Thailand is an agriculture-based country which produces large amounts of agricultural waste. Making biochar from this waste can reduce pollution, decrease costs of production, and increase C sequestration. The agronomic benefits of biochar are partly derived from the available plant nutrients in biochar. This study investigated the fertilizer value of biochars manufactured by slow pyrolysis. Pyrolysis temperature and feedstock type affect nutrient concentrations and nutrient element speciation in biochar. The physio-chemical, mineralogical and structural properties of biochars made from 14 agriculture wastes (soybean cake, corncob, lemon peel, sugar palm fibre, durian shell, tamarind wood, coconut fibre, coconut shell, bamboo wood, rice husk, eucalyptus wood, oil palm fruit, coffee waste, and bagasse) were investigated. The plant nutrients in biochar mostly occurred in crystalline minerals which were present on the surface and inside the cell structure of biochar. Most biochars examined in this research contained calcite (CaCO 3 ). The presence in biochars of several K-minerals [archerite (KH 2 PO 4 ), chlorocalcite (KCaCl 3 ), kalicinite (KHCO 3 ), pyrocoproite (K 2 MgP 2 O 7 ), struvite-K (KMgPO 4 × 6 H 2 O), and sylvite (KCl)] encourages the use of biochar as a K-fertilizer. Fibre, fruit and wood biochars contained considerable amounts of K, Ca, and P. Sugar palm and coconut fibres also contained high level of Na in halite. This study recommends the utilization of biochars manufactured from sugar palm fibre, coconut fibre, durian shell, and oil palm fruit as fertilizers. With their appreciable contents of plant nutrients in highly to moderately soluble compounds these biochars should be effective fertilizers, especially for use by organic farmers who cannot use any chemical fertilizers.

Rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) is of major economic importance in Southeast Asia and for small land holders in Thailand in particular. Due to the high value of latex, plantations are expanding into unsuitable areas, such as the northeast province of Thailand where soil fertility is very low and therefore appropriate management practices are of primary importance. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) contribute to plant growth through a range of mechanisms and could play a key role in a more sustainable management of the rubber plantations. We described the diversity of AMF associated with rubber tree roots in Northeast Thailand in relation to tree age and soil parameters along a chronosequence of rubber tree plantations. Cassava fields were included for comparison. Rubber tree and cassava roots harbored high diversity of AMF (111 Virtual Taxa, VT), including 20 novel VT. AMF VT richness per sample was consistently high (per site mean 16 to 21 VT per sample) along the chronosequence and was not related to soil properties. The composition of AMF communities differed between cassava and rubber tree plantations and was influenced by soil texture and nutrient content (sand, K, P, Ca). AMF community composition gradually shifted with the age of the trees. Our results suggest that the high diversity of AMF in this region is potentially significant for maintaining high functionality of AMF communities.

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Twenty nine Fe oxide concentrates of Thai soils formed on basalt, sandstone, shale/limestone and granite were investigated. Goethite and hematite are relatively more abundant in granitic and basaltic soils, respectively. Values of Feo/Fed range from 0.01 to 0.28 indicating that free Fe oxides are mostly crystalline.There are no systematic differences in unit-cell dimensions for goethite and hematite in soils on different parent materials. Mean crystallite dimensions calculated from the 110 reflections are greater for hematite than for goethite. Aluminium substitution varies from 8 to 24 mole% for goethite and from 4 to 17 mole% for hematite. The dehydroxylation temperature for goethite ranges from 285ºC to 320ºC. The goethite in basaltic soils has a smaller crystal size and Al substitution, as well as a lower dehydroxylation temperature, compared to soils on other parent materials. The dehydroxylation temperature of goethite is positively related to Al substitution (R = +0.58), MCD110 (R = +0.49) and Ald (R = +0.53). The Mn, Ni, Cr, V and P in these soils occur in Fe oxides rather than as discrete minerals.

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