Positive experience in the application of soil- and carbon-saving agricultural technologies with the introduction of biochar in the conditions of the Russian Far East

¹ FEFU, Far Eastern Climate Smart Lab, 10, Ajax, Bay, Russky Island, Vladivostok, 690922, Russia
² Il’ichev Pacific Oceanological Institute, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 43, Baltiyskaya st., Vladivostok, 690041, Russia
³ Federal Scientific Center of the East Asia Terrestrial Biodiversity, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok, 690022, Russia
⁴ Primorskaya Vegetable Experimental Station, All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Vegetables, Artyom, 692779, Russia

^* Corresponding author: nesterova.ov@dvfu.ru

Abstract

Based on the positive results of a long-term field experiment on the introduction of bio-coal for vegetable crops in the Primorsky Territory on soils of heavy chemical composition, its sequestration effect and positive effect on the water-physical properties of soils were proved. After the first year of application of biochar, a significant decrease in CO₂ flux in the field without a drainage system was shown by 4.5% at a dose of 1 kg/m² of biochar and by 36.6% at a dose of 3 kg/m² of biochar compared with a site without biochar. The decrease in CO₂ flux indicates the reclamation effect of biochar due to its high sorption properties affecting the sequestration capacity of the soil. After the second year of application of biochar, the greatest decrease in CO₂ flux was observed when 1 kg/m² was applied. The greatest difference between the values of the CO₂ flux at the control site and the sites with the introduction of biochar was noted in September after the abnormal amount of precipitation recorded in August (521 mm). So, at the control site in September, the CO₂ flux was 2,276 mg CO₂ m^-2 h^-1, at the site with the addition of 1 kg/m² of biochar, the CO₂ flux was 560 mg CO₂ m^-2 h^-1, at the site with the addition of 3 kg/m² – 975 mg CO₂ m^-2 h^-1.