Response of canola and wheat to amendment with biochar under controlled environment conditions

Non-Peer ReviewedResponse of canola (Brassica napus Invigor 5030) and wheat (Triticum aestivum Prodigy) to biochar amendments was examined in a controlled environment experiment. A Brown Chernozem soil was amended with two types of biochar (wheat and willow biochar) at 1 and 2 t ha-1 alone and in combination with N and P fertilizer. Canola was grown in amended pots in controlled environmental conditions over a four week period. Parameters evaluated were germination and biomass yield, soil organic carbon, above ground nitrogen and phosphorus uptake and % recovery of applied N and P after 4 weeks of growth. The addition of biochar alone had limited impact on biomass yield (Fig 2, 3, 4 and 5). Addition of fertilizer, especially N, significantly (p