POP-UP Talk: biochar in cascade

On April 28th, from 14-16h, Bart Vandecasteele of ILVO will tell about the potential of using biochar in substrates for horticulture. 

Future use of carbon-rich materials for a variety of applications including C storage in soil is expected to increase, potentially resulting in a shortage of these sources of exogenous organic matter. Using C-rich materials in a cascade is one strategy to avoid competition for these types of biomass. Using C-rich materials in a cascade is one strategy to avoid competition for these types of biomass. Greencomposts and wood-based biochars are examples of materials that are in most cases directly applied in the soil but that also can be used as bulk replacement for peat in horticultural substrates. ILVO tested the effect of using green compost, horticultural substrates and  wood-based biochars in cascade on their characteristics in terms of quality as organic soil improver. 

Bart Vandecasteele of ILVO will introduce the trials with biochar as part of substrates for horticultures. Two scenarios on the use of compost or biochar in a cascade were studied: (1) In the scenario ‘Green compost use in cascade’ were ILVO compared the value of green composts directly used as organic soil improver versus the value as soil improver of spent horticultural substrates (i.e., growing media) with or without green compost as such,or further processed into compost. In the scenario ‘Biomass use in cascade for producing biochar’ they compared the value of wood-based biochar as organic soil improver versus the value of biocharsproduced from spent horticultural substrates with or without green compost or biochars based on bark or straw-like fibers. 

Interested to join the POP-UP Talk? Please send an email to: closecycle.nsr@gmail.com. With the subject participation POP-UP Talk Biochar 28-4-25. 

A link for the zoom meeting will be send to you.