TY - JOUR
T1 - Impacts of biochar application on upland agriculture
T2 - A review
AU - Palansooriya, Kumuduni Niroshika
AU - Ok, Yong Sik
AU - Awad, Yasser Mahmoud
AU - Lee, Sang Soo
AU - Sung, Jwa Kyung
AU - Koutsospyros, Agamemnon
AU - Moon, Deok Hyun
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) (Germany-Korea Partnership Program (GEnKO Program) 2018–2020) (contribution 100%).
Funding Information:
This study was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea ( NRF ) (Germany-Korea Partnership Program (GEnKO Program) 2018–2020) (contribution 100%).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2019/3/15
Y1 - 2019/3/15
N2 - Soil degradation has become an emerging global problem limiting sustainable upland crop production. Soil erosion, soil acidity, low fertility, inorganic/organic contamination, and salinization challenge food security and lead to severe economic constraints. Therefore, a new research agenda to develop cost-beneficial amendments for improving upland soil quality and productivity is urgently required. Biochar has been used in recent years to mitigate the problems mentioned above. Application of biochar improves the upland soil quality through significant changes in soil physicochemical and biological properties, thereby substantially increasing crop yield. This review article aims to discuss the effects of biochar on upland soil quality and productivity based on biochar-soil interactions. The yield of various upland crops can be enhanced by biochar-induced increases of nutrient availability and topsoil retention/recovery. Furthermore, biochar can assist in controlling unsuitable soil acidity/alkalinity/salinity and remediating a contaminated soil while increasing the retention of soil organic carbon, water content, and thereby high crop yield. Biochar is strongly recommended as one of the best management practices to meet the challenges of upland agriculture. However, the properties of biochar and soil type should be considered carefully prior to application.
AB - Soil degradation has become an emerging global problem limiting sustainable upland crop production. Soil erosion, soil acidity, low fertility, inorganic/organic contamination, and salinization challenge food security and lead to severe economic constraints. Therefore, a new research agenda to develop cost-beneficial amendments for improving upland soil quality and productivity is urgently required. Biochar has been used in recent years to mitigate the problems mentioned above. Application of biochar improves the upland soil quality through significant changes in soil physicochemical and biological properties, thereby substantially increasing crop yield. This review article aims to discuss the effects of biochar on upland soil quality and productivity based on biochar-soil interactions. The yield of various upland crops can be enhanced by biochar-induced increases of nutrient availability and topsoil retention/recovery. Furthermore, biochar can assist in controlling unsuitable soil acidity/alkalinity/salinity and remediating a contaminated soil while increasing the retention of soil organic carbon, water content, and thereby high crop yield. Biochar is strongly recommended as one of the best management practices to meet the challenges of upland agriculture. However, the properties of biochar and soil type should be considered carefully prior to application.
KW - Black carbon
KW - Crop yield
KW - Highland agricultural soil
KW - Soil quality improvement
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85060890802&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.12.085
DO - 10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.12.085
M3 - Article
C2 - 30616189
AN - SCOPUS:85060890802
SN - 0301-4797
VL - 234
SP - 52
EP - 64
JO - Journal of Environmental Management
JF - Journal of Environmental Management
ER -
