Biochar application enhances soil nutrient availability and microbial biomass in Chernozemic soil

Abstract

Field research was conducted for two years to evaluate the effect of corn straw biochar on soil chemical properties and microbial biomass of Chernozemic soil in Northern Province, China. The research set up was randomized complete block design with three replicates. A one-time application of biochar was done with the use of ploughing machine to a depth of 20 cm in the first year without further application in the second year. Each treatment plot size was 25 m2. Biochar (BC) was applied at three doses: control (BC0), 15 (BC15), and 30 (BC30) t ha−1. The doses of biochar significantly increased soil organic carbon (SOC), soil pH, the available nitrogen (AN), phosphorus (AP), and potassium (AK) as compared to the plots with no biochar additions (control) in 0-15 and 15-30 cm soil depth. Biochar at 30 t ha−1 (BC30) relatively increased soil organic carbon (SOC), available nitrogen (AN), phosphorus (AP), and potassium (AK) in 0-15 and 15-30 cm in both years than biochar at 15 t ha-1(BC15). Soil pH increased in the first year compared to the control while no significant changes was noticed in the succeeding year. Biochar incorporation resulted in considerable increases in soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC), nitrogen (MBN) and phosphorus (MBP) in 0-15 and 15-30 cm soil depth in both years. Overall, the results of this study suggested that highest dose of corn straw biochar (30 t ha-1) could enhance restoration of soil health by boosting soil nutrients availability and enhancing microbial activities in Chernozemic soils.

Keywords

• Biochar
• available nutrients
• microbial biomass pool
• Chernozemic soil

References

1. Ali, K., Munsif, F., Zubair, M., Hussain, Z., Shahid, M., Din, I.U., Khan, N., 2011. Management of organic and inorganic nitrogen for different maize varieties. Sarhad Journal of Agriculture 27(4): 525–529.
2. Alling, V., Hale, S.E., Martinsen, V., Mulder, J., Smebye, A., Breedveld, G.D., Cornelissen, G., 2014. The role of biochar in retaining nutrients in amended tropical soils. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science 177: 671–680.
3. Ameloot, N., Graber, E.R., Verheijen, F.G.A., De Neve, S. 2013. Interactions between biochar stability and soil organisms: review and research needs. European Journal of Soil Science 64: 379-390.
4. Bao, S.D., 2000. Methods for soil agricultural and chemical analysis. China Agriculture Press, Beijing, China. pp 30–106. [in Chinese]
5. Barrow, C., 2012. Biochar: Potential for countering land degradation and for improving agriculture. Applied Geography 34: 21–28.
6. Berihun, T., Tadele, M., Kebede, F., 2017. The application of biochar on soil acidity and other physico-chemical properties of soils in southern Ethiopia. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science 180: 381–388.
7. Bhattacharjya, S., Chandra, R., Pareek, N., Raverkar K.P., 2016. Biochar and crop residue application to soil: effect on soil biochemical properties, nutrient availability and yield of rice (Oryza sativa L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science 62: 1095-1108.
8. Brandão, M., Canals, L.M., Clift, R., 2011. Soil organic carbon changes in the cultivation of energy crops: Implications for GHG balances and soil quality for use in LCA. Biomass and Bioenergy 35: 2323-2336.

9. Brookes, P.C., Landman, A., Pruden, G., Jenkinson, D.S., 1985. Chloroform fumigation and the release of soil nitrogen: A rapid direct extraction method to measure microbial biomass nitrogen in soil. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 17: 837-842.
10. Bruun, E.W., Ambus. P., Egsgaard, H., Hauggaard-Nielsen, H., 2012. Effects of slow and fast pyrolysis biochar on soil C and N turnover dynamics. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 46: 73–79.
11. Chintala, R., Mollinedo, J., Schumacher, T.E., Papiernik, S.K., Malo, D.D., Clay, D.E., Kumar, S., Gulbrandson, D.W., 2013. Nitrate sorption and desorption in biochars from fast pyrolysis. Microporous and Mesoporous Materials 179: 250–257.
12. Clough, T.J., Condron, L.M., 2010. Biochar and the Nitrogen Cycle: Introduction. Journal of Environmental Quality 39: 1218–1223.
13. Cui, H.J., Wang, M.K., Fu, M.L., Ci, E., 2011. Enhancing phosphorus availability in phosphorus-fertilized zones by reducing phosphate adsorbed on ferrihydrite using rice straw-derived biochar. Journal of Soils and Sediments 11: 1135–1141.
