Abstract

MILESI DELAYE, Luis Antonio; ULLE, Jorge Ángel  and  ANDRIULO, Adrián Enrique. Biochar application in a degraded soil under sweet-potato production: Effect on edaphic properties. Cienc. suelo [online]. 2020, vol.38, n.1, pp.162-173. ISSN 1850-2067.

In general, soils under horticultural/floricultural production systems present high degradation. Biochar application is mentioned as an alternative to mitigate soil degradation and global change. In Argentina its study and use are incipient. In a Vertic Argiudoll, in a sweet potato production system under a agroecological management, the objectives of this work were to evaluate: a) the cumulative effect of three annual biochar applications, of 30 Mg ha^-1 in total, between 2013 and 2015 (from Aspidosperma quebracho-blanco feedstock), over some soil properties, two and a half years after its last application, and b) the net change, for the 2012-2018 period, in some soil properties with and without biochar applications. Biochar application increased the soil organic carbon reserves (SOC) and pH of the 0-30 cm soil thickness. It decreased the soil organic nitrogen reserves (SON) and increased the C/N ratio of the 0-20 cm soil thickness. Besides, it slightly increased the electrical conductivity of the 0-5 cm soil thickness and did not change the cationic exchange capacity. It also did not affect the water infiltration and the water holding capacity of the 0-30 cm soil thickness. However, a very marked increase in the moisture content and in the current water availability of the 10-20 and 5-10 cm soil thicknesses, respectively, were observed. When the absolute change was analyzed, the same effect was observed for SOC and pH. For physical variables, edaphoclimatic conditions at sampling moment (lower moisture content in 2018) had a greater effect than the biochar. Leaving aside its direct effect on the SOC increase and the superficial bulk density reduction, the interactions biochar-soil still require study.

Keywords : pyrolysis; amendment rich in carbon; edaphic restoration.

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