Since about 2010, biochar became a research hotspot as its function of carbon sequestration firstly. Thereafter, biochar as a solid porous material could be used to dispose wastewater, improve soil quality, and reduce nutrient losses from soils. Recently, biochar has been widely accepted by governments, farmers and scientists to be applied to soil system as an emerging additive. There are abundant literatures (including short-communication, research article, technique report, review or meta-analysis) published to address the foregoing concerns following biochar application. Until now, comprehensive effects of biochar after applied to agricultural and forest soils are still need clarified, as well as the comparison between biochar and other soil additives.

Therefore, we want to organize a special issue regarding this topic in Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany. The following specific themes are of interest:

1) Observation of biochar’s effect on soil physiochemical properties, nutrient use efficiencies and plant growth.

2) Systematic assessment of the responses of nitrous oxide emission, ammonia volatilization, leaching and runoff (at least two pathways should be investigated) from agricultural and/or forest soils.

3) Demonstration of some harmfulness to soil quality and plant growth as results of direct-application of biochar.

4) Comparative study of how biochar and other soil additives (such as nitrogen inhibitor, bio-organic fertilizer, and stimulants) influence the above aspects.

Note: Just one aspects study (unless authors addressed the underlying mechanisms), property characterization of biochar, and only soil incubation experiment with no plant growing are not welcomed.