Influence of wood-derived biochar on the physico-mechanical and chemical characteristics of agricultural soils
 
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Department of Bioresource Engineering, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada
 
 
Publication date: 2018-01-24
 
 
Int. Agrophys. 2018, 32(1): 1-10
 
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ABSTRACT
Amendment of soil with biochar has been shown to enhance fertility and increase crop productivity, but the specific influence of biochar on soil workability remains unclear. Select physico-mechanical and chemical properties of clay loam and sandy loam soils were measured after amendment with wood-derived biochar of two particle size ranges (0.5-425 and 425-850 μm) at five dosages ranging from 0.5 to 10% dry weight. Whereas the clay loam soil workability decreased when the finer wood-derived biochar was applied at rates of 6 or 10%, soil fertility was not enhanced. The sandy loam soil, due to Proctor compaction, significantly decreased in bulk density with 6 and 10% wood-derived biochar amendments indicating higher soil resistance to compaction.
eISSN:2300-8725
ISSN:0236-8722
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