Aug 2026· Selcuk journal of agriculture and food sciences· 0 citations· 39 references
Abstract
The increasing need to ensure global food security and promote sustainable agricultural practices has necessitated the development of alternative approaches to the environmental problems caused by the use of traditional mineral fertilizers. This review article, prepared within this context, comprehensively examines the development of biochar-coated controlled-release fertilizers (BCSRFs) over the last decade (2015–2025). The study evaluates in detail the production techniques of BCSRFs, the properties of coating materials, nutrient release mechanisms, and the impacts of these systems on agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability. Furthermore, environmental gains such as increased nutrient use efficiency (NUE), reduced greenhouse gas emissions and nutrient leaching, as well as economic feasibility and scalability are discussed. With the potential to improve soil fertility and limit environmental losses, BCSRFs stand out as an innovative and promising solution for modern agricultural systems. This review aims to synthesize the existing literature and provide a scientific framework for future research and applications.
Sustainable agriculture is increasingly challenged by soil degradation, environmental pollution, and climate change, necessitating the pragmatic and eco-friendly approach. This review systematically synthesizes the role of biochar as multifunctional soil management strategy in enhancing soil health and sustainable environmental management, with particular emphasis on the critical roles of feedstock type and pyrolysis conditions in governing biochar performance. To address existing knowledge gaps, we comprehensively evaluate recent available literature on biochar-based environmental remediation, focusing on key indicators of agricultural sustainability, including nutrients availability, soil biological activity, climate change mitigation, biochar-assisted phytostabilization, and crop productivity. Current evidence indicates that biochar application can achieve a net negative carbon footprint, mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and heavy metal contamination, and improve soil structure, fertility, and overall crop productivity on sustainable-basis. However, these benefits largely depend upon the various important biochar production factors including feedstock source, pyrolysis temperature, biochar stability, residence time, rate of application, and soil pH. Beyond its function as a soil amendment, biochar also serves as a multifunctional resource contributing to bioenergy production, waste reduction, and long-term carbon sequestration. At the same time, this review identifies critical research gaps, including the long-term field performance of biochar, mechanisms underlying the interactions between biochar and agronomic practices, and the environmental and human health risks associated with large-scale agricultural applications. Overall, this work highlights the importance of feedstock selection and pyrolysis parameters in designing biochar for environmental remediation and outlines future research directions to refine biochar engineering, application guidelines, and risk assessment frameworks for its sustainable use.
Ismail Khan, Faming Wang, Abdul Rehman et al.· International journal of phy...· 0 citations
The growing demand for food and the environmental concerns raised by excessive chemical fertilizer use have increased interest in sustainable soil fertility management practices. Biofertilizers (BFs) contain beneficial microorganisms that improve nutrient cycling and support plant growth. Biochar (BC), a carbon (C) rich material produced from biomass pyrolysis, improves soil structure, nutrient retention, and soil health. Although both BF and BC have been extensively studied individually, few studies have examined their combined effects. This systematic review summarizes the results from 66 peer-reviewed studies published between 2015 and 2025. The studies were identified through the Web of Science Core Collection and screened following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and MetaAnalyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The review evaluates the combined effects of BC and BF application on soil quality, nutrient availability, crop growth, stress tolerance, and environmental emissions. It was found that the combined application of BC and BFs improved microbial activity, soil enzyme activity, nutrient uptake, crop biomass, and yield more effectively than single applications. The reported reductions in global warming potential (GWP) and greenhouse gas intensity (GHGI) also indicated their environmental benefits. However, the effectiveness of BC+BF co-application varied, depending on biochar feedstock, pyrolysis conditions, microbial strains, application methods, and soil properties. Current challenges for co-application of BC and BFs include determining optimal application rates, selecting suitable biochar materials, and the limited availability of long-term and large-scale field studies. Overall, BC and BFs co-application shows strong potential for improving agricultural sustainability and resilience. Future studies should focus on long-term field experiments across different agroecological conditions.
S. M. Shamiul Alam, Lin Wei, Tochukwu Ozor et al.· International Journal of Pla...· 1 citation
In order to ensure that the objective of feeding the ever-growing world population is fulfilled, crop production must be efficient and sustainable. It is important that crops preserve the soil quality and protect the environment. INM (Integrated Nutrient Management) is an interesting approach, which involves the use of chemical fertilizers, organic manure, and nanotechnology. For example, the combination of chemical fertilizers with the organic fertilizers like farmyard manure, compost, and green manure leads to better soil conditions, improves microbial activities, and helps to retain water and nutrients. Also, they help to improve soil fertility and sequester carbon. The application of nano-fertilizers can be viewed as the most recent innovation in agriculture nutrient management due to its capacity to provide nutrients effectively and efficiently. Due to the smaller particle sizes, larger surface area, and higher nutrient uptake, nano-fertilizers allow plants to absorb nutrients more easily. As a result, there will be a decrease in the loss of nutrients due to leaching, volatilization, and runoff. However, their large-scale adoption is constrained by challenges such as high production costs, limited field-scale validation, regulatory uncertainties, and concerns regarding the long-term environmental and ecological impacts of nanomaterials. The integration of organic and nano-based inputs within an INM framework provides a balanced and efficient nutrient supply that addresses current crop nutritional requirements while supporting the long-term sustainability of agricultural production. Future research should focus on developing cost-effective nano-fertilizers, establishing standardized regulatory frameworks, and conducting long-term field studies to ensure their safe, practical, and sustainable adoption in modern agriculture.
