Biochar is produced through pyrolysis of biomass and used as a soil amendment. It improves soil health by increasing cation exchange capacity, water retention and nutrient availability. Different feedstocks produce biochars with varying chemical properties. Application rates of 5-50 tonnes per hectare can boost crop yields by enhancing soil quality and microbial activity while reducing greenhouse gas emissions from soil. Quality of feedstock, pyrolysis temperature, soil type and application method influence the effectiveness of biochar as a soil conditioner.

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3. Content……..
 Introduction
 Conversion efficiency
 Method of biochar preparation
 Chemical property of different type of biochar
 Effects of biochar on soil health
 Method of biochar application
 Rate of biochar application
 Crop productivity through biochar
 Critical factor for biochar
 Benefits of biochar
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4.  Biochar is pyrolized biomass
 Called black gold of agriculture
 Enhances plant growth which absorbs more CO2 from the atmosphere.
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 Biochar is a fine-grained, carbon-rich, porous product remaining after
plant biomass has been subjected to thermo-chemical conversion
process (pyrolysis) at temperatures ~350–600°C in an environment with
little or no oxygen (Amonette and Joseph, 2009).

5.  Used as a soil amendment
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 Incorporating biochar into soil reduces nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions
and increases methane (CH4) uptake from soil.
 Agricultural crop residues form a major source of biomass in India
and annually about 69.7 million tonnes
 Crop residues is highest in Uttar Pradesh (60 Mt) followed by Punjab (51
Mt).

6. Conversion efficiency
 Average recovery about 54%
Type of waste Conversion efficiency (%)
Rice husk 69-78
Red gram 36- 39
Maize 32-35
Cotton 38-46
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Kannan et al. 2012

7. Methods of biochar preparation
 Thermal decomposition usually achieved from pyrolysis or gasification
 Mainly three method of biochar preparation
A. Heap method
 It is a traditional method
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8. B. Drum Method
Venkatesh et al. (2010) develop this method at CRIDA, Hyderabad.
200L Drum A view of bottom side of the charring kiln Upper view
At bottom side about 36 holes are made about 4 cm2 cover about 20% of total surface
area
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9. C. Biochar stove method
 Two basic types of stoves
A. Top-Lit Updraft Gasifier (TLUD)
B. The Anila stove.
TLUD Gasifier Anila stove
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10.  Dr. Thomas B. Reed and Paal Wendelbo independently developed the
working idea of a TLUD gasifier in the 1990s.
 TLUD is a micro-kiln used to produce charcoal, especially biochar, and
heat for cooking.
 Modern Anila stove was developed by U.N. Ravi Kumar
 The key aims of the design are to reduce the indoor air pollution
 The stove is made from steel and weighs about 10 kg.
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11. Biochar PH EC
(dS m-1)
OC
(g/kg)
Total N
(%)
Total P
(%)
Total K
(%)
Total Na
(%)
Prosopis 8.4-9.7 0.63-0.95 25-32 0.70-1.23 0.05-0.26 0.2-0.5 0.34-0.51
Rice husk 7.9-8.1 0.22-.52 34-57 0.63-1.78 0.07-23 0.1-0.2 1.3-2.4
Maize 9.9-10.0 0.95-2.29 21-76 0.43-2.06 0.08-0.84 0.3-0.8 0.09-1.2
Cotton 9.81-10.6 0.28-0.75 24-76 0.31-0.67 0.15-0.39 1.1-1.4 0.63-0.75
Red gram 9.4-10.8 0.83-1.4 17-67 0.53-1.65 0.18-0.46 0.8-2.5 0.71-0.81
Fodder
sorghum
10.0-11.8 1.3-2.2 8-11 0.32-1.02 0.16-0.24 1.1-3.9 0.71-0.78
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12. Effects of biochar on soil health
 Influence of biochar on soil physical properties
soil physical parameters such as wettability of soil, water infiltration, water
retention, macro-aggregation and soil stability are critical importance in
tropical environments in combating erosion, mitigating drought and nutrient
loss and in general to enhance groundwater quality.
 Influence of biochar on soil chemical properties
Observed Significant changes in soil quality, including PH increase, organic
carbon and exchangeable cations were observed at higher rates of biochar
application.
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13.  Influence on nutrient use efficiency
Longer-term benefits of biochar application on nutrient availability mainly
due to a greater stabilization of organic matter, concurrent slower nutrient
release from added organic matter and better retention of all cations due to a
greater cation exchange capacity.
 Influence of biochar on soil microbial activity
Biochar provides a suitable habitat for a large and diverse group of soil
microorganisms.
Symbiosis between effective microbes and plant root through the medium of
charcoal, that promotes the growth of plants
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14. Effect of biochar on soil
Factor Impact Source
Cation exchange capacity 50% increase (Glaser et al., 2002)
Fertilizer use efficiency 10-30 % increase (Gaunt and Cowie, 2009)
Liming agent 1 point pH increase (Lehman and Rondon, 2006)
Soil moisture retention Up to 18 % increase (Tryon, 1948)
Crop productivity 20-120% increase (Lehman and Rondon, 2006)
Methane emission 100% decrease (Rondon et al, 2005)
Nitrous oxide emissions 50 % decrease (Yanai et al., 2007)
Bulk density Soil dependent (Laird, 2008)
Mycorrhizal fungi 40 % increase (Warnock et al., 2007)
Biological nitrogen fixation 50-72% increase (Lehman and Rondon, 2006)
NICRA Bulletin 1/2013
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15. Experimental view of biochar application
 Biochar prepared from different feedstocks (pigeonpea, castor and cotton)
was evaluated for its effect on pigeonpea yield at CRIDA, Hyderabad
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Pigeon pea stalk at 6 t/ha + RDF Recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF)
Unamended control

