Physical feasibility of biochar production and utilization at a farm-scale: A case-study in non-irrigated seed production

Phillips, Claire L.; Trippe, Kristin M.; Reardon, Catherine L.; Mellbye, Brett L.; Griffith, Stephen M.; Banowetz, Gary M.; Gady, David

doi:10.1016/j.biombioe.2017.10.042

Cited by 13 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Steiner et al [58] produced biochar from rice husk using a top-lit updraft gasifier and found that this technology can be used relatively easily for farmers to produce biochar in the field, with an efficiency of 15-33%. Biochar produced from available on-farm crop residues is sufficient to contribute 6.3-11.8% of the production area annually [59]. [55] Carbonization is a slow pyrolysis process that has been in use for thousands of years, and its main goal is the production of biochar.…”

Section: Biochar Production Technologiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comprehensive review on production and utilization of biochar

2019

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The on-farm burning of crop residues and biomass results in numerous environmental issues and affects human beings. Crop residues have considerable energy potential if utilized appropriately. Crop residues can be converted into biochar through thermo-chemical routes; conversion helps in the managing and handling of biomass. Biochar reactors usually operate at temperatures between 400 and 600 °C with fixed carbon contents ranging from 60 to 85%. The application of this biochar to soil improves the physiochemical characteristics of soil because biochar is rich in organic carbon content, which makes the soil more fertile and acts as a carbon sequestration agent over the long term. Biochar itself is considered a source nutrient and can alter the soil nutrient pools and availability. Biochar applied up to 10 cm depth of soil may decrease the denitrification potential and lower N 2 O emission, greatly controlling leaching of mobile nutrients such as potassium, thus improving water use efficiency, nutrient availability and plant growth. Furthermore, it reduces the leaching of nitrogen into the groundwater and increases the water retention and cation-exchange capacity while moderating the soil's acidity, resulting in improved soil fertility. This article discusses different biochar production processes and various feedstocks and characteristics of biochar. The factors affecting biochar production and advantages of the utilization of biochar in soil are also reviewed.

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Section: Biochar Production Technologiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comprehensive review on production and utilization of biochar

2019

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“…While soil pH, and to a lesser extent nutrient deficiency, were both useful for evaluating whether crop growth would respond to biochar amendment, this does not mean that biochar is merely a replacement for conventional fertilizer and lime. For instance, Phillips et al (2018) reported that in a direct comparison between biochar and hydrated lime in a field trial in Washington State, biochar had a more positive impact on plant growth for the same increase in soil pH. The cause of the additional benefit from biochar could not be determined definitively but may be related to observed increases in soil moisture and changes in the soil microbial community.…”

Section: Plant Growthmentioning

confidence: 99%

Preliminary evaluation of a decision support tool for biochar amendment

Phillips

Light²,

Lindsley

et al. 2020

Biochar

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Meta-analyses have shown that only about half of biochar addition studies report improved plant growth. To improve yield response, here we describe a decision support tool (DST) for selecting a biochar type and amendment rate to meet soil and crop management goals, based on soil and biochar tests values and crop requirements as reported by regional extension recommendations. Using data from a greenhouse wheat trial, we assessed whether this approach could predict changes in soil chemistry and whether it could identify soils in which amendment would stimulate crop yield. These data indicated that the DST could provide semi-quantitative predictions of biochar amendment rates needed to meet target soil pH levels, with recommended rates averaging 25% higher than were needed. The DST was better at predicting biochar application rates to provision P and K. Across six soil types, post-harvest measurements of extractable-K showed an average 104% recovery of the quantities estimated to be provisioned by conifer wood or wheat straw biochars. Extractable-P recovery averaged 101% in two sandy soils with low P-retention but was considerably lower in four soils with higher P-retention capacity. Greenhouse data also showed that wheat growth improved only when biochar alleviated pH that was substantially below critical thresholds for plant growth, and supported the principle of using crop-specific pH requirements as part of an approach for biochar decision-support. Future field trials that evaluate yield responses in several nutrient-deficient or acidified soils will be needed to provide a robust evaluation of this DST.

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“…The biochar cost–benefit analysis tool helps growers determine if that cost is prohibitive based on cost, amendment rate, persistence of the biochar, and yield increases. For example, a field experiment conducted by our group found that biochar (8 tons/ac) improved wheat yields more than 200% (Phillips et al 2018; Fig. 4).…”

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confidence: 99%

“…The yield of wheat crops in unamended soils (white bar), soil amended with lime (grey bar), or soil amended with biochar (8 tons/ac, black bar). Adapted from Phillips et al 2018.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…These physiochemical properties can directly impact the ability of a biochar to address specific soil deficiencies. For example, biochars produced at high temperatures are more fully combusted and tend to have a higher ash content than those produced at lower temperatures, which can make them suitable to use for liming (Phillips et al, 2018). Similarly, biochar produced from poultry litter has relatively large amounts of phosphorus, which could improve soil fertility (Lehmann and Joseph, 2015 This article explores a set of decision support tools to supply soil scientists, growers, advisers, and others with information to predict how a specific biochar could interact with specific soils to improve soil health and ultimately crop yields.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Development of a Pacific Northwest Biochar Atlas: Translating biochar study results into usable grower information

Trippe

Phillips

2018

Crops & Soils

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This article explores a set of decision support tools to supply soil scientists, growers, advisers, and others with information to predict how a specific biochar could interact with specific soils to improve soil health and ultimately crop yields. Earn 0.5 CEUs in Soil & Water Management by reading this article and taking the quiz at http://www.certifiedcropadviser.org/education/classroom/classes/576

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Physical feasibility of biochar production and utilization at a farm-scale: A case-study in non-irrigated seed production

Cited by 13 publications

References 30 publications

Comprehensive review on production and utilization of biochar

Comprehensive review on production and utilization of biochar

Preliminary evaluation of a decision support tool for biochar amendment

Development of a Pacific Northwest Biochar Atlas: Translating biochar study results into usable grower information

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