*Thanks Kevin. Very nicely put. Comparative studies can be done on various crops but I have a feeling that it will take a very long time to show the differences. That is why I asked this question whether any data exists.* * * *Thanks and warm regards.* * * *Anil * On Wed, Nov 2, 2011 at 11:12 PM, Kevin <[email protected]> wrote:
> ** > Dear Ron > > Anil raises a very important question that should not be dismissed with a > mere belief. I suggest that you are doing Biochar a great disservice by > persisting on "beating the Climate Change Drum", while disregarding the > circumstances where biochar additions to the soil will actually benefit the > Farmer and Grower. Biochar usage will escalate dramatically in > circumstances where biochar can be clearly and palpably demonstrated as > being cost effective to the Farmer and Grower. In my opinion, Biochar usage > will virtually collapse, if its use depends on the Carbon Credit Payment > incentives actually received by the Farmer or Grower. > > The general state of the World Economies, and the complexity of system > administration is such that it is extremely unlikely that Carbon Credit > Payments will actually reach the Farmer or Grower to a degree that such > payments will encourage the use of biochar. > > Furthermore, I feel it is irresponsible to promote increased usage of > Biochar in Agriculture, without knowing the circumstances where biochar > additions > will actually be of benefit to the Farmer and Grower. Some of the Farmers > that people like Anil, Dr. Reddy, Dr. Karve, and Peter Ongele wish to help > are literally one crop away from starvation; a "disappointing yield" or a > crop failure can literally have lethal consequences. Sadly, all too many > "Biochar Promoters" infer that "Biochar = Terra Preta". Evidence I have > from personal tests, confirmed by others, shows that "Biochar Only", in a > disadvantaged soil will DECREASE plant growth. However, others have indeed > shown that under certain circumstances, biochar appears to be beneficial to > the Farmer or Grower, PROVIDING that other soil amendments needed by the > soil are added at the same time. Such "other soil amendments" or additives > could include: > * Organic matter > * Manure > * Fertilizer > * Compost > * Urine > * Microbes > * Sugar > * Silt and Clay > * Etc > > Biochar alone is NOT a panacea for the Farmer or Grower. While it can > be PART of a solution in some cases, it can only result in an improvement > if it brings something to the soil, that the soil lacks. For example, there > is no point in adding charcoal to a soil that is deficient in organic > matter, in that charcoal is NOT organic matter... it is "mineralized > carbon" that originated from biomass, and it cannot feed the soil > life-forms necessary for plant growth. > > In my opinion, Anil's question is extremely relevant, and it deserves to > be answered in a responsible manner... with evidence from competently > structured and implemented tests, rather than being dismissed with an > unsupported belief. Using a soil that is otherwise "good", with the single > exception that it is deficient in organic matter, the tests should be > structured to determine if the Farmer or Grower gets superior growth > results under the following test conditions: > A: A given amount of organic matter is added to the soil per square meter. > or > B: The SAME amount of organic matter per square meter is charred to > produce biochar, and the resulting biochar is added to the test plot. > > Note that this simple test will only prove the difference between organic > matter and biochar... it does not answer the question posed by Anil. Given > that an "Organic Fertilizer" is "Organic matter plus a "package of > additives"", the above simple test could be expanded in a manner where > identical "additive packages" were added to the test plots in the "A Plots" > (organic matter) and "B Plots" (biochar from the same amount of organic > matter). > > Kevin > > ----- Original Message ----- > > *From:* Ron Larson <[email protected]> > *To:* Discussion of biomass cooking stoves<[email protected]> > *Cc:* Discussion of biomass cooking stoves<[email protected]> > *Sent:* Wednesday, November 02, 2011 7:21 AM > *Subject:* Re: [Stoves] Char vs. fertilizer > > Anil (cc list) > > > I believe Biochar will do the better job of removing excess atmospheric > CO2 and of improving soil productivity over the long term. > > Ron > > Sent from my iPad > > On Nov 2, 2011, at 2:38 AM, nari phaltan <[email protected]> wrote: > > *Dear Stovers,* > * > * > *What will be a better strategy for agricultural residues: to produce > char or organic fertilizer?* > * > * > *Is there any quantitative studies done for both value production and > reducing environmental considerations?* > * > * > *Both char and organic fertilizer will go towards enriching the soil.* > * > * > *Cheers.* > * > * > *Anil > * > > -- > Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) > Tambmal, Phaltan-Lonand Road > P.O.Box 44 > Phaltan-415523, Maharashtra, India > Ph:91-2166-222396/220945 > e-mail:[email protected] > <[email protected]>[email protected] > > <http://www.nariphaltan.org>http://www.nariphaltan.org > > > _______________________________________________ > Stoves mailing list > > to Send a Message to the list, use the email address > [email protected] > > to UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page > > http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/stoves_lists.bioenergylists.org > > for more Biomass Cooking Stoves, News and Information see our web site: > http://www.bioenergylists.org/ > > ------------------------------ > > _______________________________________________ > Stoves mailing list > > to Send a Message to the list, use the email address > [email protected] > > to UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page > > http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/stoves_lists.bioenergylists.org > > for more Biomass Cooking Stoves, News and Information see our web site: > http://www.bioenergylists.org/ > > ------------------------------ > > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 2012.0.1834 / Virus Database: 2092/4589 - Release Date: 11/01/11 > > > _______________________________________________ > Stoves mailing list > > to Send a Message to the list, use the email address > [email protected] > > to UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page > > http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/stoves_lists.bioenergylists.org > > for more Biomass Cooking Stoves, News and Information see our web site: > http://www.bioenergylists.org/ > > > -- Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) Tambmal, Phaltan-Lonand Road P.O.Box 44 Phaltan-415523, Maharashtra, India Ph:91-2166-222396/220945 e-mail:[email protected] [email protected] http://www.nariphaltan.org
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