[Terrapreta] Alkaline Soils test - Use of Charcoal + fortreatment

[Saibhaskar Nakka]

Dear Sean Barry,

Thank you for your valuable comments.
> I'm fascinated by the plethora of living microbiological additives
(inoculants) you will be using as soil amendments.

Such microbiological additives are commonly available for sale in India and
being propagated by Govt. and other Institutions.

>I've thought it would be interesting to do this sort of thing,
with soil microbes as soil amendments, but your plan looks like a well
studied and elaborate plan.  Did you take a census of the soil microbiology
in the area in which you are applying the amendments or in other areas with
more desirable soil characteristics?  How did you decide how much and what
types of microbes to put into that soil in Kothur?

Based on the basic soil analysis report, and after discussing and creating
awareness with the pilot farmers and reading a lot about Terra Preta and the
ongoing discussions in terra preta group, I have finally arrived at this
compostiton as given in the link
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pxqBXdOJdD5a3dhB5Qm34fA&gid=0/

The belief is that the microbes would play an improtant role in rejuvinating
the soil, back to normal condition. I have not taken any census about the
soil microbiology, but looking at the soil analysis report and very little
vegetation growing in it, the soil microbes are very few / rare. As ours is
a project, we are time bound and resources are limited, this experiment is
only for creation of awreness among other farmers to adopt alternative
practices along with the traditional methods for their soil improvement. The
solutions should be low cost and easily achievable.


> Are you using charcoal and other soil amendments in an attempt to rectify
> alkalinity in the soil?


Yes

 I think an earlier post from you mentioned this was
> a problem in that area, Kothur.  I think you said, too, that there was
> some
> kind of tree which had propagated heavily in the area because the tree
> could
> withstand salt better?  (maybe I read about this after you mentioned the
> trees in a past post) Will you be using the charcoal made from the wood of
> these trees?


Yes it is Prosopis Juliflora http://e-charcoalmaking.blogspot.com/ which is
growing here, and we are using the charcoal made from the same tree. The
charcoal and the wood is being sold to outside people for other purposes.

Will you be measuring or recording maximum
> temperatures a which the charcoal is made?


The charcoal is made in traditional and low cost method, using soil for
covering the huge mound of wood of Prosopis and then lit inside.
http://e-charcoalmaking.blogspot.com/


> If the charcoal being put into the soil (sans ash?) is still higher pH and
> alkaline, will you be able to modify the other amendments to correct the
> pH
> to a livable level for the microbes?  Does the water wash neutralize the
> charcoal effectively?  Will the microbial activity or just the existence
> of
> SOM further neutralize the soil alkalinity?  Is there a target pH that you
> are trying to achieve with these soil amendments?


The pH should come down, let it take some time and gradual, but it is better
to nurture bacteria and other microbes (populate), rather than, leave the
lands fallow or wasted. Yes the washing of charcoal for removing ash would
be helpful in reducing the alakalinity.

Thank you once again for your support.

Dr. N. Sai Bhaskar Reddy
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