By Nebraska Today
Compared to other soil amendments, biochar stands out.
The material, produced by pyrolysis of waste wood or other organic waste material, can reliably increase soil organic matter content in the long-term without needing repeated applications, and has exciting potential to enhance carbon sequestration in soil. Despite receiving increased attention both from researchers and the public, biochar is still relatively new and the effectiveness of this treatment for larger-scale agricultural operations remains under-examined.
A University of Nebraska–Lincoln research team led by Michael Kaiser, assistant professor of agronomy and horticulture, and including the Nebraska Water Center's Arindam Malakar, in collaboration with the City of Lincoln and with biochar sourced from Oregon Biochar Solutions, identified this knowledge gap and sought to bridge it by expanding upon previous research efforts involving biochar and regenerative agricultural practices such as cover cropping and no-till.
Results from this project will be used to support the use of biochar in Nebraska and the project represents an important milestone in the development of a nascent biochar industry in the Midwest.