Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
tral pH, wwater-holdingcapacity between 70-75% and porosity between
65-75% create a suitable habitat for bacteria.
13.3.5 BIOCHAR—A SOIL CONDITIONER FOR FRUIT TREES
Biochar application in the soils of fruit orchards can potentially improve
the soil physical condition leading to an overall increase in growth. Fruit
trees with biochar application in the basins would need less frequent ir-
rigation and be flourishing with activities of soil microorganisms. The
efficiency of fertilizer application is also expected to increase in biochar-
amended soils due to reduced leaching and runoff losses of nutrients. Bio-
char applications in degraded lands being used for fruit protection like
aonla, guava, wild pomegranate and other minor fruits would also benefit
the overall system. Not only would the crop growth and yields be im-
proved, the soils would improve in their physical condition and fertility.
Torres (2011) has reported that nutrient-poor feedstocks such as cobs and
maize stover are most effective as organic amendments when pyrolyzed.
Even modest benefits from biochar application can have a very significant
impact on per hectare profitability of crops, particularly high-value crops
such as vegetables, producing economic benefits both for farmers and the
associated food chain. These benefits, if realized, could have a significant
knock-on impact on job creation and economic activity across the region;
Light and sandy soils that require high water input and high fertilizer input
are likely to show greatest benefit from biochar application, which links
directly with the high-value crops that are grown on these soils (Collison
et al., 2011).
13.4
THE WAY AHEAD
Increased crop yield and quality is a commonly reported benefit of adding
biochar to soils. However, experimental results are variable and dependent
on the experimental set-up, soil properties and conditions, while causative
mechanisms are yet to be fully elucidated. There is a need for strategic
research efforts, to allow elucidation of mechanisms, differentiated by en-
vironmental and management factors and to include studies over longer
time frames.
