Qian Liu¹, Sayikal Duyxanale¹, Yongqian Tang², Xinyu Shen¹, Yuanlai Zhao¹, Xinru Ma¹, Shuai Shao¹, Chenfei Liang^1,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.92, No.3, pp. 943-954, 2023, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2022.023225

Abstract Chinese hickory (Carya cathayensis Sarg.) is an important economic forest in Southeastern China. A large amount of hickory husk waste is generated every year but with a low proportion of returning. Meanwhile, intensive management has resulted in soil degradation of Chinese hickory plantations. This study aims to investigate the effects of three Chinese hickory husk returning modes on soil amendment, including soil acidity, soil nutrition, and microbial community. The field experiment carried out four treatments: control (CK), hickory husk mulching (HM), hickory husk biochar (BC), and hickory husk organic fertilizer (OF). The phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) biomarker method was employed… More >

Jingkang Zhang¹, Shiyuan Zhang¹, Changhao Niu^1,2, Jiang Jiang^1,2, Haijun Sun^1,2,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.91, No.8, pp. 1601-1616, 2022, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2022.020323

Abstract Soil degradation threatens the forest sustainable productivity, particularly in afforestation system. Biochar derived from agroforestry waste or biomass can potentially improve the degraded forest soil and promote the tree growth. To expand the application of biochar for forestry productivity improvement, we here reviewed the effects and the underlying mechanisms of biochar on the degraded forest soil and tree growth. Totally 96 studies that conducted from pot to field investigations in China were summarized. The result suggested that biochar generally exerted positive effects on restoration of degraded forest soil such as that with compaction, acidification or soil erosion, which are mainly… More >

Lina Gogoi¹, Rumi Narzari¹, Nirmali Gogoi², Muhammad Farooq³, Rupam Kataki^1,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.88, No.4, pp. 349-365, 2019, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2019.08406

Abstract The increasing deforestation with an alarming rate is the prime cause of upsetting the balance in the natural ecosystem and the livelihood of local communities. Sustainable forest management and reforestation efforts can equilibrium this destruction and maintain the protected areas. In this regard, soil management strategies for reforestation of the degraded forest land can be helpful. In this review, the potential of using biochar, a solid carbon rich product of biomass thermochemical conversion, as a soil amendment in forest soils has been discussed. The production procedures of biochar, availability of feedstocks and the biochar properties are discussed using the existing… More >

Lei Chu, H. M. K. Darshika Hennayake, Haijun Sun*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.88, No.3, pp. 261-267, 2019, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2019.07791

Abstract Intensive practices in forest soils result in dramatic nitrogen (N) losses, particularly ammonia (NH₃) volatilization, to adjacent environmental areas. A soil column experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of bamboo biochar on NH₃ volatilization from tea garden and bamboo forest soils. The results showed that biochar amendment effectively reduced NH₃ volatilization from tea garden and bamboo forest soil by 79.2% and 75.5%, respectively. The soil pH values increased by 0.53-0.61 units after biochar application. The NH₄⁺-N and total N of both soils were 13.8-29.7% and 34.0-41.9% higher under the biochar treatments than under the control treatment, respectively. In addition,… More >