Potential Application of Biochar Depends Mainly on Its Profits for Farmers: Case Study in Slovakia

Abstract

Current biochar application in the global agronomic practice focuses firstly on economic profits. In this paper, we would like to draw attention to our results and experience from the economic assessment of the agronomic effect of applied biochar through the generated crop yields. The results come from a field experiment (locality Dolná Malanta, Slovakia, silt loam Haplic Luvisol – the most intensively used soil in the Slovak Republic for agricultural purposes), where a biochar experiment was established in 2014. Based on our data, it is evident that both the application of biochar and its application in combination with N-fertilisation in field conditions at current realization prices of commodities in individual years and high input costs are still unprofitable. However, we emphasize that from an economic point of view of the stand ard agronomic practice.

Keywords

• farmers
• biochar
• economic profit