Method

We conducted field trials at the Breton Plots. The selected research plots were characterized by a low soil test-N (<15 ppm), low soil test-S (< 10 ppm), low organic matter (< 2 %), non-irrigated, and no S applied the previous year. Trials were established in randomized complete block designs with 3 replications. The soil was a Gay Luvisol (Canadian soil classification), with clay, silt and sand at 37.1%, 37.4% and 25.5% in the 0-15 cm soil and 52.4% , 27.6% and 20.0% in the 15-30 cm soil.

We set up the experiment with five treatments, as outlined in Table 1 above. All fertilizers used in this project were nitrogen (N) fertilizers applied at a specific N rate (@ N-rate). The treatments included conventional fertilizers such as AMS @ N-rate and AMS @ N-rate + Biochar, as well as novel fertilizers, including CCT-BL @ N-rate and CCT-BH @ N-rate. In the novel fertilizers, "BL" and "BH" refer to low-carbon content biochar and high-carbon content biochar, respectively.

We set up the plots on April 26 and then did the first soil sample collection from each plot on May 11. The treatments were applied on May 12. Then the emergence count was done 20 days after seeding, and wheat tissue sampling and second soil sampling were done at the booting stage on Jul 8. Finally, we manually harvested an area of 8 feet by 4 rows, and then put them in cotton bags, after which they were air-dried and shredded for yield determination and plant sample analysis. The last soil sampling was done on Aug 30, the same day as the harvest. All soil samples were collected from the 0-15 cm depth. For soil samples, soil organic C, available N, P, K and micronutrients will be determined, for plant samples, total N, P, K, and micronutrients will be determined, for grain samples, total N, P, K and micronutrients will be determined.

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