Influence of biochar amendment obtained from organic wastes typical for Western Siberia on morphometric characteristics of plants and soil properties

Global climate change necessitates the rational application of resources and careful policy in the field of waste management regulation. The pyrolytic processing of wastes from agriculture, forestry, and land use, which are significant sources of greenhouse gas emissions, can result in obtaining biochar ameliorants due to the high content of inorganic components in the feedstock that should positively affect the increase in soil fertility. However, there are no generally accepted recommendations on the choice of both feedstock and thermal processing parameters to get carbon-based ameliorants for soils. In this study, organic wastes typical for Western Siberia, including wheat straw, cow manure, pine sawdust, and pine nut shells, were applied as potential soil amendments. For this, the most appropriate pyrolytic processing parameters, as well as heat engineering characteristics and elemental composition of initial biomass and produced biochars, were studied. The influence of the biochar amendment type on the morphometric characteristics of plants (in the example of spring wheat) and soil properties during a greenhouse experiment was assessed. The amendment of biochars from such wastes as wheat straw and cow manure results in improving a number of plant morphometric parameters (plant height, number of leaves, root length) and reducing soil acidity. Thus, the proposed way of organic waste disposal through thermochemical conversion by producing biochar ameliorants can be considered as an effective solution for managing the environmental situation by minimizing the negative impact of waste decomposition on the environment and increasing the productivity of agricultural land by improving soil quality.

Automated summary

Global climate change requires the rational allocation of resources and careful waste management policy. Pyrolytic processing of agricultural, forestry, and land use waste can produce biochar ameliorants with high inorganic component content, which can enhance soil fertility. However, there is a lack of consensus on the choice of feedstock and thermal processing parameters to obtain carbon-based ameliorants. This study assessed the effectiveness of biochars produced from wheat straw and cow manure as soil amendments in terms of plant morphometric characteristics and soil properties. The results showed that these biochar amendments improved plant growth parameters and reduced soil acidity. Therefore, the thermochemical conversion of organic waste to produce biochar ameliorants can be considered an effective solution for reducing environmental impacts and enhancing soil quality to increase agricultural productivity.