SkillCult on Biochar Catch Pits

Nepal, biochar, pumpkins x4

The "Nepal" label will provide more history on this research...

Fourfold Increase in Pumpkin Yield in Response to Low-Dosage Root Zone Application of Urine-Enhanced Biochar to a Fertile Tropical Soil

Abstract

A widely abundant and invasive forest shrub, Eupatorium adenophorum, was pyrolyzed in a cost-efficient flame curtain kiln to produce biochar. The resulting biochar fulfilled all the requirements for premium quality, according to the European Biochar Certificate. The biochar was either applied alone or mixed with fresh cow urine (1:1 volume) to test its capacity to serve as slow release fertilizer in a pumpkin field trial in Nepal. Treatments included cow-manure compost combined with (i) urine-only; (ii) biochar-only or (iii) urine-loaded biochar. All materials were applied directly to the root zone at a biochar dry matter content of 750 kg·ha⁻¹ before seeding. The urine-biochar treatment led to a pumpkin yield of 82.6 t·ha⁻¹, an increase of more than 300% compared with the treatment where only urine was applied, and an 85% increase compared with the biochar-only treatment. This study showed for the first time that a low-dosage root zone application of urine-enhanced biochar led to substantial yield increases in a fertile silt loam soil. This was tentatively explained by the formation of organic coating of inner pore biochar surfaces by the urine impregnation, which improved the capacity of the biochar to capture and exchange plant nutrients.

 

Farmers learn to make ‘biochar’ ‘tech

"TO reduce the trash generated by Cebu City daily, around 100 farmers and leaders were trained by the City Government and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 7 recently on biochar technology."

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/local-news/2016/11/27/farmers-learn-make-biochar-tech-511863

Bamboo plantation plans for Indonesia

This ABC radio report also mentions biochar production as a co-product for bamboo pole preservation.

http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/rn/podcast/2016/11/bst_20161103_0635.mp3

Biochar action at Masarang foundation, Indonesia

The following link leads to a summary on biochar activities at Masarang. I'm a little late finding this but the action is ongoing...
http://masarang.nl/en/?s=biochar&ixsl=1
There are some strong links here to long term haze solutions.

“Nature conservation through collaboration with and development of the local population”

That is the mission of Masarang, our foundation in Indonesia, founded in 2001 by Dr. Eng. Willie Smits.
Masarang finds solutions for the most urgent global problems of our time: deforestation, biodiversity loss, climate change, poverty and underdevelopment.
More information about Masarang and Willie Smits
or see the film about
The solution of palmsugar and the village hub
Photo above: The Masarang mountain after a successful reforestation project of the Masarang Foundation, began in 2000.