DCA - Danish Centre For Food And Agriculture

During the last years the application of biochar to arable land has been suggested as a method to improve soil fertility and plant growth, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and sequester carbon for centuries. The rapid increase in the interest in biochar means that empirical documentation and mechanistic understanding need to be assessed continuously. In the present report, background and current knowledge have been synthesized in relation to the use of biochar in agricultural soils primarily under Danish conditions and based on major streams of available feedstock. The report also features an economical assessment and points to areas with knowledge gaps where better documentation and research is needed in relation to the pyrogenic carbon capture and storage as well as the persistent effects of biochar on soil ecosystem services