Role of Superficial Biochar Mulch Produced from Dairy Factory Waste on Infiltration and Runoff in Small Experimental Plots

The effective utilization of wastes in different forms is an inevitable strategy for miscellaneous goals like runoff management leading to sustainable development. To this end, superficial application of biochar produced from industrial wastes as a mulch may be as a bio-economic approach to improve soil conditions and consequent increment in infiltration. Towards this attempt, the present study was formulated to produce biochar from Kaleh Factory wastes and to apply it as a much. The biochar was applied in three levels of 400, 800 and 1200 g m-2 on small experimental plots filled with a rangeland soil prone to erosion of Marzanabad Region, northern Iran, to improve soil permeability and runoff components. The rainfall was simulated with intensities of 50 and 90 mm h-1 after a span time of 35 days on biochar application in the Rainfall and Erosion Laboratory of Tarbiat Modares University. The infiltration and runoff rates were continuously monitored using volume balance method. According to the results, the water infiltration to the soil and runoff rates from treated plots with 400, 800 and 1200 g m-2 of biochar were 23, 31 and 32% for rain intensity of 50 mm h-1, and 21, 23 and 24% for rain intensity of 90 mm h-1, respectively more (p