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ABSTRACT

In order to feed the population, the cost as well as the use of chemical fertilizers is increasing leading to depletion of soil health. Hence, the use of organic inputs in agriculture has been increased with the objectives of improving soil health along with optimum crop yield. It is found that despite of adding organic matter in soil through various sources, the net change in soil carbon content is not realized practically. The reason behind this can be utilization of major part of added organic matter by the microbes for their respiration and energy demands. In this way the organic carbon added to soil also finds its way to atmosphere and thus is not sequestered for long. The concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) is increasing continuously as a result of human activities, such as industrial processes and changes in land use and agricultural practices. Atmospheric CO2, along with other gases are responsible for global warming and in affecting the chemical, physical and biological properties of the soil adversely. Biochar can be a viable option to deal with these issue as it helps carbon sequestration. It is a product of pyrolysis that is burning plant material under controlled, low-oxygen conditions to produce charcoal. It functions as a storehouse of carbon that can be recalcitrant for thousands of years since it turns into charcoal which is virtually pure carbon, and chemically very stable. There is a need of research on this due to lack of long-term, well-designed field studies on the efficacy of biochar and on different soil types and agro-climatic zones resulting in limited understanding of its potential to enhance crop production and mitigate climate change.

Keywords: Biochar, Carbon sequestration, Climate change, Global warming, Soil health

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Biochar A New Paradigm in Improving Soil Properties and Mitigating Climate Change_compressed.pdf