Senescence of branches or twig dieback due to tree age or disease in mature citrus orchards (>8 years old) is common. Moreover, strategic pruning and hedging are standard practices to sustain tree health and yield. As a result of these practices, a large amount of biomass without economic value is either left in the field, mulched into the soil, or disposed with minimum control on nutrient recycling. This study aimed to use this biomass as feedstock for biochar production. We pyrolyzed this material to produce biochar with modest amounts of macro and micronutrient content. This citrus-based biochar was applied a fixed rate to return the equivalent of 10 kg N ha-1, and contrasted with the other commercially available biochars. Preliminary data indicates that all biochars were capable of increasing soil moisture retention compared with the control. Fertility analysis of each biochar indicates diverse availability of macro and micronutrients that can complement current fertilization programs. Moreover, biochar incorporation as soil health management strategy may increase the recalcitrant pool of carbon in the soil, with its accompanied benefits. Future research aims to evaluate soil microbial respiration affected by biochar application.
