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Course code:-RAWECourse title:-Rural Agriculture Work Experience Credit hour:-(0+4)

Submitted to:-Asst. Prof. Achin Kumar

SSC, IAS, BHU..

Presented by:-Abhinav vivek

ID No.- R-13001

PRESENTATION ON

“BIOCHAR: IMPORTANCE, ROLE IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY & SUSTAINING SOIL HEALTH”.

B.Sc.(Ag.) 4th Yr., INSTITUTE OF AGRICULTURE SCIENCES, BHU2

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Contents:IntroductionWhat is Biochar?Important feedstocks for BiocharCharactertistics of BiocharMethods of biochar preparationBiochar application in soilBiochar impact on soil properties, soil

water hydaulics & soil biotaCritical factors for maximizing the benefits

of biocharConclusion

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INTRODUCTION:-Soil health is the foundation of a vigorous and sustainable

food system. As the land is farmed, the agricultural process disturbs the natural soil systems including nutrient cycling and the release and uptake of nutrients.

Efficient use of biomass, available as crop residues and other farm wastes, by converting it to a useful source of soil amendment/nutrients is one way to manage soil health and fertility.

Biochar is a potential soil amendment and carbon sequestration medium. It also reduces farm waste and improve the soil quality. 4

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BIOCHARBiochar is a fine-grained, carbon-rich, porous product

remaining after plant biomass has been subjected to thermo-chemical conversion process (pyrolysis) at temperatures (~350–600°C) in an environment with little or no oxygen.

It is highly porous structure & is also very variable in quality, depending on raw material, pyrolysis conditions, whether it is enriched with other compounds and how finely it is ground.

Amonette and Joseph, 2009.

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IMPORTANT FEEDSTOCKS FOR BIOCHAR

Feedstocks used at a commercial scale include wood waste, crop residues (including straw, nut shells, and rice hulls), switch grass, bagasse from the sugarcane industry, chicken litter, dairy manure, sewage sludge and paper sludge.

Types of feedstock- a) Nutrient rich feedstocks b) Lignin rich plant biomass feedstocks

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01/05/2023 Summary of common biochar feedstocks, typical products, applications and uses of these products.

Source: Sohi et al. 2009. 7

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CHARACTERISTICS OF BIOCHARPhysical characterization Pyrolysis temperature is the main regulating factor which

governs characterization of biochar.

It also depends on the type of feedstock used. Ex- bulk density of rice and wheat biochar prepared at 400ºC was

comparatively lower than the maize and pearl millet biochar.

Low temperature (400ºC & below.) High temperature (600 – 900ºC)

Surface area 120 sq. m/gm. Surface area 460 sq. m/gm.

Suitable for controlling release of nutrients. Material analogous to activated carbon.

Lower ash content. Higher ash content.

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• Chemical characterization

Low temperature (400ºC & below) High temperature (600 – 900ºC)

Lower carbon content. Higher carbon content.

Higher amount of N, S, K & P compounds. Lower amount of N, S, K & P compounds.

Lower pH, EC & extractable NO3-. Higher pH, EC & extractable NO3-.

Higher extractable P, NH4+, and phenols. Lower extractable P, NH4+, and phenols.

• The biochar prepared from rice residues showed highest CEC.

• pH of maize & pearl millet biochar was higher than that in wheat & rice biochar.

• Maize biochar was richer in major (N, P, K), secondary (Ca, Mg) and micronutrient (Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu) contents. Wheat biochar ranked second with respect to all the above nutrients except sulphur for which it ranked first.9

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Materials used for producing biochar

pH C N C:N Ca Mg P K CEC (%) (cmolp+/kg)

Paper mill waste1-(waste wood chip)

9.4 52.0 0.48 104 6.2 1.20 - 0.22 9.00

Paper mill waste2-(waste wood chip)

8.2 52.0 0.31 168 11.0 2.60 - 1.00 18.00

Green waste(grassClippings, cotton trash, and plant prunings)

