Revitalizing fertility of global soils: Meta-analysis on benefits of poultry litter biochar on soil health

Abstract

This study aimed to conduct a meta-analysis (MA) of systematic review data on poultry litter biochar (PLB) to answer the following questions: (i) What are the major studies regarding this worldwide? (ii) Which soil chemical attributes are the most affected? and (iii) Does PLB improve soil quality and crop productivity? MA revealed that the application of PLB significantly changed several key soil attributes, including pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC), and nitrogen, carbon, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and aluminum content. Specifically, MA showed that PLB decreased Al3+ in the soil by 71% while increasing pH, N, C, and CEC by 16, 20, 36, and 82%, respectively. This significant increase in CEC was associated with the addition of Ca2+, Mg2+, and K+ cations by 43, 202, and 636%, respectively. It was verified that PLB serves a dual function: it corrects soil acidity and pH while also enhancing the content of key nutrients, such as C and N. This study broadens the understanding of the potential of reusing poultry litter in biochar production, offering valuable data for developing strategies to improve both soil health and fertility.