Biochar

Tractor applying biochar to field
Biochar is a promising soil amendment in the agricultural industry, in growing demand for its ability to store carbon and improve water and nutrient retention in soil. (Department of Agronomy and Horticulture photo)

Great Plains Biochar Conference Set for Sept. 24-26

April 18, 2024
At this new conference, professionals working with biochar in research, education, agricultural application, production, industries, and trade will discuss how to bring biochar to its full potential as a multi-purpose material.

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Man stands near rainfall simulator during presentation
The Nebraska Soil Health School at UNL’s High Plains Ag Lab will include soil health demonstrations and the live rainfall simulator from USDA NRCS soil scientists. (Photo by Nicole Heldt)

Dryland Cropping Systems to be Focus of Upcoming Nebraska Soil Health School

March 11, 2024
The first Nebraska Soil Health School of 2024 will feature presentations on the impact of tillage, biochar and cover crops, soil health measurement and carbon markets, and more.

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MICRA project team posing for photo
The University of Nebraska–Lincoln team working on the MICRA project includes (from left) Taro Mieno, agricultural economics; Daniel Schachtman, agronomy and horticulture; Saleh Taghvaeian, biological systems engineering; and Seunghee Kim, civil engineering. (Photo by Nick Kumpula, Research and Economic Development)

Nebraska Part of Interdisciplinary Team Examining Climate Resiliency Through Soil

September 28, 2023
The research team will experiment with soil amendments and biochar to measure their impact on soil water-holding capacity to find ways to improve preservation of soil moisture in farm fields.

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Biochar application
Biochar is applied to 16 acres of farmland in northeast Lincoln with a manure spreader during University of Nebraska–Lincoln research trials in April. (Photo courtesy IANR News)

Nebraska Researchers Conduct Largest Biochar Field Trial in the State

May 11, 2023
The experiment was designed specifically to probe the effect of biochar in combination with biosolids, which the research team hypothesizes may help maximize the benefits of both.

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High-C char residue after sugarbeet processing

Using High-Carbon Char as a Soil Amendment to Improve Soil Properties

February 13, 2018
Can a residue from sugarbeet processing in western Nebraska be used to increase soil carbon? Researchers share the first year of data examining the effects on soil carbon and soil physical properties from using high-C char.

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Grant Funding Available for Biochar Projects

January 12, 2018
The Great Plains Biochar Initiative, a partnership of the Nebraska Forest Service, the Kansas Forest Service, and private industry, recently announced grant funding opportunities for developing biochar usage in the region.

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