14. Dempster, D.N., Gleeson, D.B., Solaiman, Z.M., Jones, D.L., Murphy, D.V., 2012. Decreased soil microbial biomass and nitrogen mineralisation with eucalyptus biochar addition to a coarse textured soil. Plant and Soil 354: 311–324.
15. Doan, T.T., Henry-des-Tureaux, T., Rumpel, C., Janeau, J.L., Jouquet, P., 2015. Impact of compost, vermicompost and biochar on soil fertility, maize yield and soil erosion in northern Vietnam: a three year mesocosm experiment. Science of The Total Environment 514: 147-154.
16. El-Naggar, A., Lee, S.S., Rinklebe, J., Farooq, M., Song, H., Sarmah, A.K., Zimmerman, A.R., Ahmad, M., Shaheen, S.M., Ok, Y.S., 2019. Biochar application to low fertility soils: A review of current status, and future prospects. Geoderma 337: 536-554.
17. El-Naggar, A.H., Usman, A.R.A., Al-Omran, A., Ok, Y.S., Ahmad, M., Al-Wabel, M.I., 2015. Carbon mineralization and nutrient availability in calcareous sandy soils amended with woody waste biochar. Chemosphere 138: 67–73.
18. Farrell, M., Macdonald, L.M., Butler, G., Chirino-Valle, I., Condron, L.M., 2014. Biochar and fertiliser applications influence phosphorus fractionation and wheat yield. Biology and Fertility of Soils 50: 169–178.
19. Gaskin, J.W., Speir, R.A., Harris, K., Das, K.C., Lee, R.D., Morris, L.A., Fisher, D.S., 2010. Effect of peanut hull and pine chip biochar on soil nutrients, corn nutrient status, and yield. Agronomy Journal 102: 623–633.
20. Gavlak, R., Horneck, D., Miller, R.O., Kotuby-Amacher, J., 2003. Soil, Plant and Water Reference Methods for the Western Region. Far West Fertilizer and Agrichemical Association, Western Rural Development Center.
21. Gomez, J.D., Denef, K., Stewart, C.E., Zheng, J., Cotrufo, M.F., 2014. Biochar addition rate influences soil microbial abundance and activity in temperate soils. European Journal of Soil Science 65: 28-39.
22. Griffin, D.E., Wang, D., Parikh, S.J., Scow, K.M., 2017. Short-lived effects of walnut shell biochar on soils and crop yields in a long-term field experiment. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 236: 21-29.
23. Haider, G., Steffens, D., Moser, G., Müller, C., Kammann, C.I., 2017. Biochar reduced nitrate leaching and improved soil moisture content without yield improvements in a four-year field study. Agriculture, Ecosystem & Environment 237: 80–94.
24. Harter, J., Krause, H.M., Schuettler, S., Ruser, R., Fromme, M., Scholten, T., Kappler, A., Behrens, S. 2014. Linking N2O emissions from biochar-amended soil to the structure and function of the N-cycling microbial community. The ISME Journal 8: 660–674.
25. Helmke, P.A., Sparks, D.L., 1996. Lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, and cesium. In: Methods of Soil Analysis: Part 3 Chemical Methods, 5.3. Sparks, D.L. Page, A.L., Helmke, P.A., Loeppert, R.H., Soltanpour, P.N., Tabatabai, M.A., Johnston, C.T., Sumner, M.E. (Eds.). SSSA Book Series No. 5. ASA-SSSA Madison WI, USA, pp. 551–574.
26. Herrmann, L., Lesueur, D., Robin, A., Robain, H., Wiriyakitnateekul, W., Bräu, L. 2019. Impact of biochar application dose on soil microbial communities associated with rubber trees in North East Thailand. Science of The Total Environment 689: 970-979.
27. Jones, D.L., Rousk, J., Edwards-Jones, G., DeLuca, T.H., Murphy, D.V., 2012. Biochar-mediated changes in soil quality and plant growth in a 3 year field trial. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 45: 113–124.
28. Jones, D.L., Willett, V.B., 2006 Experimental evaluation of methods to quantify dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in soil. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 38: 991–999.
29. Joseph, U.E., Toluwase, A.O., Kehinde, E.O., Omasan, E.E., Tolulope, A.Y., George, O.O., Zhao, C., Hongyan, W., 2019. Effect of biochar on soil structure and storage of soil organic carbon and nitrogen in the aggregate fractions of an Albic soil. Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science 66(1): 1–12.
30. Khadem, A., Raiesi, F., 2017a. Responses of microbial performance and community to corn biochar in calcareous sandy and clayey soils. Applied Soil Ecology 114: 16-27.
31. Khadem, A., Raiesi, F., 2017b. Influence of biochar on potential enzyme activities in two calcareous soils of contrasting texture. Geoderma 308: 149–158.
