02043naa a2200289 a 450000100080000000500110000800800410001902400380006010000190009824500710011726000090018852012020019765000120139965000120141165000250142365000210144865000200146965000130148965000260150265000180152865300150154665300250156170000250158670000260161170000180163777300980165520341232016-02-01       2015    bl uuuu     u00u1 u    #d7 a10.1590/01000683rbcs201408182DOI1 aNOVOTNY, E. H.  aBiocharbpyrogenic carbon for agricultural use: a critical review.  c2015  aBiochar (carbonized biomass for agricultural use) has been used worldwide as soil amendment and is a technology of particular interest for Brazil, since its ?inspiration? is from the historical Terra Preta de Índios (Amazon Dark Earth), and also because Brazil is the world?s largest charcoal producer, generating enormous residue quantities in form of fine charcoal and due to the availability of different residual biomasses, mainly from agroindustry (e.g., sugar-cane bagasse; wood and paper-mill wastes; residues from biofuel industries; sewage sludge etc), that can be used for biochar production, making Brazil a key actor in the international scenario in terms of biochar research and utilization). In the last decade, numerous studies on biochar have been carried out and now a vast literature, and excellent reviews, are available. The objective of this paper is therefore to deliver a critical review with some highlights on biochar research, rather than an exhaustive bibliographic review. To this end, some key points considered critical and relevant were selected and the pertinent literature ?condensed?, with a view to guide future research, rather than analyze trends of the past.  aBiochar  aBiomass  aCarbon sequestration  aGreenhouse gases  aSoil amendments  aBiomassa  aCondicionador do solo  aEfeito estufa  aBiocarvão  aSequestro de carvão1 aMAIA, C. M. B. de F.1 aCARVALHO, M. T. de M.1 aMADARI, B. E.  tRevista Brasileira de Ciência do Solo, Viçosa, MGgv. 39, n. 2, p. 321-344, mar./abr. 2015.