Converting Biochar Into Biochar‐Based Urea Promotes Environmental and Economic Sustainability in Rice‐Wheat Rotation System

ABSTRACT Biochar amendments in rice‐wheat systems are sustainable for reducing GHGs (greenhouse gases) and improving soil health but the widespread adoption of biochar faces economic challenges. To address limitation, a novel biochar‐based urea was formulated for environmental and cost advantages. A...

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Main Authors: Xueliu Gong, Wei Shi, Jiarong Wu, Jingsong Qin, Wang Huang, Yanfang Feng, Haijun Sun, Jufeng Zheng, Kun Cheng, Stephen Joseph, Junhui Chen, Rongjun Bian, Lianqing Li, Genxing Pan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-01-01
Series:GCB Bioenergy
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1111/gcbb.70014
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author Xueliu Gong
Wei Shi
Jiarong Wu
Jingsong Qin
Wang Huang
Yanfang Feng
Haijun Sun
Jufeng Zheng
Kun Cheng
Stephen Joseph
Junhui Chen
Rongjun Bian
Lianqing Li
Genxing Pan
author_facet Xueliu Gong
Wei Shi
Jiarong Wu
Jingsong Qin
Wang Huang
Yanfang Feng
Haijun Sun
Jufeng Zheng
Kun Cheng
Stephen Joseph
Junhui Chen
Rongjun Bian
Lianqing Li
Genxing Pan
author_sort Xueliu Gong
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Biochar amendments in rice‐wheat systems are sustainable for reducing GHGs (greenhouse gases) and improving soil health but the widespread adoption of biochar faces economic challenges. To address limitation, a novel biochar‐based urea was formulated for environmental and cost advantages. A pot experiment within a rice‐wheat rotation was conducted to evaluate comparative effects of biochar‐based urea (CKBU), biochar + urea (BCU), and biochar‐based urea + biochar (BCBU) over conventional mineral fertilizer (CKU) on soil ammonia (NH3) volatilization, GHG emissions, soil structure, and crop productivity. Furthermore, fertilizer N fate was tracked using the 15N isotope during wheat season. The results indicated that compared to CKU, CKBU, BCU, and BCBU treatments significantly mitigated NH3 volatilization by 22%–31% during the rice season, and a 19% reduction was observed under the BCBU treatment during the wheat season due to the response of N‐cycling microorganisms. Regarding GHG emissions, the CKBU, BCU, and BCBU treatments significantly decreased the global warming potential (GWP) value by 49%–55% during the rice season and by 26%–45% during the wheat season, compared to CKU. Additionally, CKBU enhanced 15N use efficiency by 29% during wheat season, without affecting the rice season. The economic performance indicated that applying BU alone offered a net economic benefit, whereas biochar amendment led to a net economic loss. However, biochar amendment improved SOC and aggregation structure, with a significant increase in macroaggregate distribution over 50% compared to CKU and CKBU. Therefore, BU with small portions of biochar can be as effective in reducing NH3 emissions and mitigating GHG emissions as the use of a large quantity of biochar. Additionally, the BCBU did not show additional synergistic benefits regarding emission reduction or yield enhancement. Therefore, shifting biochar to BU could be a cost‐effective approach to achieving sustainable productivity in rice‐wheat crop rotation systems.
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spelling doaj-art-47b6da04e51940f5bb209bf095ee4d042024-12-27T07:28:30ZengWileyGCB Bioenergy1757-16931757-17072025-01-01171n/an/a10.1111/gcbb.70014Converting Biochar Into Biochar‐Based Urea Promotes Environmental and Economic Sustainability in Rice‐Wheat Rotation SystemXueliu Gong0Wei Shi1Jiarong Wu2Jingsong Qin3Wang Huang4Yanfang Feng5Haijun Sun6Jufeng Zheng7Kun Cheng8Stephen Joseph9Junhui Chen10Rongjun Bian11Lianqing Li12Genxing Pan13Institute of Resources, Ecosystem and Environment of Agriculture, and Center of Biochar and Green Agriculture Nanjing Agricultural University Nanjing ChinaInstitute of Resources, Ecosystem and Environment of Agriculture, and Center of Biochar and Green Agriculture Nanjing Agricultural University Nanjing ChinaInstitute of Resources, Ecosystem and Environment of Agriculture, and Center of Biochar and Green Agriculture Nanjing Agricultural University Nanjing ChinaInstitute of Resources, Ecosystem and Environment of Agriculture, and Center of Biochar and Green Agriculture Nanjing Agricultural University Nanjing ChinaKey Laboratory of Agro‐Environment in Downstream of Yangtze Plain Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences Nanjing ChinaKey Laboratory of Agro‐Environment in Downstream of Yangtze Plain Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences Nanjing ChinaCo‐Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Soil and