Effects of Biochar on Soil Fertility and Agricultural Sustainability

The adoption of sustainable agriculture has become crucial to address the rapid growth of population, improper use of synthetic/commercial fertilizers, nutrient imbalance, and land degradation. Hence, it is urgent to sustain the most appropriate levels of organic matter in degraded soils to stock carbon and maintain nutrient cycling. The last two decades have proven the auspicious use of biochar for sustainable plant production and its several advantages against other organic sources, among them the mitigation of global warming, soil conditioner, soil pH amendment, a potential source of nutrients released in the long-term, and as a convenient tool to solve various environmental issues over soil additives and mining activities. Thus, it is suggested that biochar use in agricultural lands plays a vital role in minimizing the adverse impacts caused by climate change and in reducing threats to sustainable crop production.

There is now an urgent need to highlight works on biochar use as soil fertilizers and as a strategy to ensure carbon sequestration for a properly scientific understanding and advancement. This falls in agreement with the Land scope in land management including agriculture and forestry and addresses the journal subject areas of (1) land-related aspects of biodiversity and health Soil–sediment-water systems in natural as well as agricultural systems; (2) land/soil erosion/degradation/restoration; (3) soil health and soil physics; and (4) Land–climate interactions including energy fluxes, carbon, and other biogeochemical cycles, and hydrological processes.

- Biochar combined with compost application in agriculture and co-composted biochar.

- Biochar derived from manure feedstocks as an organic fertilizer in agriculture.

- Biochar enriched fertilizer as a source of NPK.

- Residual effect of biochar enriched fertilizers as compared to commercial sources.

- Biochar─induced anion exchange capacity (AEC) to prevent nitrogen losses from leaching.

- Biochar improves soil health parameters in the short term.

- The roles of biochar in the remediation of soil contaminants and to promote agriculture in contaminated lands.

Dr. João Antonangelo
Dr. Adnan Asad Asad Karim
Prof. Dr. Kim Yrjälä
Guest Editors

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• • Biochar nutrient use efficiency • Land restoration and reclamation • Soil health • Carbon stock • Nitrogen leaching • Soil contaminants immobilization