Benefits of Bio-char and its use in Agriculture Biochar is a valuable form of charcoal, obtained from sustainable sources majorly utilised for soil modification. It helps farmers enhance the agricultural and environmental value of the soil. It is produced by conversion of biomass by exposure to limited-oxygen conditions in a reactor under temperatures that go beyond 250 degrees Celsius. The process is called Pyrolysis. Under low oxygen conditions, the biomass doesn’t combust but instead undergoes thermal decomposition. The result is a powdery, highly porous and stable form of organic matter.
Three essential aspects Biochar When we talk about Bio-char there are three essential aspects we need to take into consideration:
History of Bio-char production – Production of bio-char to enable soil fertility has been a tried and tested method for almost a thousand years. The oldest evidence of bio-char is found in the Amazon rainforest, where massive areas of land were created into ‘Terra Preta’ or ‘Dark Earth’ by the indigenous Amazonian population. They did not have access to high-
end technological solutions to maintain a standard yield of crop. Traces of bio-char can still be found in the Amazon rainforest as it can be retained by the soil for thousands of years. The soil continues to hold ‘carbon’ and remains so nutrient rich that it can be dug up and sold as potting soil.
Benefits of Bio-char in agriculture – Bio-char improves soils. By changing over rural waste into an intense soil enhancer, there are various direct and indirect applications of bio-char. It helps protect food security, debilitates deforestation, independently bio-char can increase fertility of acidic soils, and provides protection against some soil-borne diseases as well. Biochar can almost improve any type of soil. Areas observing low precipitation or supplement poor soils will no doubt see the maximum impact of its use. After thorough investigation for bio-char as an approach to carbon sequestration, it has been established that it has the potential to defer climate change by capturing and long-term storage of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). Research is currently affirming ”benefits of bio-char in soil” that include: 1. Diminished leaching of nitrogen into ground water 2. Increased water retention of soil 3. High Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) resulting in a high soil fertility 4. Reduced emissions of Nitrous Oxide (NO2) 5. A greater number of important soil microbes 6. Controlling soil acidity 7. Increased Carbon retention of soil Sustainability of Bio-char as part of the big picture – The sustainability of using bio-char for agricultural purposes to avoid nitrogen will boost soil well-being and improve crop yields across the globe. There are already many gasification and pyrolysis units across the United States that produces bio-char as a by-product. A chain of events are certain from the utilization of bio-char for agriculture. To begin with, farmers will utilize less water. From soil test results, due to increased fertility a reduced amount of fertilizer will be used. The increment in harvest yield will provide more food supply for the world and higher profits for farmers in business. Energy companies looking at environment-friendly energy sources can utilize biomass as a renewable source of energy, and incorporate bio-char in their business model as a revenue source.
The global impact of extensive use of bio-char in farmlands will see reduction of greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide on a massive scale. This is due to the fact that producing bio-char is a ‘Carbon Negative’ reaction, thus atmospheric carbon will be locked in the soil. Bio-char manufacturing facilities are coming up in the United States that are looking to produce bio-char as their main product. Companies are looking to extend the use of bio-char into various other industries such as Filtration, green feed as fodder for cattle, vineyard and gardening industry and septic industry as well. If you are looking to buy bio-char, one of the companies to look out for is ‘AG Bio-char’. Based out of California, they have developed a form of bio-char that is being utilized for its properties across all of the industries mentioned above.
AG Biochar is an abbreviation for Agricultural Grade Bio-char made specifically for use in agriculture. Other forms of bio-char manufactured as a by-product of bio-fuel can be harmful if used on plants or animals.