How to set-up and evaluate (biochar) field trials

Transcription

1 Greet Ruysschaert (), 2nd European How to set-up and evaluate (biochar) field trials Greet Ruysschaert 2 nd European Biochar Summer School, Switzerland 5 th September 2013 Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research Plant Sciences Unit Agriculture and Fisheries Policy Area Eperiences with biochar field trials Participant eperiences with biochar field trials 2 1

2 Greet Ruysschaert (), 2nd European Eperiences with biochar field trials Interreg North Sea Region project: Biochar: climate saving soils 3 Eperiences with biochar field trials Treatments Romchar: Autumn 2011 RefOak: Autumn 2012 Compost: Autumn 2013 RefOak biochar-compost: Autumn

3 Greet Ruysschaert (), 2nd European Brainstorm You get 1 ton of biochar and 1 ton of biochar-compost Design your field eperiment What steps to take / decisions to make? Practical considerations? 1. Treatment choice 2. How much biochar to apply 3. Field site choice. Trial lay-out 5. How to apply biochar 6. How to incorporate biochar 7. Agricultural practices 5 1. Choose your treatments Well-defined research question(s) Effect of one biochar type against a control Effects of biochar dose Biochar application time Biochar/compost => added value compared to stand-alone products? => etra treatments needed C-base? Same application rate? Eperiences to share? 6 3

4 Greet Ruysschaert (), 2nd European Eperiences with biochar field trials Treatments Romchar: 20 ton/ha 13.8 ton C/ha - Autumn 2011 RefOak: 15.6 ton/ha => 10.9 tonc/ha Autumn 2012 Compost: 10.9 ton C/ha - Autumn 2013 RefOak biochar-compost: 10.9 ton C/ha - Autumn How much biochar to apply? How to choose a biochar dose? Literature? Pot trial? Soil organic carbon E.g., 1% SOC 30 cm incorporation depth soil bulk density 1.3 kg/dm³ =>39 ton SOC/ha Other considerations? Apply on dry-base E.g., 20 ton fresh biochar 15% moisture => 3 ton water + 17 ton dry biochar 30% moisture => 6 ton water + 1 ton dry biochar Calculate fresh biochar application rate based on intended dry biochar dose 8

5 Greet Ruysschaert (), 2nd European Soil type Homogeneity? Carbon, ph, nutrients Field site choice Control Biochar % Soil organic carbon ** * ** ** * 0 BE DK-A DK-S SE NO DE UK NL Field trial sites Interreg project Biochar: climate saving soils Ruysschaert et al., unpublished data 9 Homogeneity? Carbon, ph, nutrients 3. Field site choice TOC results (%) 2m X 10m buffer plot to allow for carry over m m (2 2mX10m) m m Biochar Equilibrated Biochar Fertiliser Manure Gap (buffer) 36m m UKBRC 10 5

6 Greet Ruysschaert (), 2nd European. Field trial lay-out Number of replications? Randomized (block) design (UK case) avoid strips Topography How to define plot size? Biochar availability Buffer strips erosion risk Machinery tillage, sowing, spraying, harvest 11. Field trial lay-out Case: biochar field trial (BE) 15m 15m 7.5m P1 Con P5 Rom P2 Comp P6 Ref P3 Rom Spraying track P7 B+C P B+C P8 Comp P19 Con P20 Ref Tillage direction Spraying track P9 Ref P10 Con P11 B+C P12 Rom Spraying track P13 Rom P1 Comp P15 Ref P16 Con Spraying track P17 Comp P18 B+C 12 6

7 Greet Ruysschaert (), 2nd European 5. How to apply biochar? Eperiences? Aim: precise and evenly distribution Bioforsk HAWK RISO DTU UKBRC How to apply biochar? Protect yourself! Riso DTU Prevent losses by wind - Major et al. (2009): up to 53% translocation by water and wind during application 1 7

8 Greet Ruysschaert (), 2nd European 6. Biochar incorporation Eperiences? ASAP => losses by wind and water Method: Ploughing? Bioforsk Lenses after ploughing Bioforsk Resurfaced biochar after 2nd ploughing Biochar incorporation 16 8

9 Greet Ruysschaert (), 2nd European 6. Biochar incorporation Avoid horizontal biochar dragging (also during trial) Hand machines Drive slowly Leasons learnt: no biochar application on maize stubble => buffer needed Van Oost et al., Participant eperiences? 7. Agricultural practices Dependent on research question Liming before start? Crop choice Fertilizer dose and tillage practice 18 9

