Biochar Use for Finger Lakes

Vineyards

The DeVine Char Project

The Carbon FamilyCharcoal Biochar Activated Carbon

Feedstock Hardwood, sawdust+ Binding Agents

Ag, forestry & other organic materials/waste

Coconut shells, peat, coal, petroleum pitch

Common Uses

Fuel (Cooking) Soil AmendmentRemediationFiltrationBinding Agent (livestock)

FiltrationOdor ControlRemediationBinding Agent (humans)

Relevant Qualities

BurnabilityLow smoke

Adsorption/Porosity CECSequestration

Adsorption

Cost $ - $$ $$ $$$

Production Slow Pyrolysis;Kiln

Slow Pyrolysis;Kiln;Gasification

Pyrolyzed at 600 – 900C + activated at 250C ORChemically impregnated & cooked @ 450 – 900C

Carbon Footprint

Carbon Neutral: May lead to Deforestation

Carbon Negative (in many situations)

Carbon Positive

What is Biochar?

Challenges Faced by Vineyards in the Finger Lakes

Increasing costs for off-vineyard inputs for nutrient management

Yield variability within vineyards Increasing variability of precipitation Pest control Soil compaction Soil erosion Nutrient Leaching can impact local water bodies

A Proposal for how Biochar mightContribute to Sustainable Viticulture

1. Reduce need for certain off-vineyard purchases2. Improve yield consistency within a vineyard or block.3. Improve internal water drainage and water holding capacity of soil.4. Improve YAN.5. Improve cation exchange capacity within the soil.6. Combining biochar with grape pomace will accelerate

composting and reduce leaching.7. Improve microbial activity in soils8. Add nutrients to the soil organically.9. Reduce nutrient leaching.10. Optimize waste biomass (vine prunings, old vines).11. Improve root growth.12. Improve vineyard floor management13. Improve bulk density of soil and reduce compaction.14. Reduce soil acidity (improve pH).15. Neutralize toxins in soils.

1. Reduce off-vineyard inputs

Photo by Tim Martinson, Cornell University.

Many FL vineyards add straw bales to every other row to improve OM. Due to drought, the cost of round bales increased nearly 100% in 2013 in the Finger Lakes. ($115 - $150 per bale)• Biochar provides long term stable organic material.

2. Improve Yield Consistency

Maximizing yield is not generally a primary goal for wine grapes and in fact vines are heavily pruned to control yield. However yield per vine within plots is often highly variable. Improved yield consistency would provide sustainable increases in tons per acre.• Targeted biochar application can provide an attractive precision

viticulture tool.

3. Improve Drainage & Water Holding Capacity

Source: http://web.pppmb.cals.cornell.edu/seem/magarey/Vinesite/avail.htm

Annual precipitation rates for NYS have increased by 3.3” over the past 100 years, with 67% increase in 2” rain events. However precipitation in late summer/fall is decreasing. The Finger Lakes has experienced droughts in both of the past two years.• Biochar helps clay soils drain better and helps sandy soils hold up to 60%

more water.

4. Improve YAN

Reference: Niggli, C., Schmidt, H.P. 2012/01. Biochar in European Viticulture: Results of the Season 2011. Ithakajournal. [Internet] Available from: http://www.ithaka-journal.net/pflanzenkohle-im-europaischen-weinbau-ergebnisse-2011?lang=en

Yeast assimilable nitrogen (YAN) is critical for fermentation and is often low in NY musts requiring winemakers to add nitrogen in the form of DAP. • A recent study in Italy found vineyards that applied biochar

showed YAN increases of 38%

5. Improve Cation Exchange Capacity

Source: http://www.spectrumanalytic.com/support/library/ff/CEC_BpH_and_percent_sat.htm

• CEC impacts the soils ability to store plant nutrients.

• Increasing CEC is related to:• Increased OM• Increased pH• Increased clay

particles*• Most biochars have

strong surface charge, high pH and many (not all) have high level of recalcitrant carbon

6. Improve Pomace Compost

Grape pomace has significant nutrient content and is often applied to vineyards after composting. However it is generally very acidic which may not be good for acidic soils. Low pH also slows down decomposition. Also significant nutrients leach out and are lost during composting.• Adding biochar will likely improve pH, facilitate composting and

reduce leaching.

7. Improve Microbial Activity

Healthy microbial activity in soils improves pest resistance. Biochar has been shown to have a significant positive effect on soil microbial activity. In one vineyard study biochar increased the ratio of beneficial parasitic nematodes & fungi to bacteria ratios which is likely to reduce the incidence of disease in vineyards.

http://soils.usda.gov/sqi/concepts/soil_biology/images/A-3.jpg

12National Wine and Grape Industry Centre. 2013. Winegrowing Futures Final report - Vine health and environment. New South Wales, Australia. [Internet] Available from: http://www.gwrdc.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/NWG-06-01-Theme-2.pdf

8. Add nutrients to soil organically

Black wattle

VineyardPrunings

Sugar cane bagasse

MACRONUTRIENTS

Phosphorus (P) 397±4 1,989±102 451±32

Calcium (Ca) 13,783±120 17,177±1367 2,181±128

Magnesium (Mg) 1,349±73 3,908±255 1,158±71

Potassium (K) 5,670±42 15,746±982 3,463±271

Sodium (Na) 2,205±15 672±18 289±9

MICRONUTRIENTS

Iron (Fe) 24±2 102±7 3,953±192

Aluminum (Al) 82±3.5 83±11 2,955±102

Manganese (Mn) 10±0.3 78±8 162±8

Zinc (Zn) 7±0.3 179±20 42±4

Copper (Cu) b/d 1.37±0.3 9±0.2

Cobalt (Co) 0.02±0.004 0.06±0.01 1.9±0.1

Molybdenum (Mo) 0.1±0.003 0.02±0.01 0.01

• Biochar nutrient content varies depending on the original biomass.

