[Terrapreta] charcoal in plantings of Jatropha curcas

[Roy Lent]

Here in Costa Rica we have a small company (Atlantis Energy S.A.) dedicated
to the planting and cultivation of Jatropha curcas, principally to produce
biodiesel. We are mostly planting on wet, slopes with worn out soils that
were pasturage for cattle. I have always assumed that our soil management
would include the advantages of *terra preta.

*The cultivation of Jatropha curcas should include considerable prunning and
although these prunings would make poor fuel charcoal, they should be
suitable for *terra preta *uses. Since I assume that the charcoal should be
reduced as finely as possible to go in the soil, why not place it in a
rolling drum with some rocks to be turned by a small water wheel?

Another question is the possible use of waste plastics to make such
charcoal. As part of household wastes many plastics are of a not recyclable
type or are too dirty to recycle. Can these be reduced to charcoal for use
in the soil?
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