Biochar in sugarcane (Saccharum spp.): application methods and effects on yield

Biochar has been widely investigated as a soil conditioner capable of improving physical, chemical, and biological soil properties, thereby enhancing the agronomic performance of agricultural crops. This study evaluated the effect of different biochar application rates and methods on sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) yield. The experiment was conducted at the Gameleira Farm, owned by Brunozzi Agropecuária, located in Campina Verde, Minas Gerais, Brazil, under edaphoclimatic conditions representative of the Brazilian Cerrado region. Soil preparation consisted of full-area harrowing, and six treatments were established: application in the planting furrow, incorporation using a disk harrow, and incorporation using a moldboard plow, each with and without biochar, totaling 6.73 hectares. Planting was performed manually, including furrow opening, application of MAP fertilizer, placement of whole cane setts, application of a spray solution containing inputs (fungicides, biostimulants, and liquid fertilizers with macro- and micronutrients), followed by furrow closure. Treatments without biochar were considered as controls. Plants were grown for 13 months until harvest, when evaluations were performed. The increase in stalk yield (tons of stalks per hectare, TSH) relative to the respective controls was 2.9% for biochar applied in the planting furrow, a reduction of 0.5% when incorporated with a disk harrow, and an increase of 30% when incorporated using a moldboard plow. For total recoverable sugar per hectare (TRS ha⁻¹), increases relative to the control were 5.68%, 3.02%, and 19.74% for these same management practices, respectively.