Abstract
ABSTRACT Biochar is increasingly recognized for its potential to enhance crop growth and soil health, yet its efficacy on cropping systems in Atlantic Canada remains underexplored. This study evaluated the effects of wood‐based biochar, enriched with liquid dairy manure (LDM) or liquid seaweed extract (LSE) or unenriched, applied as a seed coating or broadcast (3 or 5 t ha ‐1 ), on wheat growth, yield, and soil properties. Three experiments (namely germination, pot‐based greenhouse, and field trials) were conducted to assess biochar′s impact compared to inorganic fertilizer and control treatments. Germination experiments showed that unenriched biochar and LDM significantly increased shoot length by 27%–29% compared to controls, while LDM reduced root length by 11%. In greenhouse pot experiment, both biochar application methods increased biomass – shoots by nearly 100% and root by about 30% – compared to controls, with seed‐coated biochar performing comparably to broadcast applications; the LSE treatment did not significantly affect shoot biomass, root biomass, or the root‑to‑shoot ratio. In contrast, two field trials conducted in Kings and Colchester Counties, Nova Scotia in 2024, revealed no significant differences in yield; neither broadcast nor seed‐coating application methods influenced plant growth and seed yield. Several soil nutrient levels showed minor interaction effects with biochar, but organic matter and total nitrogen content remained unchanged. These findings suggest that while biochar demonstrates growth‐promoting effects under controlled conditions, short‐term field responses in Atlantic soils may be limited, underscoring the need for longer‐term and site‐specific evaluation to optimize biochar integration into regional cropping systems.
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Claims 11
Claim · model-written summary
Unenriched biochar increased wheat shoot length by 27%–29% versus controls in germination tests.
- Taxon
- Spring Wheat
Triticum aestivumt0 - Treatment
- unenriched biochare0
- Outcome
- shoot lengthe0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 27%–29%e0
- Comparator
- controlse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“unenriched biochar and LDM significantly increased shoot length by 27%–29% compared to controls”
t0“Spring Wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
LDM-enriched biochar increased wheat shoot length by 27%–29% versus controls.
- Taxon
- Spring WheatTriticum aestivumt0
- Treatment
- LDMe0
- Outcome
- shoot lengthe0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 27%–29%e0
- Comparator
- controlse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“unenriched biochar and LDM significantly increased shoot length by 27%–29% compared to controls”
t0“Spring Wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
LDM reduced wheat root length by 11%.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“LDM reduced root length by 11%”
t0“Spring Wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
Biochar applications nearly doubled wheat shoot biomass in greenhouse pots compared with controls.
- Taxon
- Spring WheatTriticum aestivumt0
- Treatment
- both biochar application methodse0
- Outcome
- biomass – shootse0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- nearly 100%e0
- Comparator
- controlse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“both biochar application methods increased biomass – shoots by nearly 100% and root by about 30% – compared to controls”
t0“Spring Wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
Biochar applications increased wheat root biomass by about 30% in greenhouse pots.
- Taxon
- Spring WheatTriticum aestivumt0
- Treatment
- both biochar application methodse0
- Outcome
- roote0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- about 30%e0
- Comparator
- controlse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“both biochar application methods increased biomass – shoots by nearly 100% and root by about 30% – compared to controls”
t0“Spring Wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
Seed-coated biochar performed comparably to broadcast application.
- Taxon
- Spring WheatTriticum aestivumt0
- Treatment
- seed‐coated biochare0
- Outcome
- performing comparablye0
- Comparator
- broadcast applicationse0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“seed‐coated biochar performing comparably to broadcast applications”
t0“Spring Wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
LSE did not significantly affect wheat shoot biomass, root biomass, or root-to-shoot ratio.
- Taxon
- Spring WheatTriticum aestivumt0
- Treatment
- LSE treatmente0
- Outcome
- shoot biomass, root biomass, or the root‑to‑shoot ratioe0
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the LSE treatment did not significantly affect shoot biomass, root biomass, or the root‑to‑shoot ratio”
t0“Spring Wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
Field trials found no significant wheat yield differences.
- Taxon
- Spring WheatTriticum aestivumt0
- Treatment
- biochart1
- Outcome
- yielde0
- Direction
- no significant differencese0
- Setting
- Kings and Colchester Counties, Nova Scotiae0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“two field trials conducted in Kings and Colchester Counties, Nova Scotia in 2024, revealed no significant differences in yield”
t0“Spring Wheat”
t1“biochar”
Claim · model-written summary
Neither biochar application method influenced field plant growth or seed yield.
- Taxon
- Spring WheatTriticum aestivumt0
- Treatment
- broadcast nor seed‐coating application methodse0
- Outcome
- plant growth and seed yielde0
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“neither broadcast nor seed‐coating application methods influenced plant growth and seed yield”
t0“Spring Wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
Soil nutrient levels showed minor interaction effects with biochar.
- Taxon
- Spring WheatTriticum aestivumt0
- Treatment
- biochare0
- Outcome
- soil nutrient levelse0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Several soil nutrient levels showed minor interaction effects with biochar”
t0“Spring Wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
Soil organic matter and total nitrogen remained unchanged.
- Taxon
- Spring WheatTriticum aestivumt0
- Treatment
- biochart1
- Outcome
- organic matter and total nitrogen contente0
- Direction
- remained unchangede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“organic matter and total nitrogen content remained unchanged”
t0“Spring Wheat”
t1“biochar”
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