Biochar: pyrogenic carbon for agricultural use: a critical review.

O biocarvão (biomassa carbonizada para uso agrícola) tem sido usado como condicionador do solo em todo o mundo, e essa tecnologia é de especial interesse para o Brasil, uma vez que tanto a ?inspiração?, que veio das Terras Pretas de Índios da Amazônia, como o fato de o Brasil ser o maior produtor mundial de carvão vegetal, com a geração de importante quantidade de resíduos na forma de finos de carvão e diversas biomassas residuais, principalmente da agroindústria, como bagaço de cana, resíduos das indústrias de madeira, papel e celulose, biocombustíveis, lodo de esgoto etc. Na última década, diversos estudos com biocarvão têm sido realizados e atualmente uma vasta literatura e excelentes revisões estão disponíveis. Objetivou-se aqui não fazer uma revisão bibliográfica exaustiva, mas sim uma revisão crítica para apontar alguns destaques na pesquisa sobre biochar. Para isso, foram selecionados alguns temaschave considerados críticos e relevantes e fez-se um ?condensado? da literatura pertinente, mais para orientar as pesquisas e tendências do que um mero olhar para o passad

A simple and easy method to measure ammonia volatilization: Accuracy under field conditions

Field studies on soil ammonia (NH3) volatilization are restricted in many countries owing to the high costs commonly demanded for accurate quantification. We assessed the accuracy of a simple, open chamber design to capture NH3 under field conditions, as affected by different chamber placement schemes. Urea-15N was surface applied to lysimeters installed in the spaces between maize rows. Open chambers made from plastic bottles were installed on each lysimeter with variations in i) N rates (3, 8, 13, and 18 g m–2), ii) the height of the chamber above the soil surface (0, 5, and 10 mm), and iii) chamber relocation (static vs. dynamic). Reference lysimeters without chambers were used to measure NH3 losses by 15N-balance. Losses of NH3 -N accounted for more than 50% of the applied N. Relocation of the chambers had no impact on their NH3-trapping efficiencies, proving to be an unnecessary procedure. Variation in the height of the chambers above the soil surface affected the capture of NH3, but the results still maintained high linearity with the NH3 losses quantified by the reference method (R2 > 0.98). When the same placement scheme used in the introductory study describing the chamber was utilized (static and touching the soil surface), we found a trapping efficiency of 60%, which was very similar to that (57%) obtained in the previous study. Our results show that this simple, open chamber design can be used with satisfactory accuracy under field conditions, provided that simple, standardized procedures are warranted

Optimizing the use of open chambers to measure ammonia volatilization in field plots amended with urea

Measuring ammonia (NH3) volatilization from urea-fertilized soils is crucial for evaluation of practices that reduce gaseous nitrogen (N) losses in agriculture. The small area of chambers used for NH3 volatilization measurements compared with the size of field plots may cause significant errors if inadequate sampling strategies are adopted. Our aims were: i) to investigate the effect of using multiple open chambers on the variability in the measurement of NH3 volatilization in urea-amended field plots and ii) to define the critical period of NH3-N losses during which the concentration of sampling effort is capable of reducing uncertainty. The use of only one chamber covering 0.015% of the plot (51.84 m2) generates a value of NH3-N loss within an expected margin of error of 30% around the true mean. To reduce the error margin by half (15%), 3–7 chambers were required with a mean of 5 chambers per plot. Concentrating the sampling efforts in the first two weeks after urea application, which is usually the most critical period of N losses and associated errors, represents an efficient strategy to lessen uncertainty in the measurements of NH3 volatilization. This strategy enhances the power of detection of NH3-N loss abatement in field experiments using chambers

Aproveitamento pelo milho do nitrogênio amoniacal de dejetos líquidos de suínos em plantio direto e preparo reduzido do solo Corn utilization of ammoniacal nitrogen from pig slurry in no-tillage and reduced tillage

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o aproveitamento do N amoniacal de dejetos líquidos de suínos (DLS) pela cultura do milho (Zea mays). O experimento foi conduzido em Argissolo Vermelho distrófico arênico. Os tratamentos avaliados consistiram da aplicação ou não de DLS sobre resíduos culturais de aveia, em plantio direto e preparo reduzido do solo. Para quantificar o destino do N amoniacal aplicado, a fração amoniacal dos DLS foi enriquecida com (15NH4)2SO4 . O aproveitamento do N amoniacal dos DLS pelo milho foi de apenas 15,3% e não diferiu com o uso do DLS em plantio direto ou em preparo reduzido do solo. Na maturação fisiológica do milho, a quantidade de 15N dos DLS recuperada no solo, até a profundidade de 120 cm, e na planta (parte aérea+grãos+raízes) correspondeu a 49,6% do 15N aplicado. A fração de N orgânico dos DLS e a matéria orgânica do solo foram as principais fontes de N para a cultura do milho.<br>The objective of this work was to evaluate corn (Zea mays) utilization of ammoniacal N from pig slurry (PS). A field experiment was carried out in a typic Hapludalf. The treatments consisted of the application or not of PS on oat straw, in no-tillage and reduced tillage planting systems. In order to quantify the destination of applied ammoniacal N from the PS, the ammoniacal fraction was enriched with (15NH4)2SO4 . The utilization of ammoniacal N from pig slurry by corn crop was of 15.3% and did not differ between no-tillage and reduced tillage soil systems. At corn physiological maturity, the amount of 15N recovered from the soil, at 120-cm depth, and from the plant (grain+shoot+roots) was 49.6% of the 15N applied with pig slurry. The organic N fractions from pig slurry and from soil organic matter were the main sources of N for corn