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Pokharel P, Chang SX. Biochar decreases and nitrification inhibitor increases phosphorus limitation for microbial growth in a wheat-canola rotation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 858:159773. [PMID: 36374728 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 10/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Agricultural management practices affect microbial populations and ecoenzymatic activities; however, the effect of these practices on ecological stoichiometry relating the elemental ratio of resources to microbial biomass is poorly understood. In a 2-year field study, we assessed the effects of biochar and nitrapyrin (a commonly used nitrification inhibitor (NI)) on the ecological stoichiometry and microbial nutrient limitation in a wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)-canola (Brassica juncea L.) rotation. This study used a 3 × 2 factorial design that included two treatments: (i) biochar with three levels: no biochar addition (BC0), and biochar added at 10 (BC10) and 20 t ha-1 (BC20), and (ii) NI with two levels: without (NI0) and with NI (NI1). Soil microbial biomass carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) were increased by biochar application, regardless of the application rate, but were not affected by NI application. Biochar increased and NI decreased β-1,4-glucosidase, β-1,4-N-acetyl glucosaminidase and acid phosphatase (P < 0.05) with subsequent changes in ecoenzymatic stoichiometry. Ecoenzymatic stoichiometry analysis showed microbial P limitation relative to N in the studied area irrespective of the treatment, with contrasting effects of biochar (decreasing) and NI (increasing) on the vector angle of ecoenzymatic stoichiometry (P = 0.037 and 0.043, respectively). Biochar applied at 20 t ha-1 decreased the threshold elemental ratio of C:P at which microbial growth switches between nutrient and C limitations, suggesting a shift towards C relative to nutrient (P) limitation. This study concludes that biochar produced from manure compost can be useful in increasing microbial growth by alleviating P limitations in a wheat-canola rotation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prem Pokharel
- 442 Earth Sciences Building, Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2E3, Canada.
| | - Scott X Chang
- 442 Earth Sciences Building, Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2E3, Canada.
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Effectiveness of Biochar and Zeolite Soil Amendments in Reducing Pollution of Municipal Wastewater from Nitrogen and Coliforms. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14148880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
A greenhouse experiment with soil cores and wastewater application was carried out to investigate the effects of biochar and zeolite on the mobility of nitrogen and coliform bacteria during the leaching of columns repacked by a silty loam soil. Triticum aestivum plants were grown in cores with and without biochar and zeolite irrigated with municipal wastewater for 4 months in the greenhouse. Cores were then flushed with 800 mLof distillate water and, finally, the leachate was collected. Application of biochar or zeolite significantly (p ≤ 0.05) reduced nitrate and ammonium loss in soil after leaching process, compared to their non-treated counterparts. In addition, interactions of biochar and zeolite significantly decreased nitrate and ammonium content in leachate. Biochar had higher removal effects of coliform bacteria in leachate than zeolite. Lower nitrate and ammonium content in leachate was related to the increased retention of soil amendments. Application of 5% w/w of biochar also reduced the volume of leachate by 11% compare to control, but using 5% w/w and 10% w/w of zeolite increased the volume of leachate compared with non-treated columns by 21% and 48%, respectively. Taken together, these data highlight the need to consider the potential benefits of biochar and zeolite as soil amendment to reduce nitrogen mobility and remove coliform bacteria in the leaching process of municipal wastewater in agricultural systems.
