Wood ash from bioenergy systems as a soil amendment for crop production
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Wood is a renewable energy source that can be practical for many applications. Wood ash produced as a byproduct of commercial, industrial, and institutional bioenergy operations can be an economical, effective, and environmentally friendly soil amendment for crop production. Wood ash provides liming benefits along with potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, and micronutrients. Research in Wisconsin has demonstrated that wood ash benefits a variety of agronomic crops and can be practical for farmers to use. We conducted greenhouse and field studies to evaluate the effects of landspreading industrial wood ash on the yield and elemental composition of forage crops and on soil nutrient levels. Biomass yields generally increased with ash application up to 20 tons/acre and decreased at applications exceeding this level (Meyers and Kopecky, 1998). Wood ash application usually produced yields greater than those obtained with the limed and fertilized control treatment. No undesirable elements accumulated in forage tissue at ash application rates up to 20 tons/acre. Clean wood ash (produced from only wood and bark without synthetic substances in the fuel stream) is permitted for organic crop production systems in the United States. It is especially valuable in areas with acidic soils, and can be landspread with equipment that is commonly used in cropping systems. Wood ash is already being used as a soil amendment in some areas of North America, but in other cases it is disposed of in landfills. Using wood ash for crop production can save money for farmers and bioenergy users and is a more sustainable stewardship practice.