Jay Shankar Singh - Biochar Applications in Agriculture and Environment Management

There has been an increased pressure on the meagre available land resources due to rapid urbanization, which, in turn, has resulted in a gradual but steady deterioration in the cultivable land worldwide. In addition, the adoption of green revolution technologies in several countries has made agriculture chemical-intensive, which has contributed significantly to the deterioration of the health of the available agricultural soils. The cultivable agricultural land is scarce and, consequently, is a limiting factor, leaving no scope for further expansion of agriculture. The use of crop residues (CRs) generated in copious amounts annually, in management of soil fertility, reclamation and restoration of marginal lands, reducing air pollution, etc. appears as an innovative option. The management of huge amount of CRs is expected to relieve this pressure to a large extent. Burning of CRs is threatening soil health, causing air pollution, and drastically affecting the soil microbial diversity. Decomposition of paddy residues under anaerobic flooded conditions has substantially increased greenhouse gas emissions, particularly methane. Therefore, appropriate sustainable management of huge amount of CRs produced every year is the need of the hour. Appropriate strategies for management of CRs and augmented environmental awareness can show alternatives to the current practices of irrational burning of CRs.

Crop residues-based biochar has recently received significant attention of researchers with its potential to improve the soil physicochemical status and its contribution to the enrichment of beneficial soil microbiomes. Limited literature is available on impact of CRs-based biochar application on nutrient dynamics, greenhouse gas emission mitigations, crop yields, and beneficial microbial community dynamics of agroecosystems. The editors have invited experts to contribute articles in the area of sustainable soil health and environmental management. This volume will enhance our knowledge about better performance of soil microbes in soil, resulted due to CRs burning, and how these changes along with other environmental factors will affect the soil fertility and crop yields. Overall, the bookBiochar Applications in Agriculture and Environment Management, gives an overview of the current status of CRs management. This book also gives directions to popularize related technologies that can mitigate the decline in soil fertility of cultivable land. The chapters in the book also help us to focus on beneficial soil microbial diversity for sustainable agriculture and decrease pressure on the need for more cultivable land.