Summer 1982

Registration of Isofenphos (page 3) Managing Annual Bluegrass (4) Helminthosporium Leaf Spot Fungicide Control Trial--1981 (8) Cultivar Trials--1981 (9) Dollar Spot (Sclerotinia Homeocarpa Sp.) Fungicide Control Trial--1981 (14) Living with the Gypsy Moth (15

Spring 1984 Conference Issue

Research Update (page 3) Low Management Kentucky Bluegrass Cultivar Trials (5) Nitrogen Leaching Losses from N Fertilizer Applied to Turf (8) Fifty-third Annual Turf Conference and Eighth Industrial Show (10) Liquid Versus Dry Nitrogren Fertilizer Applications on Kentucky Bluegrass (13) Growth Retardant, Embark (16) Fungicides: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (18

Biochar Usage: Pros and Cons

Soil fertility benefits of charcoal application have been reported as early as 1847 indicating that plant nutrients are sorbed within charcoal pores. The use of biomass-derived black carbon or biochar, the solid byproduct from the pyrolysis processing of any organic feedstock, has garnered recent attention as a potential vehicle for carbon sequestration and a beneficial soil conditioner. However, most of the past biochar research has focused on improving the physico-chemical properties of tropical (i.e. terra preta) and highly weathered soils, while little research has focused on improving arid or semi-arid soils of the USA. Here, we present an overview of the potential benefits and drawbacks of biochar usage in western US agro-ecosystems based on research performed at multiple USDA-Agricultural Research Service locations (Washington, Idaho, Minnesota, and South Carolina)

Manganese-coated IRIS to document reducing soil conditions

Iron-coated indicatorof reduction in soils (IRIS) devices have been used for nearly two decades to help assess and document reducing conditions in soils, and official guidance has been approved for interpreting these data. Interest in manganese (Mn)-coated IRIS devices has increased because Mn oxides are reduced under more moderately reducing conditions than iron (Fe) oxides (which require strongly reducing conditions), such that they are expected to be better proxies for some important ecosystem services like denitrification. However, only recently has the necessary technology become available to produce Mn-coated IRIS, and the need is now emerging for guidance in interpreting data derived from Mn IRIS. Ninety-six data sets collected over a 2-yr period from 40 plots at 18 study sites among eight states were used to compare the performance of Mn-coated IRIS with Fe-coated IRIS and to assess the effect of duration of saturation and soil temperature as environmental drivers on the reduction and removal of the oxide coating. It appears that the current threshold prescribed by the National Technical Committee for Hydric Soils for Fe-coated IRIS is appropriate for periods when soil temperatures are warmer (\u3e11 °C), but is unnecessarily conservative when soil temperatures are cooler (5–11 °C). In contrast, Mn-coated devices are particularly useful early in the growing season when soil temperatures are cool. Our data show that when using a threshold of 30% removal of Mn oxide coatings there is essentially 100% confidence of the presence of reducing soil conditions under cool (\u3c11 °C) conditions

Biochar as a tool to reduce the agricultural greenhouse-gas burden–knowns, unknowns and future research needs

Agriculture and land use change has significantly increased atmospheric emissions of the non-CO2 green-house gases (GHG) nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4). Since human nutritional and bioenergy needs continue to increase, at a shrinking global land area for production, novel land management strategies are required that reduce the GHG footprint per unit of yield. Here we review the potential of biochar to reduce N2O and CH4 emissions from agricultural practices including potential mechanisms behind observed effects. Furthermore, we investigate alternative uses of biochar in agricultural land management that may significantly reduce the GHG-emissions-per-unit-of-product footprint, such as (i) pyrolysis of manures as hygienic alternative to direct soil application, (ii) using biochar as fertilizer carrier matrix for underfoot fertilization, biochar use (iii) as composting additive or (iv) as feed additive in animal husbandry or for manure treatment. We conclude that the largest future research needs lay in conducting life-cycle GHG assessments when using biochar as an on-farm management tool for nutrient-rich biomass waste streams. © 2017 The Author(s) Published by VGTU Press and Informa UK Limited, [trading as Taylor & Francis Group]

Biochar research activities and their relation to development and environmental quality. A meta-analysis

Biochar is the solid product that results from pyrolysis of organic materials. Its addition to highly weathered soils changes physico-chemical soil properties, improves soil functions and enhances crop yields. Highly weathered soils are typical of humid tropics where agricultural productivity is low and needs to be raised to reduce human hunger and poverty. However, impact of biochar research on scientists, politicians and end-users in poor tropical countries remains unknown; assessing needs and interests on biochar is essential to develop reliable knowledge transfer/translation mechanisms. The aim of this publication is to present results of a meta-analysis conducted to (1) survey global biochar research published between 2010 and 2014 to assess its relation to human development and environmental quality, and (2) deduce, based on the results of this analysis, priorities required to assess and promote the role of biochar in the development of adapted and sustainable agronomic methods. Our main findings reveal for the very first time that: (1) biochar research associated with less developed countries focused on biochar production technologies (26.5 ± 0.7%), then on biochars’ impact on chemical soil properties (18.7 ± 1.2%), and on plant productivity (17.1 ± 2.6%); (2) China dominated biochar research activities among the medium developed countries focusing on biochar production technologies (26.8 ± 0.5%) and on use of biochar as sorbent for organic and inorganic compounds (29.1 ± 0.4%); and (3) the majority of biochar research (69.0±2.9%) was associated with highly developed countries that are able to address a higher diversity of questions. Evidently, less developed countries are eager to improve soil fertility and agricultural productivity, which requires transfer and/or translation of biochar knowledge acquired in highly developed countries. Yet, improving local research capacities and encouraging synergies across scientific disciplines and countries are crucial to foster development of sustainable agronomy in less developed countries. © 2017, The Author(s)

