Yes , it is very much possible. Right now , there are two very distinct drawbacks , we notice in biochar research , and International  Biochar Initiative is addressing these issues vehemently.  We have still little understanding about the short term response of different crops( how to achieve it)  , and secondly the doses of biochar to be applied in field are too high , considering the  biochar recovery from host of feedstocks. Third , issue also , we can take up , is the small scale production technique of biochar. Most of the studies have shown astonishing crop responses on acid soils , so biochar somewhere cuts down the quantity of lime to be applied in acid soil , however in alkaline soils , it hold s a good promise with integrated application biochar plus  compost/manure. Interestingly , different crops, field crops versus horticultural crops have shown different magnuitude of crop response.  If you apply full dose of manures as biochar , doses will be too high and waiting period for crop response will also be exhorbitantly too long before biochar comes into realguard action. 

Yes , it is very much possible. Right now , there are two very distinct drawbacks , we notice in biochar research , and International  Biochar Initiative is addressing these issues vehemently.  We have still little understanding about the short term response of different crops( how to achieve it)  , and secondly the doses of biochar to be applied in field are too high , considering the  biochar recovery from host of feedstocks. Third , issue also , we can take up , is the small scale production technique of biochar. Most of the studies have shown astonishing crop responses on acid soils , so biochar somewhere cuts down the quantity of lime to be applied in acid soil , however in alkaline soils , it hold s a good promise with integrated application biochar plus  compost/manure. Interestingly , different crops, field crops versus horticultural crops have shown different magnuitude of crop response.  If you apply full dose of manures as biochar , doses will be too high and waiting period for crop response will also be exhorbitantly too long before biochar comes into realguard action. 

Anoop has Identified a number of key areas, but I would also add that during pyrolysis, noxious materials can be emitted and in small scale production these are mostly emitted to the atmosphere.

Good point Paul. These are the areas , we need to attend them before biochar becomes a conventional carbon supplement to host of soils and crops..

Thank you for your suggestions Srivastava Saheb. There was a quarry that when  all the recommended quantity of manures are converted in to biochar, will the biological entity of soil suffers?. It brought out another question. Whether the biomass added by the crops, both, above(left over residues) and bellow (root biomass)  ground, will be sufficient to sustain the soil biology?  Pl. reply.

Very interesting Dr Rajan. If the  recommended doses of manures are  converted into biochar , and then applied into the soil , idea as such is wonderful. But ,  the recover y of biochar as carbon source is hardly 0.5-1.0% . And secondly , the the required time lag , applied biochar will take and  actively participate into different soil processes inflicting any visible changes in those properties , especially biological properties, also need to be considered . This  will again depend upon the nature and properties of soil ( more visible changes , you will notice in acid soils than alkaline soils , since biochar has strong liming effects in acid soils )  and crops intended (more visible changes , you will notice in perennial crops than annual crops)   . Since biochar carbon residence time is computed to be minimum of 50-60 years ( Work of CSIRO, Australia can be referred) , it surely provides wonderful  prospects of using them  initially as partial replacement of organic manures more than a regular basis. in nut shell , biochar application will not not at all bring any deterioration in any of the biological properties of soil , it will work other way , improve soil biological properties on sustained basis. 

Second part is more interesting to consider Dr Rajan. Infact , this is  the primary source of carbon to trillions of microbes inhabiting any soil , but again over a period of following mineralization , this carbon source is rapidly lost , hardly contribute anything to non-labile soil SOC ( biochar on the other hand ,  handsomely contributes towards building up non-labile form of soil SOC) , so eventually such crop  residues hardly serve towards the soil ecology on a long term basis , which biochar is able to do ..

Hope , these responses will be convincing to you , Dr Rajan...

Thank you Srivastava Saheb.  Your words are highly encouraging. When the manure or feed stocks become biochar, entire nutrients are not lost, nearly 50 to 60% nutrients are till available. Next, in our lab. study, I observed that the feed stocks such as wood of a local weed, forest litter and FYM are giving the recovery percentage of 18, 60 and 62 respectively at 700°C of pyrolysis. I am planning for some studies with biochar in acid soil. Thanking you once again.

 Sidi Mohamed Ounane & Dr. HEPPERLY: Obviously SOM is important in soils, mostly concerning the soil structure & the CEC value. But this is not enough for nutrition. SOM is practically inert because the constant of mineralization of the SOM (constituted mostly by humic substances, about 0,0001) is very low and the amount of major nutrients are quite limited. For getting a higher amount of, e. g., N or P you need to add organic residues (with relative low C/N ratio), which mineralize relatively fast (the constant of mineralization is high, e. g., from 0,3 to 0,6, according your ambient temperature) and in this way, you can get an adequate plant nutrition (if the demand of these plant is not too high).

