Hydrochar can mitigate ammonia volatilization when applied in paddy fields due to its acidity and adsorption property. To realize the recycling of agricultural biowaste as well as the control of nutrient loss from paddy fields, a simulation soil-column experiment with wheat straw hydrochar (WHC) and water-washed hydrochar (W-WHC) was conducted to evaluate the performance of rice yield and ammonia volatilization from paddy fields. The results showed that WHC and W-WHC applied in paddy fields both increased the rice yield and the increased effect at low application rate (0.5%) was higher than that at high application rate (1.5%). In comparison with the control treatment (CKU), the rice yields achieved from low application rate treatments for WHC and W-WHC increased by 17.16% and 20.20% respectively. Except for the equal emission rate between W-WHC with low application rate and CKU treatments, hydrochar (WHC, W-WHC) addition reduced the ammonia volatilization from paddy fields when compared with the CKU. Among them, the ammonia volatilization levels from low-application WHC and high-application W-WHC treatments were significantly lower than that from the CKU treatment, reduced by 31.01% and 17.40%, respectively. Based on the analysis of ammonia volatilization during different fertilization stages, the control effect of hydrochar addition on ammonia volatilization was mainly benefited from tillering and panicle fertilizer stages. The change in the nitrogen concentration of surface water at the tillering fertilizer stage and in pH at the panicle fertilizer stage with the addition of hydrochar was the main driving factor for the reduction in ammonia volatilization. The results show that sufficient amounts of hydrochar derived from wheat straw application can increase crop yield while reducing ammonia volatilization from paddy fields. This method provides an effective route for recycling agricultural biowastes.
Keywords: agricultural biowaste; ammonia volatilization; hydrothermal carbonization; rice; yield.