Biochar Stability in a Highly Weathered Sandy Soil under Four Years of Continuous Corn Production

Novak, Jeffrey Michael; Watts, Donald William; Sigua, Gilbert C.; Myers, William Tillman; Ducey, Thomas F.; Rushmiller, Hannah C.

doi:10.3390/en14196157

Open AccessArticle

Biochar Stability in a Highly Weathered Sandy Soil under Four Years of Continuous Corn Production

by

Jeffrey Michael Novak

^*,

Donald William Watts

^*

,

Gilbert C. Sigua

,

William Tillman Myers

,

Thomas F. Ducey

and

Hannah C. Rushmiller

Coastal Plain Soil, Water and Plant Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), 2611 West Lucas Street, Florence, SC 29501, USA

^*

Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Energies 2021, 14(19), 6157; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14196157

Submission received: 12 August 2021 / Revised: 17 September 2021 / Accepted: 24 September 2021 / Published: 27 September 2021

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biochar from Biomass)

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Abstract

Biochar is being considered a climate change mitigation tool by increasing soil organic carbon contents (SOC), however, questions remain concerning its longevity in soil. We applied 30,000 kg ha⁻¹ of biochars to plots containing a Goldsboro sandy loam (Fine-loamy, siliceous, sub-active, thermic Aquic Paleudults) and then physically disked all plots. Thereafter, the plots were agronomically managed under 4 years (Y) of continuous corn (Zea Mays, L.) planting. Annually, incremental soil along with corresponding bulk density samples were collected and SOC concentrations were measured in topsoil (down to 23-cm). The biochars were produced from Lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) chip (PC) and Poultry litter (PL) feedstocks. An untreated Goldsboro soil (0 biochar) served as a control. After four years, SOC contents in the biochar treated plots were highest in the top 0–5 and 5–10 cm depth suggesting minimal deeper movement. Declines in SOC contents varied with depth and biochar type. After correction for SOC declines in controls, PL biochar treated soil had a similar decline in SOC (7.9 to 10.3%) contents. In contrast, the largest % SOC content decline (20.2%) occurred in 0–5 cm deep topsoil treated with PC biochar. Our results suggest that PC biochar had less stability in the Goldsboro soil than PL biochar after 4 years of corn grain production.

Keywords: biochar stability; carbon sequestration; climate change; highly weathered soil

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MDPI and ACS Style

Novak, J.M.; Watts, D.W.; Sigua, G.C.; Myers, W.T.; Ducey, T.F.; Rushmiller, H.C. Biochar Stability in a Highly Weathered Sandy Soil under Four Years of Continuous Corn Production. Energies 2021, 14, 6157. https://doi.org/10.3390/en14196157

AMA Style

Novak JM, Watts DW, Sigua GC, Myers WT, Ducey TF, Rushmiller HC. Biochar Stability in a Highly Weathered Sandy Soil under Four Years of Continuous Corn Production. Energies. 2021; 14(19):6157. https://doi.org/10.3390/en14196157

Chicago/Turabian Style

Novak, Jeffrey Michael, Donald William Watts, Gilbert C. Sigua, William Tillman Myers, Thomas F. Ducey, and Hannah C. Rushmiller. 2021. "Biochar Stability in a Highly Weathered Sandy Soil under Four Years of Continuous Corn Production" Energies 14, no. 19: 6157. https://doi.org/10.3390/en14196157

APA Style

Novak, J. M., Watts, D. W., Sigua, G. C., Myers, W. T., Ducey, T. F., & Rushmiller, H. C. (2021). Biochar Stability in a Highly Weathered Sandy Soil under Four Years of Continuous Corn Production. Energies, 14(19), 6157. https://doi.org/10.3390/en14196157

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Biochar Stability in a Highly Weathered Sandy Soil under Four Years of Continuous Corn Production

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