Invasive alien plants present a global ecological crisis by outcompeting native biodiversity, altering natural ecosystems, and causing massive economic losses. Traditional management efforts generate enormous amounts of waste biomassBiomass is a complex biological organic or non-organic solid product derived from living or recently living organism and available naturally. Various types of wastes such as animal manure, waste paper, sludge and many industrial wastes are also treated as biomass because like natural biomass these More that present disposal problems and incur heavy transport costs. Pyrolysis—the process of heating biomass under oxygen-limited conditions—offers a circular economy approach that safely disposes of invasive weeds while converting them into biochar. Researchers Ajay Krishna V, Aneesh KS, Prasanthi K, Ruby P, Kavya Raj A, and Gopika SR published a systematic review in the International Journal of Research in Agronomy detailing how biochar derived from invasive species serves as a versatile resource for sustainable agriculture, carbon sequestration, and environmental remediation.

Agricultural trials confirm that invasive weed biochars significantly enhance crop growth, soil health, and nutrient availability. Applying Lantana camara biochar at ten tons per hectare alongside reduced fertilizer inputs boosted oat fodder yield by eight percent while increasing crude protein by six percent. The amendment improved soil microbial health, elevating bacterial populations to over seven hundred million colony-forming units per gram of soil while enhancing soil enzyme activities. In acidic soils affected by acid rain, invasive plant biochars maintained neutral soil pHpH is a measure of how acidic or alkaline a substance is. A pH of 7 is neutral, while lower pH values indicate acidity and higher values indicate alkalinity. Biochars are normally alkaline and can influence soil pH, often increasing it, which can be beneficial More levels between six point five and seven point zero, outperforming traditional liming by causing fourfold increases in available nitrogen and phosphorus. Additionally, biochar applications suppressed crop pathogens, reducing tomato bacterial wilt disease indices by up to forty-nine point two percent.

Environmental remediation applications highlight the exceptional capacity of invasive weed biochar to adsorb heavy metals and organic contaminants. Biochar produced from ragweed and horseweed achieved maximum adsorption capacities of 139 milligrams per gram for cadmium and 358 point 7 milligrams per gram for lead. In municipal wastewater treatment, biochar derived from Crotalaria burhia removed up to 89 percent of chemical oxygen demand and 88 point 27 percent of biochemical oxygen demand while reducing total coliform bacteria counts by 73 point 33 percent. Furthermore, biochar produced from invasive aquatic weeds such as water hyacinth effectively purified rubber-manufactured wastewater, presenting a sustainable low-cost filter medium for industrial effluent treatment.

Carbon sequestration studies demonstrate the long-term climate change mitigation potential of invasive plant biochars. Applying invasive weed biochar at twenty tons per hectare to reclaimed coal mine spoils improved water holding capacityWater holding capacity is the amount of water that soil can retain. Biochar can significantly increase the water holding capacity of soil, improving its ability to withstand drought conditions and support plant growth.   More by nineteen percent, decreased soil bulk density by twenty-five percent, and increased total soil carbon stock by ninety-one percent. The treatment significantly reduced carbon dioxide gas fluxes compared to untreated mine spoils, demonstrating that surface applications of biochar effectively stabilize recalcitrant carbon pools. Despite these clear advantages, scientists emphasize that future research must address economic feasibility, transport logistics, and ecotoxicological safety standards to support widespread commercial adoption.

Source: Ajay Krishna, V., Aneesh, K. S., Prasanthi, K., Ruby, P., Kavya Raj, A., & Gopika, S. R. (2026). Invasive plants as sustainable biochar feedstocks: Production, applications, and environmental implications. International Journal of Research in Agronomy, 9(8), 421-430.