Apply biochar to ameliorate soda saline-alkali land, improve soil function and increase corn nutrient availability in the Songnen Plain

Soda saline-alkali soils are characterized by high concentration of sodium cations on the exchange complex or in soil-water resulting in soils which are physically as well as nutritionally challenging for crop production. Biochar application has received growing interest as a sustainable technology to improve physicochemical properties in non-saline and non-alkali soils. However, information is inadequate regarding potential of using corn straw derived biochar as an organic material to reduce soda saline-alkali stress. Based on the established model of corn straw biochar-soda saline alkali soil-corn system, soil and plant samples were collected from long-term field experiment in soda saline-alkali land with different addition rates of corn straw biochar (CK: control, T5: 5 ton ha−1, T10: 10 ton ha−1, T15: 15 ton ha−1, T20: 20 ton ha−1, T25: 25 ton ha−1, T30: 30 ton ha−1). In the seedling and harvest period, addition of corn straw biochar enhanced the contents of cation exchange capacity (CEC), organic matter, and nutrients of 0–20 cm and 20–40 cm saline-alkali soil layers and the above ground and underground parts of corn. However, the results were contrary as far as pH, salt, and Na+ were concerned, and the effect of T20 was the most significant. Principal component analysis showed that CEC, pH, salinity, and organic matter could be used as indicators to evaluate the improvement effect of biochar on soda saline-alkali soil. Irrespective of the application of biochar, pH, salt content, Na+, and nutrients concentrations at seedling stage were higher than those at harvest stage, indicating that planting corn could improve soda saline-alkali soil. It may be concluded that corn straw biochar can be used as an organic amendment for reducing adverse effects of salinity and alkalinity on soil functions governed by their rates of addition.