Biochar Amendment Enhances Water Retention in a Tropical Sandy Soil

Martha Lustosa Carvalho, Moacir Tuzzin de Moraes, Carlos Eduardo P. Cerri and Maurício Roberto Cherubin
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Martha Lustosa Carvalho: Department of Soil Science, “Luiz de Queiroz” College of Agriculture/University of São Paulo (ESALQ/USP), Piracicaba SP 13418-900, Brazil
Moacir Tuzzin de Moraes: Department of Agronomic Science (DAGRO-FB), Federal University of Technology-Paraná campus Francisco Beltrão, Francisco Beltrão PR 85601-970, Brazil
Carlos Eduardo P. Cerri: Department of Soil Science, “Luiz de Queiroz” College of Agriculture/University of São Paulo (ESALQ/USP), Piracicaba SP 13418-900, Brazil
Maurício Roberto Cherubin: Department of Soil Science, “Luiz de Queiroz” College of Agriculture/University of São Paulo (ESALQ/USP), Piracicaba SP 13418-900, Brazil

Agriculture, 2020, vol. 10, issue 3, 1-13

Abstract: The use of biochar, which is the solid product of biomass pyrolysis, in agricultural soils, has been shown as a strategic solution for building soil carbon stocks and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. However, biochar amendment might also benefit other key soil processes and services, such as those that are related to water retention, particularly in sandy soils. Here, we conducted an experiment to investigate the potential of biochar to enhance pore size distribution and water retention properties in a tropical sandy soil. Three biochar rates were incorporated (equivalent to 6.25, 12.5, and 25 Mg ha −1 ) into plastic pots containing a sandy Oxisol sampled from a sugarcane field in Brazil. Undisturbed samples of the mixture were collected at two evaluation times (50 and 150 days) and used to determine water retention curves and other soil physical properties. The results showed that biochar amendment decreased soil bulk density and increased water retention capacity, micropore volume, and available water content. Higher soil water retention in amended soil is associated with the inherent characteristics of biochar (e.g., internal porosity) and potential improvements in soil structure. Microporosity and water retention were enhanced with intermediate biochar rate (12.5 Mg ha −1 ), instead of the highest rate (25 Mg ha −1 ) tested. Further studies are needed to validate these results under field conditions.

Keywords: pyrolysed biomass; soil pore function; soil structure; soil physical properties; soil water retention curve (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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