Effect of banded biochar on dryland wheat production and fertiliser use in south-western Australia: An agronomic and economic perspective
Abstract
Effects of banded biochar application on dryland wheat production and fertiliser use in 4 experiments in Western Australia and South Australia suggest that biochar has the potential to reduce fertiliser requirement while crop productivity is maintained, and biochar additions can increase crop yields at lower rates of fertiliser use. Banding was used to minimise wind erosion risk and place biochar close to crop roots. The biochars/metallurgical chars used in this study were made at relatively high temperatures from woody materials, forming stable, low-nutrient chars. The results suggest that a low biochar application rate (~1 t/ha) by banding may provide significant positive effects on yield and fertiliser requirement. Benefits are likely to result from improved crop nutrient and water uptake and crop water supply from increased arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal colonisation during dry seasons and in low P soils, rather than through direct nutrient or water supply from biochars. Financial analysis using farm cash flow over 12 years suggests that a break-even total cost of initial biochar use can range from AU$40 to 190/ha if the benefits decline linearly to nil over 12 years, taking into account a P fertiliser saving of 50% or a yield increase of 10%, or both, assuming long-term soil fertility is not compromised. Accreditation of biochar for carbon trading may assist cost reduction.
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Blackwell et al. tested banded biochar application on dry land wheat production and concluded that the banding application of biochar at low application rates of 1 t/ha can provide significant positive effects on yield while reducing fertilizer requirements.
“Blackwell et al. [36] tested banded biochar application on dry land wheat production and concluded that the banding application of biochar at low application rates of 1 t•ha -1 can provide significant positive effects on yield while reducing fertilizer requirements.”
From Fourfold increase in pumpkin yield in response to low-dosage root zone application of urine-enhanced biochar to a fertile tropical soil (2015) · cites this paper as [36]
The described and demonstrated methods are not only efficient on weathered and degraded soils in suboptimal agronomic systems but may have the potential to develop into a new, long-term perspective for more sustainable, climate-positive and nutrient efficient agriculture on already fertile soils, particularly in organic farming systems.
“Contrary to the conclusions in other studies [1,36], the described and demonstrated methods are not only efficient on weathered and degraded soils in suboptimal agronomic systems but may have the potential to develop into a new, long-term perspective for more sustainable, climate-positive and nutrient efficient agriculture on already fertile soils, particularly in organic farming systems.”
From Fourfold increase in pumpkin yield in response to low-dosage root zone application of urine-enhanced biochar to a fertile tropical soil (2015) · cites this paper as [36]
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- Authors
- Blackwell, P., Krull, E., Butler, G., Herbert, A., & Solaiman, Z.
- Affiliations
- Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia (AU)
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (AU)
- CSouth Australian No-Till Farmers Association (SANTFA), PO Box 923, Clare, SA 5453, Australia.
- The University of Western Australia (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Blackwell, Paul
- ORCID
- Solaiman, Zakaria
- Venue
- Soil Research
- Publisher
- CSIRO Publishing
- Published
- 2010-09-28
- Volume
- 48
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 531-545
- ISSN
- 0004-9573 (ISSN-L)
- 1838-675X
- 1838-6768
- OpenAlex
- W1966504155
- Cited by
- 243
- References
- 35
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 27 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 17 · 2016: 24 · 2015: 20 · 2014: 25 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 9
- FWCI
- 11.64
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Soil Research (publishedVersion)
- UWA Profiles and Research Repository (UWA) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Agricultural Science and Fertilization
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Management and Crop Yield
- Keywords
- biochar, banding, rainfed wheat, fertilizer use efficiency, wind erosion, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, crop yield, farm economics, break-even cost, emissions trading, soil fertility, south-western Australia
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