Efficacies of designer biochars in improving biomass and nutrient uptake of winter wheat grown in a hard setting subsoil layer

G C Sigua; J M Novak; D W Watts; M G Johnson; K Spokas

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2015.06.015

Efficacies of designer biochars in improving biomass and nutrient uptake of winter wheat grown in a hard setting subsoil layer

Chemosphere. 2016 Jan:142:176-83. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2015.06.015. Epub 2015 Jun 22.

Authors

G C Sigua¹, J M Novak², D W Watts², M G Johnson³, K Spokas⁴

Affiliations

¹ United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Coastal Plains Soil, Water, and Plant Research Center, Florence, SC 29501, USA. Electronic address: gilbert.sigua@ars.usda.gov.
² United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Coastal Plains Soil, Water, and Plant Research Center, Florence, SC 29501, USA.
³ United States Environmental Protection Agency, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Western Ecology Division, 200 Southwest 35th Street, Corvallis, OR 97333, USA.
⁴ United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, St. Paul, MN, USA.

PMID: 26112657
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2015.06.015

Abstract

In the Coastal Plains region of the United States, the hard setting subsoil layer of Norfolk soils results in low water holding capacity and nutrient retention, which often limits root development. In this region, the Norfolk soils are under intensive crop production that further depletes nutrients and reduces organic carbon (C). Incorporation of pyrolyzed organic residues or "biochars" can provide an alternative recalcitrant C source. However, biochar quality and effect can be inconsistent and different biochars react differently in soils. We hypothesized that addition of different designer biochars will have variable effects on biomass and nutrient uptake of winter wheat. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of designer biochars on biomass productivity and nutrient uptake of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in a Norfolk's hard setting subsoil layer. Biochars were added to Norfolk's hard setting subsoil layer at the rate of 40 Mg ha(-1). The different sources of biochars were: plant-based (pine chips, PC); animal-based (poultry litter, PL); 50:50 blend (50% PC:50% PL); 80:20 blend (80% PC:20% PL); and hardwood (HW). Aboveground and belowground biomass and nutrient uptake of winter wheat varied significantly (p⩽0.0001) with the different designer biochar applications. The greatest increase in the belowground biomass of winter wheat over the control was from 80:20 blend of PC:PL (81%) followed by HW (76%), PC (59%) and 50:50 blend of PC:PL (9%). However, application of PL resulted in significant reduction of belowground biomass by about 82% when compared to the control plants. The average uptake of P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Al, Fe, Cu and Zn in both the aboveground and belowground biomass of winter wheat varied remarkably with biochar treatments. Overall, our results showed promising significance for the treatment of a Norfolk's hard setting subsoil layer since designer biochars did improve both aboveground/belowground biomass and nutrient uptake of winter wheat.

Keywords: Aboveground biomass; Belowground biomass; Designer biochars; Hard setting subsoil.

Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Publication types

Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Animals
Biological Transport / drug effects
Biomass*
Charcoal / chemistry
Charcoal / pharmacology*
Pinus / chemistry
Poultry
Soil / chemistry*
Triticum / drug effects*
Triticum / growth & development
Triticum / metabolism*

Substances

Soil
biochar
Charcoal