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Huérfano X, Estavillo JM, Torralbo F, Vega-Mas I, González-Murua C, Fuertes-Mendizábal T. Dimethylpyrazole-based nitrification inhibitors have a dual role in N 2O emissions mitigation in forage systems under Atlantic climate conditions. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 807:150670. [PMID: 34610408 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Nitrogen fertilization is the most important factor increasing nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from agriculture, which is a powerful greenhouse gas. These emissions are mainly produced by the soil microbial processes of nitrification and denitrification, and the application of nitrification inhibitors (NIs) together with an ammonium-based fertilizer has been proved as an efficient way to decrease them. In this work the NIs dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) and dimethylpyrazole succinic acid (DMPSA) were evaluated in a temperate grassland under environmental changing field conditions in terms of their efficiency reducing N2O emissions and their effect on the amount of nitrifying and denitrifying bacterial populations responsible of these emissions. The stimulation of nitrifying bacteria induced by the application of ammonium sulphate as fertilizer was efficiently avoided by the application of both DMPP and DMPSA whatever the soil water content. The denitrifying bacteria population capable of reducing N2O up to N2 was also enhanced by both NIs provided that sufficiently high soil water conditions and low nitrate content were occurring. Therefore, both NIs showed the capacity to promote the denitrification process up to N2 as a mechanism to mitigate N2O emissions. DMPSA proved to be a promising NI, since it showed a more significant effect than DMPP in decreasing N2O emissions and increasing ryegrass yield.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ximena Huérfano
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Apdo. 644, E-48080 Bilbao, Spain
| | - José M Estavillo
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Apdo. 644, E-48080 Bilbao, Spain
| | - Fernando Torralbo
- Division of Plant Science, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65201, USA
| | - Izargi Vega-Mas
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Apdo. 644, E-48080 Bilbao, Spain
| | - Carmen González-Murua
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Apdo. 644, E-48080 Bilbao, Spain
| | - Teresa Fuertes-Mendizábal
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Apdo. 644, E-48080 Bilbao, Spain.
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Pokharel P, Chang SX. Biochar decreases the efficacy of the nitrification inhibitor nitrapyrin in mitigating nitrous oxide emissions at different soil moisture levels. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 295:113080. [PMID: 34186312 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.113080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Unprecedented increases in agricultural nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions in recent years have caused substantial environmental pollution that leads to ozone depletion and global warming. Application of biochar and/or nitrification inhibitors (NIs) has the potential to reduce N2O emissions; however, it is not clear how biochar application may affect the efficacy of NI in reducing nitrification rates, soil enzyme activities, and N2O emissions under different soil moisture regimes. We conducted a 60-day laboratory incubation experiment to study the effects of manure biochar and nitrapyrin (as a NI) on N2O emissions from a urea fertilized soil with either 60 (low) or 80% (high) water-filled pore space (WFPS). Nitrification rates were significantly affected by biochar × NI × WFPS and biochar × WFPS interactions. Biochar initially increased and then decreased the rates, resulting in 45.2 and 26.6% (P < 0.001 for both) overall reductions in low and high WFPS, respectively while NI reduced the rates only in the first 10 days at 60% WFPS. Biochar decreased (P < 0.001) and NI increased (P = 0.007) β-1,4-N-acetyl glucosaminidase activities while urease activities were increased (P < 0.001) by biochar across WFPS. Biochar had significant interaction with NI in cumulative N2O emissions with the efficacy of NI being reduced when co-applied with biochar. Cumulative N2O emissions were greater at high than at low WFPS; the emissions were decreased by biochar at 60% WFPS and NI at both 60 and 80% WFPS. We conclude that biochar reduces efficacy of nitrapyrin in mitigating N2O emissions and their effects on net nitrification rates, enzyme activities and N2O emissions are dependent on soil moisture level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prem Pokharel
- 442Earth Sciences Building, Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, T6G 2E3, Canada.
| | - Scott X Chang
- 442Earth Sciences Building, Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, T6G 2E3, Canada.
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The Role of Biochar in Regulating the Carbon, Phosphorus, and Nitrogen Cycles Exemplified by Soil Systems. SUSTAINABILITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/su13105612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Biochar is a carbon-rich material prepared from the pyrolysis of biomass under various conditions. Recently, biochar drew great attention due to its promising potential in climate change mitigation, soil amendment, and environmental control. Obviously, biochar can be a beneficial soil amendment in several ways including preventing nutrients loss due to leaching, increasing N and P mineralization, and enabling the microbial mediation of N2O and CO2 emissions. However, there are also conflicting reports on biochar effects, such as water logging and weathering induced change of surface properties that ultimately affects microbial growth and soil fertility. Despite the voluminous reports on soil and biochar properties, few studies have systematically addressed the effects of biochar on the sequestration of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in soils. Information on microbially-mediated transformation of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) species in the soil environment remains relatively uncertain. A systematic documentation of how biochar influences the fate and transport of carbon, phosphorus, and nitrogen in soil is crucial to promoting biochar applications toward environmental sustainability. This report first provides an overview on the adsorption of carbon, phosphorus, and nitrogen species on biochar, particularly in soil systems. Then, the biochar-mediated transformation of organic species, and the transport of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in soil systems are discussed. This review also reports on the weathering process of biochar and implications in the soil environment. Lastly, the current knowledge gaps and priority research directions for the biochar-amended systems in the future are assessed. This review focuses on literatures published in the past decade (2009–2021) on the adsorption, degradation, transport, weathering, and transformation of C, N, and P species in soil systems with respect to biochar applications.
