effect of dark earth soils on crop yields

[Jacky Foo]

On 14/08/07, Mel Landers <agr...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>....it would be beneficial to discover how to produce Dark Earth Soils in the desert as well.

Dear Mel

do you have any crop yield comparsions for your own work on dark earth soils in Central America ?

regards
jacky

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[Mel Landers]

Hi Jacky,

 

I do not yet have trial results on the bed I built last year. It was just planted this last month and will not be ready for harvest for a while.

 

mel

Jacky Foo <jack...@gmail.com> wrote:

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[Jacky Foo]

Hi Everyone

I found an interesting poster on "Black carbon from rice residues as
soil amendment and for carbon sequestration" by
Haefele SM, Konboon Y, Knoblauch C, Koyama S, Gummert M, Ladha JK at
http://www.css.cornell.edu/faculty/lehmann/biochar/WCSS2006/Haefele%20Poster.pdf
which I recommend reading and see pictures too.

Some quotes:
....In Japan, carbonized rice husk (Kuntan) has been produced and
used in agriculture since a long time. Several books on the
utilization
of Kuntan in agriculture were already published in the 1910's in
Japan. In and outside of Japan, Kuntan was and is used to cover
and protect rice nurseries, as an additive to the culture medium for
ornamental plants, and as a component of growth media for
seedlings and hydroponics. It was also reported to function as
absorptive for moisture and gas and as water purifier.

...greenhouse experiments did indicate small
biomass and yield increases due to the application of carbonized
rice husks.

....Results of the field trials did not show
any significant agronomic effect (biomass or grain yield) in irrigated
systems with medium soil fertility (Los Baños, Modipuram), but
considerable yield increases were observed in rainfed systems with
poor soil fertility. Particularly interesting at these sites and in
the
greenhouse experiments was that the addition of carbonized husks
did increase the fertilizer use efficiency. Analysis of soil related
results is still ongoing.

comment by JF: (lessons learnt from Mel L and method to be used at the
Children's Village of Kenya where the soil is not so fertile)
(i) I would use the principle of Mel's method (http://www.iobbnet.org/
pub/ML-DarkEarthSoil.doc) for making compost but will make the
following changes. (i) dig a trench-bed of 25 cm deep. (ii) make
compost (layers of plant residues, cow dung, soil, etc) with charcoal
bottom to create a raised bed of about 25 cm above the ground (i.e.
total 50 cm compost pile). (iii) cover with 20 cm soil (iv) grow plant
cover on it (maybe irish potatoes ?).
(ii) Do this on the same bed area twice and then the soil could also
be used for plant nursery plastic bags

regards
jacky
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[Mel Landers]

Hi everyone,

 

Thank you Jacky for the information on black carbon from rice residues. It is proof that pretty much any biological waste can be used to make the charred portion of a dark earth soil. Rice hulls are so light weight and compression resistant that one might neglect consideing them for this purpose. But, they have been used for a long time in Japan. Being quite resistant to decay, you would probably not want to use them for the biomass you want to decompose for nutrient release and humus production.

JF wrote:

I would use the principle of Mel's method (http://www.iobbnet.org/
pub/ML-DarkEarthSoil.doc) for making compost but will make the
following changes.

 

This sounds like a good way to start an experiment for producing dark earth soil. I like the trench idea, as it lowers the eventual height of the raised bed produced.

 

I think you may have problems growing the potatoes, because of the amount of Nitrogen being used for the decomposition process within the bed. But, there is no way to know if I am correct or not without trying it out. I used peanut because ift fixes its own Nitrogen. If non-legumenous plants will succeed on these decomposing beds, that will offer much more flexibility. I hope it works for you.

 

mel

 

Jacky Foo <jack...@gmail.com> wrote:

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[Jacky Foo]

On 18/08/07, Mel Landers <agr...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>It is proof that pretty much any biological waste can be used to
>make the charred portion of a dark earth soil. Rice hulls are
>so light weight and compression resistant

Dear Mel
Thanks for your prompt visits to the Internet Cafe. .......much appreciated.

We have covered quite a lot of ground already regarding the method for producing dark earth soil. We have seen some societies that have used it (e.g. Native Amazonians and also the Japanese in the beginning of the last century).

For people who have heard about the dark earth soils and the method is rather simple, what is the next step that we need to step over so that it is practice ?

The  native amazonians lost it for some time. What caused it ?
Why are we not teaching children and students such sustainable methods ?

regards
jacky

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[Bob Morriss]

Mel and Jacky, these ideas are very good but I believe we need to find a way to incorporate them into a large scale system. Does not do much good, I believe, to make a lot of little plots when a LOT of compost, humus and food is needed. Bob Morriss

[Mel Landers]

Hi  Bob,

 

I couldn't agree with you more! That is exactly why i am involved with this seminar. I am hoping that others will do research themselves, starting with the basics I have provided. Given adequate waste materials for the anaerobic composting material and a plantation of fast growing copiced trees, there is no reason why this could not be done on many thousands of acres anually.

 

In fact, I and my accociates are gearing up to do that very thing right now here in Nicaragua. This nation has enough waste materials and potential for Moringa Oleifera (The Miracle Tree)production that we should be able to sequester a billion tones of Carbon a year within a decade.

 

Right now, the Kyoto Protocol  has made this type of sequestration inelligable for Carbon Credits, but that coiuld soon change. The process, with Moringa will be profitable anyway, due to other profitable products from the tree, which is cut every 45 days. Yes we are talking about soft charcoal here.

 

The reason I made a small plot is because I was limited by the amount of charcoal I had available. We are beginning land management projects on which we will be planting Moringa plantations (along with sorghum, sweet potato and another plant related to sweet potato) this will be harvested each day for hog feed. Manure anyone?

 

It is a mater of finding what is available in your given area, (such as the swith grass in Kansas) and designing trials around what you have. I am afraid it is always necessary to crawl before you can run. I wish it were otherwise!

 

mel

Bob Morriss <rbmor...@att.net> wrote:

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