Localized fertilizer co-applied with biochar suspension increases phosphorus uptake by maize

Localized fertilizer co-applied with biochar suspension increases phosphorus uptake by maize | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Localized fertilizer co-applied with biochar suspension increases phosphorus uptake by maize Iryna Loginova, Nataliya Bilyera, Callum Banfield, Yakov Kuzyakov, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7284244/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 23 Jan, 2026 Read the published version in Plant and Soil → Version 1 posted 6 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background and aims Integrating biochar (BC) into agriculture promotes sustainable management of farm residues and carbon sequestration in soil. This study evaluates a novel approach combining suspended biochar with phosphorus (P) fertilizer to assess its effectiveness in promoting P nutrition during early maize ( Zea mays L . ) growth. Methods Biochar suspension (equivalent to 300 kg dry biochar ha -1 ) was mixed with liquid P fertilizer (30 kg P ha -1 , 33 P-labeled) and band-applied to maize in the rhizobox experiment. Five treatments—control without fertilizer, BC only, P fertilizer only, and combined BC+P with and without plants—aimed to assess the effect of biochar on soil P dynamics and plant P uptake. Results Our findings demonstrate that liquid P fertilizer can be effectively combined with biochar suspension without reducing P availability. After 38 days, up to 25% of fertilizer-P was recovered in the soil’s available P pool, regardless of BC presence. 33 P-imaging confirmed that P movement from the fertilizer band was not restricted by BC. Fertilizer increased plant P uptake, height, biomass, leaf area, root length and volume. Biochar significantly increased fertilizer-P recovery in plants from 14.9% to 17.6%, supporting nutrient cycling and fertilizer efficiency. 33 P-imaging revealed higher activity of 33 P in maize roots with BC+P co-application, though P redistribution patterns remained unchanged; plant roots showed neither preference nor suppression near biochar, even upon direct contact. Conclusion Localized co-application of biochar and P in suspension promotes maize growth during critical early stages and increases phosphorus use efficiency, supporting sustainable agriculture and a circular economy. 33P labeling band application of fertilizers biochar suspension liquid fertilizers phosphorus availability Full Text Additional Declarations Acknowledgments This research was financially supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG, project DI 2136/15-1 [443492312]), and Vector-Stiftung (fellowship for researchers at risk from Ukraine). NB was supported by project BI 2570/1-1 (525137622) funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). We are very thankful to laboratory technicians Aleksandra Okla and Desara Roci, as well as the student helper Simon Bertels and Gabriel Bretzinger for their assistance during the experiment. We would also like to thank Serhii Polianchykov, Dr. Denis Kutoley and Mykhailo Chuprynin from Research and Production Company KVADRAT (Kharkiv, Ukraine) for their valuable support in establishing the procedure for biochar suspension preparation. Supplementary Files Supplementary.pdf Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 23 Jan, 2026 Read the published version in Plant and Soil → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Major revisions 02 Nov, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 31 Aug, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 23 Aug, 2025 Editor invited by journal 05 Aug, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 05 Aug, 2025 First submitted to journal 03 Aug, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7284244","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":504511219,"identity":"24e40e64-f9b2-4fea-9551-5755e9fd2b2a","order_by":0,"name":"Iryna Loginova","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAABBklEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACNghlwcDADGbYADFzAwPDAYJaJGBa0oBCjPi1MMC1QMBhwlr4pM+YPfjBICEn78578DFPzXk5g/uNjQ8+nGGQ5xfDro+NL8fcsIdBwtjwMF+yMc+x28YGxxibDWfcYDCcOTsBuxYeHjMJHgaJxI3NPGaSM9huJ244xtgmzfOBIcHgNm4tkn/gWv6dI06LNMiW+cxA6z62HYBquYFPC1uZtIyBhLEBM4+xwce+ZGPJY4lAv5yRwOkX+R7mbZJvKmzk5PvPGD5I+GYnx3f48MEHH47ZyPNLY9fCwMBhwMAAQgdQhSWwKoYA9gcQ6xrwqBkFo2AUjIKRDQArqlNFHl2ClAAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0006-5905-2050","institution":"University of Tübingen: Eberhard Karls Universitat Tubingen","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Iryna","middleName":"","lastName":"Loginova","suffix":""},{"id":504511220,"identity":"36e1f98e-5dfc-42f6-a126-72da410f4ec3","order_by":1,"name":"Nataliya Bilyera","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Nataliya","middleName":"","lastName":"Bilyera","suffix":""},{"id":504511221,"identity":"0a2f6737-5d85-4481-8049-cb64e5124e05","order_by":2,"name":"Callum Banfield","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Callum","middleName":"","lastName":"Banfield","suffix":""},{"id":504511222,"identity":"67023fe4-b084-4ff9-bb23-505c725ee6ef","order_by":3,"name":"Yakov Kuzyakov","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Yakov","middleName":"","lastName":"Kuzyakov","suffix":""},{"id":504511223,"identity":"ef68171a-39a4-4299-b18d-1eb2f47546ac","order_by":4,"name":"Michaela A. Dippold","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Michaela","middleName":"A.","lastName":"Dippold","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-08-03 15:24:08","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7284244/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7284244/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-026-08277-1","type":"published","date":"2026-01-23T15:58:54+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":101152798,"identity":"777c8489-b759-40b4-8edd-9e7e81ce97c6","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-01-26 16:13:07","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1239298,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"MSBiocharP.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7284244/v1_covered_31456646-4e5a-441c-bcf8-edabf3fec385.pdf"},{"id":91673157,"identity":"6597362c-ad5b-41ed-b334-dc5977eba0a9","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-09-19 04:37:34","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":5808868,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Supplementary.