experiment Soil organic matter Soil amendment |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40538-021-00242-7 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT terezahammerschmiedt assessingthepotentialofbiocharagedbyhumicsubstancestoenhanceplantgrowthandsoilbiologicalactivity AT jiriholatko assessingthepotentialofbiocharagedbyhumicsubstancestoenhanceplantgrowthandsoilbiologicalactivity AT vaclavpecina assessingthepotentialofbiocharagedbyhumicsubstancestoenhanceplantgrowthandsoilbiologicalactivity AT daliborhuska assessingthepotentialofbiocharagedbyhumicsubstancestoenhanceplantgrowthandsoilbiologicalactivity AT oldrichlatal assessingthepotentialofbiocharagedbyhumicsubstancestoenhanceplantgrowthandsoilbiologicalactivity AT antoninkintl assessingthepotentialofbiocharagedbyhumicsubstancestoenhanceplantgrowthandsoilbiologicalactivity AT majaradziemska assessingthepotentialofbiocharagedbyhumicsubstancestoenhanceplantgrowthandsoilbiologicalactivity AT sadiqmuhammad assessingthepotentialofbiocharagedbyhumicsubstancestoenhanceplantgrowthandsoilbiologicalactivity AT zygmuntmgusiatin assessingthepotentialofbiocharagedbyhumicsubstancestoenhanceplantgrowthandsoilbiologicalactivity AT martinakolackova assessingthepotentialofbiocharagedbyhumicsubstancestoenhanceplantgrowthandsoilbiologicalactivity AT muhammadnasir assessingthepotentialofbiocharagedbyhumicsubstancestoenhanceplantgrowthandsoilbiologicalactivity AT tivadarbaltazar assessingthepotentialofbiocharagedbyhumicsubstancestoenhanceplantgrowthandsoilbiologicalactivity AT niazahmed assessingthepotentialofbiocharagedbyhumicsubstancestoenhanceplantgrowthandsoilbiologicalactivity AT martinbrtnicky assessingthepotentialofbiocharagedbyhumicsubstancestoenhanceplantgrowthandsoilbiologicalactivity |