The effect of Terra preta media using pirolysis system on growth and production

Introduction

Soil conservation was carried out hundreds of years ago by residents of the American Amazon basin in the form of the addition of biochar from the burning of minimal oxygen (pyrolysis) as a soil enhancer (Adimihardja, 2008). Biochar can overcome limitations and provide additional options for land management. The result of the addition of biochar in the form of black soil called terra preta managed by the Amerindian people 500 years ago which is to maintain organic carbon content, high fertility even though abandoned thousands of years by local residents (Lehmann et al., 2003). This soil is enriched with nutrient content two to three times that of the surrounding soil even without fertilization. Organic matter content and high nutrient retention are caused by very high carbon black content (Lehmann and Rondon 2006; Sohi 2009). Black carbon comes from biological biomass through combustion at temperatures of 300-5000C under limited oxygen conditions to produce aromatic organic matter with carbon concentrations of 70-80% (Lehmann et al., 2006).

Terra preta in the Amazon basin is very fertile and able to multiply with a speed of 1 cm per year. However, the availability of such land in Indonesia is very small or even can be said to be non-existent. The method used to improve soil quality in Indonesia is by making terra preta with the main ingredient of mineral soil which is added by biochar with a pyrolysis system and then activated with sulfuric acid and added animal dung, urine, animal bones and mycorrhizae. The activation process aims to break the hydrocarbon bonds so that biochar undergoes changes in physical and chemical properties with a larger surface area which affects the adsorption power (Sembiring and Tuti, 2003). The composition of these materials is whether artificial black soil has physical, chemical and biological properties such as terra preta soil and what is the ideal composition of terra preta to increase plant growth and crop production. According to Gani (2009) biochar effectively retains nutrients for its availability for plants compared to other organic materials such as leaves waste, compost or manure. The addition of coconut shell charcoal can increase plant growth through its effectiveness in the availability of nutrients, especially P because it has a high cation exchange capacity (Soemeinaboedhy and Tejowulan, 2007) and serves to assist the development of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in the roots so as to provide additional nutrients as well as a shelter for microorganisms (Soemeinaboedhy and Tejowulan, 2007). Warnock et al., 2007). Therefore, to optimize the use of terra preta, roots need the help of mycorrhizal fungus hyphae to be able to absorb and reach more nutrients because the roots have different exudates from roots that are not infected with mycorrhizae because hyphae on mycorrhiza are able to help plant roots reach further and absorb elements more nutrients (Talanca, 2010). Mycorrhizal dose of 20g/plant is the best dose for growth of vanilla seeds (Tirta, 2006). Therefore it is necessary to research into the production of artificial terra preta with pyrolysis combustion systems and their application to plants that aim to find artificial terra preta, to know the effectiveness of artificial terra preta as an alternative planting medium, to know the response to growth and crop production. This research adds to the availability of fertile fertile soil that can increase plant growth and production so as to create a stable price for plant products.