Pot test

Charcoal, made from wood pellets, and seaweed, were the two additives
tested.
Pot tests were run outside, using pots made from tires with one sidewall cut
out
Tests were run in triplicate as follows:
1: Seaweed only
2: Control soil, no additives
3: Seaweed + charcoal
4: Charcoal only.

Corn was planted in each pot, and watered regularly. Height of corn plant
was
measured after 30 days. Average plant heights after 30 days were as
follows:

1: Seaweed only 55 cm
2: Control soil, no additives 31 cm
3: Seaweed + charcoal 51 cm
4: Charcoal only 23 cm

Results were disappointing, with the charcoal test yielding least height gain. It is felt that the disappointing results were a result of the charcoal absorbing some of the nutrients
that were limiting plant growth, with the result being even less growth potential

Thanks, and Best Wishes,

Richard Haard, January 2010

Here is a simple screening test comparing herbicide inactivation by Biochar and Activated Charcoal. This test can be used to screen the relative adsorbtive capacity of your home made biochar by testing with an easily obtained herbicide, Caseron.

.

Upper left treated set from right: activated charcoal powder, biochar granular, Caseron only
Upper right control set from right: activated charcoal, biochar, untreated.

Go to here for original image in high resolution (click original size) to view this up close

This test is with Caseron (dichlorobenil). Many other herbicides, pesticides are neutralized by activated charcoal. Use of activated charcoal is common accepted practice to clean up pesticide residues that result in poor performance via root development, germination, plant growth and vigor. Many herbicides such as Atrazine, Proamide, Amitrole and many others have either residual effect in soil or are transmitted in water. UC Riverside has nice tool for accessing leaching and runoff risk of chemicals as these here And as example here is profile for Atrazine, a widely used herbicide in corn production.

Results in plant performance then obtained with biochar that has adsorbtion properties similar to activated charcoal may be better explained by deactivation of toxins and/or natural/introduced inhibitors. Conversely farmers using herbicides as part of their normal production cycle may lose efficiency of their chemical applications if used coincidental with biochar.

Whether this property of biochar continues over time after active sites are filled up is not known to me and also whether these toxins are eventually degraded or released gradually in diluted form.

Properties: 
Biochar Trial Photos
Empty Planting Trays on Rack Fine Wet Processed Charcoal Settling in Flask Bamboo Feedstock Softwood Chip Feedstock
Empty Planting Trays on Rack Fine Wet Processed Charcoal Settling in Flask Bamboo Feedstock
Processes: 
Country: 

Bear Kaufmann. Initially posted April 7, 2008. Updated August 5, 2008.

Country: 
Robert Flanagan, May 22, 2008
Attached are some photos of my latest trial with char (biochar/agrichar ). I achieved the above results with charcoal made
from willow and miscanthus at over 550C.
In the attached photos I just added the
char to local soil with no other additions.

1g Charcoal per seed
1g Charcoal per seed

50g Miscanthus Charcoal per pot
50g Miscanthus Charcoal per pot

Effects of mycorrhizal fungi and biochar 90 Days

Robert Flanagan, Hangzhou Sustainable Agricultural Food & Fuel Enterprise Co., Ltd. (SAFFE), February 15, 2008

Day 90Day 90

Hey Guys, Just got to 90days of my latest biochar trial and wanted some feedback on what data you think I should be taking from this trial? We can clean off the roots and photo as much as possible and do clearly marked side by side photos.

I don't have any funding for this trials so there is a limit on the depth I can go regarding data collection so I'm really looking for a base list. The medium was sterilized subsoil and we used 2Kg soil per tray with three reps of each treatment (I just took the average of each treatment for the attached photo).

Kind Regards, Rob.

Robert Flanagan
Chairman & President Hangzhou Sustainable Agricultural Food & Fuel Enterprise Co., Ltd.

saffechina@gmail.com

Skype "saffechina"

Tel: 86-571-881-850-67 Cell: 86-130-189-959-57

ControlControl
BiocharBiochar

Modified BiocharModified Biochar

Effects of mycorrhizal fungi and biochar 75 Days
Robert Flanagan, Hangzhou Sustainable Agricultural Food & Fuel Enterprise Co., Ltd.
(SAFFE), February 5, 2008

I just got to visit my biochar trial at BIOTROP today so I took a few photos to give all you some idea of the profound difference biochar makes to subsoil
ControlControl

Rice Husk CharcoalRice Husk Charcoal

CharDB 1.0 released!
Cristelle Braun, January 19, 2008

Hello dear biochar testers!

The first release 1.0 of CharDB is now available at:
http://bionecho.org/terrapreta/chardb/index.php

You will now be able to register your biochar soil amendment trials in a uniform format "CharML" that should facilitate comparisons between the different entries. This will hopefully lead to interesting new conclusions and a better knowledge on the fascinating world of biochar!

Please send any comment, critic, suggestion...to:
chardb@bionecho.org

Your feedback and comments will guide further development of CharDB and CharML!

Sincerely yours,
Chris
brauncch@gmail.com
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PotatoPotato
This is Puffergas' first test of growing potatoes in switchgrass compost. The potatoes were grown in containers and charcoal was added to the compost.
See link below:
Potato 2007 by Puffergas
Running sport media | Patike – Nike Air Jordan, Premium, Retro Klasici, Sneakers , Iicf

Processes: 

The Charcoalab Project: Charcoalab Pot Trials

Robert Flanagan, SAFFE, China, Christelle Braun, Naomi, September 4, 2007

Charcoalab Pot Trials<br />
The Charcoalab Project<br />
September 2007

Select image to access album of photos.

Country: 

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