Celebrating harvest 2024 of our long-term biochar experiments in Helsinki!

 This week our team worked hard to sample the yield component samples and harvest the plot yields of our long-term biochar experiments in Helsinki. 

As the growing season in Helsinki was very dry, the moisture retention capacity of differently activated biochars had excellent chances to be tested. Indeed, there seemed to be promising results on yield formation, but we can tell more only after full yield component analysis as well as statistical testing. This data is part of doctoral thesis of Samuel Amoah, and we're grateful for all the team members participating this season in field experiments! A shout out to Karel Bartoš, Faiza Enam Binte, Dilruba Yasmin, Kira Eskelinen, Zannatul Ferdous, Cecilia Renvall,  Jasmi Näsäkkälä and Laura Parvila! Next, we're getting into lab analysis!

The traditional AgriChar harvest party occurred this year just few hours after we got the samples to dryer and it coincided with the end of the research visit of Lii Lopp from University of Tartu. Thank you so much Lii for your time with us, we will miss you and look forward to future collaboration! 

Long-term biochar field experiments In Helsinki. Update 2024.

 Our long-term  biochar field experiments were sown this May to faba beans, we're set to explore the effects differently activated biochars combined with either different fertilizer rates or fertilizer types have on yield formation and nutrient uptake of the crops as well as on greenhouse gas emissions and soil nutrient availability. In Helsinki, where two of our longest running experiments are located, was extremely dry month of May, almost zero rain. This, one one end, allows the moisture-retaining effects of biochars to become more clearer, on the other hand, posed some challenges on uneven germination of some of the plants. 

Thanks to active team on the fields, led by Samuel Amoah, we have succeeded in collecting hundreds of soil, plant and gas samples that we are exploring further in laboratories. Great job everyone, but especially Karel Bartoš, Kira Eskelinen, Zannatul Ferdous, Cecilia Renvall,  Faiza Enam, Jasmi Näsäkkälä, Laura Parvila, Lii Lopp! Looking forward for the harvest!

Inspiring event at Frontiers Planet Prize 2024 in Switzerland!

 An inspiring experience warmly recommended to all scientists working with environment- Frontiers Planet Prize! It's a friendly competition to propose solutions to help the planet remain within the safe operating space of any one or more of the nine planetary boundaries. This year, 475 leading universities participated globally to compete for three prizes of 1M Swiss francs each as adjudicated by a Jury of 100 leading sustainability scientists.

Few weeks ago Priit from AgriChar research group was privileged to join the seminar hosted by The Villars Institute in Swiss Alps and co-represent our winning study on sustainable lake restoration and sediment nutrient recycling (https://lnkd.in/dgdk-6wK) led by Olga Tammeorg!

The thought-provoking presentations by all national champions, supportive and inclusive atmosphere during uncountable free-form encounters, over lunches or hikes to Alps and the chance to interact with bright young students from 40+ countries (they were just 15y old, but impressed with their mature ideas that were extremely well conveyed!) all made this unforgettable experience! Priit was also deeply impressed by live talks from Prof. Johan Rockström, Rashid Sumaila and Jaideep Bansal, make sure to check out the fascinating projects they work on!

Warm congratulations to this year's International Champions of Frontiers Planet Prize, Jason Rohr, PhD from USA, Pedro Jaureguiberry from Argentina and Prof Peter Haase from Germany, well done!

The call for 2025 Champions is ongoing, until September for institutions (universities) and then by the end of September, individual researchers can submit their papers for the National Championship! Check out https://lnkd.in/dFP3GGVX for more.