IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jagris/v15y2025i10p1091-d1658700.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Short-Term Effects of Wood Biochar on Soil Fertility, Heterotrophic Respiration and Organic Matter Composition

Author

Listed:
  • Rossella Curcio

    (DAFE—Department of Agricultural, Forest, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Basilicata, 10, Viale dell’Ateneo Lucano, 85100 Potenza, Italy
    Dipartimento di Farmacia (DIFARMA), Università degli Studi di Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy)

  • Raffaele Bilotti

    (Dipartimento di Farmacia (DIFARMA), Università degli Studi di Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy)

  • Carmine Lia

    (Maniola Remote Sensing, s.r.l., 84015 Nocera, Italy)

  • Michele Compitiello

    (Maniola Remote Sensing, s.r.l., 84015 Nocera, Italy)

  • Silvana Cangemi

    (Dipartimento di Agraria, Università di Napoli Federico II, Piazza Carlo di Borbone 1, 80055 Portici, Italy)

  • Mariavittoria Verrillo

    (Dipartimento di Agraria, Università di Napoli Federico II, Piazza Carlo di Borbone 1, 80055 Portici, Italy
    CERMANU—Centro Interdipartimentale sulla Risonanza Magnetica Nucleare per l’Ambiente, l’Agro-Alimentare ed i Nuovi Materiali, Piazza Carlo di Borbone 1, 80055 Portici, Italy)

  • Riccardo Spaccini

    (Dipartimento di Agraria, Università di Napoli Federico II, Piazza Carlo di Borbone 1, 80055 Portici, Italy
    CERMANU—Centro Interdipartimentale sulla Risonanza Magnetica Nucleare per l’Ambiente, l’Agro-Alimentare ed i Nuovi Materiali, Piazza Carlo di Borbone 1, 80055 Portici, Italy)

  • Pierluigi Mazzei

    (Dipartimento di Farmacia (DIFARMA), Università degli Studi di Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy)

Abstract

Biochar may represent a sustainable and eco-friendly strategy to recycle agroforestry wastes, sequester carbon and improve soil health. With the aim of proving these benefits in a real scenario, we treated several soil parcels with 0 (CTRL), 1 (LOW) and 3 (HIGH) kg/m 2 of wood biochar, in open-field trials. The heterotrophic soil respiration (SR) was monitored continuously for two months via a Closed Dynamic Chamber (CDC) associated with an innovative pilot system, and the most important soil chemical parameters were measured 9 and 54 days after biochar application. Biochar induced an immediate dose-dependent increase in organic matter content and CEC (up to 41.6% and 36.8% more than CTRL, respectively), which tended to slightly and gradually decrease after 54 days. In all cases, biochar induced a more pronounced SR, although the most enhanced microbial response was detected for the LOW parcel (19.3% higher than CTRL). Fennels were grown in treated soils and only LOW microplots gave a significantly better response (weight and size). Finally, NMR, FT-IR and Pyr-GC/MS analyses of LOW SOM extracts revealed a relevant impact on the composition, which was accompanied by a higher content of carbohydrates, indole-based compounds and FAME species correlating with enhanced microbial activity. Our findings demonstrate that the proper biochar dose improves soil fertility by creating an environment favorable to plants and promoting microbial activity.

