Effectiveness of low-temperature biochar in controlling the release and leaching of herbicides in soil

• Published in: Plant and soil 2013-09, Vol.370 (1/2), p.333-344
• Main Authors: Li, Jianfa, Li, Yimin, Wu, Mingjun, Zhang, Zheying, Lü, Jinhong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetochlor; Acid soils; Agricultural soils; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Biochar; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Charcoal; Chemical control; Clay soils; Ecology; Environmental aspects; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; Heat treatment; Herbicides; Leaching; Life Sciences; Low temperature; Organic compounds; Parasitic plants. Weeds; Pesticides; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; Plant Physiology; Plant Sciences; Regular Article; Soil amendment; Soil amendments; Soil chemistry; Soil columns; Soil pollution; Soil science; Soil Science & Conservation; Soil water; Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility; Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility. Fertilization. Amendments; Soils; Sorbents; Sorption; Topsoil; Weeds
• ISSN: 0032-079X; 1573-5036
• DOI: 10.1007/s11104-013-1639-7

Aims Biochars, being good sorbents of organic compounds, can reduce the mobility of pesticides in soil and subsequent pollution to groundwater, but may also impact on the efficacy of soil-applied herbicides. The aim of this study is to seek a potential solution to this problem. Methods We prepared a wood biochar at a relatively low heat treatment temperature (350°C), and used it as an adsorptive carrier for incorporating the herbicides 2,4-D and acetochlor, and also as a soil amendment. Release experiment through a thin soil layer and leaching experiment through a soil column were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the biochar for controlling the release and leaching of herbicides in soil. Results The release experiments demonstrated that the low-temperature biochar could control the release of herbicides in soil, and the leaching experiments showed that this biochar significantly reduced the leached amount of herbicides by 1/2-3/4, depending on the depth (5-15 cm) of biochar-amended topsoil. High retention of herbicides in the biochar-amended topsoil was observed. Conclusions The results suggest that the low temperature biochar, if applied properly in soil, may be useful for extending the efficacy of herbicides while controlling their potential pollution.