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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Wooster, Ohio » Application Technology Research » Research » Research Project #441529

Research Project: Chemical and Physical Properties of Novel Potting Substrates from Wood-Based Biochar

Location: Application Technology Research

Project Number: 5082-21000-001-059-T
Project Type: Trust Fund Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Feb 1, 2022
End Date: Jan 31, 2025

Objective:
The objective is to develop new container potting substrates derived partly from wood-based biochar.

Approach:
Three different textures of biochar, either amended with wood vinegar or not (to stabilize pH) will be mixed with varying ratios of peat moss, pine bark, and coir. The chemical and physical properties of the substrates will be determined. Long-term stability of the substrate mixtures will be determined with an accelerated incubation study. Phytotoxicity, seed germination, and plant growth studies will be conducted to document crop response and correlation to measured chemical and physical properties.