Download - 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
www.prokashi.com