Biochar and Drying Technologies as Integrated Tools for Sustainable Pea Production and Functional Ingredient Generation

Abstract

Thegrowing demand for sustainable agriculture requires strategies thatsimultaneously recover soil quality, improve crop yield, and add value to foodproducts. This study evaluates walnut shell biochar (450 ◦C) as acircular amendment applied at 0, 10, and 20 t ha-1 to an arid soilcultivated with pea (Pisum sativum L. cv. Onward) in San Juan, Argentina.Biochar enhanced soil porosity, respiration, organic carbon, and cationexchange capacity, resulting in higher plant biomass and a 30.9% increase inpod yield for the 20 t ha-1 treatment. Pea grains were dehydrated byfar-infrared drying at 70 ◦C, producing flour with improved lipidcontent, water absorption, and swelling capacity, which increased from 0.21 to0.26 mL g-1 under the 20 t ha-1 treatment. The combined use ofbiochar and controlled drying highlights a viable pathway to close thesoil–plant–food loop through resource valorization. This work contributespractical evidence of biochar’s multifunctional role in sustainable agri-foodsystems, aligned with circular economy principles.