A More Sustainable Solution

Biochar has long been studied for its impact on agriculture and farming ever since it was added to soil as a component in Terra Preta or Amazonian Dark Earth, by peoples of the Amazon river basin over 2000 years ago. Inspired by this history, recent studies conducted by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) in Nova Scotia, have shown that biochar can significantly improve soil health, increase the yield of tomatoes and sweet peppers, enhance beneficial bacteria, and reduce fertilizer use by up to 50%.

Adding Biochar to soils also increases the amount of nitrogen retained by fertilized crops and subsequently increases crop yields. One such experiment on rice saw that crops with biochar-amended soil increased their nitrogen uptake by 23-27%, which led to an increase of 8-10% in rice yield.

Key Points

  • An AAFC study shows that biochar improves soil health, increases yield of tomatoes and sweet peppers, and reduces fertilizer use by up to 50%
  • A rice experiment saw crops increase their nitrogen uptake by 23-27%, leading to an increased yield of 8-10%.