  I do not understand your interest in biochar, K. RAJAN. This biochar is a subproduct & is merely an adsorbent. Do you have free biochar as a subproduct...? Not...? Do you think to spent energy for scorch manures & obtaining biochar...? This is a nonsense, because if you use manures, well composted, you have also a splendid adsorbent without spending energy. In Spanish we say for that: ‘You seeks to nake Virgins to wear Saints’.

Dr. Anoop, you always provide good solutions, but we need to look into dark side also. In some cases, by using biochar yields may decline because of the sorption of water and nutrients by the biochar, which reduces the availability of these resources for the crops. Biochar has also been shown to inhibit germination.  The sorption of pesticides and herbicides by the biochar can reduce their efficacy. What you comment on this part.

Thanks Dr Malhotra , Dr Rajan...very meaningful discussion on the issue being debated these  days like  a hot cake. No doubt, biochar development is an energy intensive issue(Juan has righyly opined). Most import of all while developing biochar is the nature of feedstock  (Dr Rajan has rightly mentioned)  ,temperature of pyrolysis  and anerobic conditions to dictate the quality of final output as biochar.Efforts should also be continued, how can we reduce the current high dose of biochar applied in field ? Our another concern is how can we derive maximum benefit in terms of crop response on a short term basis , however we keep biochar response is to be visualized on a long term basis  heavily on soils like Oxisols, Alfisols, Ultisols , Aridisol so heavily occupied in global agriculture. DR Malhotra is right , there are some reports like this on alkaline fine textured soils, such issues are emerging.Under such condition, combined application of biochar and compost is recommended to  look after both short  term and long terms gains...

Thanks Mr.  Juan Fernando Gallardo Lancho and Dr. Malhotra for your reply and views. Biochar can not be treated as just  an absorbent. It is a versatile material and its use is recorded in many areas.

1. Biomasses/manures/organic residues are converted in to biochar through pyrolysis process otherwise called thermodecomposition process. The labile carbon in the biomass is changed into recalcitrant carbon. The labile carbon is easily converted in to CO2 under aerobic condition and CH4 under anaerobic condtion i.e Green House Gases(GHGs). Where as the recalcitrant carbon in biochar is difficult  to decompose by the microbs hence the GHGs emission is reduced with great extent.

2. The resident period of the  recalcitrant carbon in biochar is very high which supports the soil physical, chemical and biological qualities for longer period and improves the soil quality. As you said it is a good absorbent, it retains water and nutrients in high quantity. The improved soil quality by the biochar supports higher crop yield.

3. Recalcitrant carbon in biochar stays in soil for long period hence the carbon sequestration potential also increases

4. The pH of the  biochar is highly alkaline (Upto pH 11.0). when it is prepared with high temperature. It is used as liming material to neutralize acid soils, apart from the above benefits.  

The view of Dr. Malhotra is valid on sorption of water and nutrients. We have to check the releasing and fixing patterns of water and nutrients by biochar. It is a good absorbent. It absorbs more quantity of water and nutrient which benefits the crop. Similarly it absorbs contaminants and  pesticides. The way it benefits the environment by absorbing contaminants; it absorbs considerable quantity of pesticides which may leads to less effective on pest control. .

I plan to use the biochar in acid soils. Several results on biochar research says, the performance of biochar  is better in acid soils compared to neutral and alkaline soils. 

I agree with you Dr Rajan , excellent points , thoroughly placed ..

Dr Rajan please find an excellent review recently published ....you will get lot of clues from this publication..

While manure solids can be converted into biochar, little is reported on air quality of pyrolysis gases, total energy consumption, and cost. I agree, many field and greenhouse studies apply unrealistic amounts of biochar. Rather application should represent the biochar yield based on crop residue yield or allowable solids application rate. It seems that the wealth of literature does show more profound effects on crop response in acidic soils. I am currently working on a manuscript that relates biochar point of zero net charge to pyrolysis temperature and feedstock. I see that carboxylation of high temperature biochar readily occurs under alkaline conditions, yielding a balance of positive and negative surface charge and hydrophobic character. I suspect that we need to evaluate higher pyrolysis temperatures to get the most out of biochar, and perhaps add a post-pyrolysis treatment to enhance its surface characteristics for better nutrient retention in soil.

