Effects of Biochar Amendment on Soil Problems and Improving Rice Production under Salinity Conditions

Abstract

Soil with poor physio-chemical and biological properties prevent plant growth. These poor characteristics may be due to soil creation processes, but also include largely inappropriate agricultural practices and/or anthropogenic pollution. During the last 4 decades, the world has lost one-third of its cropland due to pollution and erosion. Therefore, a series of operations is required to improve and recover the soil. Biochar is a new multifunctional carbon material extensively used as a modifier to improve soil quality and crop production. Previous studies have discussed the properties of biochar with varying soil pollutants and their effects on soil productivity and carbon sequestration. Comparatively, little attention has been paid to the effects of biochar application on rice growth in the problem of soils, especially in the saline-sodic soils. A comprehensive review of the literature with a high focusing on the effects of biochar application on problem soils and rice-growing under salinity conditions is needed. The present review gives an overview of the soil's problem, biochar amendment effects on physicochemical properties of soil, and how the biochar amendment could interact in soil microbes and root with remediation under salinity conditions for improving rice productivity. The findings of this review showed that biochar application can improve soil quality, reduce soil's problem and increase rice production under salinity conditions. It is anticipated that further researches on the biochar amendment will increase our understanding of the interactions of biochar with soil components, accelerate our attempts on soil remediation, and improve rice production under salinity conditions.