Is current biochar research addressing global soil constraints for sustainable agriculture?

Title
Is current biochar research addressing global soil constraints for sustainable agriculture?
Publication Date
2016
Author(s)
Zhang, Dengxiao
Yan, Ming
Zheng, Jinwei
Zhang, Xuhui
Zheng, Jufeng
Crowley, David
Filley, Timothy R
Pan, Genxing
Niu, Yaru
Liu, Xiaoyu
van Zwieten, Lukas
Chen, De
Bian, Rongjun
Cheng, Kun
Li, Lianqing
Joseph, Stephen
Type of document
Journal Article
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Place of publication
Netherlands
DOI
10.1016/j.agee.2016.04.010
UNE publication id
une:22263
Abstract
Soil degradation is an increasing threat to the sustainability of agriculture worldwide. Use of biochar from bio-wastes has been proposed as an option for improving soil fertility, degraded land restoration, and mitigating the greenhouse gas emissions associated with agriculture. Over the past 10 years, there have been hundreds of research studies on biochar from which it may be possible to determine appropriate methods for use of biochar to improve sustainable agriculture. To address potential gaps in our understanding of the role of biochar in agriculture, in this paper are reviewed the studies of 798 publications of field-, greenhouse- and laboratory-based biochar amendment soil experiments conducted as of August, 2015. Here we report the findings from a quantitative assessment. The majority of published studies have been performed in developed countries in soils that are less impaired than those found in many developing countries. The majority of the works involves laboratory and greenhouse pot experiments rather than field studies. Most published studies on biochar have used small kiln or lab prepared biochars rather than commercial scale biochars. And, most studies utilize wood and municipal waste feedstocks rather than crop residues though the later are often available in agriculture. Overall, the lack of well-designed long-term field studies using biochar produced in commercial processes, may be limiting our current understanding of biochar's potential to enhance crop production and mitigate climate change. We further recommend greater alliance between researchers and biochar production facilities to foster the uptake of this important technology at a global scale.
Link
Citation
Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, v.226, p. 25-32
ISSN
1873-2305
0167-8809
Start page
25
End page
32

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