Table 7 Impacts of biochar amendment on soil enzyme activities

Fruit tree branches, peanut shells and cow dung

2% (w/w)

Agricultural soil

Activity of ß-glucosidase and cellobiohydrolase enhanced by 74.91–120.39% and 32.77–141.86%, respectively

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Maiza straw

0–22.5 tons/hectare

Calcareous soil

The activities of C, N, and P cycling enzymes considerably increased with rise of biochar application rate

¹⁴⁹

Rice husk

20 g/kg soil

Agricultural soil

Phosphatase and urease activity increased by 28% and 4.3%, respectively

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Pinewood

10 Mg/hectare

Agricultural soil

ß-glucosidase and urease activities increased by 6.1% and 1.4%, respectively

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Walnut shells, corn cobs, corn stems, and rice straw

2.5% (w/w, equivalent to 39 tons/hectare)

Surface soil from an indigenous coking area, unfavorable for growth of some plants

Reduced Lignin-peroxidase activity by 16–58% as well as decreased laccase, Manganese-dependent peroxidase, and C23O activity by 17–36%, 13–34%, and 17–42%, respectively

¹³⁹

Corn cobs

30 tons/hectare

Haplic Acrisols

Urease activity increased by 1.5-fold, whereas dehydrogenase activity enhanced by 3.2-fold

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Holm oak chips

20 tons/hectare/year

Soil with a loam texture

β-glucosidase activity significantly decreased, while urease activity considerably increased

¹⁹¹

Wheat straw

20 or 40 tons/hectare

Agricultural soil

Dehydrogenase activity reduced by 52% and 40%, while β-glucosidase activity decreased by 28% and 49%

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Wheat straw

40 tons/hectare

Rice paddy soil (sandy loam soil)

β-glucosidase activity was decreased, whereas adehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase activities were increased

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Rice husk

2% (w/w)

Field soil (sandy loam texture)

Increase of urease activity by 51%. No significant effects on the β-glucosidase and phosphatase activities

⁸⁸

Wheat straw

13.5 tons/hectare/year

Agricultural soil

Polyphenol oxidase activity increased by 31%

¹⁸⁰