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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2025-01-01
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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 |
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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 |
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language | English |
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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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