498 Research Paper: A Review of Biochar’s Applications in the Soil Nitrogen Cycle

Biochar is an emerging soil amendment technology which is increasingly attracting the attention of researchers. Biochar is produced in an environmentally friendly manner by recycling plant waste into fertilizer. Nitrogen is a significant factor in crop growth, and the use of biochar as a source of soil nitrogen has been a subject of much study. The direct application of biochar as nitrogenous fertilizer is inefficacious because biochar contains more carbon than nitrogen. Instead, the porosity and large surface area of biochar is effective at retaining nitrogen compounds and inhibiting its leaching by runoff. Further study into the interplay between biochar and soil chemistry is needed because the characteristics of biochar is greatly influenced by the pyrolytic conditions used to produce biochar and the type of soil it is used in.