Abstract
Biochar has been reported to improve soil fertility and growing medium performance. However, the role that biochar plays in plant nutrition is not completely understood, especially in plants grown under nutritional stress. Recent research indicates that the addition of biochar increases produce yield of tomato grown under salinity stress and drought; however, little information is available about the effects of biochar on fruit quality parameters. The use of biochar as a growth substrate in an intensive greenhouse cropping system may have the capacity of replacing non-renewable and less sustainable growing media like peat and in addition being a strategy to optimize chemical fertilisation. This work aimed to investigate the effects of biochar, as a potential candidate to replace peat, on tomato growing in soilless conditions under nutritional stress. Plant biomass accumulation, leaf fluorescence and chlorophyll, fruit yield and fruit quality parameters were measured as performance indicators. Biochar increased the green biomass, but it did not significantly affect yield or most quality parameters, apart from potassium content in ripe fruits. These results suggest that biochar has great potential as a peat alternative material and plant growth promoter, but no ability to improve tomato yield, under nutritional stress.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Change history
29 October 2019
The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake. The first and last names of all authors were interchanged; the corrected author list is given above. The original article has been corrected.
References
Agegnehu G, Srivastava AK, Bird MI (2017) The role of biochar and biochar-compost in improving soil quality and crop performance: a review. Appl Soil Ecol 119:156–170. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2017.06.008
Atkinson CJ, Fitzgerald JD, Hipps NA (2010) Potential mechanisms for achieving agricultural benefits from biochar application to temperate soils: a review. Plant Soil 337:1–18. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-010-0464-5
Awad YM, Lee SE, Ahmed MBM, Vu NT, Farooq M, Kim IS, Kim HS, Vithanage M, Usman ARA, Al-Wabel M, Meers E, Kwon EE, Ok YS (2017) Biochar, a potential hydroponic growth substrate, enhances the nutritional status and growth of leafy vegetables. J Clean Prod 156:581–588. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.04.070
Bahonar A, Saadatnia M, Khorvash F, Maracy M, Khosravi A (2017) Carotenoids as potential antioxidant agents in stroke prevention: a systematic review. Int J Prevent Med 8:6–12. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijpvm.IJPVM_112_17
Brand-Williams W, Cuvelier ME, Berset C (1995) Use of a free radical method to evaluate antioxidant activity. LWT Food Sci Technol 28:25–30. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0023-6438(95)80008-5
Carter S, Shackley S, Sohi S, Suy TB, Haefele S (2013) The impact of biochar application on soil properties and plant growth of pot grown lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and cabbage (Brassica chinensis). Agronomy 3:404–418. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy3020404
Cataldo DA, Haroon M, Schrader LE, Youngs VL (1975) Rapid colorimetric determination of nitrate in plant-tissue by nitration of salicylic-acid. Commun Soil Sci Plant Anal 6:71–80
Celik I, Ortas I, Kilic S (2004) Effects of compost, mycorrhiza, manure and fertilizer on some physical properties of a Chromoxerert soil. Soil Tillage Res 78:59–67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2004.02.012
Chan KY, Van Zwieten L, Meszaros I, Downie A, Joseph S (2007) Agronomic values of greenwaste biochar as a soil amendment. Soil Res 45:629–634
Choi H-S, Zhao Y, Dou H, Cai X, Gu M, Yu F (2018) Effects of biochar mixtures with pine-bark based substrates on growth and development of horticultural crops. Hortic Environ Biotechnol 59:345–354. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13580-018-0035-x
Ciaccheri L, Tuccio L, Mencaglia AA, Sikorska-Zimny K, Hallmann E, Kowalski A, Mignani AG, Kaniszewski S, Agati G (2018) Prediction models for assessing lycopene in open-field cultivated tomatoes by means of a portable reflectance sensor: cultivar and growing-season effects. J Agric Food Chem 66:4748–4757. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.8b01570
Cuartero J, Fernández-Muñoz R (1999) Tomato and salinity. Sci Hortic 78:83–125. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-4238(98)00191-5
De Pascale S, Rouphael Y, Gallardo M, Thompson RB (2018) Water and fertilization management of vegetables: state of art and future challenges. Eur J Hortic Sci 83:306–318. https://doi.org/10.17660/eJHS.2018/83.5.4
Deenik JL, McClellan T, Uehara G, Antal MJ, Campbell S (2010) Charcoal volatile matter content influences plant growth and soil nitrogen transformations. Soil Sci Soc Am J 74:1259–1270. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2009.0115
Dinelli G, Bonetti A, Minelli M, Marotti I, Catizone P, Mazzanti A (2006) Content of flavonols in Italian bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) ecotypes. Food Chem 99:105–114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2005.07.028
