Building the Science Behind Better Soil Decisions

In 2026, AgroNet ZERO, in collaboration with soil scientists at Purdue University, is conducting a systematic literature review to strengthen the scientific foundation behind how soil data is used to guide biochar application decisions.

This phase of our research focuses on the Biochar Response Score (BRS) within the USDA Web Soil Survey (WSS)—a tool designed to help identify where biochar is most likely to deliver meaningful results.

What We’re Doing

Our work is centered on understanding and improving the logic behind how the Biochar Response Score is constructed. Specifically, we are:

• Reviewing peer-reviewed literature on biochar performance across different soil conditions

• Analyzing how key soil properties (e.g., pH, texture, organic matter, drainage) influence biochar response

• Evaluating the additive criteria currently used in the WSS Biochar Response Score

• Identifying where the model aligns with published research and where it may require refinement

• Establishing a clearer scientific rationale for how multiple soil factors combine to influence outcomes

What We’re Learning

Our research reinforces that biochar response is not driven by a single factor, but by a combination of interacting soil conditions.

We are finding that:

• Additive scoring approaches provide a practical way to translate complex soil interactions into usable guidance

• Some soil variables have stronger or more context-dependent influence than currently reflected

• Interactions between factors (e.g., pH, drainage, and texture) can significantly affect outcomes

• A more transparent and research-aligned framework can improve both usability and trust in the tool

Why It Matters

This work is an important step toward building more reliable and actionable soil intelligence.

By strengthening the scientific rationale behind how response scores are constructed, we move closer to a system where:

• Farmers and land managers have clearer guidance on where biochar is most likely to work

• Soil evaluation tools better reflect real-world complexity while remaining practical to use

• Regenerative inputs are matched more precisely to field conditions

Ultimately, this research supports AgroNet ZERO’s mission to build a decision-driven marketplace for soil inputs—where science, soil data, and real-world application come together to help apply the right input, in the right place, for the right outcome.