32. Khorram, M.S., Zhang, G., Fatemi, A., Kiefer, R., Maddah, K., Baqar, M., Zakaria, M.P., Li, G., 2018. Impact of biochar and compost amendment on soil quality, growth and yield of a replanted apple orchard in a 4-year field study. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 99: 1862-1869.
33. Kolb, S.E., Fermanich, K.J., Dornbush, M.E., 2009. Effect of charcoal quantity on microbial biomass and activity in temperate soils. Soil Science Society of America Journal 73: 1173–1181.
34. Kouno, K., Tuchiya, Y., Ando, T., 1995. Measurement of soil microbial biomass phosphorus by an anion exchange membrane method. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 27: 1353-1357.
35. Kuzyakov, Y., Subbotina, I., Chen, H., Bogomolova, I., Xu, X., 2009. Black carbon decomposition and incorporation into soil microbial biomass estimated by 14C labeling. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 41:210-219.
36. Laghari, M., Mirjat, M.S., Hu, Z., Fazal, S., Xiao, B., Hu, M., Chen, Z., Guo, D., 2015. Effect of biochar application rate on sandy desert soil properties and sorghum growth. Catena 135: 313-320.
37. Lal, R., 2010. Managing soils for a warming earth in a food-insecure and energy-starved world. Journal Plant Nutrition and Soil Science 173: 4-15.
38. Lehmann, J., Rillig, M.C., Thies, J., Masiello, C.A., Hockaday, W.C., Crowley, D., 2011. Biochar effects on soil biota – A review. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 43: 1812-1836.
39. Lentz, R.D., Ippolito, J.A., 2012. Biochar and manure affect calcareous soil and corn silage nutrient concentrations and uptake. Journal of Environmental Quality 41: 1033-1043.
40. Li, B., Fan, C.H., Zhang, H., Chen, Z.Z., Sun, L.Y., Xiong, Z.Q., 2015. Combined effects of nitrogen fertilization and biochar on the net global warming potential, greenhouse gas intensity and net ecosystem economic budget in intensive vegetable agriculture in southeastern China. Atmospheric Environment 100: 10–19.
41. Li, Y., Hu, S., Chen, J., Muller, K., Li, Y., Fu, W., Lin, Z., Wang, H., 2018. Effects of biochar application in forest ecosystems on soil properties and greenhouse gas emissions: a review. Journal of Soils and Sediments 18: 546–563.
42. Liang, B., Lehmann, J., Sohi, S.P., Thies, J.E., O’ Neill, B., Trujillo, L., Gaunt, J., Solomon, D., Grossman, J., Neves, E.G., Luizão, F.J., 2010. Black carbon affects the cycling of non-black carbon in soil. Organic Geochemistry 41: 206-213.
43. Lindsay, W. L., Norrvell, W.A., 1978. Development of a DTPA soil test for zinc, iron, manganese and copper. Soil Science Society of America Journal 42: 421–428.
44. Luo, C., Yang, J, Chen, W., Han, F., 2020. Effect of biochar on soil properties on the Loess Plateau: Results from field experiments. Geoderma 369: 114323.
45. Luo, Y., Durenkamp, M., Nobili, M.D., Lin, Q., Devonshire, B.J., Brookes, P.C., 2013. Microbial biomass growth, following incorporation of biochars produced at 350°C or 700°C, in a silty-clay loam soil of high and low pH. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 57: 513-523.
46. Mahmoud, E., El-Beshbeshy, T., El-Kader, N., El Shal, R., Khalafallah, N., 2017. Bio char impacts on physical properties and wheat yield of salt affected soils. International Journal of Research Science Publication 2 (1):1–10.
47. Major, J., Rondon, M., Molina, D., Riha, S.J., Lehmannn, J., 2010. Maize yield and nutrition during 4 years after biochar application to a Colombian savanna oxisol. Plant and Soil 333:117–128.
48. Masto, R.E., Kumar, S., Rout, T.K., Sarkar, P., George, J., Ram, L.C., 2013. Biochar from water hyacinth (Eichornia crassipes) and its impact on soil biological activity. Catena 111: 64–71.
49. Mohanty, P., Nanda, S., Pant, K.K., Naik, S., Kozinski, J.A., Dalai, A.K., 2013. Evaluation of the physiochemical development of biochars obtained from pyrolysis of wheat straw, timothy grass and pinewood: effects of heating rate. Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis 104: 485–493.
50. Mukherjee, A., Lal, R., 2013. Biochar impacts on soil physical properties and greenhouse gas emissions. Agronomy 3(2): 313-339.
