fermented biochar

Bryan McGrath

ProKashi Probiotics

This presentation has been

produced for and at the

request of Mr. Yvan Pascall

Perrin.

It is in support of his efforts to

produce Biochar under a grant

from UNDP and the National

Government of Cambodia.

The intent is to use techniques

employed and demonstrated

by Bryan McGrath and ProKashi

Probiotics - USA.

These techniques are adapted

from the Korean Natural

Farming method as developed

by Master Han-Kyu Cho.

The ultimate goal is to produce a

dry finished product made from

Biochar (rice straw / husk or grass)

that has undergone fermentation

using Indigenous Microorganisms.

The inputs necessary will be

locally sourced, readily

available, and inexpensive.

Product applications will be for

compost mixing and/or directly

spread to soils.

These techniques will be locally

adapted and modified to account

for various soil quality and

conditions.

The process will be technically

simple enough such that an average

person with no or minimal

education can successfully perform

and duplicate them time after time

with little more than a container

and a simple hand tool.

No electrical power or refrigeration will be necessary to produce, store, or employ these techniques.

Personal protective gear can consist of little more than a cloth cover for the mouth and face to protect the farmer from dust.

High Absorption

High Adsorption

High Surfaced Area

Highly Recalcitrant

Fresh Biochar will tend to lock

up and hold soil nutrients in its

freshly made state.

This will cause crop stress and

nutrient deficiencies for an

unacceptable period of time.

The chemical conversion into

simpler substances: the

breakdown of carbohydrates by

microorganisms.

Taking advantage of the high

surface area, attractant

qualities, and by adding

organic matter along with

beneficial microbes, one will

eliminate nutrient deficiencies

caused by Biochar in its fresh

state.

Fermented Biochar has an

additive effect on soil fertility

and plant growth.

Through microbial action and

Biochar’s adsorbent/absorbent

qualities, nutrients will be

sequestered and converted

into biologically available

plant ready forms.

These qualities and soil

fertility will increase and

mature over time.

This will allow plants to reach

their full natural potential

while reducing watering and

fertilization requirements.

Several methods are available

and flexible to the materials

being used to ferment the

Biochar.

Wet Method

Dry Method

Chemical Input

Natural Input

The microorganisms that

ProKashi Probiotics utilizes to

ferment biochar are produced

locally and at low cost

following the Korean Natural

Farming Method. This requires

no special tools or equipment

and can be made in the field

or at home.

•Microbes are Indigenous

•Non genetically modified

•Are the strongest best suited

for the location

•Can be cultured to be crop

specific

•Can be used in either a wet or

dry technique

Regardless of the technique

(Wet or Dry) IMO must be

collected, cultivated, and

stored for usage. The IMO used

are:

Lacto Bacillus

Bamboo Microbe

Forest Microbe

Lactic Acid Bacteria. This

bacteria is a fermenting

bacteria that has sterilizing

qualities. It is facultative in

that it works in both aerobic

and anaerobic environments.

It is the primary decomposer

that produces disease

suppressing enzymes and

natural antibiotics.

This is a collection of microbes

cultured from highly bacterial

(Bamboo) soil.

Bacterially dominated soil

tends to favor lower order

earlier succession plants such

as grasses and produce crops.

It provides a wide array of

biology in support of the Soil

Food Web .

This is a collection of microbes

cultured from highly fungal

(Forest) soil.

Fungal dominated soil tends to favor higher order, later/climax succession growth such as trees.

It provides a wide array of mychorrizal support to the plant’s root system – increasing symbiotic relationships and nutrient transport to the plant.

BIM is a concoction of:

Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB)

IMO2 Bamboo

IMO2 Forest

Natural Sugar (Molasses,

Muscovado, Brown Sugar, etc)

The basic BIM formula is:

½ total volume LAB

¼ total volume IMO2 Bamboo

¼ total volume IMO2 Forest

Natural sugars such as

molasses are added as a

microbial food during

fermentation.

Biochar is produced and placed

into a water tight container.

A basic liquid BIM concoction is

diluted with non chlorinated

water at a ration of 1:1:30

(BIM:Sugar:Water).

Basic liquid is poured into

container so that the Biochar is

just covered.

The container is covered to keep debris, bugs, pests out of the fermenting Biochar – not air tight.

The container is kept out of direct sunlight.

The container is kept between 8C and 30C for 1-2 weeks to allow for the microbial growth to inhabit the Biochar.

Add non chlorinated water as

necessary to keep the Biochar

surface wet.

Drain the liquid and save it. I

has nutrient and biological

value that can be used as a soil

drench.

Spread the Biochar to the area

desired and incorporate it into

the first 7cm to 20cm of soil.

7-20 cm zone of soil is an

aerobic zone. IMO Bamboo and

Forest are aerobic microbes

and will do best in this area.

LAB being facultative will

survive easily in this area as

well as in any anaerobic

pockets present.

LAB will tend to make

anaerobic pockets light, airy,

and aerobic in time.

Additional inputs can be added to the BIM concoction during fermentation to alter or increase certain nutritional values and requirements for the crop being grown:

Fish Emulsion Seaweed Extract Humic Acid Fermented Plant Juice Fermented Fruit Juice Urine

Dry fermentation involves

cultivation of the microbes and

additional inputs on a solid

substrate such as rice bran,

wheat bran, fresh compost,or

wood chips.

The Biochar is then

incorporated into the microbial

substrate allowing the biology

to migrate into and inhabit the

char.

Dry fermentation has the

advantage over wet

fermentation of requiring less

microbial inputs.

Less LAB and IMO2 is required.

Indigenous Microorganism

production has certain

numbers associated with it.

Previously the term IMO2 was

used and the following details

what IMO1, IMO2, IMO3, IMO4

are.