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Hailegnaw NS, Mercl F, Kulhánek M, Száková J, Tlustoš P. Co-application of high temperature biochar with 3,4-dimethylpyrazole-phosphate treated ammonium sulphate improves nitrogen use efficiency in maize. Sci Rep 2021; 11:5711. [PMID: 33707651 PMCID: PMC7952707 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-85308-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed on the increasing nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of maize via the use of high temperature produced biochar (700 °C). Maize was grown to maturity on two contrasting soils (acidic Cambisol and neutral Chernozem) in pots with a treatment of biochar co-applied with ammonium sulphate stabilised by a nitrification inhibitor (3,4-dimethylpyrazole-phosphate, DMPP) or un-stabilised. The combination of biochar with ammonium sulphate containing DMPP increased maize biomass yield up to 14%, N uptake up to 34% and NUE up to 13.7% compared to the sole application of ammonium sulphate containing DMPP. However, the combination of biochar with un-stabilised ammonium sulphate (without DMPP) had a soil-specific influence and increased maize biomass only by 3.8%, N uptake by 27% and NUE by 11% only in acidic Cambisol. Further, the biochar was able to increase the uptake of phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) in both stabilised and un-stabilised treatments of ammonium sulphate. Generally, this study demonstrated a superior effect from the combined application of biochar with ammonium sulphate containing DMPP, which improved NUE, uptake of P, K and increased maize biomass yield. Such a combination may lead to higher efficiency of fertilisation practices and reduce the amount of N fertiliser to be applied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niguss Solomon Hailegnaw
- Department of Agro-Environmental Chemistry and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129Prague 6, 16500, Suchdol, Czech Republic.
| | - Filip Mercl
- Department of Agro-Environmental Chemistry and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129Prague 6, 16500, Suchdol, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Kulhánek
- Department of Agro-Environmental Chemistry and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129Prague 6, 16500, Suchdol, Czech Republic
| | - Jiřina Száková
- Department of Agro-Environmental Chemistry and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129Prague 6, 16500, Suchdol, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Tlustoš
- Department of Agro-Environmental Chemistry and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129Prague 6, 16500, Suchdol, Czech Republic
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Yang L, Deng Y, Wang X, Zhang W, Shi X, Chen X, Lakshmanan P, Zhang F. Global direct nitrous oxide emissions from the bioenergy crop sugarcane (Saccharum spp. inter-specific hybrids). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 752:141795. [PMID: 32892043 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 08/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Sugarcane is the second largest bioenergy crop in the world and it accounts for 80% of global sugar production. Grown mostly in wet and warm tropics with relatively high nitrogen (N) fertiliser input and crop residue retention, sugarcane production is a significant source of nitrous oxide (N2O) emission. Yet, a global evaluation of research on N2O emission from sugarcane crop is lacking. Here, we conducted a meta-analysis using data from 141 measurements compiled from 15 sugarcane field studies reported from different countries to i) quantify N2O emissions and emission factors (EFs) globally, and for tropics and sub-tropics, and ii) identify the key factors that promote N2O emission. Our analysis shows that the global mean total N2O emission from sugarcane production reached 2.26 (CI: 1.93-2.62) kg N2O-N ha-1 yr-1 with an estimated EF of 1.21% (CI: 0.971-1.46%). N2O emissions increased exponentially with increase in N fertiliser rate, questioning the adequacy of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) default EF value (1%) for sugarcane N2O emission estimation. Mean total N2O emissions and EFs in tropics and sub-tropics did not vary significantly. Supplementing synthetic N fertiliser (SN) with organic amendments (OA) significantly increased mean N2O emission (~1.4-fold) and EF (~2.5-fold) compared to SN. A remarkable reduction in N2O emission (38.6%) and EF (61.5%) was evident when enhanced efficiency fertilisers (EEF) replaced SN. In contrast, crop residue removal had little impact on N2O emission and EF, but both parameters showed an upward trend with irrigation and increased rainfall. Soil carbon content and pH were emerged as key regulators of sugarcane N2O emission and EF. It is concluded that global sugarcane N2O emission could be significant and that there is considerable prospect for mitigating the emission through innovative nutrient formulations and precision agriculture that help meet crop nutrient demand without compromising environmental imperatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linsheng Yang
