Reeling for Results: Biochar & Fish Hydrolysate Netting Crop Growth

Commodities

• Vegetables: carrots, garlic, tomatoes, other

Practices

• Crop Production: nutrient management, organic fertilizers
• Soil Management: organic matter, soil analysis, soil chemistry, soil microbiology, soil quality/health

West Virginia's agricultural
sector faces significant challenges due to poor soil quality and
small scale rural farms having limited access to resources.
Addressing this issue, Reeling for Results: Biochar & Fish
Hydrolysate Netting Crop Growth aims to investigate innovative soil
enhancement techniques. The primary objectives include assessing
the effects of different ratios of soil and biochar charged in
fish hydrolysate on:

• Crop Yields: the study will
  determine the impact of 10%, 15%, and 20% charged biochar to
  soil ratios on average per plant yield for four types of
  crops. 
• Soil Health Analysis: the study
  will quantify the impact of 10%, 15%, and 20% charged biochar
  to soil ratios on soil pH levels, organic matter content,
  cation exchange capacity,  soil remediation, and nutrient
  availability.

Farmer Fred Antolini and Blue
Acre Appalachian Aquaponics staff will share findings at the 2026
Small Farms Conference. Additionally, data will be showcased and
disseminated through a series of three workshops during year
three of the project. The workshops will disseminate the findings
of the study, and teach both the basics of making biochar on-farm
and the application of the bio-char/fish hydrolysate
combination.

This initiative aims not only to
enhance soil quality but also to equip West Virginia farmers with
sustainable and efficient agricultural practices, to increase
crop yields.

This project seeks to evaluate
the impact of integrating biochar charged in fish hydrolysate,
into soil, at three distinct ratios, to see how they impact crop
yield and soil health across various crop types. The ultimate
project goal incorporates the knowledge derived from this
research into a comprehensive manual, designed to assist farmers
in deployment of research supported, biochar charged in fish
hydrolysate best practices.

Objective 1: Investigate the impact of different ratios of
biochar charged in fish hydrolysate incorporated into soil on
crop yields. 

Objective 2: Quantify
the impact of different ratios of
biochar charged in fish hydrolysate incorporated into soil
on soil health by conducting
analysis of key soil parameters including pH levels, organic
matter content, cation exchange capacity, soil remediation, and
nutrient availability. 

Objective 3: Disseminate research
findings on biochar/fish hydrolysate at Small Farms Conference,
through hosting three workshops, and through a manual published
on the Blue Acre Appalachian Aquaponics website. 

Farmer Impact: This project will
improve the knowledge base on the impacts of biochar/fish
hydrolysate ratios on improving soil quality  and crop
yield, potentially increasing access to soil amendments that are
economically and environmentally sustainable, and that will
remediate heavy clay soils for small farmers.