Granulation compared to co-application of biochar plus mineral fertilizer and its impacts on crop growth and nutrient leaching
Abstract Mechanized biochar field application remains challenging due to biochar’s poor flowability and bulk density. Granulation of biochar with fertilizer provides a product ready for application with well-established machinery. However, it’s unknown whether granulated biochar-based fertilizers (g...
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Nature Portfolio
2024-07-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-66992-0 |
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| author | Jannis Grafmüller Jens Möllmer E. Marie Muehe Claudia I. Kammann Daniel Kray Hans-Peter Schmidt Nikolas Hagemann |
| author_facet | Jannis Grafmüller Jens Möllmer E. Marie Muehe Claudia I. Kammann Daniel Kray Hans-Peter Schmidt Nikolas Hagemann |
| author_sort | Jannis Grafmüller |
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| description | Abstract Mechanized biochar field application remains challenging due to biochar’s poor flowability and bulk density. Granulation of biochar with fertilizer provides a product ready for application with well-established machinery. However, it’s unknown whether granulated biochar-based fertilizers (gBBF) are as effective as co-application of non-granulated biochar with fertilizer. Here, we compared a gBBF with a mineral compound fertilizer (control), and with a non-granulated biochar that was co-applied at a rate of 1.1 t ha−1 with the fertilizer in a white cabbage greenhouse pot trial. Half the pots received heavy rain simulation treatments to investigate nutrient leaching. Crop yields were not significantly increased by biochar without leaching compared to the control. With leaching, cabbage yield increased with gBBF and biochar-co-application by 14% (p > 0.05) and 34% (p < 0.05), respectively. Nitrogen leaching was reduced by 26–35% with both biochar amendments. Biochar significantly reduced potassium, magnesium, and sulfur leaching. Most nitrogen associated with gBBF was released during the trial and the granulated biochar regained its microporosity. Enriching fertilizers with biochar by granulation or co-application can improve crop yields and decrease nutrient leaching. While the gBBF yielded less biomass compared to biochar co-application, improved mechanized field application after granulation could facilitate the implementation of biochar application in agriculture. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-05ca01b0f3f140eaa6c80d28f4a36626 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-07-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-05ca01b0f3f140eaa6c80d28f4a366262025-02-02T12:25:23ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222024-07-0114111510.1038/s41598-024-66992-0Granulation compared to co-application of biochar plus mineral fertilizer and its impacts on crop growth and nutrient leachingJannis Grafmüller0Jens Möllmer1E. Marie Muehe2Claudia I. Kammann3Daniel Kray4Hans-Peter Schmidt5Nikolas Hagemann6Institute of Sustainable Energy Systems (INES), Offenburg University of Applied SciencesInstitut für Nichtklassische Chemie e.V. (INC)Plant Biogeochemistry, Department of Geosciences, University of TübingenDepartment of Applied Ecology, Hochschule Geisenheim UniversityInstitute of Sustainable Energy Systems (INES), Offenburg University of Applied SciencesIthaka InstituteIthaka InstituteAbstract Mechanized biochar field application remains challenging due to biochar’s poor flowability and bulk density. Granulation of biochar with fertilizer provides a product ready for application with well-established machinery. However, it’s unknown whether granulated biochar-based fertilizers (gBBF) are as effective as co-application of non-granulated biochar with fertilizer. Here, we compared a gBBF with a mineral compound fertilizer (control), and with a non-granulated biochar that was co-applied at a rate of 1.1 t ha−1 with the fertilizer in a white cabbage greenhouse pot trial. Half the pots received heavy rain simulation treatments to investigate nutrient leaching. Crop yields were not significantly increased by biochar without leaching compared to the control. With leaching, cabbage yield increased with gBBF and biochar-co-application by 14% (p > 0.05) and 34% (p < 0.05), respectively. Nitrogen leaching was reduced by 26–35% with both biochar amendments. Biochar significantly reduced potassium, magnesium, and sulfur leaching. Most nitrogen associated with gBBF was released during the trial and the granulated biochar regained its microporosity. Enriching fertilizers with biochar by granulation or co-application can improve crop yields and decrease nutrient leaching. While the gBBF yielded less biomass compared to biochar co-application, improved mechanized field application after granulation could facilitate the implementation of biochar application in agriculture.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-66992-0Biochar-based fertilizerBBFPyrolysisPyCCsWhite cabbage |
| spellingShingle | Jannis Grafmüller Jens Möllmer E. Marie Muehe Claudia I. Kammann Daniel Kray Hans-Peter Schmidt Nikolas Hagemann Granulation compared to co-application of biochar plus mineral fertilizer and its impacts on crop growth and nutrient leaching Scientific Reports Biochar-based fertilizer BBF Pyrolysis PyCCs White cabbage |
| title | Granulation compared to co-application of biochar plus mineral fertilizer and its impacts on crop growth and nutrient leaching |
| title_full | Granulation compared to co-application of biochar plus mineral fertilizer and its impacts on crop growth and nutrient leaching |
| title_fullStr | Granulation compared to co-application of biochar plus mineral fertilizer and its impacts on crop growth and nutrient leaching |
| title_full_unstemmed | Granulation compared to co-application of biochar plus mineral fertilizer and its impacts on crop growth and nutrient leaching |
| title_short | Granulation compared to co-application of biochar plus mineral fertilizer and its impacts on crop growth and nutrient leaching |
| title_sort | granulation compared to co application of biochar plus mineral fertilizer and its impacts on crop growth and nutrient leaching |
| topic | Biochar-based fertilizer BBF Pyrolysis PyCCs White cabbage |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-66992-0 |
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