Wheat Straw Biochar and NPK Fertilization Efficiency in Sandy Soil Reclamation
Magdalena Bednik,
Agnieszka Medyńska-Juraszek,
Michał Dudek,
Szymon Kloc,
Agata Kręt,
Beata Łabaz,
Jarosław Waroszewski
Affiliations
Magdalena Bednik
Institute of Soil Sciences and Environmental Protection, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Grunwaldzka 53 St., 50-357 Wroclaw, Poland
Agnieszka Medyńska-Juraszek
Institute of Soil Sciences and Environmental Protection, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Grunwaldzka 53 St., 50-357 Wroclaw, Poland
Michał Dudek
Institute of Soil Sciences and Environmental Protection, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Grunwaldzka 53 St., 50-357 Wroclaw, Poland
Szymon Kloc
Institute of Soil Sciences and Environmental Protection, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Grunwaldzka 53 St., 50-357 Wroclaw, Poland
Agata Kręt
Institute of Soil Sciences and Environmental Protection, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Grunwaldzka 53 St., 50-357 Wroclaw, Poland
Beata Łabaz
Institute of Soil Sciences and Environmental Protection, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Grunwaldzka 53 St., 50-357 Wroclaw, Poland
Jarosław Waroszewski
Institute of Soil Sciences and Environmental Protection, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Grunwaldzka 53 St., 50-357 Wroclaw, Poland
Intensive land use including cultivation may result in soil degradation. Restoring natural conditions or utility values called reclamation usually requires prior improvement of soil properties by using fertilizers or soil amendments. Special attention is paid to biochar, as it can improve soil physical and chemical properties. Therefore, amendment is potentially useful for preparation of degraded soil for future vegetation. In pot experiments, we studied the effect of wheat straw biochar (5% v/w) (soil with biochar (S + BC)), two rates of mineral fertilizer (no fertilizer as a control set (SC) and single initial dose of fertilizer (S + NPK)), and combination of biochar and fertilizer (S + B C + NPK) on sandy soil properties and grass growth. Biochar significantly increased soil pH, total organic carbon content (TOC), and volumetric water content (VWC, +24% after one week of measurements). However, dry mass of grass shoots was lower in S + BC than in SC (−38%). It was also observed that, in fertilizer, applied sets high concentrations of salts caused crust formation, surface cracking, and overdrying. Considering the results, biochar may be useful for increasing sandy substrate fertility, providing proper conditions for revegetation during reclamation.