9.4 36.0 0.18 200 0.4 0.56 - 21.00 24.00

Eucalyptus biochar - 82.4 0.57 145 - - 1.87 - 4.69

Cooking biochar - 72.9 0.76 96 - - 0.42 - 11.19

Poultry litter (450oC) 9.9 38.0 2.0 19 - - 37.42 - -

Poultry litter (550oC) 13 33.0 0.85 39 - - 5.81 - -

Wood biochar 9.2 72.9 0.76 120 0.83 0.20 0.10 1.19 11.90

Hardwood sawdust - 66.5 0.3 221 - - - - -

Source: Jha et al. (2010)10

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Methods Of Biochar PreparationHeap Method

Traditional earth kiln.11

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Drum Method

Cylindrical low cost kiln made from fire brick at IARI.12

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Biochar StoveTypes- a) Top-Lit Updraft Gasifier (TLUD) b) Anila stove The TLUD operates as a gasifier by creating a stratified

pyrolysis regime with four basic zones: raw biomass, flaming pyrolysis, gas combustion and charcoal combustion.

Biomass fuel is placed between the two cylinders and a fire is ignited in the centre. Heat from the central fire pyrolyzes the concentric ring of fuel.

The gases escape to the centre where they add to the cooking flame as the ring of biomass turns to char.

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01/05/2023 Anila stove14

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BIOCHAR APPLICATION IN SOILMethods of application

1. By hand

2. Using a tractor propelled lime spreader

3. Deep banding of biochar in rhizosphere

4. Mixing of biochar with composts & manures

5. Line trenching and backfilling

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• Rate of applicationMost studies back the field application rates to be 25 tons/ha

that increased crop productivity varying with crop type with greater increases for legume crops (30%), vegetables (29%), and grasses (14%) compared to cereal crops corn (8%), wheat (11%), and rice (7%).

The yield gains were attributed to the combined effect of increased nutrient availability (P and N) and improved soil chemical conditions resulting from the bio-solid based amendment.

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BIOCHAR IMPACT ON SOIL PROPERTIES Some selected soil properties

Findings References

Cation exchange capacity 50 % increase Glaser et al., 2002

Fertilizer use efficiency 10 – 30 % increase Gaunt and Cowie, 2009

Liming agent 1 unit pH increase

Lehman and Rondon, 2006Crop productivity 20 – 120% increase

Biological nitrogen fixation 50 – 72 % increase

Soil moisture retention Upto 18 % increase Tryon, 1948

Mycorrhizal fungi 40 % increase Warnock et al., 2007

Bulk density Soil dependent Laird, 2008

Methane emission 100% decrease Rondon et al, 2005

Source: Srinivasarao et al. 2013)17

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Biochar Influence on Soil Water HydraulicsBiochar additions to soils had mixed results with regard to

modifying soil hydraulic conductivity (ksat ).

Some experiments have reported improvements in ksat after biochar additions to a silt and sandy loam-textured soil, respectively.

In contrast no significant change has been reported in ksat for

biochar applied to loam- and clay-textured soils, respectively.

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BIOCHAR INFLUENCE ON SOIL BIOTA

The chemical stability of a large fraction of a given biochar material means that microbes will not be able to readily utilize the C as an energy source or the N and possibly other nutrients contained in the C structure.

However, depending on the type of biochar, a fraction may be readily leached and therefore mineralizable and in some cases has been shown to stimulate microbial activity and increase abundance.

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Critical factors for maximizing the benefits from biochar

Quality of feedstock biomass

Optimum temperature for biochar production

Soil carbon level

Soil types and soil moisture

Soil pH and soil contamination

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CONCLUSIONBiochar has been found to improve agriculturally significant soil

parameters such as soil pH, cation exchange capacity and soil water holding capacity.

It helps reduce GHG emissions and sustain carbon sequestration.

Store recalcitrant form of carbon in soil.

Helps overcome waste lands by reclamation of the soil.

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….Reduce the need for fertiliser/manure/compost as well as

costs of sewage & animal waste treatment and cut emissions.

Nutrient affinity i.e. retention of plant nutrients, notably retention of N on permeable soils under rainy conditions is found higher with biochar application.

In general, it has proved to be a soil health manager in a no. of experiments.

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Welcome Queries…

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