Effects of hydrochar application on the dynamics of soluble nitrogen in soils and on plant availability

Before hydrochars can be applied as soil amendments in agriculture, information about how hydrochar application affects soil nutrient cycles and plant growth are necessary. In this study, incubation experiments were performed to investigate hydrochar effects on N concentrations (NOequation image, NHequation image) in soils with different N pools (soil N, fertilizer N). A set of pot trials with three crop species (barley, phaseolus bean, leek) was conducted to determine hydrochar effects on plant N availability and biomass production after mineral-N fertilization. Results of the incubation experiments show that hydrochar reduced the concentration of mineral N in soil within the first week after incorporation, especially that of nitrate. This was particularly evident, when hydrochars with high C : N ratio, high DOC and low mineral-N contents were applied. Hydrochars promoted biomass production of barley and phaseolus bean in pot trials, which can be partly attributed to an increase in soil pH after hydrochar incorporation. Dry-matter yield of leek tended to decrease after hydrochar application. Hydrochars with high C : N ratio decreased the plant's N content, an effect that was strongest with increased hydrochar concentration. Hydrochars with low C : N ratio did not affect the crop's N uptake. Our results show that the use of hydrochars as amendment in arable field or horticultural pot production will require an adjustment of N-mineral-fertilization strategies.