Abstract
The need for bioenergy is increasing with increase in global energy demand, and sustainable soil and fertilizer management practices for bioenergy feedstock production are gaining importance. In this greenhouse study, we evaluated the effects of biochar and fertilizer nitrogen on soil and energy crop sunflower (Helianthus annuus L. var. Giganteus). Sunflower plants were treated with three rates of biochar, control (0 Mg ha−1), low (25 Mg ha−1) and high (50 Mg ha−1), and three rates of fertilizers, 0% (control), 50% (low) and 100% (high) of the recommended nitrogen dose. Plant height, quality (chlorophyll content), biomass yield, feedstock energy, ash content and tissue nutrients were measured along with soil moisture and pH. Results showed an 11% increase in mean plant height under low biochar compared to control biochar-treated plants. High nitrogen treatment produced 26% and 18% more stalk and total above-ground plant (whole plant) biomass, respectively, compared to the control nitrogen treatment. High biochar treatment resulted in higher soil moisture holding, but lower soil pH than the control biochar treatment. Plant quality, energy and ash contents were not affected by either biochar or nitrogen. The plant tissue analysis provides a complete tissue macro- and micronutrient information on sunflower cultivar Giganteus, which was not done previously.
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Claims 7
Claim · model-written summary
Low biochar increased mean sunflower height by 11% versus control biochar.
- Taxon
- sunflower
Helianthus annuust0 - Treatment
- low biochare0
- Outcome
- mean plant heighte0
- Direction
- increasee0
- Value
- 11%e0
- Comparator
- control biochar-treated plantse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Results showed an 11% increase in mean plant height under low biochar compared to control biochar-treated plants.”
t0“sunflower”
Claim · model-written summary
High nitrogen increased stalk biomass by 26% relative to control nitrogen.
- Taxon
- sunflowerHelianthus annuust0
- Treatment
- High nitrogen treatmente0
- Outcome
- stalke0
- Direction
- moree0
- Value
- 26%e0
- Comparator
- control nitrogen treatmente0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“High nitrogen treatment produced 26% and 18% more stalk and total above-ground plant (whole plant) biomass, respectively, compared to the control nitrogen treatment.”
t0“sunflower”
Claim · model-written summary
High nitrogen increased whole-plant above-ground biomass by 18%.
- Taxon
- sunflowerHelianthus annuust0
- Treatment
- High nitrogen treatmente0
- Outcome
- total above-ground plant (whole plant) biomasse0
- Direction
- moree0
- Value
- 18%e0
- Comparator
- control nitrogen treatmente0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“High nitrogen treatment produced 26% and 18% more stalk and total above-ground plant (whole plant) biomass, respectively, compared to the control nitrogen treatment.”
t0“sunflower”
Claim · model-written summary
High biochar increased soil moisture holding relative to control biochar.
- Taxon
- sunflowerHelianthus annuust0
- Treatment
- High biochar treatmente0
- Outcome
- soil moisture holdinge0
- Direction
- highere0
- Comparator
- control biochar treatmente0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“High biochar treatment resulted in higher soil moisture holding, but lower soil pH than the control biochar treatment.”
t0“sunflower”
Claim · model-written summary
High biochar lowered soil pH relative to control biochar.
- Taxon
- sunflowerHelianthus annuust0
- Treatment
- High biochar treatmente0
- Outcome
- soil pHe0
- Direction
- lowere0
- Comparator
- control biochar treatmente0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“High biochar treatment resulted in higher soil moisture holding, but lower soil pH than the control biochar treatment.”
t0“sunflower”
Claim · model-written summary
Biochar and nitrogen did not affect plant quality, energy or ash contents.
- Taxon
- sunflowerHelianthus annuust0
- Treatment
- biochar or nitrogene0
- Outcome
- Plant quality, energy and ash contentse0
- Direction
- not affectede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Plant quality, energy and ash contents were not affected by either biochar or nitrogen.”
t0“sunflower”
Claim · model-written summary
Tissue analysis supplied a complete macro- and micronutrient profile for sunflower cultivar Giganteus.
- Taxon
- sunflowerHelianthus annuuse0
- Material
- Giganteuse0
- Outcome
- complete tissue macro- and micronutrient informatione0
- Comparator
- previouslye0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The plant tissue analysis provides a complete tissue macro- and micronutrient information on sunflower cultivar Giganteus, which was not done previously.”
The same questions in other papers
nitrogen · growth · Helianthus annuus (common sunflower)Results differ
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- no effect
- negative
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1 in the opposite direction
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nitrogen · quality: grain · Helianthus annuus (common sunflower)Positive and negative results
6 in the opposite direction
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See all 7 papers →biochar · growth · Helianthus annuus (common sunflower)Positive and negative results
8 papers in the same direction as this paper · 1 in the opposite direction
- negative
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6 papers more in this group
See all 10 papers →biochar · soil: physics · Helianthus annuus (common sunflower)Results agree
2 papers in the same direction as this paper
- positive
- positive
Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.