Título:	Potential of hydrochar and biochar to reduce the demand for mineral fertilizers in maize cultivation.
Autoria:	GONÇALVES, M. V. R. SILVA, F. G. da MESQUITA, R. O. MONIZ, T. da C. D. SOUSA, H. H. de F. MOTA, J. C. A. FREGOLENTE, L. G. FERREIRA, O. P. LEITAO, R. C. DIAS, C. T. dos S. COSTA, M. C. G.
Afiliação:	MARIA VITÓRIA RICARTE GONÇALVES, UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO CEARÁ; FRANCISCA GLEICIANE DA SILVA, UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO CEARÁ; ROSILENE OLIVEIRA MESQUITA, UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO CEARÁ; TIAGO DA COSTA DANTAS MONIZ, UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO CEARÁ; HELON HÉBANO DE FREITAS SOUSA, UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO CEARÁ; JAEDSON CLÁUDIO ANUNCIATO MOTA, UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO CEARÁ; LAÍS GOMES FREGOLENTE, CENTRO NACIONAL DE PESQUISA EM ENERGIA E MATERIAIS; ODAIR PASTOR FERREIRA, UNIVERSIDADE ESTADUAL DE LONDRINA; RENATO CARRHA LEITAO, CNPAT; CARLOS TADEU DOS SANTOS DIAS, UNIVERSIDADE DE SÃO PAULO; MIRIAN CRISTINA GOMES COSTA, UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO CEARÁ.
Ano de publicação:	2026
Referência:	Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, v. 26, n. 2, p. 6801-6815, June 2026.
Conteúdo:	The intensive use of mineral fertilizers increases production costs and environmental impacts, highlighting the need for more sustainable nutrient management strategies. This study evaluated whether hydrochar and biochar, both produced from cashew bagasse, could partially replace mineral fertilizers in degraded soil, using maize as the test crop. A greenhouse experiment was conducted with five fertilization treatments: non-fertilized control (CT), mineral fertilization (MF), hydrochar (HC), biochar (BC), and the co-application of 50% hydrochar or biochar with 50% mineral fertilizer (HC + MF and BC + MF). Plant physiological parameters, biomass production, nutrient accumulation, soil chemical attributes, and fertilizer cost reduction were evaluated. The co-application of BC + MF promoted plant responses comparable to those obtained with MF. Compared with CT, these treatments increased photosystem II efficiency (ΦPSII) and electron transport rate (ETR) by approximately 49%, while shoot biomass and leaf area increased by 200% and 146%, respectively. Nutrient accumulation in leaves also increased, particularly for N and K, with average increases of 111% and 150%, respectively, compared with CT. Although HC and BC applied alone did not consistently promote plant growth, their co-application with MF reduced fertilizer costs by more than 50% while maintaining improvements in plant physiological responses and soil chemical attributes, including increased soil pH. BC + MF was more effective than HC + MF in improving plant performance. These results indicate that biochar derived from cashew bagasse can partially replace mineral fertilizers in maize cultivation in degraded soils, contributing to cost reduction, waste valorization, and more sustainable nutrient management strategies.
Thesagro:	Milho Zea Mays Caju Adubação Fertilidade do Solo Nutrição Vegetal Biomassa Fotossíntese Carvão Vegetal
NAL Thesaurus:	Biochar Hydrochars Mineral fertilizers Fertilizer requirements Nutrient management Soil amendments Soil fertility Plant nutrition Agricultural wastes Byproduct utilization Sustainable agriculture Pyrolysis Soil pH Plant growth Alfisols Hydrothermal carbonization
Palavras-chave:	Hydrochar de bagaço de caju Biochar de bagaço de caju Bagaço de caju Materiais carbonáceos Solo degradado Reabilitação de solo degradado Substituição parcial de fertilizantes minerais Redução de custos de fertilização Valorização de resíduos agroindustriais Cashew bagasse hydrochar Cashew bagasse biochar Cashew bagasse Carbonaceous materials Degraded soil Degraded soil rehabilitation Partial replacement of mineral fertilizers Fertilizer cost reduction Agroindustrial waste valorization Agroindustrial residues
ISSN:	0718-9516
Digital Object Identifier:	https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-026-03304-7
Tipo do material:	Artigo de periódico
Acesso:	openAccess
Aparece nas coleções:	Artigo em periódico indexado (CNPAT)