Auburn University

Awards Issued Prior to January 20, 2025, Were Funded Under Previous Administrations and May Not Reflect the Priorities and Policies of the Current Administration. Phosphorus (P) Is a Key Nutrient for Plant Production and Can Be Supplemented Either Through Synthetic Fertilizer or Animal Waste. Overuse of P in Agriculture Has Depleted Reserves as Well as Built-up P in Soils and Deteriorated Water Quality. This Integrated Project Aims to Develop Dual-function Biochar (duo-biochar) That Will Capture Excess P From Agricultural Fields and Act as a Slow-release P Fertilizer. the Efficacy of Duo-biochar Will Be Measured in Greenhouse and Field Studies Using Winter Wheat and Ryegrass Model Crops. the Proposed Research Will Focus on Five Objectives: 1) Develop Duo-biochar With Functionalization of Surface and Internal Pore Networks to Absorb and Co-precipitate P and Fine-tune Slow-release Properties, 2) Develop a Fundamental Understanding of Surface and Interfacial Chemistries of Duo-biochar and Correlate With the Form, Composition, and Content of P; 3) Optimize P Release Efficiency of the Duo-biochar to a Model Agronomic Crop; 4) Assess On-farm Economicbenefits of Using Biochar in the Participating States; and 5) Develop Educational Materials/resources and Fields Activities to Improve Knowledge on Duo-biochar. Outcomes of This Research Effort Will Provide Four Comprehensive Agronomic and Environmental Benefits: I) Retain Excess P in Soils, Thereby Protecting P Loss From Manure-laden Soils, Ii) Act as a Slow-release Fertilizer to Provide Sufficient P to Plants When Needed Most During the Mid and Late Growth Stages, Iii) Improve Soil Quality, and Iv) Protect Waterbodies From Excess P-related Effects. This Is a Transatlantic Collaborative Project Among Institutes From the U.s, the Republic of Ireland, and Northern Ireland.