Rajanikant, Naveen Kumar, Dileep Kumar Pandey et al.· Journal of Soil Future Resea...· 0 citations
Rice-based agroecosystems in Bangladesh face mounting challenges from nutrient imbalance, declining soil organic matter, climate-related stress and inefficient fertilizer management. While intensive fertilizer use has raised productivity, it has also reduced nutrient use efficiency and degraded soil quality. Nanofertilizers and organic soil amendments have emerged as complementary strategies to improve nutrient management and soil health in rice systems. This review synthesizes 85 peer-reviewed field, pot and laboratory studies (2005-2025) from Bangladesh and comparable South Asian agroecosystems, evaluating the individual and combined effects of nanofertilizers and soil amendments (biochar, compost, green manure, lime) on rice productivity, soil properties, nutrient dynamics and environmental outcomes. Nanofertilizers improve nutrient use efficiency through controlled release, while amendments enhance soil organic carbon, microbial activity and nutrient retention. Combined application produces synergistic gains, with yield improvements of approximately 25-40% reported under specific experimental conditions. These integrated strategies reduce nutrient losses, strengthen soil function and support more efficient, climate-resilient rice production aligned with SDGs 2, 6, 13 and 15. Most available evidence, however, derives from short-term field and pot trials; long-term, multi-location studies are needed to evaluate nanoparticle fate, environmental safety, economic feasibility and farmer adoption under diverse rice-growing conditions before large-scale deployment.
Ishrat Alam, Khalid Syfullah, Bijoya Saha et al.· Agricultural Science Digest...· 0 citations
Ensuring high crop productivity while reducing nutrient losses and environmental impacts remains a central challenge of modern fertilization strategies. Controlled-release fertilizers (CRFs) have emerged as a key tool to synchronize nutrient availability with plant demand by embedding soluble nutrient sources within coatings or matrices that modulate water penetration and ion diffusion. This narrative review synthesizes recent advances in CRF materials and technologies, with particular emphasis on biodegradable and bio-based systems, hydrogels, nanostructured carriers, and extrusion-based matrix formulations. It outlines the main classes of coating and matrix materials, their release mechanisms, agronomic performance, and documented benefits for nutrient-use efficiency, crop yield and quality, and soil and water protection. The review also analyzes major scientific, technical, environmental, and economic barriers that currently limit the large-scale deployment of CRFs, including microplastic pollution from persistent polymer coatings and the difficulty of tailoring release profiles under variable field conditions. Emerging directions are highlighted, such as composite and multilayer bio-based coatings, superhydrophobic and stimuli-responsive structures, biochar- and compost-based matrices, nutrient recovery from waste streams, and integration with precision agriculture and sensor technologies. The paper identifies priorities for future research needed to translate promising CRF concepts into robust, field-validated and sustainable fertilization solutions.
Mariusz Siudak, M. Combrzyński, T. Oniszczuk et al.· Molecules· 0 citations
Nitrogen (N) is an essential nutrient for plant growth, but its use efficiency (UNE) is often limited by losses due to leaching, NH volatilization, and denitrification, impacting both productivity and the environment. Factors such as fertilizer type, soil characteristics, climate, and crop directly influence UUE, with sandy tropical soils being particularly susceptible to N losses. Biochar derived from organic waste has proven
effective in mitigating these losses, acting as a soil conditioner, increasing pH, moisture retention, porosity, and microbial activity, favoring greater N absorption by plants. This review summarizes recent evidence on the role of biochar in improving ENU, reducing N losses, and enabling innovative fertilizer formulations. Studies indicate that biochar modified or used as a coating for urea, as well as organomineral fertilizers, promotes the gradual release of N, increases macroaggregate stability, reduces leaching and gaseous
emissions, and increases productivity. In addition, innovative formulations incorporating lauric acid or Hermetia illucens by-products increase the multifunctionality of biofertilizers and contribute to circular economy practices. These strategies link nutrient management to waste valorization, contributing to more sustainable fertilization approaches.
Allana Kedry Mattos Marques, Dirlane de Fátima do Carmo, M. Vezzone et al.· Proceedings of the XI Worksh...· 0 citations
