Application of biochar in agriculture and environment, and its safety issues
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REVIEW ARTICLE
Application of biochar in agriculture and environment, and its safety issues Shaon Kumar Das 1,2 & Goutam Kumar Ghosh 2 & Ravikant Avasthe 1 Received: 19 August 2020 / Revised: 31 August 2020 / Accepted: 10 September 2020 # Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2020
Abstract Biochar production from agro-environmental waste biomass is attracting huge interest as a low-cost amendment due to its potential numerous benefits to agriculture and environment, as well as its ability to store soil water. This review summarizes the influences of biomass-derived low-cost biochar on agriculture and environmental health, crop responses, nutrient dynamics, and soil biological parameter–related issues as well as how biochar can helpful for agriculture and environment management. Besides, biochar safety issues and human health in agro-environment have also been discussed. Application of biochar in agroenvironment exerts measurable changes in physico-chemical and biological properties as well as carbon balance. Mechanistic evidences of biochar’s potential for enhancing crop productivity, soil water availability, biochar co-composting, and nutrient use efficiency are also discussed. The review also identifies several knowledge gaps and future research directions for large-scale use of biochar. Hence, this information in the form review is new of its kind which is useful to the broad spectrum of readers. Thus, the biochar addition in agro-environment emerges as a “win-win strategy” for sustainable soil health and environmental ecofriendly assets. But some technical and practical barriers are reported in biochar application in large quantities, which are a major concern today. Keywords Biochar . Agriculture . Environment . Soil health . Nutrients dynamics . Water availability
1 Introduction Conversion of agricultural wastes into a carbon-rich material (i.e., biochar) using the pyrolysis process could be an appropriate approach for their management. The characteristic and chemical contents of biochar depend upon the chemical nature of the feedstock. The properties of biochar are different from activated carbon, though both of them are carbon-rich materials. Biochar has a highly heterogeneous composition, which contains both stable and more labile components, and carbon, volatile compounds, mineral content (ash), and moisture are generally considered the most important constituents. Land application of biochar is not a new concept. Certain dark
* Shaon Kumar Das [email protected] 1
ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Sikkim Centre, Gangtok, Sikkim 737102, India
2
Palli Siksha Bhavana, Visva Bharati, Sriniketan, Birbhum, West Bengal 731236, India
earths in the Amazon Basin have received large amounts of charred materials, the residues from biomass burning. Biochar has the ability to enhance growth of plants by improving physical soil properties (density, infiltration, hydraulic conductivity, aeration, water retention, and temperature), soil chemical properties (pH, CEC, exchangeable acidity, nut
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