Biochar Application Method and Amount Both Changed the Dynamics of Soil Temperature-Moisture-Metals in an Acidic Inceptisols

The biochar was derived from four feedstocks: buckwheat straw, rice straw, mustard stover, and soybean stover. The results showed that, with increase in biochar application rate the soil temperature increased significantly in both 0–15 and 15–30 cm soil depth. The soil temperature decreased with increase in soil depth after different feedstock derived biochar application. The temperature was lower in T₁ control treatment (without manures and biochar) and higher in T₇ (poultry manure 5 t ha⁻¹ + biochar 5 t ha⁻¹). Soil water content (% on oven dry basis) decreased with increase in soil depth having higher value in 0–15 cm than 15–30 cm. The soil water content was higher in T₄: FYM @ 10 t ha⁻¹ + biochar 5 t ha⁻¹ (24.72) and lower in control treatment (18.52) at 0–15 cm soil depth. But, the amount of biochar application significantly increased the volumetric water content in both the soil depth. Here also the volumetric water content increased with increase in soil depth. Finally, different feedstock derived biochar also reduced the mobility of different metals like cadmium, lead, zinc and arsenic in both packed and intact soil column which may generate a new pathway to immobilize/sequester the metals in contaminated soil. Generally speaking, the benefits of applying various feedstock-derived biochar to the soil system are acceptable in order to enhance the impacts of soil temperature, moisture content, and metals on crop growth cycle in the acidic Inceptisols.