PubMed · 2026-05-14
Biochar made at 500°C and infused with urea dramatically improved soil nutrient retention and plant growth in water spinach, outperforming other biochar types. Pyrolysis temperature turns out to be the key dial controlling how well biochar works as a soil amendment.
Biochar pyrolyzed at 500°C and impregnated with urea (IB500) produced the highest cation exchange capacity and nutrient availability among all seven treatments tested
IB500 significantly improved water spinach photosynthetic performance compared to urea-alone and other biochar treatments
Pyrolysis temperature was identified as the primary regulator of biochar-soil-nutrient interactions, with both lower (300°C) and higher (700°C) temperatures yielding inferior results
