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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Parlier, California » San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center » Water Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #358833
Research Project: Develop Water Management Strategies to Sustain Water Productivity and Protect Water Quality in Irrigated Agriculture

Location: Water Management Research

Title: Soil biochar amendment to improve nitrogen an water management

Author
item Gao, Suduan
item Wang, Dong

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/1/2018
Publication Date: 10/22/2018
Citation: Gao, S., Wang, D. 2018. Soil biochar amendment to improve nitrogen an water management. Presented at the California Department of Food and Agriculture Fertilizer Research and Education 26th Annual Conference, October 22-24, 2018, Seaside, CA. p. 78-81.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Nitrogen (N) management presents many challenges due to its complicated cycling pathways and potential environmental losses with detrimental impacts. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of soil amendment with biochar and different rates of irrigation on ammonia (NH3) volatilization, nitrous oxide (N2O) emission, and N leaching that contribute to air quality degradation, global warming, and groundwater contamination, respectively. An experiment in a processing onion field was conducted for two years, and treatments included amendments of softwood feedstock biochar at two rates and three irrigation levels (100%, 75%, and 50% of a reference soil water content for sufficient water supply). Nitrogen fertigation were applied four times with larger amount each time during the first year growing season, but weekly with smaller amount each time during the 2nd year growing season. Results from the first year showed that fertilization event and irrigation level impacted NH3 and N2O emissions more significantly than biochar amendments. Data from the second year, however, showed lower NH3 and N2O emissions with no differences among treatments that was likely due to high frequency fertigation with lower N rate during each application. Nitrogen concentration in soil after harvest was highest at 50% irrigation level and lowest at 100% irrigation level indicating different leaching risks for both years. This research has illustrated the complexity of biochar effects on the fate of N due to the interaction with plants or irrigation amount and frequency. This research continues to determine the long-term effects of biochar on improvement of N availability to plants and environmental N loss in irrigated agriculture.