Evaluating the effect of biochar rate and combination with fertilizer on the dynamics of soil nitrogen supply in tea plantation

Abstract Tea plantations commonly receive substantial quantities of nitrogen (N) fertilizer, with potential for considerable N loss to occur. This study assessed N retention in acidic tea plantation soil and examined how different biochar application rates and fertilizer combinations affect N dynami...

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Main Authors: Bangwei Zhang, Cenwei Liu, Qiang Li, Jing Ye, Yi Lin, Yixiang Wang, David L. Burton
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-01-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-87942-4
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author Bangwei Zhang
Cenwei Liu
Qiang Li
Jing Ye
Yi Lin
Yixiang Wang
David L. Burton
author_facet Bangwei Zhang
Cenwei Liu
Qiang Li
Jing Ye
Yi Lin
Yixiang Wang
David L. Burton
author_sort Bangwei Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Tea plantations commonly receive substantial quantities of nitrogen (N) fertilizer, with potential for considerable N loss to occur. This study assessed N retention in acidic tea plantation soil and examined how different biochar application rates and fertilizer combinations affect N dynamics, highlighting the importance of innovative technologies to monitor and enhance N supply management. This research adopted a modified 2-week aerobic incubation and ion-exchange membrane (IEM) techniques to evaluate the soil N supply in tea plantations following early-summer top-dressing as influenced by various biochar rates and fertilizer combinations. We quantified the amount of mineralized N in acidic tea plantation soils during the summer. Our results show that biochar enhances soil N supply not by increasing N mineralization directly but by improving soil mineral N retention. Notably, a threshold effect was identified at biochar application rates of 20–30 tonnes ha−1. The window for maximizing the effectiveness of inorganic fertilizers applied during the summer months in tea plantations could only be 2–4 weeks. The use of biochar-based organic fertilizers can enhance this period by enhancing N retention and availability in the soil. Measuring N mineralization potential via aerobic incubations and N exposure using IEM technology effectively elucidated soil N dynamics during summer period.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2045-2322
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spelling doaj-art-eed905cbf36f4a1f97842a7ca2069f252025-01-26T12:33:45ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-01-0115111210.1038/s41598-025-87942-4Evaluating the effect of biochar rate and combination with fertilizer on the dynamics of soil nitrogen supply in tea plantationBangwei Zhang0Cenwei Liu1Qiang Li2Jing Ye3Yi Lin4Yixiang Wang5David L. Burton6Fujian Key Laboratory of Agricultural Ecological Process in Red Soil Hilly Region, Institute of Resources, Environment and Soil Fertilizer, Fujian Academy of Agricultural SciencesFujian Key Laboratory of Agricultural Ecological Process in Red Soil Hilly Region, Institute of Resources, Environment and Soil Fertilizer, Fujian Academy of Agricultural SciencesFujian Key Laboratory of Agricultural Ecological Process in Red Soil Hilly Region, Institute of Resources, Environment and Soil Fertilizer, Fujian Academy of Agricultural SciencesFujian Key Laboratory of Agricultural Ecological Process in Red Soil Hilly Region, Institute of Resources, Environment and Soil Fertilizer, Fujian Academy of Agricultural SciencesFujian Key Laboratory of Agricultural Ecological Process in Red Soil Hilly Region, Institute of Resources, Environment and Soil Fertilizer, Fujian Academy of Agricultural SciencesFujian Key Laboratory of Agricultural Ecological Process in Red Soil Hilly Region, Institute of Resources, Environment and Soil Fertilizer, Fujian Academy of Agricultural SciencesDepartment of Plant, Food, and Environmental Sciences, Dalhousie UniversityAbstract Tea plantations commonly receive substantial quantities of nitrogen (N) fertilizer, with potential for considerable N loss to occur. This study assessed N retention in acidic tea plantation soil and examined how different biochar application rates and fertilizer combinations affect N dynamics, highlighting the importance of innovative technologies to monitor and enhance N supply management. This research adopted a modified 2-week aerobic incubation and ion-exchange membrane (IEM) techniques to evaluate the soil N supply in tea plantations following early-summer top-dressing as influenced by various biochar rates and fertilizer combinations. We quantified the amount of mineralized N in acidic tea plantation soils during the summer. Our results show that biochar enhances soil N supply not by increasing N mineralization directly but by improving soil mineral N retention. Notably, a threshold effect was identified at biochar application rates of 20–30 tonnes ha−1. The window for maximizing the effectiveness of inorganic fertilizers applied during the summer months in tea plantations could only be 2–4 weeks. The use of biochar-based organic fertilizers can enhance this period by enhancing N retention and availability in the soil. Measuring N mineralization potential via aerobic incubations and N exposure using IEM technology effectively elucidated soil N dynamics during summer period.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-87942-4BiocharNitrogen synamicsTea plantationSoil nitrogen supplyNitrogen exposureBiochar-based organic fertilizer
spellingShingle Bangwei Zhang
Cenwei Liu
Qiang Li
Jing Ye
Yi Lin
Yixiang Wang
David L. Burton
Evaluating the effect of biochar rate and combination with fertilizer on the dynamics of soil nitrogen supply in tea plantation
Scientific Reports
Biochar
Nitrogen synamics
Tea plantation
Soil nitrogen supply
Nitrogen exposure
Biochar-based organic fertilizer
title Evaluating the effect of biochar rate and combination with fertilizer on the dynamics of soil nitrogen supply in tea plantation
title_full Evaluating the effect of biochar rate and combination with fertilizer on the dynamics of soil nitrogen supply in tea plantation
title_fullStr Evaluating the effect of biochar rate and combination with fertilizer on the dynamics of soil nitrogen supply in tea plantation
title_full_unstemmed Evaluating the effect of biochar rate and combination with fertilizer on the dynamics of soil nitrogen supply in tea plantation
title_short Evaluating the effect of biochar rate and combination with fertilizer on the dynamics of soil nitrogen supply in tea plantation
title_sort evaluating the effect of biochar rate and combination with fertilizer on the dynamics of soil nitrogen supply in tea plantation
topic Biochar
Nitrogen synamics
Tea plantation
Soil nitrogen supply
Nitrogen exposure
Biochar-based organic fertilizer
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-87942-4
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