Biochar as an effective carrier for poultry-feather hydrolysate with positive effects on nutrient retention across soil textures

Le résumé fourni par la source

Rapid nutrient loss from soluble organic amendments remains a key challenge in sustainable soil management, limiting their long-term effectiveness in maintaining crop productivity, soil fertility, and ecosystem functioning. While organic amendments like poultry-feather hydrolysate and plant-derived biochar are being explored for improving soil health, their combined effects particularly across different soil textures remain underexplored. A four-month laboratory microcosm experiment was conducted to determine the effects of hydrolysate applied alone or absorbed into biochar on nutrient availability and microbial properties in two soils differing in texture (loamy sand and sandy loam). Hydrolysate absorbed into biochar reduced early nutrient losses especially for phosphorus, calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) by 24%, 72% and 14%, respectively, and enhanced later soil nutrient retention, increasing soil content of dissolved organic carbon (by 50%), Ca (by 47%) and Mg (by 523%) than the hydrolysate alone. Hydrolysate absorbed into biochar also maintained higher and more consistent soil pH, indicating improved buffering capacity. The effects were more pronounced in sandy loam soil, where microbial activity increased by 25% and dissolved Ca and Mg content increased by 30% and 14%, respectively, compared to the loamy sand soil, reflecting the higher sorption capacity of the finer-textured soil. These findings position hydrolysate absorbed into biochar as an effective slow-release amendment, with maximum potential for optimizing nutrient retention, particularly in finer-textured soils. Future field- and plant-based studies should test whether these benefits extend to nutrient uptake and crop productivity.

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