Mechanisms and Effects of Biochar in Regulating the Soil Nitrogen Cycle
A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Farming Sustainability".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 January 2026 | Viewed by 733
Special Issue Editors
Interests: soil amelioration; biochar technology; soil N loss control
Interests: biochar; soil organic carbon; greenhouse gases; carbon sequestration
Interests: biochar-based products; soil structure improvement; soil remediation
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Nitrogen (N) is essential for plant growth, and N fertilizer greatly contributes to world food production. However, excessive or inefficient fertilizer use has led to low N utilization, low efficiency, and increased environmental pollution. Biochar has emerged as a promising soil amendment for regulating N cycling and mitigating N losses in agricultural systems. Nevertheless, the effects of biochar on soil N transformation are highly context-dependent, varying with factors such as soil type, cropping systems, and tillage practices due to the complexity of environmental interactions.
Therefore, we initiated a Special Issue in Agronomy entitled 'Mechanisms and Effects of Biochar in Regulating the Soil Nitrogen Cycle'. This research topic aims to advance our understanding of biochar-mediated N cycling processes and will focus on the following:
- Investigating how biochar alters soil nitrogen processes and elucidating the underlying mechanisms. Submissions addressing experimental and monitoring methods to quantify these processes, including microbial drivers, are also welcome.
- Exploring strategies to enhance soil nitrogen fertility and fertilizer nitrogen use efficiency through biochar application.
- Assessing the long-term agroecological impacts of biochar, including benefits for nutrient retention and greenhouse gas mitigation, to better understand its contribution to sustainable agriculture.
This Special Issue invites high-quality contributions, including original research articles, reviews, and short communications. We particularly encourage field-based studies to bridge the gap between scientific discovery and practical agricultural applications.
Dr. Zunqi Liu
Dr. Xu Yang
Prof. Dr. Yu Lan
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- biochar
- soil tillage
- soil N transformation
- greenhouse gas emissions
- soil enzyme activity
- fertilizer N
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