Use of biochar in agriculture: implications for N2O emissions and soil microbial community

• Grant number: 21/11995-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: March 01, 2022
• End date: July 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Soil Science
• Principal Investigator: João Luís Nunes Carvalho
• Grantee: Fernanda Palmeira Gabetto
• Host Institution: Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais (CNPEM). Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (Brasil). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The reduction of N2O emissions from agricultural soils due biochar application has been observed in several studies conducted mainly in soils under temperate climate conditions. However, the explanation of the cause-effect relationship is still a challenge, since there are several causal hypotheses, and most relevant are related to changes on the dynamics of microbial activity associated with nitrification and denitrification processes. Added to this, there is a lack of data on tropical soils. In this context, this project aims to analyze the effect of the application of biochar from different lignocellulosic biomasses on N2O emissions, as well as its ability to influence nitrification and denitrification routes in tropical soils. To reach these objectives, two experiments will be conducted with applications of biochar in soils. The first experiment aims to evaluate the effect of different rates of biochar produced from sugarcane straw on the production of N2O and on the soil microbial community. Subsequently, a second experiment will be conducted to analyze the effects of biochar produced from different lignocellulosic biomass. In this study, biochar produced from sugarcane straw, sugarcane bagasse, pine and eucalyptus residues will be evaluated. Both studies will analyze soil N2O emissions, change in the activity of functional genes associated with nitrogen cycling (AOA-amoA, AOB-amoA, nirK, nirS and nosZ), changes in chemical parameters and in soil carbon and nitrogen stocks, and in the production of sugarcane biomass. The variables will be treated using ANOVA test, regression and normality analysis, with subsequent multivariate exploratory analysis and clustering with heatmaps generation. (AU)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

GABETTO, Fernanda Palmeira. Biochar use in agriculture as a nature-based solution: factors influencing N2O emissions in tropical soils. 2023. Master's Dissertation - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALA/BC) Piracicaba.