Long term biochar effects on corn yield, soil quality and profitability in the US Midwest
Open accessAbstract
Corn production in the US Midwest has the potential to generate a large amount of crop residue for bioenergy production. However, unconstrained harvesting of crop residues is associated with a long-term decline in soil quality. Biochar applications can mitigate many of the negative effects of residue removal but data and economic analyses to support decision making are lacking. To explore sustainable and profitable practices for residue harvesting in central Iowa we used 11 years of soil, crop yield, and management data to calibrate the Agricultural Production Systems sIMulator (APSIM) biochar model. We then used the model to evaluate how different biochar types and application rates impact productivity and environmental performance of conventional corn and corn-soybean cropping systems in Iowa under different N fertilizer application rates and residue harvesting scenarios. A cost-benefit analysis was also employed to identify the economically optimal biochar application rate from both producer and societal perspectives. Modeling results showed for both continuous corn and corn-soybean rotations that as biochar application rate increased (0–90 Mg ha⁻¹) nitrate leaching decreased (2.5–20%) and soil carbon levels increased (8–115%), but there was only a small impact on corn yields (–2.6 to 0.6%). The cost-benefit analysis revealed that public benefits, evaluated from decreased nitrate leaching and increased soil carbon levels, significantly outweighed the private revenue accrue…
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Application of biochar in agricultural lands is considered as a potential solution to prevent loss of fertilizers to water bodies and enhance soil quality by improving soil organic carbon, and hence improving agricultural productivity.
“Application of biochar in agricultural lands is considered as a potential solution to prevent loss of fertilizers to water bodies and enhance the soil quality by improving the soil organic carbon, and hence improving agricultural productivity [3].”
From Lifecycle Assessment and Techno-Economic Analysis of Biochar Pellet Production from Forest Residues and Field Application (2022) · cites this paper as [3]
Cites
Biochar for Environmental Management: Science, Technology and Implementation
(2015) · doi:10.4324/9780203762264 · Cited by 2,280 · cited 1× · see citing works
“Biochar, the charcoal like co-product of biomass pyrolysis, is a soil 66 amendment that can enhance soil quality and agricultural productivity while simultaneously 67 sequestering carbon (Laird et al., 2009; Lehmann and Joseph, 2015).”
BackgroundAPSIM – evolution towards a new generation of agricultural systems simulation
Holzworth, D. P., Huth, N. I., deVoil, P. G., Zurcher, E. J., Herrmann, N. I., McLean, G., Chenu, K., van Oosterom, E. J., Snow, V., Murphy, C., et al. (2014) · Environmental Modelling & Software · doi:10.1016/j.envsoft.2014.07.009 · Cited by 1,756 · see citing works
Crop and Soil Productivity Response to Corn Residue Removal
Wilhelm, W. W., Johnson, J. M. F., Hatfield, J. L., Voorhees, W. B., & Linden, D. R. (2004) · Agronomy Journal · doi:10.2134/agronj2004.0001 · Cited by 533 · see citing works
Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts
(2013) · doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-3348-4 · Cited by 392 · see citing works
Biochar effect on maize yield and soil characteristics in five conservation farming sites in Zambia
Cornelissen, G., Martinsen, V., Shitumbanuma, V., Alling, V., Breedveld, G., Rutherford, D., Sparrevik, M., Hale, S., Obia, A., & Mulder, J. (2013) · Agronomy · doi:10.3390/agronomy3020256 · Cited by 295 · see citing works
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Bergman, R., Sahoo, K., Englund, K., & Mousavi-Avval, S. H. (2022) · Energies · doi:10.3390/en15041559 · Cited by 75 · see citing works
“Application of biochar in agricultural lands is considered as a potential solution to prevent loss of fertilizers to water bodies and enhance the soil quality by improving the soil organic carbon, and hence improving agricultural productivity [3].”
Background
- Authors
- Aller, D. M., Archontoulis, S. V., Zhang, W., Sawadgo, W., Laird, D. A., & Moore, K.
- Affiliations
- Iowa State University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Archontoulis, Sotirios V.
- Venue
- Field Crops Research
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2018-10
- Volume
- 227
- Pages
- 30-40
- ISSN
- 0378-4290 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2885631967
- Cited by
- 67
- References
- 5
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 1
- FWCI
- 5.14
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Field Crops Research (acceptedVersion)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- Iowa State University Digital Repository (Iowa State University) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- ISU General Staff Papers (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Global Climate and Energy Project (60413992-112883-A)
- National Science Foundation (EPS-1101284)
- USDA-NIFA Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive (2011-68005-30411)
- USDA-NIFA (IOW03814)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Management and Crop Yield
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Agronomy and Crop Science › Bioenergy crop production and management
- Keywords
- biochar, maize yield, soil organic carbon, nitrate leaching, corn-soybean rotation, biochar application rate, cost-benefit analysis, nitrogen fertilization, soil quality, biomass feedstock, Iowa
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