What is the use of biochar in farming?
- 1.Biochar can be used as a part of the growing medium in vertical farming.
- 2.When biochar is a part of the growing medium, it promotes the growth of nitrogen-fixing microorganisms.
- 3.When biochar is a part of the growing medium, it enables the growing medium to retain water for longer time.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3
All three statements are correct: biochar, the porous charcoal made by heating plant waste without oxygen, can be mixed into growing media, it supports biological nitrogen fixation, and it helps the medium hold water for longer.
- ✓ 1. Biochar is a stable, porous carbon material that can be blended into potting and soil-less growing mixes, which is how vertical farms grow plants; UPSC's key accepts this use.
- ✓ 2. The IPCC lists enhanced biological nitrogen fixation among the effects of adding biochar to soil, along with lower nitrogen losses and less fertiliser need.
- ✓ 3. The IPCC notes that applying biochar enhances soil water-holding capacity, which raises resilience to drought.
Remember · Biochar (pyrolysed plant waste) locks up carbon and improves soil: more water held, more nitrogen fixed, less fertiliser needed.
Sources
- IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Land, Chapter 4: Land Degradation ↗ “Additional climate benefits of biochar can arise through: reduced nitrogen fertiliser requirements, due to reduced losses of nitrogen through leaching and/or volatilisation (Singh et al. 2010 1434 ) and enhanced biological nitrogen fixation (Van Zwieten et al. 2015 1435 ) … application of compost or biochar that enhances soil water-holding capacity, so increases resilience to drought.”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2020, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·