[Gasification] recydling ash vs. removing fuel

[Roger Samson]

Yes lots of rubbish in this discussion that is compostable...
 

Here is a basic primer on SOM that is good read for anybody that wants to be
informed about the issue
"Soil Organic Matter in Sustainable Agriculture" Fred Magdoff
http://www.amazon.ca/Soil-Organic-Matter-Sustainable-Agriculture/dp/08493129
49


One of the best published scientists on SOM and nutrient turnover is John
Doran at the University of Nebraska, google his articles

We have been working on ecological sugar cane production systems with
scientists in developing countries and have done some extensive literature
reviews on the subject. If you burn cane trash you promote weed growth and
destroy soils slowly. If you leave the trash it prevents dessication of the
soil and promotes root proliferation in the surface horizon of the soil
where soil P levels are highest and yes P uptake increases and SOM
increases. This is a must on marginal uplands soils where cane is grown. 

See a discussion on pg 117 in this report on our web site
http://www.reap-canada.com/online_library/Reports%20and%20Newsletters/Intern
ational%20Development/7%20Strategies%20for.pdf

If you can't get the link just go to our on-line library and scroll down to
the report entitled" strategies for enhancing biomass energy utilization in
the Philippines.  

Our analysis is that for sustainable sugarcane production the best thing you
can do with the trash is use it as an energy source to help grow the crop
and increae yields, however when you are cycling the rotation out of cane
production and changing crops you can recover it as fuel for boilers. 
 
regards

Roger Samson

Executive Director

REAP-Canada

Box 125 Centennial Centre CCB13

Ste. Anne de Bellevue, QC H9X 3V9

T: (514) 398-7743

T: (514) 398-7972

E: rsamson at reap-canada.com

W: www.reap-canada.com