title: Assessment of biochar and hydrochar as minor to major constituents of growing media for containerized tomato production.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chars are emerging materials as constituents of growth media. However, chars of different origin differ in their characteristics and more studies are needed to ratify them for such a role. The characteristics of coir mixed with 0%, 10%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% (v/v) of two biochars, from forest waste (BCH-FW) and from olive mill waste (BCH-OMW), and one hydrochar, from forest waste (HYD-FW), and their effects on growth, yield and fruit quality of two tomato cultivars (Gransol RZ and Cuarenteno) were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Chars negatively affected plant growth and yield but not fruit quality. The effect was related to the char dose and was larger in HYD-FW and BCH-FW than in BCH-OMW, despite the high salinity of the latter, and more acute in Cuarenteno than in Gransol RZ. The results were discussed on the basis of the large particle size of BCH-FW, which could have caused low nutrient solution retention and, hence, reduced plant nutrient uptake, and the high water-holding capacity, poor aeration and large CO2emission of HYD-FW, which could lead to root anoxia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BCH-OMW can be used at high proportion in media for tomato cultivation. The use of BCH-FW at a high proportion might be taken into consideration after adjusting particle size, yet this needs additional assays. HYD-FW is inadequate for soilless containerized tomato cultivation. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Agroforestal Mediterráneo, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fornes
authors.affiliation: Instituto Agroforestal Mediterráneo, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Rosa M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Belda
authors.affiliation: Instituto Universitario de Conservación y Mejora de la Agrodiversidad Valenciana, COMAV, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Pascual
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fernández de Córdova
authors.affiliation: Unidad Mixta de Investigación Mejora de la Calidad Agroalimentaria UJI-UPV, COMAV, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Jaime
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cebolla-Cornejo
mesh_terms: D002606:Charcoal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D000069599:Crop Production / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000032:analysis; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D031658:Olea / Q000737:chemistry; D010316:Particle Size
chemical_list: D007220:Industrial Waste; C540010:biochar; D002606:Charcoal
keywords: Solanum lycopersicum; biochar; growing media characteristics; hydrochar; tomato production