# Biochar-Assisted Agriculture: From Healthy Soil to Healthy Plants

## TL;DR

Biochar improves soil and plant health, leading to better crop yields and food quality, while supporting sustainable agriculture goals.

## Contribution

This review integrates practical and literature-based insights to highlight biochar's role in ONE Health for soil-plant-food systems.

## Key findings

- Biochar enhances root growth and plant resistance to diseases.
- It supports beneficial soil microorganisms and improves moisture and nutrient availability.
- Biochar application contributes to achieving UN Sustainable Development Goals through healthier agriculture.

## Abstract

Land application of biochar appears to be the most promising tool for managing soil and plant health in agriculture for food production. Biochar induces plant resistance and root growth, deactivates fungitoxic compounds, supports better habituation of beneficial microorganisms, and alters soil properties to facilitate moisture and nutrient availability. This review assimilates lessons from the authors’ experience with biochar application in agriculture, in addition to the previous literature, to elucidate the role of biochar in crop production, from soil health to plant health (root growth, disease control, yield, and quality), and its link to food health. This review provides bottom–up evidence for developing biochar-assisted agriculture in the context of ONE Health applied to soil–plant–food, contributing to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs).