Evaluation of biochar in a floating disk grow system of lettuce and endive using two biochar textures in two water dilution rates

Abstract

This study was undertaken to evaluate the efficiency of a water based floating disk system and two plant species (lettuce and endive). The specific objective is to also evaluate a relative new product, biochar (BC) a product resulting from pyrolysis of organic components and crop residues, used as a soil improving material and representing a potential solution to the climate crisis and to carbon sequestration studies. Recently there is an increasing number of research for growing plants in the field (soils) but there is no study in the literature to evaluate this product in a water-based system. The study includes application of two BC textures (very fine and a coarse one) diluted in two volume ratios in the water used for the floating system (1:100 and 1 :1000 v/v BC). The results have shown that both types of biochar have shown good results without having major differences between each other. The dilution rates showed major differences. The 1:100 treatment in both types of biochar showed the best results most of the time.