Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 139393 |
| Journal | Science of the Total Environment |
| Volume | 735 |
| Publication status | Published - 15 Sept 2020 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Abstract
Biochar (BC) and nitrogen (N) fertilizers are frequently applied to improve soil properties and increase crop productivity. Nonetheless, our mechanistic understanding of plant-soil interactions under single or combined application of BC and N remains incomplete. For the first time, we applied a split-root system to evaluate how BC or N contributes to the changes in soil enzyme activities, N and phosphorus (P) cycling as well as root plasticity. Left and right parts of rhizoboxes were filled with silty-clay loamy soil amended with BC (15 g kg−1 soil, from wheat straw, 300 °C), N (0.05 g KNO3-N kg−1 soil) or a control (no amendments), resulting in the following combinations: BC/Control, N/Control, BC/N. Soil enzyme activities, available N and P, root morphology and plant biomass were analyzed after plant harvest. Plant biomass (shoot + root) ranged from 0.56 g pot−1 (BC/Control) to 0.91 g pot−1(BC/N). The decreased soil bulk density and increased P availability in the BC compartment (BC/Control and BC/N) stimulated root length by 1.4–1.8 times – an effect that was independent of N availability in the same rhizobox. Biochar stimulated activities of β-glucosidase and leucine aminopeptidase (by 33–39%) compared to N due to the coupling of C, N and P cycles in BC/N treated soil. Nitrogen fertilization also increased β-glucosidase activity compared to the unfertilized control, whereas root elongation remained unaffected. Thus, the combined application of BC/N had more efficient benefits for plant growth than BC or N alone. This is linked with i) the stimulation of enzyme activities at the BC locations to reduce N limitation for both microorganisms and plants, and ii) an increase of fine root production to improve N uptake efficiency. Thus, combined BC/N application is potentially especially sustainable to overcome nutrient limitation as well as to maintain crop productivity because it accelerates root-microbial interactions.
Keywords
- Microorganisms, Mineral fertilizer, Nutrient cycling, Pyrogenic C, Root morphology, Split-root system
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Environmental Science(all)
- Environmental Engineering
- Environmental Science(all)
- Environmental Chemistry
- Environmental Science(all)
- Waste Management and Disposal
- Environmental Science(all)
- Pollution
Sustainable Development Goals
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In: Science of the Total Environment, Vol. 735, 139393, 15.09.2020.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Combined biochar and nitrogen application stimulates enzyme activity and root plasticity
AU - Song, Xiaona
AU - Razavi, Bahar S.
AU - Ludwig, Bernard
AU - Zamanian, Kazem
AU - Zang, Huadong
AU - Kuzyakov, Yakov
AU - Dippold, Michaela A.
AU - Gunina, Anna
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2020 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2020/9/15
Y1 - 2020/9/15
N2 - Biochar (BC) and nitrogen (N) fertilizers are frequently applied to improve soil properties and increase crop productivity. Nonetheless, our mechanistic understanding of plant-soil interactions under single or combined application of BC and N remains incomplete. For the first time, we applied a split-root system to evaluate how BC or N contributes to the changes in soil enzyme activities, N and phosphorus (P) cycling as well as root plasticity. Left and right parts of rhizoboxes were filled with silty-clay loamy soil amended with BC (15 g kg−1 soil, from wheat straw, 300 °C), N (0.05 g KNO3-N kg−1 soil) or a control (no amendments), resulting in the following combinations: BC/Control, N/Control, BC/N. Soil enzyme activities, available N and P, root morphology and plant biomass were analyzed after plant harvest. Plant biomass (shoot + root) ranged from 0.56 g pot−1 (BC/Control) to 0.91 g pot−1(BC/N). The decreased soil bulk density and increased P availability in the BC compartment (BC/Control and BC/N) stimulated root length by 1.4–1.8 times – an effect that was independent of N availability in the same rhizobox. Biochar stimulated activities of β-glucosidase and leucine aminopeptidase (by 33–39%) compared to N due to the coupling of C, N and P cycles in BC/N treated soil. Nitrogen fertilization also increased β-glucosidase activity compared to the unfertilized control, whereas root elongation remained unaffected. Thus, the combined application of BC/N had more efficient benefits for plant growth than BC or N alone. This is linked with i) the stimulation of enzyme activities at the BC locations to reduce N limitation for both microorganisms and plants, and ii) an increase of fine root production to improve N uptake efficiency. Thus, combined BC/N application is potentially especially sustainable to overcome nutrient limitation as well as to maintain crop productivity because it accelerates root-microbial interactions.
AB - Biochar (BC) and nitrogen (N) fertilizers are frequently applied to improve soil properties and increase crop productivity. Nonetheless, our mechanistic understanding of plant-soil interactions under single or combined application of BC and N remains incomplete. For the first time, we applied a split-root system to evaluate how BC or N contributes to the changes in soil enzyme activities, N and phosphorus (P) cycling as well as root plasticity. Left and right parts of rhizoboxes were filled with silty-clay loamy soil amended with BC (15 g kg−1 soil, from wheat straw, 300 °C), N (0.05 g KNO3-N kg−1 soil) or a control (no amendments), resulting in the following combinations: BC/Control, N/Control, BC/N. Soil enzyme activities, available N and P, root morphology and plant biomass were analyzed after plant harvest. Plant biomass (shoot + root) ranged from 0.56 g pot−1 (BC/Control) to 0.91 g pot−1(BC/N). The decreased soil bulk density and increased P availability in the BC compartment (BC/Control and BC/N) stimulated root length by 1.4–1.8 times – an effect that was independent of N availability in the same rhizobox. Biochar stimulated activities of β-glucosidase and leucine aminopeptidase (by 33–39%) compared to N due to the coupling of C, N and P cycles in BC/N treated soil. Nitrogen fertilization also increased β-glucosidase activity compared to the unfertilized control, whereas root elongation remained unaffected. Thus, the combined application of BC/N had more efficient benefits for plant growth than BC or N alone. This is linked with i) the stimulation of enzyme activities at the BC locations to reduce N limitation for both microorganisms and plants, and ii) an increase of fine root production to improve N uptake efficiency. Thus, combined BC/N application is potentially especially sustainable to overcome nutrient limitation as well as to maintain crop productivity because it accelerates root-microbial interactions.
KW - Microorganisms
KW - Mineral fertilizer
KW - Nutrient cycling
KW - Pyrogenic C
KW - Root morphology
KW - Split-root system
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85085605118&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139393
DO - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139393
M3 - Article
C2 - 32492566
AN - SCOPUS:85085605118
VL - 735
JO - Science of the Total Environment
JF - Science of the Total Environment
SN - 0048-9697
M1 - 139393
ER -