Dorais M, Papadopoulos AP, Gosselin A (2001) Influence of electric conductivity management on greenhouse tomato yield and fruit quality. Agronomie 21:367–383. https://doi.org/10.1051/agro:2001130
Dumas Y, Dadomo M, Di Lucca G, Grolier P (2003) Effects of environmental factors and agricultural techniques on antioxidant content of tomatoes. J Sci Food Agric 83:369–382. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.1370
Dunlop SJ, Arbestain MC, Bishop PA, Wargent JJ (2015) Closing the loop: use of biochar produced from tomato crop green waste as a substrate for soilless, hydroponic tomato production. HortScience 50:1572–1581
FAOSTAT (2019) Tomato world production. http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#home. Accessed 10 Jan 2019
Fascella G, Mammano MM, D’Angiolillo F, Rouphael Y (2018) Effects of conifer wood biochar as a substrate component on ornamental performance, photosynthetic activity, and mineral composition of potted Rosa rugosa. J Hortic Sci Biotechnol 93:519–528. https://doi.org/10.1080/14620316.2017.1407679
Frusciante L, Carli P, Ercolano MR, Pernice R, Di Matteo A, Fogliano V, Pellegrini N (2007) Antioxidant nutritional quality of tomato. Molr Nutr Food Res 51:609–617. https://doi.org/10.1002/mnfr.200600158
Graber ER, Harel YM, Kolton M, Cytryn E, Silber A, David DR, Tsechansky L, Borenshtein M, Elad Y (2010) Biochar impact on development and productivity of pepper and tomato grown in fertigated soilless media. Plant Soil 337:481–496. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-010-0544-6
Heuvelink E (1999) Evaluation of a dynamic simulation model for tomato crop growth and development. Ann Bot 83:413–422. https://doi.org/10.1006/anbo.1998.0832
Hossain MK, Strezov V, Chan KY, Nelson PF (2010) Agronomic properties of wastewater sludge biochar and bioavailability of metals in production of cherry tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum). Chemosphere 78:1167–1171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2010.01.009
Jeffery S, Verheijen FGA, van der Velde M, Bastos AC (2011) A quantitative review of the effects of biochar application to soils on crop productivity using meta-analysis. Agric Ecosyst Environ 144:175–187. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2011.08.015
Keiluweit M, Nico PS, Johnson M, Kleber M (2010) Dynamic molecular structure of plant biomass-derived black carbon (biochar). Environ Sci Technol 44:1247–1253. https://doi.org/10.1021/es9031419
Kim SE, Lee MY, Lee MH, Sim SY, Kim YS (2014) Optimal management of tomato leaf pruning in rockwool culture. Hortic Environ Biotechnol 55:445–454. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13580-014-0049-y
Lao MT, Jiménez S (2004) Leaching of nutrients in greenhouse cultivation of tomato crop in the Mediterranean area under different fertirrigation managements. Food Agric Environ 2:370–375
Le Bot J, Jeannequin B, Fabre R (2001) Growth and nitrogen status of soilless tomato plants following nitrate withdrawal from the nutrient solution. Ann Bot 88:361–370. https://doi.org/10.1006/anbo.2001.1467
Li C, Xiong Y, Qu Z, Xu X, Huang Q, Huang G (2018) Impact of biochar addition on soil properties and water-fertilizer productivity of tomato in semi-arid region of Inner Mongolia, China. Geoderma 331:100–108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2018.06.014
Liang B, Lehmann J, Solomon D, Kinyangi J, Grossman J, O’Neill B, Skjemstad JO, Thies J, Luizão FJ, Petersen J, Neves EG (2006) Black carbon increases cation exchange capacity in soils. Soil Sci Soc Am J 70:1719–1730. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2005.0383
Liu Z, Demisie W, Zhang M (2013) Simulated degradation of biochar and its potential environmental implications. Environ Pollut 179:146–152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2013.04.030
Lung I, Soran ML, Tudoran C, Mǎruţoiu C (2013) Effect of microwave irradiation on polyphenolic compounds from Satureja hortensis L. Cent Eur J Chem 11:535–541. https://doi.org/10.2478/s11532-012-0188-x
Luthria DL, Mukhopadhyay S, Krizek DT (2006) Content of total phenolics and phenolic acids in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) fruits as influenced by cultivar and solar UV radiation. J Food Compos Anal 19:771–777. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfca.2006.04.005
Marinari S, Masciandaro G, Ceccanti B, Grego S (2000) Influence of organic and mineral fertilisers on soil biological and physical properties. Bioresour Technol 72:9–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0960-8524(99)00094-2
Marschner H (2011) Marschner’s mineral nutrition of higher plants. Academic Press, London
Martí R, Roselló S, Cebolla-Cornejo J (2016) Tomato as a source of carotenoids and polyphenols targeted to cancer prevention. Cancers. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers8060058
Massa D, Incrocci L, Maggini R, Carmassi G, Campiotti CA, Pardossi A (2010) Strategies to decrease water drainage and nitrate emission from soilless cultures of greenhouse tomato. Agric Water Manag 97:971–980. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2010.01.029