- Interdisciplinary Research Center for Agriculture Green Development in Yangtze River Basin, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
| | - Yan Deng
- Interdisciplinary Research Center for Agriculture Green Development in Yangtze River Basin, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
| | - Xiaozhong Wang
- Interdisciplinary Research Center for Agriculture Green Development in Yangtze River Basin, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
| | - Wushuai Zhang
- Interdisciplinary Research Center for Agriculture Green Development in Yangtze River Basin, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
| | - Xiaojun Shi
- Interdisciplinary Research Center for Agriculture Green Development in Yangtze River Basin, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
| | - Xinping Chen
- Interdisciplinary Research Center for Agriculture Green Development in Yangtze River Basin, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
| | - Prakash Lakshmanan
- Interdisciplinary Research Center for Agriculture Green Development in Yangtze River Basin, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China; Sugarcane Research Institute, Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanning 530007, China; Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, University of Queensland, St Lucia 4067, QLD, Australia.
| | - Fusuo Zhang
- Interdisciplinary Research Center for Agriculture Green Development in Yangtze River Basin, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China; Center for Resources, Environment and Food Security, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
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Corrochano-Monsalve M, González-Murua C, Bozal-Leorri A, Lezama L, Artetxe B. Mechanism of action of nitrification inhibitors based on dimethylpyrazole: A matter of chelation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 752:141885. [PMID: 32890835 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
In agriculture, the applied nitrogen (N) can be lost in the environment in different forms because of microbial transformations. It is of special concern the nitrate (NO3-) leaching and the nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, due to their negative environmental impacts. Nitrification inhibitors (NIs) based on dimethylpyrazole (DMP) are applied worldwide in order to reduce N losses. These compounds delay ammonium (NH4+) oxidation by inhibiting ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) growth. However, their mechanism of action has not been demonstrated, which represent an important lack of knowledge to use them correctly. In this work, through chemical and biological analysis, we unveil the mechanism of action of the commonly applied 3,4-dimethyl-1H-pyrazole dihydrogen phosphate (DMPP) and the new DMP-based NI, 2-(3,4-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)-succinic acid (DMPSA). Our results show that DMP and DMPSA form complexes with copper (Cu2+) cations, an indispensable cofactor in the nitrification pathway. Three coordination compounds namely [Cu(DMP)4Cl2] (CuDMP1), [Cu(DMP)4SO4]n (CuDMP2) and [Cu(DMPSA)2]·H2O (CuDMPSA) have been synthesized and chemical and structurally characterized. The CuDMPSA complex is more stable than those containing DMP ligands; however, both NIs show the same nitrification inhibition efficiency in soils with different Cu contents, suggesting that the active specie in both cases is DMP. Our soil experiment reveals that the usual application dose is enough to inhibit nitrification within the range of Cu and Zn contents present in agricultural soils, although their effects vary depending on the content of these elements. As a result of AOB inhibition by these NIs, N2O-reducing bacteria seem to be beneficed in Cu-limited soils due to a reduction in the competence. This opens up the possibility to induce N2O reduction to N2 through Cu fertilization. On the other hand, when fertilizing with micronutrients such as Cu and Zn, the use of NIs could be beneficial to counteract the increase of nitrification derived from their application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Corrochano-Monsalve
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain.