51. Mulcahy, D.N.L., & Mulcahy, D.N.L., Dietz, D., 2013. Biochar soil amendment increases tomato seedling resistance to drought in sandy soils. Journal of Arid Environments 88: 222–225.
52. Novak, J.M., Busscher, W.J., Watts, D.W., Laird, D.A., Ahmedna, M.A., Niandou, M.A.S., 2010. Short-term CO2 mineralization after additions of biochar and switch grass to a Typic Kandiudult. Geoderma 154: 281–288.
53. Noyce, G.L., Basiliko, N., Fulthorpe, R., Sackett, T.E., Thomas, S.C., 2015. Soil microbial responses over 2 years following biochar addition to a north temperate forest. Biology and Fertility of Soils 51: 649-659.
54. Oladele, S., Adeyemo, A., Adegaiye, A., Awodun, M., 2019. Effects of biochar amendment and nitrogen fertilization on soil microbial biomass pools in an Alfisol under rain‑fed rice cultivation. Biochar 1: 163-176.
55. Olsen, S.R., Sommers, L.E., 1982. Phosphorus. In: Methods of Soil Analysis, Part 2, Chemical and Microbiological Properties, Second Edition. Number 9, Page, A.L., Keeney, D.R., Baker, D.E., Miller, R.H., Ellis, R. Jr., Rhoades, J.D. (Eds.). ASA-SSSA, Madison, Wisconsin, USA. pp. 403–430.
56. Ouyang, L., Yu, L., Zhang, R., 2014. Effects of amendment of different biochars on soil carbon mineralisation and sequestration. Soil Research 52: 46–54.
57. Paz-Ferreiro, J., Gascó, G., Gutierrez, B., Méndez, A., 2012. Soil biochemical activities and the geometric mean of enzyme activities after application of sewage sludge and sewage sludge biochar to soil. Biology and Fertility of Soils 48: 511–517.
58. Quilty, J.R., Cattle, S.R., 2011. Use and understanding of organic amendments in Australian agriculture: a review. Soil Research 49: 1–26.
59. Redel, Y., Rubio, R., Godoy, R., Borie, F., 2008. Phosphorus fractions and phosphatase activity in an Andisol under different forest ecosystems. Geoderma 145: 216–221.
60. Richards, L.A., 1954. Diagnosis and improvement of saline and alkaline soils. Agriculture Handbook, Vol. 60, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Washington DC, 160 p.
61. Simarani, K., Halmi, M.F.A., Abdullah, R., 2018. Short-term effects of biochar amendment on soil microbial community in humid tropics. Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science 64: 1847-1860.
62. Singh, B.P., Hatton, B.J., Cowie, A.L., Kathuria, A., 2010. Influence of biochars on nitrous oxide emission and nitrogen leaching from two contrasting soils. Journal of Environmental Quality 39: 1224-1235.
63. Sohi, S.P., 2012. Carbon storage with benefits. Science 338: 1034-1035.
64. Song, D., Tang, J., Xi, X., Zhang, S., Liang, G., Zhou, W., Wang, X., 2018. Responses of soil nutrients and microbial activities to additions of maize straw biochar and chemical fertilization in a calcareous soil. European Journal of Soil Biology 84: 1-10.
65. Steiner, C., Das, K.C., Garcia, M., Forster, B., Zech, W., 2008. Charcoal and smoke extract stimulate the soil microbial community in a highly weathered xanthic Ferralsol. Pedobiologia 51: 359–366.
66. Steiner, C., Teixeira, W.G., Lehmann, J., Nehls, T., Macêdo, J.L.V.D., Blum W.E.H., Zech, W., 2007. Long term effects of manure, charcoal and mineral fertilization on crop production and fertility on a highly weathered Central Amazonian upland soil. Plant and Soil 291: 275–290.
67. Steiner, C., Teixeira, W.G., Lehmann, J., Zech, W., 2004. Microbial response to charcoal amendments of highly weathered soils and Amazonian Dark Earths in Central Amazonia-preliminary results. In: Amazonian dark Earths: explorations in time and space. Glaser, B., Woods, W.I. (Eds.). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. pp. 195–212.
68. Subbiah, B.V., Asija, G.L., 1956. A rapid procedure for estimation of available nitrogen in soils. Current Science 25(8): 259–260.
69. Sun, D., Meng, J., Liang, H., Yang, E., Huang, Y., Chen, W., Jiang, L., Lan, Y., Zhang, W., Gao, J., 2015. Effect of volatile organic compounds absorbed to fresh biochar on survival of Bacillus mucilaginosus and structure of soil microbial communities. Journal of Soils and Sediments 15: 271-281.
