Biochar derived from invasive plants improved the pH, macronutrient availability and biological properties better than liming for acid rain‑affected soil

Faculty Agriculture Year: 2023
Type of Publication: ZU Hosted Pages:
Authors:
Journal: Biochar SPRINGER SINGAPORE PTE LTD Volume:
Keywords : Biochar derived from invasive plants improved , , macronutrient    
Abstract:
apid development in industrialization and urbanization causes serious environmental issues, of which acid rain is one of the quintessential hazards, negatively affecting soil ecology. Liming has been investigated for a long time as the most effective amendment to alter the adverse effects of soil acidity resulting from acid rain. Herein, this study tested the biochar produced from invasive plants as an alternative amendment and hypothesized that biochar can maintain better availability of macronutrients under acid rain than liming by improving soil chemical and biological properties. Therefore, a pot experiment was conducted to compare the effects of lime and biochar at two rates (1% and 3%) on soil available nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K) under simulated acid rain of two pH levels (4.5: pH4.5 and 2.5: pH2.5) as compared with tap water ( pH7.1) as a control treatment. Biochar was produced using different invasive plants, including Blackjack (Biden Pilosa), Wedelia (Wedelia trilobata) and Bitter Vine (Mikania micrantha Kunth). Liming decreased the availability of soil N, P, and K by 36.3% as compared with the control due to the great increment in soil pH and exchangeable calcium ( Ca2+) by 59% and 16-fold, respectively. Moreover, liming reduced the alpha diversity of soil bacteria and fungi by 27% and 11%, respectively. In contrast, biochar at different types and rates resulted in a fourfold increment in the available N, P, and K as an average under acid rain ( pH4.5 and pH2.5) owing to maintaining a neutral pH (6.5–7), which is the most favorable level for soil microbial and enzymatic activites, and the bioavailability of soil nutrients. Furthermore, biochar caused balanced increments in Ca2+ by threefold, cation exchange capacity by 45%, urease activity by 16%, and fungal diversity by 10%, while having a slight reduction in bacterial diversity by 2.5%. Based on the path, correlation, and principal component analyses, the exchangeable aluminum was a moderator for the reductions in macronutrients’ availability under acid rain, which decreased by 40% and 35% under liming and biochar, respectively. This study strongly recommended the use of biochar from invasive plants instead of lime for sustainable improvements in soil properties under acid rain.
   
     
 
       

Author Related Publications

  • Abdelrahman Mohamed Amien Ali Mrwad, "Foliar Spray with Pepsin‐ and Papain‐Whey Protein Hydrolysates Promotes the Productivity of Pea Plants Cultivated in Clay Loam Soil", MDPI, 2021 More
  • Abdelrahman Mohamed Amien Ali Mrwad, "Health Aspects, Growth Performance, and Meat Quality of Rabbits Receiving Diets Supplemented with Lettuce Fertilized with Whey Protein Hydrolysate Substituting Nitrate", MDPI, 2021 More
  • Abdelrahman Mohamed Amien Ali Mrwad, "Ammonia emission from staple crops in China as response to mitigation strategies and agronomic conditions: Meta-analytic study", Elsevier, 2021 More
  • Abdelrahman Mohamed Amien Ali Mrwad, "Field responses of barley genotypes across a salinity gradient in an arid Mediterranean environment", Elsevier, 2021 More
  • Abdelrahman Mohamed Amien Ali Mrwad, "Humus materials and Moringa (Moringa oleifera Lam.) Leaf Extract Modulate the Harmful Effect of Soil Salinity Stress in Sudan Grass (Sorghum vulgare L.)", National Information and Documentation Center (NIDOC), 2019 More

Department Related Publications

  • Ayman Mahmoud Helmy Mohamed Abozied, "RESPONSE OF SEED IRRADIATION WITH GAMMA RAY, N-FERTILIZATION AND BIO FERTILIZATION OF BARLEY (Hordeum vulgare L.) GROWN ON A SAND SOIL", J. Soil Sci. and Agric. Eng., Mansoura Univ, 2014 More
  • Mohammed Ahmed Said Mettwally, "Evaluation fertility of some soils using chemical and thermodynamic method", مجلة الزقازيق للبحوث الزراعية, 2016 More
  • Mohamed Kamal Abdelfatah Mohamed, "اتجاه لاستصلاح وتحسين خصوبة الأراضي المتأثرة بالأملاح", Cairo, A.R.E. : National Information and Documentation Centre, 2013 More
  • Sarah Alsayed Elsayed Elsayed Foda, "The effects of the conjunctive use of compost tea and inorganic fertilization on radish (Raphanus sativus L) plant nutrient uptake and soil microorganisms", المجلة المصرية لعلوم الاراضى, 2016 More
  • Mohammed Saied Dosoki Abohashim, "Impact of land-use and land-management on the water infiltration capacity of soils on a catchment scale", , GermanyISBN: 978-3-930037-74-2 , Julius Kühn Institute (JKI, 2011 More
Tweet