The effect of biochars produced from barberry and jujube on erosion, nutrient, and properties of soil in laboratory conditions

Abstract

The use of biochar can improve the various soil properties and reduce erosion. Also, biochar production has caused the optimal use of agricultural and industrial waste and can convert waste into useful compounds. A large mass of leaves and pruned barberry and jujube branches are abandoned annually without planning to use in South Khorasan. Therefore, in this experiment, the impact of biochars produced from barberry and jujube pruned materials (after six months) on the rate of soil erosion, nutrient, and soil properties were studied in the laboratory conditions at the University of Birjand, Iran, in 2021. Biochar treatments were examined at three 0%, 2%, and 5% levels by weight with four replications. Physicochemical and biological properties and soil nutrients were measured before and after adding biochars and applying erosion. The amount of soil loss was calculated by a standard portable rainfall simulator (a rainfall with an intensity of 160 mm/h for 15 min). The data was investigated using variance analysis and mean comparison (by LSD test and P ≤ 0.05), based on a completely randomized design by JMP13 software. The H/C ratio in the barberry and jujube biochars was about 0.33 and 0.53, respectively. Using the biochars at the 2% and 5% application levels significantly decreased soil erosion and improved soil properties. The 5% barberry biochar treatment caused the greatest reduction in bulk density and soil loss. Moreover, this treatment greatly increased the mean weight diameter of aggregates, saturation moisture, cation exchange capacity, organic matter, microbial biomass carbon, microbial respiration, and substrate-induced respiration of the soil compared to the other treatments. It was also more efficient in increasing and retaining soil nutrients. Using the produced biochars is recommended to improve the soil properties.