Mallee Charcoal: part of a beneficial cycle?

Mallee Charcoal: part of a beneficial cycle?
Western Mineral Fertilisers, Australia April 2007

Mallee Charcoal

See presentation: Blackwell P, Shea S, Storer P, Kerkmans M, Stanley I: Improving wheat production with deep banded Oil Mallee charcoal in WA

Poster presented at IAI Conference

Mallee charcoal: part of a beneficial cycle?

1. Biomass harvested for oil
2. Biomass pyrolyzed to charcoal
3. Charcoal added to soil
4. Mineral fertilizer and microbes used
5. Charcoal improves micro-habitat
(Charcoal particle is interface between fungal hayphae, mineral granule and crop root)
6. Symbiotic fungi assist nutrient uptake
7. More crop yield
8. Better tree growth

Possible Benefits:
1. More sustainable nutrition in agriculture?
2. Less risk of eutrophication?
3. More efficient carbon sequestration?