Innovative Sewage Sludge Biochar and Bacillus Bacteria Synergize to Increase Cabbage Biomass by Forty Percent

Shenyang Agricultural University researchers combine engineered biochar with beneficial bacteria to enhance nitrogen uptake and significantly increase plant biomass.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 20, 2026, 9:32 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Shenyang Agricultural University

Transforming Urban Waste Into Agricultural Assets

A breakthrough study has introduced a specialized method for converting sewage sludge into an engineered biochar designed to serve as a high-performance microbial carrier. While traditional biochar has long been utilized for soil enhancement, its effectiveness in supporting beneficial bacteria has historically been limited by poor microbial survival rates in competitive soil environments. By redesigning the structural and chemical properties of sludge-derived biochar, researchers have created a material that not only houses beneficial microbes but actively stimulates their metabolic functions to boost crop productivity.

The Stepwise Engineering of SSBC37 Biochar

The research team developed a novel material, designated as SSBC37, through a sophisticated three-stage thermal and chemical process. Initially, nutrient-rich dissolved compounds were extracted from biochar produced at low temperatures. The remaining solid matter was then reprocessed at higher temperatures to optimize its physical structure and porosity. In the final stage, the previously extracted nutrients were reintroduced to the stabilized carbon frame. This hybrid approach resulted in a balanced material that maintains strong physical integrity while providing a readily available source of nutrition for introduced bacterial colonies.

Synergistic Effects of Bacillus Velezensis Integration

The engineered biochar was inoculated with Bacillus velezensis, a bacterium known for its ability to promote plant development and suppress harmful pathogens. In greenhouse trials involving cabbage plants, this integrated system demonstrated a synergistic effect that surpassed the results of using biochar or bacteria in isolation. According to the study, plants treated with the combined biochar-bacterial system saw an increase in aboveground dry biomass of nearly 40 percent. This significant growth suggests that the biochar provides a protected habitat that allows the bacteria to thrive and colonize plant roots more effectively than in untreated soil.