Amelioration Potential of Biomass-Derived Ashes in Agroecosystems

Bioash (mineral residue left after oxidation of different biomass) is physicochemical complex, ultra-alkaline, and potentially hazardous waste, with a huge potential to become value-added products for; i) chemical amelioration of acid and nutrient-deficient soils in agro-/forest-ecosystems, ii) wastewater purification and iii) civil and bio-tech engineering. It was confirmed that finely-powdered bioash structure is the main operational management obstacles for its use in land amelioration; hence, specifically designed forms (e.g. pellets, microspheres, emulsions, granules) are needed to temporarily stabilized the bioash reactive form(s), making them more applicative. In addition, application and relatively low bioash rates (e.g. several tons per ha) can induce significant perturbations in targeted (cultivated crops/forests, removal of pathogens) and adjunct (bacteria, fungi) biota. Overall, bacteria responded more pronouncedly to ash amendment than fungi. However, amendment effects vary depending on the properties of both the ash and the target soil, so these aspects need to be considered closely.