With the price of Australian fertiliser imports rising by a record 128%, PyroAg, a leader in creating commercial quantities of Pyroligneous acid or wood vinegar, is urging Australian farmers to embrace the next generation of sustainable farming practices, as well as stripping their fertiliser costs significantly, with scientifically backed high density liquid that will provide proven substantial benefits to the Australian agricultural sector. Source: Timberbiz
Pyroligenous Acid (wood vinegar) is made by heating organic biomass material such as recycled wood chips, in an environment that is oxygen reduced. This leads to the materials’ thermal de-composition, along with the release of gases. The output gas is then cooled into a liquid. This liquid is then separated and refined into wood vinegar. This process is called “pyrolysis” and is part of making biochar, which is an emerging industry potentially helping carbon abatement.
In 2018, PyroAg joined forces with Newcastle University to complete a study ‘Effect of Pyroligneous Acid on the Microbial Community Composition and Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria (PGPB) in Soils’ to uncover the suite of benefits associated with wood vinegar. The study clearly demonstrated PyroAg Wood Vinegar’s potential in improving the soil biological health by enhancing the beneficial plant growth-promoting bacteria.
According to the study, the application of PA in lower concentrations to soils enhanced microbial diversity and the abundance of beneficial microbes such as plant growth promoting bacteria in soil. This suggests the beneficial role of PA to improve soil quality, plant growth and yield.
In contrast, higher concentrations of PA promoted the abundance of spore-forming bacterial genera such as Bacillus, which is responsible for defensive action such as reducing the pathogenic bacteria and pest control.
Professor Megh Mallavarapu, Newcastle University and Program Leader with CRC CARE (Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment), says that the last few decades, the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides have been on rise worldwide to improve crop production.
“This rise in the use of synthetic fertiliser, pesticide, and unsustainable farming methods affect-ed different environmental compartments, like soil, water, and air, which in turn could lead to the major food crisis in the world. In order to reverse the negative impact caused by the syn-thetic crop production systems, the attention has gone towards promoting the use of alternative environment-friendly sustainable methods,” said Professor Mallavarapu.
“Recently, the organic by-products from agriculture, which otherwise goes as wastes in the environment are now recycled and used effectively to increase agricultural production. Pyroligneous acid (PA), also known as wood vinegar, is one such product, obtained from the pyrolysis of wood and other lignocellulosic material like crop residues.
“The researchers at the Global Centre for Environmental Remediation, University of Newcastle conducted laboratory investigations to check for any potential impacts of Pyroligneous acid product (PyroAg) on aquatic and terrestrial biota in soil.
“Aquatic toxicity assays (alga, water-flea and duck weed) were included in this study in order to check the offsite impact of PA. The results suggest that the PA is unlikely to pose risk to the aquatic biota at environmentally relevant concentrations. Whereas, in earthworms, the lower concentrations of PA promoted the cocoon and the juvenile production.”
According to John Mellowes, CEO, PyroAg, it was imperative that the company went through a rigorous and robust four-year study to present to Australian farmers that this high-density liquid product could play a significant role to the health and longevity of their soil, as well as reducing fertiliser costs and increasing yield.
“Through years of testing on a global and local scale, the evidence is promising. By increasing bacterial quantities and inhibiting actinomycetes, wood vinegar plays a role in dramatically changing the sustainability and stability of the soil ecosystem,” Mr Mellowes said.
“With PyroAg Wood Vinegar, we use a continuous process in placing recycled wood chips through a hot zone and the gas is condensed to make the wood vinegar. This creates a more consistent end product boasting a consistent amount of organic acids and phenols. That is our quality guarantee.
“Modern agriculture relies on the heavy use of pesticides and fertilisers. Soil health is affected, and microbial diversity is lost. Soil microbes are vital to soil health and fertility. That is when PyroAg – wood vinegar comes into the picture.”
“The key is for farmers to look for alternative suppliers of bio-stimulants including local Australian products such as PyroAg Wood Vinegar.
“Overall, this study demonstrates PA’s potential for improving soil biological health by enhancing the beneficial plant growth promoting bacteria. PyroAg is continuing to invest in research, with a new Federal Government grant funded project looking at yield increases through PyroAg applications.”
Jim Belehris a 55-year-old almond grower and horticulturist in Renmark, from Belehris Estate, has been injecting PyroAg Wood Vinegar into the orchid’s irrigation system for more than five years and the results are clear.
With 17,000 almond trees across 170 acres, Mr Belehris has recorded visible differences in the orchid quality and tree longevity. Five litres of PyroAg Wood Vinegar is injected per hectare during the growing season which is around late August and early September, and he uses PyroAg Wood Vinegar monthly for three months.
“The growth speed of the trees, their vibrant colour and quality of the nuts are great results which I have seen over the last five years. I am confident that PyroAg Wood Vinegar has played a pivotal role in the soil’s improvement. PyroAg Wood Vinegar is part of the all-important mix of strategies I use to create the ideal environment for the almond trees to grow well. I also use a lot of high-quality compost – not raw, microbes as well as molasses. Pesticides are not part of the equation at all which I am very proud of,” Mr Belehris said.
“Embracing sound and considered sustainable practices such as PyroAg Wood Vinegar gives me the leading edge in sustaining an orchard that is thriving. I have always had a mindset in looking for and discovering better horticultural practices.
“Belehris Estate currently produces 150 tonnes of almonds per year, and I am confident that this number will reach to well over 200 tonnes in two years. PyroAg Wood Vinegar will play a sig-nificant role in this growth. There is no turning back to old and archaic horticultural practices. Products such as PyroAg Wood Vinegar is the way forward.”