| | - Carmen González-Murua
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - Adrián Bozal-Leorri
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - Luis Lezama
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - Beñat Artetxe
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
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Amoah-Antwi C, Kwiatkowska-Malina J, Thornton SF, Fenton O, Malina G, Szara E. Restoration of soil quality using biochar and brown coal waste: A review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 722:137852. [PMID: 32213438 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Soils in intensively farmed areas of the world are prone to degradation. Amendment of such soils with organic waste materials attempts to restore soil quality. Organic amendments are heterogeneous media, which are a source of soil organic matter (SOM) and maintain or restore chemical, physical, biological and ecological functionality. More specifically, an increase in SOM can influence the soil microclimate, microbial community structure, biomass turnover and mineralisation of nutrients. The search is on-going for locally sourced alternatives as many forms may be costly or geographically limiting. The present review focuses on a heterogeneous group of amendments i.e. biochar and brown coal waste (BCW). Both biochar (made from a variety of feedstocks at various temperatures) and BCW (mined extensively) are options that have worldwide applicability. These materials have very high C contents and soil stability, therefore can be used for long-term C sequestration to abate greenhouse gas emissions and as conditioners to improve soil quality. However, biochar is costly for large-scale applications and BCW may have inherently high moisture and pollutant contents. Future studies should focus on the long-term application of these amendments and determine the physicochemical properties of the soil, bioavailability of soil contaminants, diversity of soil communities and productivity of selected crops. Furthermore, the development of in situ technologies to lower production and processing costs of biochar and BCW would improve their economic feasibility for large-scale application.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Steven F Thornton
- Kroto Research Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Owen Fenton
- Teagasc, Johnstown Castle, Environmental Research Centre, Co., Wexford, Ireland
| | | | - Ewa Szara
- Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
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Sheikhi J, Mirsyed Hosseini H, Etesami H, Majidi A. Biochar counteracts nitrification inhibitor DMPP-mediated negative effect on spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) growth. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2020; 191:110243. [PMID: 32001421 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2020.110243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2019] [Revised: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The use of nitrification inhibitors (NIs) such as 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) has been suggested to diminish agricultural soil nitrate (NO3-) loss and increase nitrogen (N) use efficiency (NUE). However, the yield of ammonium (NH4+)-sensitive plants such as spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) may be adversely affected by the application of NIs at high N levels and, on the other hand, the efficiency of the NIs may also be affected by soil amendments such as biochar. These two issues are still not adequately addressed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different N levels including DMPP or not in a calcareous soil with and without amendment of wheat straw biochar on spinach yield, NUE, nitrate concentration of spinach leaf, activity of enzymes nitrate reductase (NR) and nitrite reductase (NiR), and soil ammonium (NH4+) and NO3- concentration under greenhouse conditions. This experiment was carried out with different N rates factor at seven levels (un-fertilized, N0; fertilized with 50 mg N kg-1 soil, N50; fertilized with 75 mg N kg-1 soil, N75; fertilized with 100 mg N kg-1 soil, N100; fertilized with N50 + DMPP; fertilized with N75 + DMPP; and fertilized with N100 + DMPP) and biochar (BC) factor at two levels (0, 0%BC; and 2% (w/w), 2%BC) with six replications over a 56-day cultivation period of spinach. Results showed that the application of DMPP had no significant effect on the yield of spinach plant at low and medium levels of N (50 and 75 mg N kg-1 soil), but decreased the yield of this plant at the higher level of N (100 mg N kg-1 soil). However, application of BC decreased the negative effect of DMPP on spinach yield as the yield in spinach plants fertilized with N75 + DMPP and N100 + DMPP significantly increased. Both application of DMPP and addition of BC to soil decreased leaf NO3- concentration by 29.2% and 16.3% compared to control, respectively. Biochar compared to control decreased NR activity by 46.3%. With increasing N rate, NR and NiR activities increased, but DMPP decreased the activities of both enzymes. Biochar reduced the efficiency of DMPP as soil NH4+ concentration was higher in the treatments containing DMPP without BC at 56 days after planting. Biochar and DMPP could increase the quality of spinach plant through decreasing the leaf NO3- concentration. In general, wheat straw biochar counteracted DMPP-mediated negative effect on growth of spinach plant at high level of N by decreasing the efficiency of this inhibitor. These results provide the useful information for managing the application rate of N fertilizers including DMPP in biochar-amended soil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamal Sheikhi
- Department of Soil Science, University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, 31587-77871, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hossein Mirsyed Hosseini
- Department of Soil Science, University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, 31587-77871, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Hassan Etesami
- Department of Soil Science, University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, 31587-77871, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Aziz Majidi
- Agricultural Research and Education and Natural Resource Center, West Azerbaijan, Iran
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