Biochar and biochar with N-fertilizer affect soil N2O emission in Haplic Luvisol
2017
Horák, Jan | Kondrlová, Elena | Igaz, Dušan | Šimanský, Vladimír | Felber, Raphael | Lukac, Martin | Balashov, Eugene V. | Buchkina, Natalya P. | Rizhiya, Elena Y. | Jankowski, Michał
The benefits of biochar application are well described in tropical soils, however there is a dearth of information on its effects in agricultural temperate soils. An interesting and little explored interaction may occur in an intensive agriculture setting; biochar addition may modify the effect of commonplace N-fertilization. We conducted a field experiment to study the effects of biochar application at the rate of 0, 10 and 20 t ha⁻¹ (B0, B10 and B20) in combination with 0, 40 and 80 kg N ha⁻¹ of N-fertilizer (N0, N40, N80). We followed nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions, analysed a series of soil physicochemical properties and measured barley yield in a Haplic Luvisol in Central Europe. Seasonal cumulative N₂O emissions from B10N0 and B20N0 treatments decreased by 27 and 25% respectively, when compared to B0N0. Cumulative N₂O emissions from N40 and N80 combined with B10 and B20 were also lower by 21, 19 and 25, 32%, respectively compared to controls B0N40 and B0N80. Average pH was significantly increased by biochar addition. Increased soil pH and reduces NO3−$\begin{array}{} \displaystyle NO^-_3 \end{array} $ content seen in biochar treatments could be the two possible mechanisms responsible for reduced N₂O emissions. There was a statistically significant increase of soil water content in B20N0 treatment compared to B0N0 control, possibly as a result of larger surface area and the presence of microspores having altered pore size distribution and water-holding capacity of the soil. Application of biochar at the rate of 10 t ha⁻¹ had a positive effect on spring barley grain yield.
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