IMPACT OF FEEDSTOCK TYPE AND PYROLYSIS TEMPERATURE ON BIOCHAR PROPERTIES AND SOIL PHYSIOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS IN El-HAMMAM REGION, EGYPT | ||||
| Egyptian Journal of Desert Research | ||||
| Volume 75, Issue 1, June 2025, Page 189-224 PDF (1.25 MB) | ||||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/ejdr.2025.397087.1212 | ||||
 View on SCiNiTO | ||||
| Author | ||||
Sahar M. Ismail  
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| Department of Soil Chemistry and Physics, Water Resources and Desert Soils Division, Desert Research Center, Cairo, Egypt | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| Biochar has emerged as a sustainable soil amendment for improving soil quality in arid and semi-arid regions with low fertility and organic matter content. This study evaluated the effects of biochars produced from olive pomace (PO), goat-sheep dung (GSD) and poultry manure (PM), pyrolyzed at 350, 500 and 700°C, on the physiochemical properties of degraded sandy soil in the El-Hammam region, Egypt. Characterization of feedstocks and biochars was conducted using proximate, ultimate, thermogravimetric and differential thermal analyses (TGA-DTA), Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area analysis, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and X-ray Fluorescence (XRF). Based on structural stability, surface area and nutrient content, biochars produced at 500°C were selected for greenhouse pot experiments. Each biochar type was applied at 2 and 5% (w w-1) to sandy soil for a 60-day incubation period. Biochar properties, including pH, EC, ash content, elemental composition and density, were analyzed. Post-incubation, soil properties such as pH, EC, total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), C/N ratio, cation exchange capacity (CEC), porosity, and available water content (AWC) were assessed. Results showed that both feedstock type and pyrolysis temperature significantly affected biochar characteristics and soil responses. PO biochar at 5% and 500°C showed the highest increases in TOC (50%), porosity (47.92) and AWC (14.2%). PM biochar achieved the highest CEC (85 cmol kg⁻¹), while GSD biochar provided moderate improvements. PO biochar at 500°C and 5% application is recommended as the most effective application for enhancing soil fertility and water retention under arid conditions. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| olive pomace; poultry manure; goat and sheep dung; sandy loam; soil physiochemical properties; El-Hammam region | ||||
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