Montagu KD, Goh KM (1990) Effects of forms and rates of organic and inorganic nitrogen fertilisers on the yield and some quality indices of tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum miller). NZ J Crop Hortic Sci 18:31–37. https://doi.org/10.1080/01140671.1990.10428067
Mukherjee A, Lal R (2014) The biochar dilemma. Soil Res 52:217–230. https://doi.org/10.1071/SR13359
Nzanza B, Marais D, Soundy P (2012) Effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal inoculation and biochar amendment on growth and yield of tomato. Int J Agric Biol 14:965–969
Olives Barba AI, Cámara Hurtado M, Sánchez Mata MC, Fernández Ruiz V, López Sáenz De Tejada M (2006) Application of a UV–Vis detection-HPLC method for a rapid determination of lycopene and β-carotene in vegetables. Food Chem 95:328–336. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2005.02.028
Papadopoulos AP (1991) Growing greenhouse tomatoes in soil and in soilless media. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ontario
Passam HC, Karapanos IC, Bebeli PJ, Savvas D (2007) A review of recent research on tomato nutrition, breeding and post-harvest technology with reference to fruit quality. Eur J Plant Sci Biotechnol 1:1–21
Petruccelli R, Bonetti A, Traversi ML, Faraloni C, Valagussa M, Pozzi A (2015) Influence of biochar application on nutritional quality of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum). Crop Pasture Sci 66:747–755. https://doi.org/10.1071/cp14247
Römheld V, Kirkby EA (2010) Research on potassium in agriculture: needs and prospects. Plant Soil 335:155–180. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-010-0520-1
Rondon MA, Lehmann J, Ramírez J, Hurtado M (2007) Biological nitrogen fixation by common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) increases with bio-char additions. Biol Fertil Soils 43:699–708. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-006-0152-z
Rouphael Y, Kyriacou MC, Petropoulos SA, De Pascale S, Colla G (2018) Improving vegetable quality in controlled environments. Sci Hortic 234:275–289. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2018.02.033
Sohi SP, Krull E, Lopez-Capel E, Bol R (2010) A review of biochar and its use and function in soil. Adv Agron 105:47–82
Strasser BJ, Strasser RJ (1995) Measuring fast fluorescence transients to address environmental questions: the JIP-test. In: Mathis P (ed) Photosynthesis: from light to biosphere. Kluwer, The Netherlands, pp 977–980
Subedi R, Bertora C, Zavattaro L, Grignani C (2017) Crop response to soils amended with biochar: expected benefits and unintended risks. Ital J Agron 12:161–173. https://doi.org/10.4081/ija.2017.794
Suthar RG, Wang C, Nunes MCN, Chen J, Sargent SA, Bucklin RA, Gao B (2018) Bamboo biochar pyrolyzed at low temperature improves tomato plant growth and fruit quality. Agriculture. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture8100153
Tabatabaie SJ, Gregory PJ, Hadley P (2004) Uneven distribution of nutrients in the root zone affects the incidence of blossom end rot and concentration of calcium and potassium in fruits of tomato. Plant Soil 258:169–178. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:PLSO.0000016548.84566.62
Vaccari FP, Maienza A, Miglietta F, Baronti S, Di Lonardo S, Giagnoni L, Lagomarsino A, Pozzi A, Pusceddu E, Ranieri R, Valboa G, Genesio L (2015) Biochar stimulates plant growth but not fruit yield of processing tomato in a fertile soil. Agric Ecosyst Environ 207:163–170. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2015.04.015
Van Heukelem L, Thomas CS (2001) Computer-assisted high-performance liquid chromatography method development with applications to the isolation and analysis of phytoplankton pigments. J Chromatogr A 910:31–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0378-4347(00)00603-4
Acknowledgements
The authors thank Mr. Paolo Bini for his technical support managing greenhouse equipment.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
Massa Daniele and Petruccelli Raffaella: design and conception of the experiment, part of laboratory analysis and greenhouse samplings, data collection, data analysis and elaboration, manuscript writing; Bonetti Alessandra and Cacini Sonia: fruit laboratory analyses; Faraloni Cecilia and Tuccio Lorenza: physiological analyses; Prisa Domenico: greenhouse sample collection, biometric and phenological measurements, destructive analysis; all authors: materials and methods writing and manuscript revision.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Additional information
Communicated by Young Yeol Cho, Ph.D.
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
The original version of this article was revised: The first and last names of all authors were interchanged.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Massa, D., Bonetti, A., Cacini, S. et al. Soilless tomato grown under nutritional stress increases green biomass but not yield or quality in presence of biochar as growing medium. Hortic. Environ. Biotechnol. 60, 871–881 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13580-019-00169-x
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13580-019-00169-x