10 Greet Ruysschaert (), 2nd European Participant eperiences/considerations? Analyse biochar at time of incorporation Hammond et al., 2013 Representative biochar sampling! 19 Evaluate vertical (and horizontal) biochar distribution! After each tillage operation or at each sampling date Concentration change over time? Biochar dose: concentration vs. ton/ha Bulk density! 20 10

11 Greet Ruysschaert (), 2nd European Sampling dates, minimum recommendation Before sowing/ tillage Just before fertilization Few days/week after mineralization After harvest 21 Initial sampling PER PLOT Before application Just after application Case BOPACT trial (BE) 3 treatments: Tillage (ploughing/non-inversion) Slurry application (cattle/pig) Compost (0 or 2 tonc/ha.year) SOC (%) SOC (%) Treatment CS_CT_FC ± ± ,12 CS_CT_FC ± ± 0.05 CS_NT_FC ± ± ,10 CS_NT_FC ± ± ,08 PS_CT_FC ± ± 0.02 PS_CT_FC ± ± ,06 PS_NT_FC ± ± ,0 PS_NT_FC ± ± 0.07 Statistical significance 0,02 Slurry NS * SOC SOC 2010 (%) Tillage 0,00 * NS Farm compost NS * -0,02-0,0 CS-FC0 CS-FC1 PS-FC0 PS-FC1 Treatment 22 11

12 Greet Ruysschaert (), 2nd European 7.5m P1 Con P2 Comp P3 Rom P B+C P19 Con P8 Comp P20 Ref Spraying track P5 Rom P6 Ref P7 B+C Tillage direction 9m Case: biochar field trial (BE) 15m Sampling - Buffer Harvest strip In season sampling Spraying track P9 Ref P10 Con P11 B+C P12 Rom Spraying track P13 Rom P1 Comp P15 Ref P16 Con Spraying track P17 Comp P18 B+C 23 Representative sample Subsamples for one composite sample Asses in-plot variability 2 12

13 Greet Ruysschaert (), 2nd European Case BOPACT trial (BE) Potato countings in maize Drijfmest*Bewerking; LS Means Drijfmest*Bewerking; LS Means Current effect: F(1, 28)=2,227, p=,15 Current effect: F(1, 12)=,69826, p=,1970 Effective hypothesis decomposition Effective hypothesis decomposition Vertical bars denote 0,95 confidence intervals Vertical bars denote 0,95 confidence intervals AardDeel Aardvolledig NK Bewerking K Drijfmest RD Drijfmest VD 10 5 NK Bewerking K Drijfmest RD Drijfmest VD Counted 3m 15m No treatment effects Enitre plot counted (15m 15m) Signficant effects: 1) tillage type and 2) slurry type 25 Analysis Light => physical segregation => mi well before analysis Suitability for biochar-soil matrices E.g., TDR calibrations, CEC analysis methods 26 13

14 Greet Ruysschaert (), 2nd European Any other considerations? 27 Some results Interreg trials Harvest Control Biochar 8 Control Biochar % Soil organic carbon 8 6 * Soil acidity (ph) ** * ** ** 0 Field trial sites BE DK-A DK-S SE NO DE UK NL 0 BE DE DK-A DK-S NL NO SE UK Field trial sites Interreg project Biochar: climate saving soils Ruysschaert et al., unpublished data 28 1

15 Greet Ruysschaert (), 2nd European Some results Interreg trials 2012 Number of earthworms per m² Control Biochar Earthworm mass (g/m²) 10 * * BE DK-S NO UK 0 BE DK-S NO UK Field trial sites Field trial sites Interreg project Biochar: climate saving soils Ruysschaert et al., unpublished data 29 Some results Interreg trials 2012 Dry matter grain yield (ton/ha) Grain * * Dry matter straw yield (ton/ha) 6 Straw 5 3 * * 2 1 Control Biochar 0 BE DE DK-A DK-S NL NO SE UK 0 BE DK-A DK-S NL NO SE Field trial sites Field trial sites Interreg project Biochar: climate saving soils Ruysschaert et al., unpublished data 30 15

16 Greet Ruysschaert (), 2nd European?? 2 nd European Biochar Summer School, Switzerland 5 th September 2013 Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research Plant Sciences Unit Agriculture and Fisheries Policy Area 16