Biochar Effects on Two Tropical Tree Species and Its Potential as a Tool for Reforestation
Background:
Although biochar is starting to be recognized as a potential soil fertilizer, most of the current studies are focused on the growth response of herbaceous crops and not on the impacts of biochar on tree development.
Goals:
The authors measure the survival rate, growth, and biomass accumulation of the seedlings of two tropical tree species Terminalia amazonia (“terminalia”) and Guazuma crinita (“bolaina”) under abandoned gold mine conditions: nutrient-poor and sandy soil. The seedlings were tested under six different treatments (three doses of biochar, with and without fertilizer) for six months.
Takeaway:
The simultaneous use of biochar and fertilizer result in the greatest plant performance among the six treatments. Consequently, the authors suggest that the employment of biochar in reforestation plots will not only enhance plant development, but also reduce fertilizing and maintenance costs. More field experiments are needed to extrapolate these findings to other tropical tree species.
Reference:
Biochar Effects on Two Tropical Tree Species and Its Potential as a Tool for Reforestation. Forests. 2019;10(8):678. doi:10.3390/f10080678.