A sizable portion of Nebraska’s agricultural soils has lower soil carbon levels. Loss of soil carbon stocks can render land too poor for economically sound crop production. They are both high-carbon materials that could be utilized to build soil carbon stocks and potentially improve crop productivity in degraded soils or those low in organic carbon. Why Use High-Carbon Char?Īlthough high-carbon char contains only 30% carbon compared to the more than 70% carbon of biochar, high-carbon char has properties similar to biochar. High-carbon char from the Western Sugar Cooperative contains heavy metals well below the Environmental Protection Agency’s loading limit, making it safe for agricultural recycling. Like other by-products recycled as soil amendments, including bio-solids and manure, potential contaminants need to be considered when using high-carbon char. High-carbon char from the Western Sugar Cooperative in Scottsbluff contains 30% carbon, 0.37% nitrogen, 0.22% phosphorus, 4.76% potassium, 4.76% calcium, 1.08% magnesium, and 0.51% sulfur in addition to many plant essential nutrients. The plant produces 35,500 tons of high-carbon char per year from their sugar manufacturing process ( Figure 2). High-carbon char is a residue from incomplete burning of coal such as during sugarbeet processing at the Western Sugar Cooperative near Scottsbluff. Stockpiled high-carbon char located outside the Western Sugar Cooperative in Scottsbluff (Photo by Bharat Sharma Acharya)Īnother potential carbon-enriched soil amendment with properties similar to biochar is char, also known as high-carbon char. The Terra Preta soils are an excellent case study illustrating the long-term success of using high-carbon materials as soil amendments. In addition, these soils have higher water-holding capacity all of which make the soil highly valuable and productive. The Terra Preta soils are deep, dark brown, rich in nutrients, and contain significantly large amounts of soil organic matter compared to the surrounding soils. Through the addition of this carbon material, the indigenous people created what are now called the Terra Preta soils of the Amazon. Thousands of years ago, the indigenous people of the Amazon basin used charcoal-like material from cooking and heating as a soil amendment to agricultural soils. History Of Carbon-enriched Soil Amendment: Terra Preta SoilsĪddition of carbon-enriched materials to the soil is not a new practice. Carbon-enriched soil amendments, including animal manure, bio-solids, municipal compost, and biochar, among others, can restore soil productivity ( Figure 1). Soil carbon is lost from the soil through erosion, residue removal, intensive tillage, and land-use changes. Loss of soil carbon can lead to soil degradation and loss of productivity. Soil carbon (C) is an important indicator of soil health and an integral part of the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the soil. Potential benefits of carbon-enriched soil amendments on soil properties
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