Biochar-based nitrogen fertilizers: Greenhouse gas emissions, use efficiency, and maize yield in tropical soils

Author(s)

Puga, Aline Peregrina ^[1] ; Grutzmacher, Priscila ^[1] ; Pellegrino Cerri, Carlos Eduardo ^[2] ; Ribeirinho, Victor Sanches ^[1] ; de Andrade, Cristiano Alberto ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Embrapa Meio Ambiente, Rodovia SP 340, Km 127, 5, BR-13820000 Jaguariuna, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Luiz de Queiroz Coll Agr, Dept Soil Sci, Piracicaba, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Science of The Total Environment; v. 704, FEB 20 2020.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

The sustainable development of agriculture depends on increasing N use efficiency (NUE) and consequently reducing N losses from different sources, such as NH3 volatilization, NO3 leaching, and N2O emissions. While the chemical and physical properties of biochar (BC) in fertilizers have been evaluated to increase NUE, a lack of information exists regarding the effects of BC amendments in tropical soils. We performed a one-year field experiment with tropical soil to evaluate the effects of BC-based N fertilizers (BN) on maize yield and on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The treatments consisted of five fertilizers: ammonium nitrate (AN), urea (U), BN51/10 (51% BC, 10% N), BN40/17 (40% BC, 17% N), BN29/20 (29% BC, 20% N), and a control (without N fertilizer). The N fertilizers (80 kg N ha(-1)) were broadcast 20 days after sowing. Yield, grain N uptake, NUE, ammonia volatilization, and GHG emissions were measured. The results demonstrated the potential of BNs to enhance the efficiency of the fertilizers. BN51/10 and BN40/17 had an average maize yield that was 26% higher than that of U, and BN51/10 resulted in a NUE that was 12% higher than what was observed for U. Both the effects on yield and NUE were attributed to lower N release rates of the BN-amended fertilizers compared to that of the conventional soluble N sources. The BC-based fertilizers presented better environmental performance, and BN51/10 showed the lowest emission intensity when C sequestration by BC was not considered, with a value that was 14% lower than that of the U treatment. When considering C sequestration by BC, the emission intensity of the C equivalents demonstrated that all BNs presented C sequestration that differed from that of the mineral N sources. BC-based nitrogen fertilizers may have promising applications for sustainable agricultural development by mitigating N losses and increasing C stocks. (C) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 15/21633-7 - Agronomic and environmental efficiency of biochar enriched or not with mineral source in the supply of nitrogen.
• Grantee: Aline Peregrina Puga
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 17/02886-7 - Carbon stability of biochar, aging process and fertilizer effect from formulations with mineral sources
• Grantee: Cristiano Alberto de Andrade
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants