Abstract : |
The main goal of this study was to investigate the effect of biochar on hygroscopic water content (maximum hygroscopicity) of grey-brown podzolic soil (Haplic Luvisol). The biochar was applied to the soil of sub-plots under fallow and grassland in the amount of 0 (control), 10, 20 and 30 Mg ha–1. Soil samples were taken three times per year during the period of 2013-2015. Sorption isotherms of water vapour were determined for all studied samples and the maximum hygroscopicity (MH) was calculated from the relative water vapour pressure at p p0–1 = 0.965. Value of the MH varied from 1.5 to 3%. The effect of biochar addition to soil on hygroscopic water content was ambiguous. Addition of biochar caused a slight decrease in MH value in the case of the grassland. For the fallow, a positive effect of biochar addition was observed. |