Water Conservation Nanjing Forestry University Nanjing ChinaInstitute of Resources, Ecosystem and Environment of Agriculture, and Center of Biochar and Green Agriculture Nanjing Agricultural University Nanjing ChinaInstitute of Resources, Ecosystem and Environment of Agriculture, and Center of Biochar and Green Agriculture Nanjing Agricultural University Nanjing ChinaInstitute of Resources, Ecosystem and Environment of Agriculture, and Center of Biochar and Green Agriculture Nanjing Agricultural University Nanjing ChinaThe State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture Zhejiang A&F University Lin'an Hangzhou ChinaInstitute of Resources, Ecosystem and Environment of Agriculture, and Center of Biochar and Green Agriculture Nanjing Agricultural University Nanjing ChinaInstitute of Resources, Ecosystem and Environment of Agriculture, and Center of Biochar and Green Agriculture Nanjing Agricultural University Nanjing ChinaInstitute of Resources, Ecosystem and Environment of Agriculture, and Center of Biochar and Green Agriculture Nanjing Agricultural University Nanjing ChinaABSTRACT Biochar amendments in rice‐wheat systems are sustainable for reducing GHGs (greenhouse gases) and improving soil health but the widespread adoption of biochar faces economic challenges. To address limitation, a novel biochar‐based urea was formulated for environmental and cost advantages. A pot experiment within a rice‐wheat rotation was conducted to evaluate comparative effects of biochar‐based urea (CKBU), biochar + urea (BCU), and biochar‐based urea + biochar (BCBU) over conventional mineral fertilizer (CKU) on soil ammonia (NH3) volatilization, GHG emissions, soil structure, and crop productivity. Furthermore, fertilizer N fate was tracked using the 15N isotope during wheat season. The results indicated that compared to CKU, CKBU, BCU, and BCBU treatments significantly mitigated NH3 volatilization by 22%–31% during the rice season, and a 19% reduction was observed under the BCBU treatment during the wheat season due to the response of N‐cycling microorganisms. Regarding GHG emissions, the CKBU, BCU, and BCBU treatments significantly decreased the global warming potential (GWP) value by 49%–55% during the rice season and by 26%–45% during the wheat season, compared to CKU. Additionally, CKBU enhanced 15N use efficiency by 29% during wheat season, without affecting the rice season. The economic performance indicated that applying BU alone offered a net economic benefit, whereas biochar amendment led to a net economic loss. However, biochar amendment improved SOC and aggregation structure, with a significant increase in macroaggregate distribution over 50% compared to CKU and CKBU. Therefore, BU with small portions of biochar can be as effective in reducing NH3 emissions and mitigating GHG emissions as the use of a large quantity of biochar. Additionally, the BCBU did not show additional synergistic benefits regarding emission reduction or yield enhancement. Therefore, shifting biochar to BU could be a cost‐effective approach to achieving sustainable productivity in rice‐wheat crop rotation systems.https://doi.org/10.1111/gcbb.70014biochar‐based ureaenvironmental sustainabilitygreenhouse gasesNH3 volatilizationnitrogen use efficiencyrice‐wheat rotation
spellingShingle Xueliu Gong
Wei Shi
Jiarong Wu
Jingsong Qin
Wang Huang
Yanfang Feng
Haijun Sun
Jufeng Zheng
Kun Cheng
Stephen Joseph
Junhui Chen
Rongjun Bian
Lianqing Li
Genxing Pan
Converting Biochar Into Biochar‐Based Urea Promotes Environmental and Economic Sustainability in Rice‐Wheat Rotation System
GCB Bioenergy
biochar‐based urea
environmental sustainability
greenhouse gases
NH3 volatilization
nitrogen use efficiency
rice‐wheat rotation
title Converting Biochar Into Biochar‐Based Urea Promotes Environmental and Economic Sustainability in Rice‐Wheat Rotation System
title_full Converting Biochar Into Biochar‐Based Urea Promotes Environmental and Economic Sustainability in Rice‐Wheat Rotation System
title_fullStr Converting Biochar Into Biochar‐Based Urea Promotes Environmental and Economic Sustainability in Rice‐Wheat Rotation System
title_full_unstemmed Converting Biochar Into Biochar‐Based Urea Promotes Environmental and Economic Sustainability in Rice‐Wheat Rotation System
title_short Converting Biochar Into Biochar‐Based Urea Promotes Environmental and Economic Sustainability in Rice‐Wheat Rotation System
title_sort converting biochar into biochar based urea promotes environmental and economic sustainability in rice wheat rotation system
topic biochar‐based urea
environmental sustainability
greenhouse gases
NH3 volatilization
nitrogen use efficiency
rice‐wheat rotation
url https://doi.org/10.1111/gcbb.70014
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