Search results for "Desert sandy soil"

Effect of biochar on the physical and structural properties of a sandy soil

2019

Abstract Biochar application to soil can be considered as a means to improve soil quality, thereby optimizing irrigation management and reducing irrigation needs, especially in dryland regions. This paper is aimed at investigating the effect of biochar (BC) on a desert sandy soil (Al Foah, United Arab Emirates) in terms of bulk density, porosity, water retention, plant available water (AWmax), aggregate stability (AS) and specific surface area (BET-SSA). BC was produced from forest biomass (Italy). Soil water retention was measured by the High Energy Moisture Characteristic (HEMC) and by pressure plate measurements, by using BC fractions equal to 0 (soil only), 0.014, 0.091, 0.23, 0.33 and …