Rangzan & Nezarnezhadian (2024) Effect of Selenium-Enriched BiocharBiochar is a carbon-rich material created from biomass decomposition in low-oxygen conditions. It has important applications in environmental remediation, soil improvement, agriculture, carbon sequestration, energy storage, and sustainable materials, promoting efficiency and reducing waste in various contexts while addressing climate change challenges. More on Some Chemical Properties of Calcareous Soil Under Salinity Stress. Iranian Journal of Soil and Water Research. https://doi.org/10.22059/ijswr.2024.380534.669776

Biochar is increasingly recognized as a potential solution for mitigating soil degradation due to salinity, a common issue in arid regions. This blog post summarizes a study investigating the effects of selenium-enriched biochar on the chemical properties of calcareous soil under different levels of salinity.

The study used biochar made from landscape waste, enriched with selenium at varying concentrations (20 and 60 mg/kg). The experimental design included treatments with both saline and non-saline soils to explore the impact on soil chemistry, particularly 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, salinity, organic carbon, phosphorus, potassium, and sodium content.

The findings showed that adding biochar generally increased soil organic carbon and potassium content, while the enrichment with selenium reduced some of biochar’s positive effects, particularly in saline soils. Higher levels of selenium in biochar increased soil salinity, which may limit its effectiveness in extremely saline conditions. However, biochar significantly improved phosphorus availabilityPhosphorus is another essential nutrient for plant growth, but it can sometimes be locked up in the soil and unavailable to plants. Biochar can help release phosphorus from the soil and make it more accessible to plants, reducing the need for chemical fertilizers.   More in non-saline soils and reduced soluble sodium, enhancing soil quality for agricultural use.

Overall, this research highlights biochar’s potential in improving soil fertility, though the benefits can vary depending on the enrichment level and the soil’s initial salinity. Enriching biochar with selenium appears to have a dual effect: it can boost certain nutrient levels while exacerbating salinity issues, making its use context-dependent. This indicates that biochar must be carefully tailored for different soil conditions to maximize its effectiveness.