Thanks Mr. Mike for your views. When the pyrolysis  temperature is increased, hydrogen and oxygen content and biochar recovery are reducing. Biochar's pH and carbon content  are increasing. When I converted the solid manure, wood and forest litter, reducing biochar recovery and increasing carbon and pH was observed. Persons working on biochar say that when the temperature is increased the biochar quality is deteriorating. Pl. tell your opinion. 

The first group of long-chain hydrocarbons that evolve from simple biomass pyrolysis at moderate temperatures are categorized as ‘primary’ tars. These are relatively low-weight (C2–C8) molecules such as levoglucosan, hydroxacetaldehydes, furfurals and methoxyphenols . Simple low-temperature pyrolysis will generate predominantly this group, along with some ‘secondary tar’ molecules . Secondary tar is synthesized from the primary pyrolysis products, particularly above 500°C, and contains (generally C5–C18) phenolics, olefins and aromatics . With heightened temperatures (above ca 800°C) and residence times, another class of tars form owing to polymerization of primary and secondary tars . These ‘tertiary’ tars are subdivided into PAHs without oxygen substituents (generally C6–C24) such as ‘condensed tertiary’: naphthalene, acenaphthylene, anthracene/phenanthrene, pyrene and ‘alkalized tertiary’: methylacenaphthylene, methylnaphthalene and indene .

Biochar produced by pyrolysis of biomass can be used to counter nitrogen (N) pollution. The present study investigated the effects of feedstock and temperature on characteristics of biochars and their adsorption ability for ammonium N (NH4+-N) and nitrate N (NO3−-N). Twelve biochars were produced from wheat-straw (W-BC), corn-straw (C-BC) and peanut-shell (P-BC) at pyrolysis temperatures of 400, 500, 600 and 700°C. Biochar physical and chemical properties were determined and the biochars were used for N sorption experiments. The results showed that biochar yield and contents of N, hydrogen and oxygen decreased as pyrolysis temperature increased from 400°C to 700°C, whereas contents of ash, pH and carbon increased with greater pyrolysis temperature. All biochars could sorb substantial amounts of NH4+-N, and the sorption characteristics were well fitted to the Freundlich isotherm model. The ability of biochars to adsorb NH4+-N followed: C-BC>P-BC>W-BC, and the adsorption amount decreased with higher pyrolysis temperature. The ability of C-BC to sorb NH4+-N was the highest because it had the largest cation exchange capacity (CEC) among all biochars (e.g., C-BC400 with a CEC of 38.3 cmol kg−1 adsorbed 2.3 mg NH4+-N g−1 in solutions with 50 mg NH4+ L−1). Compared with NH4+-N, none of NO3−-N was adsorbed to biochars at different NO3− concentrations. Instead, some NO3−-N was even released from the biochar materials. We conclude that biochars can be used under conditions where NH4+-N (or NH3) pollution is a concern, but further research is needed in terms of applying biochars to reduce NO3−-N pollution. Source ; PLoS ONE10.1371/journal.pone.0113888.s002

Please have a look at the enclosed PDF ..

Two biochar types were tested: 1) a walnut shell (WS) biochar produced by Dixon Ridge Farms in Winters, CA., and 2) a commercially available softwood-based “enhanced biochar” (EB) produced by Algae Aqua Culture in Whitefish, MT. The WS biochar was produced at 900 °C (BioMax 50 gasifier), yielding a product with 227.1 m2 g−1 surface

area, 517.3 g C kg−1 C content, 40% ash content, 33.4 cmol g−1 cation exchange capacity and pH of 9.7. The EB biochar was produced from amix of conifers species (ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, larch, lodgepole pine, spruce, and alpine fir) via pyrolysis between 600 and 700 °C and mixed with algal digestate. This biochar has a 2.0 m2 g−1 surface area, 360.0 g C kg−1C content, 6.4% ash content, 67.0 cmol g−1 cation

exchange capacity and pH of 6.8...

Dr.Rajan,one has to closely think over your question.Will your manure refers to composted manure or non-composted manure?Are the manures include the cattle,pig and poultry manures? In which area (rainfed or irrigated) you desire to convert manure into biochar? Is the manure surplus  and available to convert it into biochar? Do you have reliable/reproducible estimates of conversion of the different manures into biochars in slow and fast pyrolysis ?How much biochar is produced from unit amount of manure in the conditions mentioned earlier?As I understand manures are more commonly used in rainfed areas to provide both nutrients  to crop plants and water and nutrient retension in soil.Will the same purpose  served by biochar under rainfed conditions?Among the cattle,pig and poultry manures which one is more surplus especially in irrigated areas and available for biochar conversion? Probably the answers to my questions may give some idea of how much of which manure in which area is avilable for biochar conversion with out putting undue pressure on normal use of manures in agriculture especially in organic farming and in rainfed areas.

