[Terrapreta] Biochar and the nitrogen cycle

[Biopact]

Skyhigh fertilizer prices are currently making a lot of farmers think about lowering their application rates, I think.

The good thing about biochar amongst smallholders in the tropics is that most of them don't use fertilizer to start with. An intervention there to make agriculture more productive with char and fertilizer (the combination of which is most beneficial), can teach farmers about correct rates from the very start because rates would be optimized for use on char-amended soils. Obviously, access to knowledge and economic incentives are the key drivers for success here. 

A formal N2O emissions market might come in handy, but I don't see this coming about anywhere soon. 

Lorenzo


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Greg and April 
  To: Michael Bailes ; Terra Preta 
  Sent: Monday, May 19, 2008 3:39 PM
  Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] Biochar and the nitrogen cycle


  Char will decrease nitrogen run off, only if you convince farmers to decrease nitrogen application and since most farmers apply more nitrogen and other macro nutrients ( phosphorous and potassium ), than is actually needed any way in the belief that it is actually helping - I wish you good luck.


  Only education alone in this area will actually stop the use of excess fertilizer.    

  Char can help by decreasing the amount needed to be applied at any one time, but until you can get the farmer past the belief that "more is better" all it will do is slow things down for a short time, until it is saturated, then it will go back to the same level of run off, if the application rates do not fall dramatically.

  Greg H.

    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: Michael Bailes 
    To: Terra Preta 
    Sent: Sunday, May 18, 2008 22:50
    Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] Biochar and the nitrogen cycle


    Interesting article thanks
    I was not aware that nitrogen was a"problem" except' in excess and in run-off into creeks rivers dams etc.
    Char should decrease such run-off.




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