[Terrapreta] FIeld and Nursery Trials

[Tom Miles]

Sean,

 

We put the abstract and link to the Cornell paper you have cited on the TP
site in March at:

http://terrapreta.bioenergylists.org/node/154

 

Have these greenhouse studies been followed up with field trials? There is
probably some work in progress. 

 

How do we stimulate more parametric studies of this kind on field crops of
interest? You try things yourself and your success generates the academic
interest. A logical step would be to work with our local universities,
extension agents and experiment stations. 

 

We also need to be clear about the objectives. Maximum yield is probably at
the expense of some other value. The challenge is finding the minimum
addition that is practical to apply and results in a worthwhile product
while maintaining or improving soil fertility.

 

Winter is  good time for planning.   

 

Tom

 

From: Sean K. Barry [mailto:sean.barry at juno.com] 
Sent: Friday, November 23, 2007 11:27 PM
To: 'terrapreta'; 'Jim Joyner'; Tom Miles; Sean K. Barry
Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] FIeld and Nursery Trials

 

Hi Tom,

 

I'm sorry the attached paper in my previous post is not the one I was
referring to.  The correct one should be in the attachment list with this
E-MAIL. 

 

Regards,

 

SKB

----- Original Message ----- 

From: Sean K. Barry <mailto:sean.barry at juno.com>  

To: 'terrapreta' <mailto:terrapreta at bioenergylists.org>  ; 'Jim
<mailto:jimstoytn at yahoo.com>  Joyner' ; Tom Miles
<mailto:tmiles at trmiles.com>  

Sent: Saturday, November 24, 2007 12:30 AM

Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] FIeld and Nursery Trials

 

Hi Tom,

 

I was reading a paper done by Dr. Johannes Lehmann from Cornell ->
http://www.georgiaitp.org/carbon/PDF%20Files/CSteinerpres.pdf 

I got my 100+ tons of charcoal per acre estimate from that paper.  They were
discussing charcoal concentrations at 60 g per kg of soil.  In it, they
showed that the best results (for yield in nitrogen fixing beans) that they
achieved was at that concentration (60 g kg-1).  There is a paragraph at the
end of the paper, where they came up with 121.5 tons per hectare (10,000 sq
meters = ~2.47 acres).  Jim's number at 50 tons/acre is closer to there
number than my 100+ tons/acre (121.5 metric tons / 2.47 acres/ha = 49.2
metric tons/acre, 1 metric ton = ~1.1 metric tons, so ~55 tons/acre).  I
mentioned this to Jim when we talked about it.

 

I read just today, too, at
http://terrapreta.bioenergylists.org/taxonomy/term/6/9, Terra Preta:
Homepage <http://www.gerhardbechtold.com/TP/gbtp.php?vers=2>  about
Anthrohumox in Brazilian Lowland, Gerhard Bechtold, University of
Bayreuth/Munchen, Germany, November 2007, carbon content at 9%!  That is 90+
grams of charcoal per kilogram of soil.

 

So, I think the charcoal density in the orginal Terra Preta and in tests
done by the soil scientists from Cornell and Bayreuth do show very high
application rates (50+ tons/acre at least).  If you find this differently,
let me know?

 

Regards,

 

SKB

----- Original Message ----- 

From: Tom Miles <mailto:tmiles at trmiles.com>  

To: 'Sean K. Barry' <mailto:sean.barry at juno.com>  ; 'terrapreta'
<mailto:terrapreta at bioenergylists.org>  ; 'Jim <mailto:jimstoytn at yahoo.com>
Joyner' 

Sent: Friday, November 23, 2007 7:52 PM

Subject: RE: [Terrapreta] FIeld and Nursery Trials

 

Sean, Jim,

 

These concentrations still seem quite high compared with what we've seen in
the Cornell/U Beyreuth research in the Amazons and elsewhere. (It's time to
go back to the papers or dial up a terra preta expert.)  Given the cost of
charcoal in any economy we need to determine what rates are appropriate for
different crops and soils.  

 

Tom

 

 

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