Suggested Citation

  • Rossella Curcio & Raffaele Bilotti & Carmine Lia & Michele Compitiello & Silvana Cangemi & Mariavittoria Verrillo & Riccardo Spaccini & Pierluigi Mazzei, 2025. "Short-Term Effects of Wood Biochar on Soil Fertility, Heterotrophic Respiration and Organic Matter Composition," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-20, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:15:y:2025:i:10:p:1091-:d:1658700
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/15/10/1091/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/15/10/1091/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kambo, Harpreet Singh & Dutta, Animesh, 2015. "A comparative review of biochar and hydrochar in terms of production, physico-chemical properties and applications," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 359-378.
    2. Gerardo Ojeda & João M. Gil & Stefania Mattana & Jörg Bachmann & Katell Quenea & Abílio J. F. N. Sobral, 2024. "Biochar ageing effects on soil respiration, biochar wettability and gaseous CO2 adsorption," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 29(2), pages 1-22, February.
    3. Xin Liu & Sen Dou & Shuang Zheng, 2022. "Effects of Corn Straw and Biochar Returning to Fields Every Other Year on the Structure of Soil Humic Acid," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-17, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Giuseppe Maggiotto & Gianpiero Colangelo & Marco Milanese & Arturo de Risi, 2023. "Thermochemical Technologies for the Optimization of Olive Wood Biomass Energy Exploitation: A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-17, September.
    2. Sui, Haiqing & Chen, Jianfeng & Cheng, Wei & Zhu, Youjian & Zhang, Wennan & Hu, Junhao & Jiang, Hao & Shao, Jing'ai & Chen, Hanping, 2024. "Effect of oxidative torrefaction on fuel and pelletizing properties of agricultural biomass in comparison with non-oxidative torrefaction," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 226(C).
    3. Zhang, Zhikun & Zhu, Zongyuan & Shen, Boxiong & Liu, Lina, 2019. "Insights into biochar and hydrochar production and applications: A review," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 581-598.
    4. Mäkelä, Mikko & Yoshikawa, Kunio, 2016. "Simulating hydrothermal treatment of sludge within a pulp and paper mill," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C), pages 177-183.
    5. Yao, Zhongliang & Ma, Xiaoqian & Xiao, Zhiyuan, 2020. "The effect of two pretreatment levels on the pyrolysis characteristics of water hyacinth," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 514-527.
    6. Tobias Pröll & Florian Zerobin, 2019. "Biomass-based negative emission technology options with combined heat and power generation," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 24(7), pages 1307-1324, October.
    7. Tariqul Islam & Yanliang Li & Hefa Cheng, 2021. "Biochars and Engineered Biochars for Water and Soil Remediation: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-25, September.
    8. Chater, Hamza & Asbik, Mohamed, 2024. "Innovative mathematical approach for hydrothermal carbonization process using an inverse method: Experimental analysis, rheology behavior, and numerical comparative investigation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 290(C).
    9. Aragón-Briceño, C.I. & Pozarlik, A.K. & Bramer, E.A. & Niedzwiecki, Lukasz & Pawlak-Kruczek, H. & Brem, G., 2021. "Hydrothermal carbonization of wet biomass from nitrogen and phosphorus approach: A review," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 401-415.
    10. Leslie Lara-Ramos & Ana Cervera-Mata & Jesús Fernández-Bayo & Miguel Navarro-Alarcón & Gabriel Delgado & Alejandro Fernández-Arteaga, 2023. "Hydrochars Derived from Spent Coffee Grounds as Zn Bio-Chelates for Agronomic Biofortification," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-13, July.
    11. Lee, Jechan & Kim, Soosan & You, Siming & Park, Young-Kwon, 2023. "Bioenergy generation from thermochemical conversion of lignocellulosic biomass-based integrated renewable energy systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    12. Baghel, Paramjeet & Sakhiya, Anil Kumar & Kaushal, Priyanka, 2022. "Influence of temperature on slow pyrolysis of Prosopis Juliflora: An experimental and thermodynamic approach," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(C), pages 538-551.
    13. Eunhye Song & Ho Kim & Kyung Woo Kim & Young-Man Yoon, 2023. "Characteristic Evaluation of Different Carbonization Processes for Hydrochar, Torrefied Char, and Biochar Produced from Cattle Manure," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-14, April.
    14. Poritosh Roy & Animesh Dutta & Jim Gallant, 2018. "Hydrothermal Carbonization of Peat Moss and Herbaceous Biomass (Miscanthus): A Potential Route for Bioenergy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-14, October.
    15. Neel Patel & Bishnu Acharya & Prabir Basu, 2021. "Hydrothermal Carbonization (HTC) of Seaweed (Macroalgae) for Producing Hydrochar," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-16, March.
    16. Surup, Gerrit Ralf & Leahy, James J. & Timko, Michael T. & Trubetskaya, Anna, 2020. "Hydrothermal carbonization of olive wastes to produce renewable, binder-free pellets for use as metallurgical reducing agents," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 155(C), pages 347-357.
    17. Waheed A. Rasaq & Mateusz Golonka & Miklas Scholz & Andrzej Białowiec, 2021. "Opportunities and Challenges of High-Pressure Fast Pyrolysis of Biomass: A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-20, August.
    18. Bonassa, Gabriela & Schneider, Lara Talita & Canever, Victor Bruno & Cremonez, Paulo André & Frigo, Elisandro Pires & Dieter, Jonathan & Teleken, Joel Gustavo, 2018. "Scenarios and prospects of solid biofuel use in Brazil," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 82(P3), pages 2365-2378.
    19. Cheng, Chen & Ding, Lu & Guo, Qinghua & He, Qing & Gong, Yan & Alexander, Kozlov N. & Yu, Guangsuo, 2022. "Process analysis and kinetic modeling of coconut shell hydrothermal carbonization," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 315(C).
    20. Shen, Yafei & Yu, Shili & Ge, Shun & Chen, Xingming & Ge, Xinlei & Chen, Mindong, 2017. "Hydrothermal carbonization of medical wastes and lignocellulosic biomass for solid fuel production from lab-scale to pilot-scale," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 312-323.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:15:y:2025:i:10:p:1091-:d:1658700. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.