133-4 Designchar4food (d4f) Network: Enhancing Soil Carbon and Fertility While Reducing Greenhouse Gas Production through Biochar Application.

Poster Number 517

See more from this Division: ASA Section: Environmental Quality
See more from this Session: Agronomic, Environmental, and Industrial Uses of Biochar: I (includes graduate student competition)

Monday, November 16, 2015
Minneapolis Convention Center, Exhibit Hall BC

Jeffrey M. Novak1, Gilbert C. Sigua1, James A. Ippolito2, Kurt A. Spokas3 and Rodney Venterea4, (1)USDA-ARS, Florence, SC
(2)C127 Plant Sciences Building, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
(3)439 - Borlaug Hall, USDA-ARS, St. Paul, MN
(4)USDA, ARS, St. Paul, MN
Abstract:
Biochar has gained global attention as an amendment for improving soil properties and increasing crop yields while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Unfortunately, it has been overhyped as a panacea for all soils. Recent biochar literature reviews and meta-analyses of results have revealed variable effectiveness that strongly depends on soil and biochars properties. In addition, biochars are expensive to manufacture, emphasizing a risk if they are not judiciously employed. We propose that a new archetype is needed such as ‘designer biochars’, which advocates applying a specific biochar for remediation of a target soil deficiency. Unfortunately, there are no universal guidelines to manufacture designer biochars. Here, we have assembled a team of scientists to work on a project called designchar4food (d4f). The d4f team is synthesizing existing literature results and we expect to develop suitable designer biochar management strategies for their integrati

See more from this Division: ASA Section: Environmental Quality
See more from this Session: Agronomic, Environmental, and Industrial Uses of Biochar: I (includes graduate student competition)