Evaluation of phosphorus runoff from sandy soils under conservation tillage with surface broadcasted recovered phosphates.

Potential new sources of phosphorus (P) fertilizer are the recovered P from livestock wastewater through chemical precipitation and the ash from combusting animal manures. Although most of the research on P losses from conservation tillage include high water-soluble P compounds from commercial fertilizer sources, information on the use of non-conventional, low water-soluble, recycled P sources is scarce. Particularly for sandy soils of the United States (US) Southeastern Coastal Plain region, research driven information on P loss into the environment is needed to determine recommendations for a direct use of new recycled P sources as crop P fertilizers.

Microbial response to designer biochar and compost treatments for mining impacted soils.

The Oronogo-Duenweg mining belt is a designated United States Environmental Protection Agency Superfund site due to lead-contaminated soil and groundwater by former mining and smelting operations. Sites that have undergone remediation - in which the O, A, and B horizons have been removed alongside the lead contamination - have an exposed C horizon and are incalcitrant to revegetation efforts. Soils also continue to contain quantifiable Cd and Zn concentrations.

Microbial Response to Phytostabilization in Mining Impacted Soils Using Maize in Conjunction with Biochar and Compost.

Even after remediation, mining impacted soils can leave behind a landscape inhospitable to plant growth and containing residual heavy metals. While phytostabilization can be used to restore such sites by limiting heavy metal spread, it is reliant on soil capable of supporting plant growth. Manure-based biochars, coupled with compost, have demonstrated the ability to improve soil growth conditions in mine impacted soils, however there is a paucity of information regarding their influence on resident microbial populations.

Biochar affects growth and shoot nitrogen in four crops for two soils.

To address the need for information on biochar effects on crop growth and nitrogen (N), a greenhouse study was conducted with carrot, lettuce, soybean, and sweet corn using sandy loam (Coxville series) and loamy sand (Norfolk series) soils and a variety of biochars. Biochar was produced from pine chips (PC), poultry litter (PL), swine solids (SS), switchgrass (SG), and two blends of PC plus PL (50/50% [55] and 80/20% [82], wt/wt), with each feedstock pyrolyzed at 350, 500, or 700 °C. The results confirmed that biochar can increase crop growth; however, the responses varied with crop, soil, and feedstock and to a lesser extent with pyrolysis temperature.

Biochar Affects Essential Nutrients of Carrot Taproots and Lettuce Leaves.

Essential nutrient concentrations in crops can affect human health. While biochar has the potential as a soil amendment to improve crop yields, it may also affect the concentrations of nutrients such as Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, and Zn in edible portions of crops. To better characterize effects of biochar on important human nutrients in food crops, we evaluated the effects of biochar on lettuce ( L.