Low-rank coal as a source of humic substances for soil amendment and fertility management
Akimbekov N.S. Digel I. Tastambek K.T. Sherelkhan D.K. Jussupova D.B. Altynbay N.P.
December 2021MDPI
Agriculture (Switzerland)
2021#11Issue 12
Humic substances (HS), as important environmental components, are essential to soil health and agricultural sustainability. The usage of low-rank coal (LRC) for energy generation has declined considerably due to the growing popularity of renewable energy sources and gas. However, their potential as soil amendment aimed to maintain soil quality and productivity deserves more recognition. LRC, a highly heterogeneous material in nature, contains large quantities of HS and may effectively help to restore the physicochemical, biological, and ecological functionality of soil. Multiple emerging studies support the view that LRC and its derivatives can positively impact the soil microclimate, nutrient status, and organic matter turnover. Moreover, the phytotoxic effects of some pollutants can be reduced by subsequent LRC application. Broad geographical availability, relatively low cost, and good technical applicability of LRC offer the advantage of easy fulfilling soil amendment and conditioner requirements worldwide. This review analyzes and emphasizes the potential of LRC and its numerous forms/combinations for soil amelioration and crop production. A great benefit would be a systematic investment strategy implicating safe utilization and long-term application of LRC for sustainable agricultural production.
Brown coal , Crop yield , Low-rank coal , Soil amendment , Soil health , Soil remediation
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Department of Biotechnology, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, 050040, Kazakhstan
Institute for Bioengineering, FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences, Jülich, 52428, Germany
Department of Fundamental Medicine, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, 050040, Kazakhstan
Department of Geography, Environment and Service Sector, Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University, Almaty, 050010, Kazakhstan
Department of Biotechnology
Institute for Bioengineering
Department of Fundamental Medicine
Department of Geography
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