University of California, Riverside researchers are testing soil amendments (biochar) to improve soil health and crop water usage in arid and hot ecosystems. This study will determine if various formulations of biocarbon can improve the agricultural productivity or remediate marginal land located at DREC facilities.

Marginal land makes up a large portion of California land area. Making this land productive could greatly increase food production and agriculture many parts of California. Researchers would expect to obtain a deeper understanding of what happens with increases in the carbon content of marginal lands in general and desert soils in particular. If this proves to be an effective reclamation method it could represent a real advance, considering the increasingly large acreage of marginal land worldwide

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