Advantages

Soil pH and electrical conductivity (EC) increase in soil incorporated with biochar
which may be due to the presence of ash residue that is dominated by carbonates of
alkali and alkaline earth metals, and some amount of silica, heavy metals and organic
and inorganic nitrogen. With its large surface area biochar helps in increasing water
holding capacity, cation exchange capacity (CEC), microbial activity (act as its habitat)
and also reduces leaching of nutrient by providing nutrient binding sites. This reduces
the total fertilizer requirement of biochar-amended soil and thereby reduces
environmental pollution caused by leaching of inorganic fertiliser. It also plays a vital
role in increasing crop productivity. Apart from improving soil quality biochar
provides various other benefits such as mitigation of greenhouse gases (e.g. CH4, N2O
and CO2), decrease in dissipation rate of herbicide in soil, used as a building material,
cleansing agent in cosmetic industry, waste water 14 Biology, Biotechnology and
Sustainable Development treatment and food industry. Due to large availability of
biomass resources, India has great potential towards production of biochar.

Along with the

biochar some amount of bio-oil and gases are also produced which can be used
for generation of energy and various chemicals. Soil pH and electrical
conductivity (EC) increase in soil incorporated with biochar which may be due to
the presence of ash residue that is dominated by carbonates of alkali and alkaline
earth metals, and some amount of silica, heavy metals and organic and inorganic
nitrogen. With its large surface area biochar helps in increasing water holding
capacity, cation exchange capacity (CEC), microbial activity (act as its habitat)
and also reduces leaching of nutrient by providing nutrient binding sites. This
reduces the total fertilizer requirement of biochar-amended soil and thereby
reduces environmental pollution caused by leaching of inorganic fertiliser. It also
plays a vital role in increasing crop productivity. Apart from improving soil
quality biochar provides various other benefits such as mitigation of greenhouse
gases (e.g. CH4, N2O and CO2), decrease in dissipation rate of herbicide in soil,
used as a building material, cleansing agent in cosmetic industry, waste water treatment and
food industry
 the Kon-Tiki exists and that the production of biochar is now at
the hand of every farmer