Dr Thomas Goreau, a climate and coastal restoration scientist, has been to visit Dr Willie Smits in Borneo. I first covered Willie Smits work way back in 2010 (see WillieSmits label) and have had some positive dialogue since on biochar and related issues. Dr Goreau has come back with warm praise and the following report...
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/biochar/conversations/messages/22963
I've embedded the 2nd YouTube, as it focuses more on biochar production (Adams retort) but the first video is also great... focusing on sugar palm as a sustainable, community based tropical industry.
Friday, 23 February 2018
Sunday, 18 February 2018
Biochar research from Papua New Guinea
Great to see biochar research coming from Papua New Guinea...
Department of Agriculture
The Papua New Guinea University of Technology
Private Mail Bag, Lae 411
Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea
Tel: +675 4734464, Fax: +675 4734477
* Dr. Rajashekhar Rao B.K., E-mail: rsraobk@rediffmail.com
Effects of biochar, urea and their co-application on the nitrogen mineralization in soil and growth of Chinese cabbage crop
Ruth
Baiga and Rajashekhar Rao BK*
Department of Agriculture
The Papua New Guinea University of Technology
Private Mail Bag, Lae 411
Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea
Tel: +675 4734464, Fax: +675 4734477
* Dr. Rajashekhar Rao B.K., E-mail: rsraobk@rediffmail.com
Abstract
Experiments
were conducted to study the influence of biochar material on N
mineralization pattern
from the soil applications of kunai grass (Imperata
cylindrica)
biochar (at 0 and 10 t ha-1)
and laboratory grade urea (0, 200 and 500 kg N ha-1)
and their co-application to an acid soil. The results of incubation
study showed that biochar only treatment and co-application with urea
at 200 kg N ha-1
could impede transformation of urea to NH4+-N.
Soil application of biochar together with urea 500 kg N ha-1
produced
the highest NO3--N
and mineral N concentrations in the soil over 90 days. In a parallel
study performed under greenhouse conditions, Chinese
cabbage (Brassica
rapa L.
ssp.
chinensis L.)
crop showed highest
marketable fresh weight, N uptake and N
use efficiency in soil treated with
biochar along with urea at 500 kg N ha-1.
However,
soil incorporation of biochar only or combined application with urea
did not offer any short-term agronomic advantages over mineral
fertilizer only at 200 or 500 kg N ha-1.
Tuesday, 13 February 2018
IBI monthly research compilation
Robert Gillett, IBI newsletter editor, is now compiling monthly summaries of biochar related research. These are being circulated to IBI members and are available from the members area of the IBI website. This is a great resource which was kicked off in November 2017... four months of the latest biochar research, compiled, summarised and searchable. Click on the link below to access the latest compilation as a sample. Do consider supporting IBI with your membership.
"Papers in the February list are from last month's new 'biochar' entries in Google Scholar. Quotes are from the papers, which are accessible through the links provided. These have been extracted by IBI Newsletter Editor Robert W. Gillett to keep the length of this addendum manageable, yet informative enough to prompt further investigation by readers. Emphasis was placed on highlighting new findings leading to practical application, but with the expectation that decisions will be informed by accessing the full publication.
Click here to access the full list."
"Papers in the February list are from last month's new 'biochar' entries in Google Scholar. Quotes are from the papers, which are accessible through the links provided. These have been extracted by IBI Newsletter Editor Robert W. Gillett to keep the length of this addendum manageable, yet informative enough to prompt further investigation by readers. Emphasis was placed on highlighting new findings leading to practical application, but with the expectation that decisions will be informed by accessing the full publication.
Click here to access the full list."
Biochar in Vietnam - IBI report
A review of current biochar status in Vietnam
by Tran Thi Thu Hien"Vietnam, an agricultural country, is the third largest in Southeast Asia region in terms of biochar potential. Each year, total biomass production from wood industry and crop cultivation is about 118 tons (Table 1), which is the mainly primary source of biochar feedstocks (Stefan Jirka, 2014). In recent years, the awareness about biochar benefits of Vietnamese people is increasing following to a global trend as more large scale field studies show the benefits of biochar use. ..."
