Abstract
Biochar has been widely recognized for its potential to improve soil quality and mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. A field experiment was conducted in a temperate climate zone of Slovakia on Haplic Luvisol and evaluated the long-term impact of biochar on soil properties, nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, and winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yield. Biochar was applied in 2014 at rates of 0, 10, and 20 t ha−1 and reapplied in 2018 at the same rates, combined with nitrogen (N) fertilization (0, 140, and 210 kg N ha−1). Measurements, conducted from March to October 2021, showed that biochar improved soil water content, increased soil pH, and enhanced soil organic carbon content. However, the concentrations of NH4+-N and NO3−-N generally decreased across all the treatments compared to their respective controls. Biochar reapplication rate at 20 t ha−1, especially combined with second level of N-fertilization, led to a significant reduction in cumulative N2O emissions by 38.40%. Winter wheat yield was positively correlated with both biochar application (10 and 20 t ha−1) and N levels (140 and 210 kg N ha−1), but these differences were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). The positive effects of biochar on soil properties and yield declined over time, with no significant yield differences observed 7 years after the initial application and 3 years after reapplication. These findings suggest that while biochar can enhance soil conditions and reduce GHG emissions in the short term, its long-term effectiveness remains uncertain. Further research is needed to explore alternative biochar feedstocks, application methods, and strategies to sustain its benefits in agricultural systems.
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
Biochar improved soil water content.
Not reportedTaxonComparator
Verbatim
e1“Measurements, conducted from March to October 2021, showed that biochar improved soil water content, increased soil pH, and enhanced soil organic carbon content”
Claim · model-written summary
Biochar increased soil pH.
Not reportedTaxonComparator
Verbatim
e1“Measurements, conducted from March to October 2021, showed that biochar improved soil water content, increased soil pH, and enhanced soil organic carbon content”
Claim · model-written summary
Biochar enhanced soil organic carbon content.
Not reportedTaxonComparator
Verbatim
e1“Measurements, conducted from March to October 2021, showed that biochar improved soil water content, increased soil pH, and enhanced soil organic carbon content”
Claim · model-written summary
Concentrations of NH4+-N and NO3−-N generally decreased across all treatments compared with their controls.
- Treatment
- across all the treatmentse1
- Outcome
- concentrations of NH4+-N and NO3−-Ne1
- Direction
- decreasede1
- Comparator
- their respective controlse1
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e1“However, the concentrations of NH4+-N and NO3−-N generally decreased across all the treatments compared to their respective controls”
Claim · model-written summary
Biochar at 20 t ha−1 reapplied, especially with the second N level, significantly reduced cumulative N2O emissions by 38.40%.
- Treatment
- Biochar reapplication rate at 20 t ha−1e1
- Outcome
- cumulative N2O emissionse1
- Direction
- reductione1
- Value
- 38.40%e1
Not reportedTaxonComparator
Verbatim
e1“Biochar reapplication rate at 20 t ha−1, especially combined with second level of N-fertilization, led to a significant reduction in cumulative N2O emissions by 38.40%”
Claim · model-written summary
Winter wheat yield was positively correlated with biochar application at 10 and 20 t ha−1, without statistically significant differences.
- Taxon
- Winter wheat
Triticum aestivume1 - Treatment
- biochar application (10 and 20 t ha−1)e1
- Outcome
- yielde1
- Direction
- positively correlatede1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yield”
e1“Winter wheat yield was positively correlated with both biochar application (10 and 20 t ha−1) and N levels (140 and 210 kg N ha−1), but these differences were not statistically significant (p > 0.05)”
Claim · model-written summary
Winter wheat yield was positively correlated with N levels of 140 and 210 kg N ha−1, without statistically significant differences.
- Taxon
- Winter wheatTriticum aestivume1
- Treatment
- N levels (140 and 210 kg N ha−1)e1
- Outcome
- yielde1
- Direction
- positively correlatede1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“Winter wheat yield was positively correlated with both biochar application (10 and 20 t ha−1) and N levels (140 and 210 kg N ha−1), but these differences were not statistically significant (p > 0.05)”
Claim · model-written summary
The positive effects of biochar on soil properties and yield declined over time.
- Taxon
- winter wheatTriticum aestivume2
- Treatment
- biochare1
- Outcome
- yielde1
- Direction
- declinede1
- Qualifier
- over timee1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“The positive effects of biochar on soil properties and yield declined over time”
e2“winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yield”
Claim · model-written summary
No significant winter wheat yield differences were observed 7 years after the initial biochar application and 3 years after reapplication.
- Taxon
- winter wheatTriticum aestivume2
- Outcome
- yield differencese1
- Qualifier
- 7 years after the initial application and 3 years after reapplicatione1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“with no significant yield differences observed 7 years after the initial application and 3 years after reapplication”
e2“winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yield”
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See all 8 papers →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.