70. Tang, J., Zhu, W., Kookana, R., Katayama, A. 2013. Characteristics of biochar and its application in remediation of contaminated soil. Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering 116: 653–659.
71. Teutscherova, N., Vazquez, E., Masaguer, A., Navas, M., Scow, K.M., Schmidt, R., Benito, M., 2017. Comparison of lime- and biochar-mediated pH changes in nitrification and ammonia oxidizers in degraded acid soil. Biology and Fertility of Soils 53: 811-821.
72. Vaccari, F.P., Maienza, A., Miglietta, F., Baronti, S., Di Lonardo, S., Giagnoni, L., Lagomarsino, A., Pozzi, A., Pusceddu, E., Ranieri, R., Valboa, G., Genesio, L., 2015. Biochar stimulates plant growth but not fruit yield of processing tomato in a fertile soil. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 207:163-170.
73. Vance, E.D., Brooks, P.C., Jenkinson, D.S. 1987. An extraction method for measuring soil microbial biomass C. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 19:703-707.
74. Walkley, A., Black, I.A., 1934. An examination of the Degtjareff method for determining soil organic matter, and a proposed modification of the chromic acid titration method. Soil Science 37: 29–38.
75. Wang, D., Fonte, S.J., Parikh, S.J., Six, J., Scow, K.M., 2017a. Biochar additions can enhance soil structure and the physical stabilization of C in aggregates. Geoderma 303: 110-117.
76. Wang, Y., Hu, N., Ge, T., Kuzyakov, Y., Wang, L., Li, Z., Tang, Z., Chen, Y., Wu, C., Lou, Y., 2017b. Soil aggregation regulates distributions of carbon, microbial community and enzyme activities after 23-year manure amendment. Applied Soil Ecology 111: 65–72.
77. Weng, Z.H., Van Zwieten, L., Singh, B.P., Tavakkoli, E., Joseph, S., Macdonald, L.M., Rose, T.J., Rose, M.T., Kimber, S.W.L., Morris, S., Cozzolino, D., Araujo, J.R., Archanjo, B.S., Cowie, A., 2017. Biochar built soil carbon over a decade by stabilizing rhizo-deposits. Natural Climate Change 7: 371–376.
78. WRB, 2015. International soil classification system for naming soils and creating legends for soil maps. World Soil Resources Reports No. 106. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Rome, Italy. 192p. Available at [access date: 18.12.2024]: http://www.fao.org/3/i3794en/I3794en.pdf
79. Wu, L., Wei, C., Zhang, S., Wang, Y., Kuzyakov, Y., Ding, X., 2019. MgO-modified biochar increases phosphate retention and rice yields in saline-alkaline soil. Journal of Cleaner Production 235: 901–909.
80. Xu, X.Z., Xu, Y., Chen, S.C., Xu, S.G., Zhang, H.W., 2010. Soil loss and conservation in the black soil region of Northeast China: a retrospective study. Environmental Science & Policy 13(8): 793–800.
81. Zhai, L., CaiJi, Z., Liu, J., Wang, H., Ren, T., Gai, X., Xi, B., Liu, H., 2015. Short-term effects of maize residue biochar on phosphorus availability in two soils with different phosphorus sorption capacities. Biology and Fertility of Soils 51: 113-122.
82. Zhang, A.F., Liu, Y.M., Pan, G.X., Hussain, Q., Li, L.Q., Zheng, J.W., Zhang, X., 2012. Effect of biochar amendment on maize yield and greenhouse gas emissions from a soil organic carbon poor calcareous loamy soil from Central China Plain. Plant and Soil 351: 263–275.
83. Zhang, M., Riaz, M., Zhang, L., Xia, H., El-desouki, Z., Jiang, C. 2019. Response of fungal communities in different soils to biochar and chemical fertilizers under simulated rainfall conditions. Science of The Total Environment 691: 654-663.
84. Zhao, C., Zhang, Y., Liu, X., Ma, X., Meng, Y., Li, X., Quan, X., Shan, J., Zhao, W., Wang, H., 2020. Comparing the effects of biochar and straw amendment on soil carbon pools and bacterial community structure in degraded soil. Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition 20: 751–760.
85. Zharlygassov, Z., Kalimov, N., Ansabayeva, A., Zharlygassov, Z., Moskvicheva, E., İslamzade, R., Ay, A., Akça, İ., Kızılkaya, R., 2025. Sustainable nutrient management and agricultural productivity in Chernozem soils of the Kostanay Region, Kazakhstan. Eurasian Journal of Soil Science 14(1): 98 – 106.