Biochar

Biochar is a carbonaceous porous substance derived from biomass. The carbon component’s abundance and chemical composition vary depending on the source material. A fine-grained, highly porous type of charcoal made from biomass, biochar has been used by humans for over two thousand years as a soil enhancer. It helped to increase crop yields while sustaining essential soil biodiversity.

Raw material of biochar:

Biochar has been made from various feedstocks, including agricultural residues, wood waste, such as peanut shell, rice husk，corn stalks，etc.

Effects of biochar for soil:

Biochar reduces soil acidity decreasing liming needs. it retains a significant amount of nutrients from its source. Because biochar attracts and holds soil nutrients, it reduces fertilizer requirements - something common organic matter cannot do. As a result, fertilization costs are minimized and fertilizer (organic or chemical) is retained in the soil for far longer. Chemical fertilizers are typically fossil-fuel based, thus biochar provides additional indirect climate change benefits by reducing fertilizer needs.

Soil's Best Friend— Because of biochar's physical and chemical nature, it has a unique ability for attracting and holding moisture, nutrients, and agrochemicals even retaining difficult to hold nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous. Nitrogen tends to run-off regular soils, upsetting ecosystem balance in streams and riparian areas. Biochar also holds gasses; recent research has proven biochar-enriched soils reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions by 50-80%. N2O is a significant greenhouse gas, 310 times more potent than CO2.