China Agricultural University (CAU) Biochar

A new group out of China, the CAU-Biochar group, recently hosted the Joint International Workshop between China and United Kingdom on the Influence of Biochar on Soil Processes and Fertility in Beijing on 18 -21 October, 2009.

Eleven scientists from the United Kingdom (Rothamsted Research, RR, and Edinburgh University, EU), Denmark (University of Copenhagen and Barritskov Company), Australia (University of New South Wales), Canada (University of Guelph), Japan (National Agricultural Organization, NAO), and Mongolia (Mongolian Biochar Initiative), and more than 20 scientists from Institute of Soil Science Research of China Academy of Science (CAS), Shenyang Institute of Applied Ecology of CAS, Changsha Institute of Sub-tropical Agricultural Science of CAS, Botany Institute of CAS, Zhejiang University, Huazhong Agricultural University, China Academy of Agricultural Science (CAAS), and Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Science (BAAFS) participated the conference. Four keynote presentations from Dr. Saran Sohi (EU, UK), Prof. Qimei Lin (CAU, China), Yoshiyuki Shinogi (NAO, Japan), and Prof. Minggang Xu (CAAS, China), lead the conference, with the addition of 16 volunteer presentations and 6 posters. These focused on the topics of biochar characterization, production, effects on soil physical and chemical properties, soil microbial functioning, plant nutrient cycling and crop growth responses, carbon sequestration, greenhouse gas emission and global climate change. There were also field experiments of biochar's effects on soil processes and fertility at CAU lead by the Shengchang Bio-energy Company on straw pre-treatment for biochar production and village of Lijiachang for demonstrating biochar and biogas production and application.

The workshop was organized by the soil microbiology group of the Department of Soil and Water Science, College of Resources and Environment, CAU, and co-chaired by Dr. Guitong Li of CAU, China and Prof. Phil Brookes of RR, UK, and funded by CAU and CAAS. For more information on the conference or on CAU-Biochar, please contact Guitong Li.