Biochar reduces the efficiency of nitrification inhibitor 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) mitigating N2O emissions

Among strategies suggested to decrease agricultural soil N2O losses, the use of nitrification inhibitors such as DMPP (3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate) has been proposed. However, the efficiency of DMPP might be affected by soil amendments, such as biochar, which has been shown to reduce N2O emissions. This study evaluated the synergic effect of a woody biochar applied with DMPP on soil N2O emissions. A incubation study was conducted with a silt loam soil and a biochar obtained from Pinus taeda at 500 degrees C. Two biochar rates (0 and 2% (w/w)) and three different nitrogen treatments (unfertilized, fertilized and fertilized + DMPP) were assayed under two contrasting soil water content levels (40% and 80% of water filled pore space (WFPS)) over a 163 day incubation period. Results showed that DMPP reduced N2O emissions by reducing ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) populations and promoting the last step of denitrification (measured by the ratio nosZI + nosZII/nirS + nirK genes). Biochar mitigated N2O emissions only at 40% WFPS due to a reduction in AOB population. However, when DMPP was applied to the biochar amended soil, a counteracting effect was observed, since the N2O mitigation induced by DMPP was lower than in control soil, demonstrating that this biochar diminishes the efficiency of the DMPP both at low and high soil water contents.This work was funded by the Spanish Government (AGL2015-64582-C3-2-R MINECO/FEDER), by the Basque Government (IT-932-16) and by the European Union (FACCE-CSA no 276610/MIT04-DESIGN-UPVASC, FACCE-CSA no 2814ERA01A and 2814ERA02A). This work is also supported by the USDA/NIFA Interagency Climate Change Grant Proposal number 2014-02114 [Project number 6657-12130-002-08I, Accession number 1003011] under the Multi-Partner Call on Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research of the FACCE-Joint Program Initiative. Any opinions, findings, or recommendation expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the USDA. MLC was supported by a Ramon y Cajal contract from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and thanks Fundacion Seneca for financing the project 19281/PI/14

Biochar successfully replaces activated charcoal for in vitro culture of two white poplar clones reducing ethylene concentration

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Carbon sequestration potential and physicochemical properties differ between wildfire charcoals and slow-pyrolysis biochars

Pyrogenic carbon (PyC), produced naturally (wildfire charcoal) and anthropogenically (biochar), is extensively studied due to its importance in several disciplines, including global climate dynamics, agronomy and paleosciences. Charcoal and biochar are commonly used as analogues for each other to infer respective carbon sequestration potentials, production conditions, and environmental roles and fates. The direct comparability of corresponding natural and anthropogenic PyC, however, has never been tested. Here we compared key physicochemical properties (elemental composition, δ13C and PAHs signatures, chemical recalcitrance, density and porosity) and carbon sequestration potentials of PyC materials formed from two identical feedstocks (pine forest floor and wood) under wildfire charring- and slow-pyrolysis conditions. Wildfire charcoals were formed under higher maximum temperatures and oxygen availabilities, but much shorter heating durations than slow-pyrolysis biochars, resulting in differing physicochemical properties. These differences are particularly relevant regarding their respective roles as carbon sinks, as even the wildfire charcoals formed at the highest temperatures had lower carbon sequestration potentials than most slow-pyrolysis biochars. Our results challenge the common notion that natural charcoal and biochar are well suited as proxies for each other, and suggest that biochar’s environmental residence time may be underestimated when based on natural charcoal as a proxy, and vice versa

Biochar: pyrogenic carbon for agricultural use: a critical review.

O biocarvão (biomassa carbonizada para uso agrícola) tem sido usado como condicionador do solo em todo o mundo, e essa tecnologia é de especial interesse para o Brasil, uma vez que tanto a ?inspiração?, que veio das Terras Pretas de Índios da Amazônia, como o fato de o Brasil ser o maior produtor mundial de carvão vegetal, com a geração de importante quantidade de resíduos na forma de finos de carvão e diversas biomassas residuais, principalmente da agroindústria, como bagaço de cana, resíduos das indústrias de madeira, papel e celulose, biocombustíveis, lodo de esgoto etc. Na última década, diversos estudos com biocarvão têm sido realizados e atualmente uma vasta literatura e excelentes revisões estão disponíveis. Objetivou-se aqui não fazer uma revisão bibliográfica exaustiva, mas sim uma revisão crítica para apontar alguns destaques na pesquisa sobre biochar. Para isso, foram selecionados alguns temaschave considerados críticos e relevantes e fez-se um ?condensado? da literatura pertinente, mais para orientar as pesquisas e tendências do que um mero olhar para o passad