Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
(where efficiency is equal to water stored/water applied) and how to measure
soil and water salinity. These values are then used to determine the soil's
leaching fraction (i.e. the amount of water needed to flush salts beyond the
plant root zone). Additionally, growers are asked to indicate the water
penetration capabilities of the soil under assessment, soil pH and levels of soil
organic matter (SOM), and to identify any practices implemented to improve
overall soil quality. The grower then uses this information to assist in irrigation
scheduling and to determine appropriate volumes of irrigation water to apply
to the crop.
The Nutrient Management Module
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helps growers to assess soil organic
matter, soil pH, variations in soil characteristics that might affect plant
nutrient availability and uptake, and the contribution of various nutrient
sources to the overall nutrient budget in order to maximise nutrient use
efficiency.
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3.2 Council on Sustainable Biomass Production Draft Provisional
Standard for Sustainable Production of Agricultural Biomass
The Council on Sustainable Biomass Production (CSBP) is a multi-stakeholder
organisation working on the development of a comprehensive voluntary
standard
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for sustainable production of biomass and its conversion to
bioenergy. The standard is intended to serve as a foundation for an
independent, third-party certification program aimed at setting the emerging
bioenergy industry on a course of continuously improving best practices
related to sustainability. Producers conduct a preliminary self-assessment of
their compliance to the standard, using a third-party auditor for quality
assurance. The baseline evaluation provides the grower with a comprehensive
report on areas of compliance, as well as areas where improvement is needed in
order to meet certification requirements.
The CSBP standard consists of nine principles that express key elements of
sustainable biomass production: Integrated Resource Management Planning,
Soil, Biological Diversity, Water, Climate Change, Socio-Economic Well-
Being, Legality, Transparency and Continuous Improvement. The Soil
principle is intended to demonstrate the importance of soil stability, soil
fertility and organic matter to sustainable production. At the minimum,
producers are required to take measures to minimise soil erosion, maintain
carbon and nutrients at levels appropriate for biomass crop production and
preserve the overall physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil. To
meet the first level of certification, producers must conduct a soil assessment
and base crop management decisions on soil characteristics and capabilities.
Additionally, producers are required to use planning protocols supported by
the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) for soil nutrient and
conservation planning, to score less than or equal to tolerable (T) soil loss due
to water on RUSLE2, to retain biomass materials on the landscape for erosion
control and soil fertility, and to minimise soil compaction. At the second level
