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Biochar – the potential benefits
16th November 2020 @ 7:30 pm
For our November Zoom meeting, Donna Udall will lead a discussion on “Biochar – the potential benefits” . The topic is of great relevance as the farming and horticultural community seeks ways to improve the soil in the light of global warming, not to mention our departure from the EU which will radically change the basis of government funding for farmers.
Donna is currently Research Assistant, Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience, Coventry University
Brought up on a hill farm in Mid-Wales producing lamb and beef, and with undergraduate degrees in both business and finance and plant science, Donna now combines her pragmatic farming and business background with plant and soil science knowledge. For her current project she has secured funding for the Farmers, Growers and Gardeners Biochar Experiment.
Biochar is a form of charcoal intended for use in soils. It’s initial value is that it is a means to store carbon in the soil, where it may be useful, and out of the air – where it is harmful. From a soil benefit point of view, the claim is that it can alter the physical, chemical and biological nature of soil such that it returns significantly higher yields when applied with other amendments – but is this true? Donna Udall will take you through the benefits of biochar and how it can alter the physical, chemical and biological nature of your soil and crop system to sometimes provide some benefits in terms of yield. We also take a look at the outcomes of some trials to find out where it did work – and where it didn’t.
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