[Stoves] [biochar] allAfrica.com: Africa: Biochar -Unfulfilled Promises in Cameroon

[Alex English]

Dear Anand,
It is well documented how new drugs are often compared in trials to 
treatments that are not the best current treatment. Thus the not so 
surprising favorable results.

Physicist Richard Feynman would ask to see the data, so he could draw 
his own conclusions, which could differ from the primary author.
"*Science is the belief in the ignorance of experts"

*What then is 'peer review'?
*
*So much of what we read about biochar sounds like a woefully inadequate 
recipe for curry. Just add spices.  Without differentiating char 
characteristics and the conditions of treatment soils, all we can 
conclude is further research is required, or go back and do it right. If 
you multiply those variables you can put a high quantity on 'expert 
ignorance'. Add a pinch of time span,and biology, then good and bad 
results become curiosities. Terra Preta  may be a fine wine now but what 
was it back then.

Unburned Char can have value right now. Potting mix, sorption of 
nasties, crayons, even as insulation under hydronic heating lines. 
Physics and chemistry are quick. Biology is a chronic research pain that 
delights and confounds.

Repeatedly we see reference to biochar being beneficial to 'highly 
weathered" tropical soils. Would you characterize any of the soils you 
added charcoal to as being "highly weathered"?

Regards,
Alex
*
*
On 31/12/2011 12:14 AM, Anand Karve wrote:
> Dear Kevin, Crispin and Ron,
> I have been conducting experiments, off and on, for almost a decade on 
> effect of charcoal applied to the soil. Most of the work consisted of 
> very preliminary experiments, just to find out if application of 
> charcoal gave positive results. I would have started a systematic 
> study, if the preliminary results had indicated that this was a useful 
> technology. I never got beyond the stage of preliminary experiments, 
> because they did not reveal to me any beneficial effects on crop 
> yield. I never reported the results in any formal publication, because 
> the experiments were of a very preliminary nature, not conducted in 
> statistically approved designs. Secondly, I want to say that It is 
> generally the tendency among scientists to cite references that 
> support one's findings. So picking and choosing of evidence that 
> supports one's point of view is quite common in scientific publications.
> Yours
> A.D.Karve

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