Biochar can play a major role in maintaining the sustainable soil management by decreasing the loss of nutrient by leaching and percolation of water. It can be used along with compost, organic manures in order to realize benefits.

Explanations of Dr. AK Srivastava is nice. Thanks Mr. B. Meena for your reply. Dr. Subba Rao's quarries are refining my thoughts on biochar. I have made some reply for his quarries.

Will your manure refers to composted manure or non-composted manure?

It is non-composted manure

Are the manures include the cattle,pig and poultry manures?

Cattle manures is regular applied and poultry manure is occasionally applied

 In which area (rainfed or irrigated) you desire to convert manure into biochar?

It is rainfed, high rainfall zone, supplementary irrigation is given on need basis

Is the manure surplus  and available to convert it into biochar?

General recommendation of FYM is  30 t/ha for major vegetables in the Nilgiris where I work but the farmers are applying more than the recommended dose. Major portion of FYM is brought from outside.

Do you have reliable/reproducible estimates of conversion of the different manures into biochars in slow and fast pyrolysis ?

In case of slow pyrolysis the recovery is @ 53% for cattle manure i.e FYM at 750°C and in lesser temperatures the recovery is more.

How much biochar is produced from unit amount of manure in the conditions mentioned earlier?

The farmers are regularly applying 30 tonnes and above per ha. Hence the minimum is 15 tonnes

As I understand manures are more commonly used in rainfed areas to provide both nutrients  to crop plants and water and nutrient retention in soil.

I agree with you. Actually, if the manure is converted into biochar, all the nutrients in manure are not lost. It contains lots of nutrients. It is reported that biochar is also retaining more nutrients and water.  

Will the same purpose  served by biochar under rainfed conditions?

Since it retains water and nutrient, I presume, it  dose similar work either it is  irrigated or rainfed. But the field research only can say it. 

Among the cattle,pig and poultry manures which one is more surplus especially in irrigated areas and available for biochar conversion?

I have observed that  majority is the cattle manure (FYM)but poultry manure is also used some extent. As I said, major portion of the cattle and full portion of poultry manure are brought from outside areas.

Probably the answers to my questions may give some idea of how much of which manure in which area is avilable for biochar conversion with out putting undue pressure on normal use of manures in agriculture especially in organic farming and in rainfed areas.

The concept of my research is to archive the goal of neutralizing acid soils, high  carbon sequestration, soil quality improvement, reduction of CO2 emission and increasing crop yield that:

Hypothesis 1: Crops are adding considerable amount of residues through above and below ground biomass and this itself may sustain the soil biology.

Hypothesis 2: Conversion of 100% manures of recommended quantity in to biochar will add good amount of nutrients. It will support the soil biology along with crop residues

Hypothesis 3: Some portions, say 25 or 50% of manure, can be converted to biochar.

Shall I proceed with these hypotheses?

Dr Rajan , let me compliment you for initiating a systematic work on biochar , a future for providing  long term solution of escalating deterioration in soil quality , carbon sequestration in non-labile pool (passive pool with most recalcitrant form of carbon) of soil ..You can also have a look at the  long discussion took place few months back under the question entitled Do you feel , biochars could be a promising alternative to organic manures? Edit on Rg with following questions..

The use of organics , either alone or in combination with microbes /chemical fertilizers , have played a vital role in sustaining the agriculture from subsistence . Production of biochars from materials of predominantly plant origin to possibly animal origin , including the sewage sludge , has opend up  newer possibilities of manoeuvering   soil health vis-a-vis  crop health. In this background, i am proposing following set of questions to  my learned colleagues  for their candid answers:

* What kind of substrates are best suited for biochar production?

* How could we regulate the quality of biochar ?

* What are the parameters that guide the manurial value of   quality biochar ?. 

* How can we improve the manurial value of biochar?

* Is there any long term evaluation of biochar with reference  to crop response and soil health assessment?

 Dr Rajan , your hypothesis are absolutely in  a right direction , and i endorse all of them , since very little we have right now offer on these areas as a research experience. Only thing , i will add , is to have comparative crop response  study  of annual versus perennial crops,  as and when you feel convenient 

Biochar supplies most stable form of carbon to the soil. Why suddenly we started feeling for biochar application, because carbon added through organic manures hardly stay in the soil for too long and eventually lost to the atmosphere . Dr Rajan, you have great program  ahead, I appreciate these issues. 