IMO1 stands for the first stage

of the indigenous microbe

collection and cultivation

process.

This first (1) stage uses a complex carbohydrate source to attract and collect the desired microbes – Bamboo/bacterial or Forest/Fungal

The preferred complex carbohydrate source is dry cooked rice.

IMO2 stands for the second

stage of the indigenous

microbe collection and

cultivation process.

This second (2) fermentation

stage uses simple sugar to

rapidly multiply and

tremendously increase the

numbers of the collected

microbes.

The preferred sugar source is

non sulphered molasses,

muscovado, or brown sugar.

Use whatever is locally

available and the least

expensive.

IMO3 stands for the third stage

of the indigenous microbe

collection and cultivation

process.

This third (3) fermentation stage uses the cultured IMO2 solution as part of the BIM concoction and adds the liquid to a dry substrate.

This forces the microbes to change their food source and metabolism from the simple sugar food of IMO2 to the food source that they will find most prominent in nature (complex carbohydrates)

The preferred source is rice

bran or wheat mill run.

Use whatever is locally

available and the least

expensive.

Biochar can be mixed into the

rice bran or wheat bran at this

point.

The standard fermentation

process of IMO3 (substrate

without Biochar) will work just

as well or better with the

incorporation of the Biochar.

IMO4 stands for the fourth

stage of the indigenous

microbe collection and

cultivation process.

This fourth (4) fermentation stage simply takes IMO3 and mixes it with an equal amount of native soil (amounts by volume) and allows the fermentation to continue for 5-7 days.

The preferred soil source is from the crop field itself.

The IMO1 and IMO2 stages are

fairly constant; collect and

multiply microbes.

This is accomplished with rice

and simple sugars.

The IMO3 and IMO4 stages

allow a host of options to add

additional inputs if desired or

necessary.

As can be seen, an investment

of 20 liters of non chlorinated

water with only a few CC of

IMO2 and LAB can be diluted to

between 1:1:100

(BIM:Sugar:Water) to 1:500

(BIM:Sugar:Water) to make

IMO3 and thus ferment the

Biochar successfully.

Wet fermentation of Biochar

requires more liquid input and

is most suited for the small

gardener making amounts of

biochar in the range of 60

liters or less.

1 Sack of IMO3 rice bran

1 sack of native soil

3 to 5 sacks of Biochar

BIM diluted 1:1:100

Water necessary to make correct moisture of materials

Mix together and fermented for 7-15 days.

The amount of water necessary

depends upon the dry

materials being used.

Regardless of the water

amount, BIM should be diluted

at 1:1:100 (BIM:Sugar;Water).

Mismanagement of moisture is

the number one reason for

composting failure.

The proper moisture content

of IMO3 and IMO3/Biochar mix

can be easily approximated by

hand with not special

electronic or other measuring

tool.

Field Capacity is the term used

to describe the correct

moisture content of soil,

Compost, IMO3, Bokashi Bran,

etc.

With both hands pick up a

quantity of the material to be

checked.

Squeeze the material tightly

between the hands and

observe the following:

If water drips out from

between your hands the

material is too wet.

If no water drips out but the

material crumbles away and

does not hold its shape, then

the material is too dry.

If no water drips out, the

material holds its shape, but

breaks apart easily when

touched gently by finger, the

moisture is correct.

The fermenting pile – be it

IMO3 or IMO3/Biochar – must

be in contact with the soil.

Do not place on plastic, board,

concrete, or anything other

than soil.

The soil bottom provides

microbial action that is

necessary for the process.

The height of the pile should

be approximately 60-70 cm.

The pile must be covered to

avoid damage from direct

sunlight.

The pile must be kept under

cover and protected from rain.

Appropriate materials to cover

the pile include:

Large Leaves ie Banana

Grass or Straw

Cloths like Burlap, Carpet,

or Feed Sacks

In areas prone to flooding and

run off, construct it in such an

area as to protect if from

these events.

The pile will heat up due to

microbial activity.

It is a management decision of

the farmer whether to turn the

pile or not.

If labor and time resources

allow, turn the pile when the

temperature reaches 50C.

It is possible to leave the pile

as a static pile and still receive

excellent results.

Pile moisture should be

checked and adjusted

throughout the fermentation

period to keep Field Capacity

conditions.

Add small sprays of non

chlorinated water.

Additional inputs of Brown Rice

Vinegar or other locally

BREWED vinegar can be added

to the water at a 1:1000

(Vinegar:Water) ratio.

The process in complete when:

Temperatures in the pile reach ambient air temperature. White mycelium is present. The Bran/Biochar material forms clumps or large aggregates.

Spread the finished product to

the field.

It is not necessary to pulverize

or finely break up the

aggregates of IMO3/Biochar.

Leaving the aggregates

somewhat intact allows for the

microbial colonies to establish

themselves and propagate

quicker.

The inputs described here are

simple and cost effective.

Because of this, the farmer

achieves a level of freedom

and autonomy.

Producing BIM is simple yet

advanced form of

Biomimickery.

The plants grown through

these techniques have several

advantages.

Plants reach their full natural

potential quickly.

Plants become more disease

resistant naturally.

Soils are improved and not

degraded.

Macro and Microbiology

increase.

There is no pollution due to

runoff.

The system is self balancing.

Available nutrients are better

utilized and cycled into the

system.

Produce has higher antioxidant

and Brix ratings.

Step by Step instructions on

the production of LAB,

Fermented Plant Juice, and

IMO are available at:

WWW.PROKASHI.COM

www.YouTube.com

Search word: Prokashi

Thank you for your time and interest in the process of fermentation that I practice.

I can be reached at:

Bryan McGrath

prokashi@live.com

www.prokashi.com