• Vine prunings have been shown to produce biochar with significant nutrient content relative to other biomass feedstock.

Source: Uras, U. 2011. Biochar from vacuum pyrolysis of agricultural residues: characterization and its applications. Stellenbosch University.

Very important

Somewhat important

Not too important

Importance to Viticulture

Management

9. Reduce nutrient leaching

Many of the region’s vineyards are located on sloping terrain which facilitates leaching of excess nutrients and pesticides into the lakes. In recent years some lakes have experienced algal blooms and other negative impacts as a result of agricultural run-off.• Biochar’s positive CEC and high porosity has been shown to

reduce run-off

10. Optimize waste biomass

Vine prunings are often chopped & left on site to provide N and OM.

Diseased vines are often burned to prevent spread of disease but air pollution can result and there are restrictions on burning.

Diseased and/or old vines

Vine prunings

11. Improve root growth

1 National Wine and Grape Industry Centre. 2013. Winegrowing Futures Final report - Vine health and environment. New South Wales, Australia. [Internet] Available from: http://www.gwrdc.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/NWG-06-01-Theme-2.pdf 2 Niggli, C., Schmidt, H.P. 2012/01. Biochar in European Viticulture: Results of the Season 2011. Ithakajournal. [Internet] Available from: http://www.ithaka-journal.net/pflanzenkohle-im-europaischen-weinbau-ergebnisse-2011?lang=en

Strong root growth is an essential element of healthy vines which can be challenging in the shallow soils found throughout the Finger Lakes. • One study showed biochar contributed to increasing root length

density by 223%.1 A separate study showed “significantly larger shoot diameters” when a 1:1 biochar-manure compost mix was applied at a rate of 10t/ha.2

12. Improve vineyard floor management

Certain pests such as grape cane borer and fungi such as eutypa dieback overwinter in vine prunings. • Removal and conversion into biochar would

minimize these threats while providing a value-added product for use on the vineyard (or for resale).

13. Reduce CompactionTractors may be used a dozen times a year in a vineyard rows causing soil compaction which reduces infiltration of water, nutrients and air. • Biochar is light weight and highly porous and can help improve

soil bulk density leading to better aeration and infiltration.

14. Reduce soil acidity

• Soils in the Finger Lakes are generally neutral to mildly acidic.

• Acid rain has caused soils to become more acidic in the NE.

• Many vineyards require lime applications

• Biochar is normally alkaline & can reduce acidity in soils

Optimal range for grapes

15. Neutralize toxins in soils

It is not uncommon for vineyard soils to have high levels of copper from repeated pesticide application. Also many vineyards use posts treated with CCA which contains chromium, copper & arsenic that can leach into soils. • Biochar has been shown to render these toxins plant

unavailable and can prevent them from leaching into the environment.

http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/pesticides/c_2.htm

• Kathleen Draper – Owner, Finger Lakes Biochar• Christian Pulver – Agronomist, Cornell

University

Nutrient Ideal range Corrective ActionpH 5.5 – 6.5 Lime to increase; sulfur to decrease

Organic Material 3 – 5% as per PA Wine2 – 4% as per Cornell

Add pomace, compost, mulch, hay, green manure, manure, herbaceous plant tissue

Phosphorus (P) 20 – 50 ppm; 40 – 100 lbs/acre Increase soil pH; add P

Potassium (K) 75 - 100 ppm;150 – 200 lbs/acre Add K; improve drainage

Calcium (Ca) 500 - 2000 ppm; 1,000 – 4,000 lbs/acre If pH ok, add gypsum…

Magnesium (Mg) 50 - 250 ppm; 300 - 500 lbs/acre If low pH: dolomitic lime; if pH ok: Epsom Salt

Iron (Fe) 20 ppm; 40 lbs/acre Lower soil pH; improve drainage

Manganese (Mn) 10 ppm; 20 lbs/acre If low pH: apply lime. Toxicity can be problem. High pH add Mn foliar feed

Zinc 2 ppm; 4 lbs/acre Zinc sulfate foliar feed = temp fix.

Aluminium No range Toxicity can be problem.If low pH: add lime

Copper .5 ppm; 1 lbs/acre Toxicity can be problem;Increase pH; decrease Cu sprays

Boron 3 - 20 ppm; .6 - 4 lbs/acre Add B; adjust soil pH

Soil Recommendations for Vineyard in NE

http://www.pawinegrape.com/uploads/PDF%20files/Temporary%20Files%20-%20delete%20often/September%202012.pdf