Role of Biochar in Agriculture to Enhance Crop Productivity: An Overview

Abstract

Biochar is a carbon-rich material with potential applications in agriculture, industry, and the energy sector. It has significant application in agriculture to enhance crop production, soil condition, nutrient uptake, and carbon sequestration due to its unique characteristics like high surface area and pore volume. This review focuses on biochar as an agricultural additive to enhance crop productivity and improve soil health and the potential benefits as a material for growth media and composting. Co-composting of biochar produced from various organic sources can stabilize the soil, repair degraded land, and reduce carbon emissions associated with agriculture. In conclusion, it was found that biochar is also used as growing media for a hydroponic system, which enhances the growth of high-value food crops to meet the increased food demand. Furthermore, the biochar-based soilless alternative to traditional farming may provide a more environmentally-friendly system for growing food and reduce the demand for chemical fertilizers, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions.