MOSCOW, 11 Apr. Scientists from the Tyumen State University (Tyumen State University) proposed using biochar obtained from organic waste to improve soil properties and increase its fertility. According to them, this will also ensure the environmental cleanliness of agricultural enterprises and partially replace mineral fertilizers. The study results are published in Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery.
Tyumen State University researchers obtained biochar from organic waste, which was used as additives that increase the yield of grain crops. According to their data, the introduction of biochars obtained from cow manure and wheat straw into the soil led to an increase in the mass of soft spring wheat by 14–23%.
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«Since the introduction of ameliorants based on biochars into the soil has a positive effect on its fertility, it is possible to reduce the amount of accumulated organic waste and at the same time increase crop yields,» said Ivan Shanenkov, head of the laboratory of resource-efficient technologies for the thermal processing of biomass at the X-BIO Institute of Tyumen State University .
As a result of thermal processing in an oxygen-free environment, organic waste such as sawdust, straw, pine nut shells are converted into a highly porous carbon material. When it is added to the soil, its structure and water-air regime improve. In addition, biochar contains a wide range of trace elements, unique for each type of raw material used, which has a positive effect on soil fertility.
«In our country, biochar is mainly woody and is used mainly as a fuel resource. We propose to consider it either as an independent fertilizer for agricultural land, or as part of compositions with other types of soil ameliorants,» explained Konstantin Ponomarev, researcher at the laboratory.
Emerging landfills and waste dumps pose an environmental and sanitary and epidemiological hazard to nearby areas. According to the environmental safety strategy of the Russian Federation, it is assumed that by 2025 the volume of production and consumption waste will exceed 30 billion tons. gases released into the atmosphere during natural storage in landfills.
Currently, scientists are conducting experiments to assess the impact of the combined use of biochar and other mineral fertilizers on wheat yields. The results will help develop recommendations on the use of biomass-to-biochar thermal processing technology and methods for applying the resulting ameliorants.
Tyumen State University is a participant of the state program of strategic academic leadership «Priority-2030». The research is carried out within the framework of the strategic project «Ecosystems of the Future».