16. Methods of biochar application
Biochar can be
applied to soil by
different methods
including
broadcasting, spot
placement, deep
banding etc.
But method of
biochar application
in soil depends on
the farming system,
available machinery
and labor.
Biochar by hand
application is well
known, but is not
viable on large-scale
because of labor
intensity and human
health concerns
Mixing of biochar
with composts and
manures
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17. Rate of biochar application
 Experiments have found that rates between 5-50 t/ha (0.5-5 kg/m2)
have often been used successfully.
 In the case of piggery and poultry manure biochar, the biochar works
both as an organic fertilizer and soil conditioner with agronomic benefits
observed at low application rates (10 t/ha)
 Application of biochar to soils in a legume-based (e.g. peanut and
maize) rotational cropping system, clovers and lucernes is more
beneficial
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18. Critical factors for biochar
1. Quality of feedstock biomass
 Different types of biomass can be used for producing biochar
 But, all types of feedstock biomasses are not equally good for various
types of soils.
 Nutrient types and amounts vary with the biomass used.
2. Optimum temperature for biochar production
 Higher the temperatures of the pyrolysis, the greater are the CEC and
surface area of biochar. But, 1) low carbon levels; and 2) additional
handling costs of small-sized biochar
 The optimum temperature for biochar production is around 500°C
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19. 3. Soil types and Soil moisture
 In dry countries such as Australia and India, where water quantity and
quality is extremely variable, this would be a significant benefit.
 Biochar soil water benefits are maximized in sandy soils than loam and
clay soil. Effects of biomass derived char on percentage of
Available moisture in soils on a volume basis
Soil 0% biochar 15% biochar 30% biochar 45% biochar
Sand 6.7 7.1 7.5 7.9
Loam 10.6 10.6 10.6 10.6
Clay 17.8 16.6 15.4 14.2
Source: Glaser et al. (2002)
4. Soil pH and soil contamination
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20. Benefits of biochar
 Soil enhancement that lasts a lifetime
 Enhanced plant growth
 Increases soil water holding capacity
Increases cation exchange capacity
 Supports soil microbial life and biodiversity
 Helps plants resist diseases and pathogens
 Stimulated symbiotic nitrogen fixation in legumes
 Reduces soil acidity: raises soil pH increased soil aggregation due to
increased fungal hyphae
Reduced leaching of nutrients
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21. Conclusion
 Biochar called black gold is a pyrolized biomass.
 Used as a soil amendment and as a nutrient source.
 Different type of feed stock has different type of biochar.
 It affect soil as different way for enhancing the condition of soil.
 Method of application has different type that variance occur on different
condition.
 Benefits of biochar varies on different fector.
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