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7284244/v1/43332be72cbcdb6974732d2e.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAcknowledgments\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis research was financially supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG, project DI 2136/15-1 [443492312]), and Vector-Stiftung (fellowship for researchers at risk from Ukraine). NB was supported by project BI 2570/1-1 (525137622) funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). We are very thankful to laboratory technicians Aleksandra Okla and Desara Roci, as well as the student helper Simon Bertels and Gabriel Bretzinger for their assistance during the experiment. We would also like to thank Serhii Polianchykov, Dr. Denis Kutoley and Mykhailo Chuprynin from Research and Production Company KVADRAT (Kharkiv, Ukraine) for their valuable support in establishing the procedure for biochar suspension preparation.\u003c/p\u003e","formattedTitle":"Localized fertilizer co-applied with biochar suspension increases phosphorus uptake by maize","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":true,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"plant-and-soil","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"plso","sideBox":"Learn more about [Plant and Soil](https://www.springer.com/journal/11104)","snPcode":"11104","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/11104/3","title":"Plant and Soil","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"33P labeling, band application of fertilizers, biochar suspension, liquid fertilizers, phosphorus availability","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7284244/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7284244/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBackground and aims\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIntegrating biochar (BC) into agriculture promotes sustainable management of farm residues and carbon sequestration in soil. This study evaluates a novel approach combining suspended biochar with phosphorus (P) fertilizer to assess its effectiveness in promoting P nutrition during early maize (\u003cem\u003eZea mays \u003c/em\u003eL\u003cem\u003e.\u003c/em\u003e) growth.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMethods\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBiochar suspension (equivalent to 300 kg dry biochar ha\u003csup\u003e-1\u003c/sup\u003e) was mixed with liquid P fertilizer (30 kg P ha\u003csup\u003e-1\u003c/sup\u003e, \u003csup\u003e33\u003c/sup\u003eP-labeled) and band-applied to maize in the rhizobox experiment. Five treatments—control without fertilizer, BC only, P fertilizer only, and combined BC+P with and without plants—aimed to assess the effect of biochar on soil P dynamics and plant P uptake.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eResults\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur findings demonstrate that liquid P fertilizer can be effectively combined with biochar suspension without reducing P availability. After 38 days, up to 25% of fertilizer-P was recovered in the soil’s available P pool, regardless of BC presence. \u003csup\u003e33\u003c/sup\u003eP-imaging confirmed that P movement from the fertilizer band was not restricted by BC.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFertilizer increased plant P uptake, height, biomass, leaf area, root length and volume. Biochar significantly increased fertilizer-P recovery in plants from 14.9% to 17.6%, supporting nutrient cycling and fertilizer efficiency. \u003csup\u003e33\u003c/sup\u003eP-imaging revealed higher activity of \u003csup\u003e33\u003c/sup\u003eP in maize roots with BC+P co-application, though P redistribution patterns remained unchanged; plant roots showed neither preference nor suppression near biochar, even upon direct contact.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConclusion\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLocalized co-application of biochar and P in suspension promotes maize growth during critical early stages and increases phosphorus use efficiency, supporting sustainable agriculture and a circular economy.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Localized fertilizer co-applied with biochar suspension increases phosphorus uptake by maize","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-09-19 04:29:29","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7284244/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Major revisions","date":"2025-11-02T04:37:37+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"","date":"2025-08-31T11:08:04+00:00","index":0,"fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2025-08-23T08:23:32+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvited","content":"Plant and Soil","date":"2025-08-06T01:59:09+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-08-06T01:56:28+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Plant and Soil","date":"2025-08-04T01:52:34+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"plant-and-soil","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"plso","sideBox":"Learn more about [Plant and Soil](https://www.springer.com/journal/11104)","snPcode":"11104","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/11104/3","title":"Plant and Soil","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"79d9e5ab-da4e-44f1-8b07-625836d74845","owner":[],"postedDate":"September 19th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"published-in-journal","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-01-26T16:10:41+00:00","versionOfRecord":{"articleIdentity":"rs-7284244","link":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-026-08277-1","journal":{"identity":"plant-and-soil","isVorOnly":false,"title":"Plant and Soil"},"publishedOn":"2026-01-23 15:58:54","publishedOnDateReadable":"January 23rd, 2026"},"versionCreatedAt":"2025-09-19 04:29:29","video":"","vorDoi":"10.1007/s11104-026-08277-1","vorDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-026-08277-1","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7284244","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7284244","identity":"rs-7284244","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}