Biochar and Organic Amendments for Sustainable Soil Carbon and Soil Health

Abstract

Organic matter is the life of soil and vital to environmental quality and sustainability. Intensive cultivation solely depending on inorganic fertilizers with lesser quantity or no organic fertilizers resulted in lower carbon content in soils of tropical and subtropical countries. This paper attempted to identify the best soil and crop management practices which ensure slower microbial decomposition of organic materials, cause a net buildup of carbon in soils, and potentially mitigate the negative effect of global warming and climate change. Biochar and other organic materials have been applied to soil as most valuable amendments for increasing carbon sequestration, soil health improvement, and reduction of greenhouse gas emission from soil. Being recalcitrant in nature, biochar is highly efficient in storing carbon in soils. Biochar possesses a larger surface area and therefore is capable of holding and exchanging cations in soils. Quantity and quality of biochar produced from different organic materials are highly variable because of various production temperature and meager oxygen control system. This review contributes to understanding details of production technologies and performance mechanisms of biochar and other organic amendments in soil. Biochar and organic materials improve soil bio-physicochemical properties, serve as a sink of atmospheric CO2, and ensure ecological integrity and environmental sustainability. © Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020.