Biochar for Sand-Based Root-Zone Modification NICK CHRISTIANS SHANE BROKHOFF IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

Sand-based turfgrass root-zone United States Golf Association (USGA) BIOCHAR AND TURF Sand-based turfgrass root-zone United States Golf Association (USGA)

BIOCHAR AND TURF turf Sand-based turfgrass root-zone United States Golf Association (USGA)

Why biochar and turf… Root-zone mix Intermediate layer Coarse gravel Drainage tile (USGA, 1993) sand:peat moss 90:10 or 80:20

OBJECTIVES Sand and biochar root-zone mix: soil water retention properties saturated hydraulic conductivity rooting depth of creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) chemical properties

BIOCHAR switchgrass (Panicum virgatum FAST PYROLYSIS Center for Sustainable Environmental Technologies (CSET) at Iowa State University

Treatments Six volume-to-volume mixtures of biochar and sand Treatment Sand : Char 1 100 : 0 2 95 : 5 3 90 : 10 4 85 : 15 5 80 : 20 6 75 : 25

Ksat of Six Biochar and Sand Treatment Mixtures (n=4)

Chemical properties Leachate Soil Electroconductivity (EC) pH Total organic carbon (TOC) Nutrient analyses Soil

LEACHATE pHpH 0 5 10 15 20 25 Biochar percentage (v/v)

LEACHATE P 0 5 10 15 20 25 Biochar percentage (v/v)

Soil K LEACHATE K 0 5 10 15 20 25 Biochar percentage (v/v)

Conclusions Biochar increases soil water retention Biochar decreases saturated hydraulic conductivity Biochar decreases rooting depth of creeping bentgrass in media containing more than 10% (v/v) biochar Biochar increases leachate EC, TOC; provides essential nutrients