Thank you very much Dr. Srivastava for your constant encouragement. I thank Dr.Shirgure as well for your views and suggestions.

Sorry, I do not agree spending energy for having an adsorbent when the SOM, in huge amount, does the same. If you have biochar as a sub-product from an industry, it can be useful. But if you need burning manures for doing that, I repeat, this is a nonsense.   

Dr.RaJan,I appreciate your response to my questions.I shall further respond to your project.Mean while I was attracted by the last sentence of Dr.Juan Fernando.I have also a view similar to him.One need not burn cattle manure to synthesize biochar.When farmers are applying 30 tonnes or more manure,to supply nutrition to vegetable crops,the passive/resistant fraction from manure i.e, humus  addition to soil is quite substantial.The residence time in soil of Fulvic acid is 15-50 years and that of humic acid is 100 years or more. So the contribution of humus or humic substances to climate change mitigation(by carbon sequestration) can not be under- estimated.I need the inputs of learned colleagues on the amount of biochar produced from the different manures by slow and fast pyrolysis.Also the amount of nitrogen and sulphur lost in the pyrolysis process as N2O and SO2 gases( even with limited oxygen supply).In case of other nutrients what is amount lost in ash (which is not attached with biochar)?.

In the process of making biochar from manures, we also incur a huge loss of microbial biomass which otherwise might have been added to soil with manures; hence, not a sound proposition.

There are several sources of organics to prepare biochar including,rice and other cereal straws,sugarcane(waste bagasse and field trash),manures,biomass of crops and weeds on abandoned and degraded crop land,forestry residues,agroforestry and green/wood waste.Municipal solid waste is also a source but many times it  is contaminated with heavy metals or other pollutants.Among the manures, pig and poultry are prefered sources over cattle manure.In case of pig and poultry manures/wastes,if proper biochar preparing systems are not used ,there is possibility of N2O emissions to enviroment.

One important point is  that one need not apply biochar every year (as biochars have many years of residence time) like organic manures.Biochar can be prepared from the dominant available source in the vicinity  and applied once at a rate of 5-10 tonnes per ha.In the subsequent years manures can be applied regularly if availability is not a constraint.

There have been questions on mean residence time of biochars usually measured in terms of half life.For different biochars the half life reported varied from  a few hundreds to well over thousand years.The following references provide more details on points I mentioned.

Sustainable biochar to mitigate global climate change by Woolf,D. et al.2010 Nature communication1:56 DOI:10.1038/ncomms1053 http://www.nature.com/naturecommunications

Biochar carbon stability test method:An assessment of methods to determine biochar carbon stability.Budai,A. et al .2013 International Biochar Initiave.Available online.

Three studies in the above publication gives mean residence time of biochar in the ranges of  1000,1160-5040 and 2400-13,900.

So I believe that we need more realistic eatimates of stability/residence time /half life of divers biochars made from different methods.We need a standard method to manufacture biochars, controlling several parameters to get a desired quality product.

All biochars are not created equal,and how to tell them apart.McLaughlin ,H. et al.

https://www.researchgate.net/.../312453546

www.biochar-international.org/node/1029

Dr Rajan and other colleagues , please have a look at the multiple uses of biochar . i think ,  this is a must read PDF for all the followers of this discussion  or any othe r discusion relating biochar...55 uses of biochar .This PDF was attached by Dr Mohammad Jahangir Hossain...

Dear All,

we are working on carbonizing of biomass more than 10 years. During last 5 years, we carbonize more than 80 types of biomass around the world, of course, one of them was manure.

For example, with cow manure we are able to produce heat, cool, electricity and biocoal/biochar on this same technology line. 

Please read attached information about our technology. 

If anyone will have a question, please ask.

I would like to request you all please download and read this publication which was authored by Prof. R.Lal entitled The biochar dielemma. One of the excellent article to understand about the biochar application fairly. 

https://doi.org/10.1071/SR13359

Dr. Juan, 

We have to see things in different directions. Though biochar may have some limitations, it has also benefits that we can't get from SOM. For instance, SOM is not as effective as biochar to supply nutrients and amend soil acidity in acidic soils. For saline soils, good SOM may also provide the required benefits. In countries with soils having low SOM because of low biomass and exhaustive removal of crop residues, biochar is vital. 

Even the adsorbant nature of biochar is suitable for sandy soils that have moisture deficiency caused by high seepage loss.