[Terrapreta] Rice husk + fungi trial

[Richard Haard]

Robert - nice posting and clip

The leaves look like a legume species we have here as an ornamental.  
We call it 'mimosa'  Is this tree a legume? If so there must be root  
nodule bacteria associated.

Robert have you been able to look closely with hand lens or microscope  
at your charcoal. Can you see direct signs of fungal/ microbial/ 
invertebrate  involvement? Here in temperate north our charcoal does  
not accept water/biota without pretreatment or only after an extended  
time in soil. In the tropics does you charcoal require an aging or  
pretreatment?

Rich Haard

On Feb 4, 2008, at 10:49 PM, Robert Flanagan wrote:

> Hey Sean,
>
> The trees are called "Albasiah" here, (Latin name, Paraseriantes  
> Falcataria) and they are typically harvested after three years  
> (Remember this is the tropics).
> Yep the subsoil+biochar+fungi are much better, it's really quite  
> something to see up close!
> My plan is to remove and wash the roots before taking the next round  
> of photos on day90 so this should give us a quick idea of what  
> really went on above and below the ground.
> We added no fertilizer as we wanted to see the true effect of the  
> fungi and char.
> I'm hoping the guys at BIOTROP will carry out all the tests to  
> retrieve as much data as possible and then publish their findings.
>