Growing native plants with biochar

Scientists with the US Forest Service are evaluating two ways to use biochar to improve growth of native plants: coating seeds with biochar and adding biochar to the substrate used to grow seedlings in nurseries.

• Seeds coated with biochar were measured for germination across a gradient of available moisture conditions and temperatures. If biochar improves germination of native plant seeds, fewer seeds would be required per project, thus increasing seed availability and decreasing establishment costs.
• If biochar is a suitable substrate for nursery use, it would be a lower-cost amendment compared to traditional types currently used in nurseries, and would allow opportunity to sequester carbon on the restoration site during the ordinary outplanting of seedlings.

This work supports the use of renewable energy and restoration of degraded ecosystems.