What is the use of biochar in farming?
1. Biochar can be used as a part of the growing medium in vertical farming.
2. When biochar is a part of the growing medium, it promotes the growth of nitrogen-fixing microorganisms.
3. When biochar is a part of the growing medium, it enables the growing medium to retain water for longer time.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation
Biochar is a stable carbon-rich charcoal produced through the pyrolysis of agricultural biomass:
– 1. Vertical farming medium (Correct): Because of its light weight, high porosity, and structural neutrality, biochar is incorporated into soilless substrates in vertical farming and container agriculture.
– 2. Promotes nitrogen fixers (Correct): Its extensive microporous surface area and ability to balance soil pH provide a microhabitat that shelters and stimulates beneficial rhizosphere bacteria, including symbiotic and free-living nitrogen-fixing microorganisms (such as Rhizobium and Azotobacter).
– 3. Moisture retention (Correct): Biochar significantly enhances the cation-exchange capacity and water-holding capacity of soils, reducing irrigation frequency and nutrient leaching.
Hence, all three statements are correct — Option D.