Abstract

Author:
Niraj K.C. and Bhimsen Mahat

Doi: 10.26480/jwbm.02.2024.111.115

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY 4.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited

Soil fertility is declining due to the increased use of synthetic fertilizers and monocropping practices. Intensive farming, mining, and heavy metal contamination have caused numerous adverse effects on soils. To boost crop growth and keep soil fertile, it’s vital to protect soil’s physical, chemical, and biological makeup by ensuring sufficient organic content. Biochar is gaining recognition as a sustainable soil enhancer across various fields, including agriculture, environmental science, and energy. This article provides a comprehensive overview of biochar, covering its production, characterization, and impact on soil application. The review concludes that biochar application decreases soil bulk density, reduces soil N2O emissions, and mitigates soil salinization by increasing soil porosity and cation exchange capacity. Additionally, biochar improves soil conditions by increasing water absorption, water retention, organic matter, nitrogen content, acidity, nutrient-holding capacity, and microbial activity. The mechanisms behind these improvements include biochar’s high porosity, adsorptive properties, ash content, negative surface charge, slow nutrient release through chelation, provision of habitat for microorganisms, and increased total soil organic carbon. However, the effectiveness of biochar in enhancing soil properties is influenced by the soil’s nature, the type of biochar used (based on feedstock and pyrolysis conditions), and the application rate of biochar.