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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Forage Seed and Cereal Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #390050
Research Project: Improving Plant, Soil, and Cropping Systems Health and Productivity through Advanced Integration of Comprehensive Management Practices

Location: Forage Seed and Cereal Research Unit

Title: Agricultural use

Author
item Trippe, Kristin
item YORGEY, G.G. - Washington State University
item LAIRD, DAVID - Iowa State University
item PEECHA, BRANDON - National Renewable Energy Laboatory
item DRINKARD, DAVID - Ag Energy Solutions Llc

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/15/2021
Publication Date: 12/20/2021
Citation: Trippe, K.M., Yorgey, G., Laird, D., Peecha, B., Drinkard, D. 2021. Agricultural use. In: Amonette, J.E., Archuleta, J.G., Fuchs, M.R., et al., editors. Biomass to Biochar: Maximizing the Carbon Value. Pullman, WA: Washington State University. p. 115-122.

Interpretive Summary: Biochar has potential to reduce the environmental footprint in nearly every aspect of agricultural production. The use of biochar has been proposed to manage agricultural and forest biomass, to process animal manure and poultry litter, to improve the nutritive value of feed, to mitigate the offsite movement of pesticides and soil nutrients, to mitigate climate change by increasing soil carbon, and to increase agricultural productivity. Despite the proliferation of studies that describe the benefits of biochar application, there is a significant disconnect between the discovery and description of biochar-based agronomic practices and their deployment. As such, substantial markets for biochar and the coproducts of biochar production have not yet emerged. Because land use application of biochar is widely studied, and because it has the potential to create a tremendous demand for biomass and biochar-based products, this chapter identifies the known benefits of biochar application, the barriers to market adoption, and the research priorities for lowering these barriers. It also identifies key knowledge gaps that can help inform the development and implementation of policies that incentivize biochar application and stimulate market development.

Technical Abstract: Biochar has potential to reduce the environmental footprint in nearly every aspect of agricultural production. The use of biochar has been proposed to manage agricultural and forest biomass, to process animal manure and poultry litter, to improve the nutritive value of feed, to mitigate the offsite movement of pesticides and soil nutrients, to mitigate climate change by increasing soil carbon, and to increase agricultural productivity. Despite the proliferation of studies that describe the benefits of biochar application, there is a significant disconnect between the discovery and description of biochar-based agronomic practices and their deployment. As such, substantial markets for biochar and the coproducts of biochar production have not yet emerged. Because land use application of biochar is widely studied, and because it has the potential to create a tremendous demand for biomass and biochar-based products, this chapter identifies the known benefits of biochar application, the barriers to market adoption, and the research priorities for lowering these barriers. It also identifies key knowledge gaps that can help inform the development and implementation of policies that incentivize biochar application and stimulate market development.