A recent study conducted under the auspices of the Foundation for Research Science and Technology by the scientists at the New Zealand located Lincoln University found that Biochar has the potential to reduce the nitrous oxide emissions from the intensively managed and exhaustively grazed meadows.
The tests conducted in the laboratory proved that mixing biochar to the soil reduces the nitrous oxide derived from livestock.
The study performed an 86-day research during the spring/summer period to ascertain the consequences of integrating biochar into the soil over nitrous oxide emissions produced by the patches of cattle urine. It was added during the renovation of the meadow and samplings were taken during 33 dissimilar periods.
The results proved that incorporating of biochar to the soil has reduced the level of nitrous oxide flows by around 70% during the period of study. Also the input of nitrogen emission from farm animal’s urine had come down during the period. The inclusion of biochar into the soil did not adversely affect the level of nitrogen content in the meadow or in the yield of dry matter.
According to Arezoo Taghizadeh-Toosi who performed the research, when high level of biochar was used, the formation of ammonia and its consequent assimilation into or onto biochar has cut down the level of inorganic-nitrogen combination accessible for the nitrifiers thus reducing the level of nitrate concentrations. He added that such an effect will reduce the availability of the substrate required for microbial nitrous oxide production.
Source: http://www.lincoln.ac.nz/