Evaluating the Performance of Biochar-amended Orchard Soils Under Projected Climate Change Scenarios

Commodities

• Nuts: almonds

Practices

• Crop Production: application rate management, cover crops, nutrient cycling, organic fertilizers, water management
• Education and Training: demonstration, extension, on-farm/ranch research, workshop
• Energy: byproduct utilization
• Natural Resources/Environment: carbon sequestration
• Soil Management: nutrient mineralization, organic matter, soil analysis, soil quality/health, other

Climate change has already made agriculture vulnerable to
prolonged dry spells which have greatly affected agricultural
yields and soil fertility. Nut trees, like almonds, are the most
vulnerable to increased temperatures and water-induced stress. A
projected increase of 1.5℃ by the mid-2030s would thus reduce
rancher quality of life caused by shortened growing seasons and
reduced harvests. Considering these risks, California has started
a Healthy Soils to determine sustainable soil practices that
farmers can adopt to mitigate risks from climate change. Among
these practices is using biochar as a soil amendment; biochar has
demonstrated the potential to improve soil health through
increased water retention and carbon sequestration, among other
benefits. Currently, our team is working on an on-farm
demonstration site on a working almond orchard in Madera County,
CA to explore the effects of two biochar types applied at two
application rates on soil health and greenhouse gas dynamics. We
propose to expand the scope of our field demonstration by adding
research and educational activities that help inform best
management practices for biochar use in orchard systems.
Specifically, we propose a lab incubation study using growth
chambers to measure the effects of biochar, separate and combined
with cover crops, on soil properties and plant productivity under
elevated temperatures and CO₂ enrichment. We will also
develop new educational resources, including an extension
publication that will address gaps between public understanding
and soil management practices, and multiple workshops, include a
field-day, to demonstrate biochar application in almond orchards.
Through these research and educational activities, we hope to
demonstrate the role of biochar on orchard soil health and
resilience to climate change and to generate new knowledge to
inform safe and effective practices for biochar use in
agricultural ecosystems.

Research Objectives

• Quantify the impact of the addition of two biochar types and
  two application rates to soil health, carbon dynamics, and
  greenhouse gas emissions in an almond orchard system
• Determine the separate and combined effects of biochar and
  cover crops on soil carbon, greenhouse gas emissions, and soil
  water retention under projected warming

Educational Objectives

• Develop an extension publication for American Farmland
  Trust’s (AFT) Farmland Information Center that will address gaps
  between farmer awareness and current available resources for
  recommendations on biochar application in orchard systems
• Develop and disseminate best management practices for biochar
  application in almond orchards and share these practices to
  orchard growers through outreach events