Biochar Effects on Mineral Nitrogen Leaching, Moisture Content, and Evapotranspiration after <sup>15</sup>N Urea Fertilization for Vegetable Crop
Globally, mineral nitrogen (N) losses as nitrate leaching (NL) are a substantial portion of applied fertilizer and cause surface and sub-surface water contamination. To precisely measure NL and its interlink parameters, biochar soil amendment was tested in this study. Three treatments—bioc...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2019-06-01
|
| Series: | Agronomy |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/9/6/331 |
| _version_ | 1818648639615008768 |
|---|---|
| author | Rasheed Ahmed Yuzhong Li Lili Mao Chunying Xu Wei Lin Shakeel Ahmed Waseem Ahmed |
| author_facet | Rasheed Ahmed Yuzhong Li Lili Mao Chunying Xu Wei Lin Shakeel Ahmed Waseem Ahmed |
| author_sort | Rasheed Ahmed |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Globally, mineral nitrogen (N) losses as nitrate leaching (NL) are a substantial portion of applied fertilizer and cause surface and sub-surface water contamination. To precisely measure NL and its interlink parameters, biochar soil amendment was tested in this study. Three treatments—biochar (BC), without biochar (WB) with <sup>15</sup>N urea (300 kg/ha), and control (no fertilization)—were tested in soil-filled lysimeters (circular PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) tank of 30 cm diameter and 35 cm height) equipped with moisture content sensors and weighing assembly for the consecutive two cropping of <i>Brassica Camprestis Var. Chinensis</i>. The <sup>15</sup>N-urea in the first season and the poultry manure in the second season were applied, but the fate of the <sup>15</sup>N was examined in leachate, dry matter, and soil. As compared to WB, BC significantly decreased mineral N leaching, including nitrate levels (35%), increased electrical conductivity (68.5%), and water availability (20% inches per foot), while there was a non-significant increase in biomass per plant (2.84%), evapotranspiration (8.33%), dry matter (6.89%), and a decrease in mean leachate volume (7.63%). Moreover, BC accumulated values were higher than WB, as N uptake (38%), water use efficiency (12.24%), maximum fresh weight (11.4%), and soil N retained (185%) after cropping. The soil pH, the bulk density, and the total nitrogen were changed but presented non-significant differences. Therefore, biochar can increase soil N retention and available water to improve water use efficiency and decrease potential N leaching. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T01:21:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fff7f594d16d40959a87edc2b12ca60f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4395 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T01:21:38Z |
| publishDate | 2019-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agronomy |
| spelling | doaj.art-fff7f594d16d40959a87edc2b12ca60f2022-12-21T22:08:49ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952019-06-019633110.3390/agronomy9060331agronomy9060331Biochar Effects on Mineral Nitrogen Leaching, Moisture Content, and Evapotranspiration after <sup>15</sup>N Urea Fertilization for Vegetable CropRasheed Ahmed0Yuzhong Li1Lili Mao2Chunying Xu3Wei Lin4Shakeel Ahmed5Waseem Ahmed6Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, ChinaInstitute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, ChinaInstitute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, ChinaInstitute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, ChinaInstitute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, ChinaSchool of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, ChinaDepartment of Horticulture, University of Haripur, Haripur 22620, PakistanGlobally, mineral nitrogen (N) losses as nitrate leaching (NL) are a substantial portion of applied fertilizer and cause surface and sub-surface water contamination. To precisely measure NL and its interlink parameters, biochar soil amendment was tested in this study. Three treatments—biochar (BC), without biochar (WB) with <sup>15</sup>N urea (300 kg/ha), and control (no fertilization)—were tested in soil-filled lysimeters (circular PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) tank of 30 cm diameter and 35 cm height) equipped with moisture content sensors and weighing assembly for the consecutive two cropping of <i>Brassica Camprestis Var. Chinensis</i>. The <sup>15</sup>N-urea in the first season and the poultry manure in the second season were applied, but the fate of the <sup>15</sup>N was examined in leachate, dry matter, and soil. As compared to WB, BC significantly decreased mineral N leaching, including nitrate levels (35%), increased electrical conductivity (68.5%), and water availability (20% inches per foot), while there was a non-significant increase in biomass per plant (2.84%), evapotranspiration (8.33%), dry matter (6.89%), and a decrease in mean leachate volume (7.63%). Moreover, BC accumulated values were higher than WB, as N uptake (38%), water use efficiency (12.24%), maximum fresh weight (11.4%), and soil N retained (185%) after cropping. The soil pH, the bulk density, and the total nitrogen were changed but presented non-significant differences. Therefore, biochar can increase soil N retention and available water to improve water use efficiency and decrease potential N leaching.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/9/6/331soil nitratelysimeterwater use efficiencydry mattersoil pHsoil electrical conductivity |
| spellingShingle | Rasheed Ahmed Yuzhong Li Lili Mao Chunying Xu Wei Lin Shakeel Ahmed Waseem Ahmed Biochar Effects on Mineral Nitrogen Leaching, Moisture Content, and Evapotranspiration after <sup>15</sup>N Urea Fertilization for Vegetable Crop Agronomy soil nitrate lysimeter water use efficiency dry matter soil pH soil electrical conductivity |
| title | Biochar Effects on Mineral Nitrogen Leaching, Moisture Content, and Evapotranspiration after <sup>15</sup>N Urea Fertilization for Vegetable Crop |
| title_full | Biochar Effects on Mineral Nitrogen Leaching, Moisture Content, and Evapotranspiration after <sup>15</sup>N Urea Fertilization for Vegetable Crop |
| title_fullStr | Biochar Effects on Mineral Nitrogen Leaching, Moisture Content, and Evapotranspiration after <sup>15</sup>N Urea Fertilization for Vegetable Crop |
| title_full_unstemmed | Biochar Effects on Mineral Nitrogen Leaching, Moisture Content, and Evapotranspiration after <sup>15</sup>N Urea Fertilization for Vegetable Crop |
| title_short | Biochar Effects on Mineral Nitrogen Leaching, Moisture Content, and Evapotranspiration after <sup>15</sup>N Urea Fertilization for Vegetable Crop |
| title_sort | biochar effects on mineral nitrogen leaching moisture content and evapotranspiration after sup 15 sup n urea fertilization for vegetable crop |
| topic | soil nitrate lysimeter water use efficiency dry matter soil pH soil electrical conductivity |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/9/6/331 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rasheedahmed biochareffectsonmineralnitrogenleachingmoisturecontentandevapotranspirationaftersup15supnureafertilizationforvegetablecrop AT yuzhongli biochareffectsonmineralnitrogenleachingmoisturecontentandevapotranspirationaftersup15supnureafertilizationforvegetablecrop AT lilimao biochareffectsonmineralnitrogenleachingmoisturecontentandevapotranspirationaftersup15supnureafertilizationforvegetablecrop AT chunyingxu biochareffectsonmineralnitrogenleachingmoisturecontentandevapotranspirationaftersup15supnureafertilizationforvegetablecrop AT weilin biochareffectsonmineralnitrogenleachingmoisturecontentandevapotranspirationaftersup15supnureafertilizationforvegetablecrop AT shakeelahmed biochareffectsonmineralnitrogenleachingmoisturecontentandevapotranspirationaftersup15supnureafertilizationforvegetablecrop AT waseemahmed biochareffectsonmineralnitrogenleachingmoisturecontentandevapotranspirationaftersup15supnureafertilizationforvegetablecrop |