[Terrapreta] new biochar research from the University of Deleware

[lou gold]

Apologies if this has already been reported on this forum but I haven't seen
it before.


http://news.mongabay.com/2008/0411-terra_preta.html

"Charcoal fertilization can permanently increase soil organic matter content
and improve soil quality, persisting in soil for hundreds to thousands of
years," Mingxin Guo, Ph.D., and colleagues report. In what they describe as
a "new and pioneering" ACS [American Chemical Society] report â€" the first
systematic investigation of soil improvement by charcoal fertilization â€"
Guo found that soils receiving charcoal produced from organic wastes were
much looser, absorbed significantly more water and nutrients and produced
higher crop biomass. The authors, with Delaware State University, say "the
results demonstrate that charcoal amendment is a revolutionary approach for
long-term soil quality improvement."

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