Research Article
Mycromist: A Pilot Greenhouse Study of an Integrated Biochar–Hydrogel–Microbial Amendment for Post-Fire Soil Restoration
DOI: 10.68101/9431
Pragna Prahallad ORCID: NA, Pranathi Prahallad ORCID: NA, Sai Utkarsh Choudarypally ORCID: NA, Hasini Dontula ORCID: NA
Published November 5, 2026 · Vol. I · 2026 · National Youth Research Journal (NYRJ)
Abstract
Over the past decade, wildfires in the western United States have grown more frequent and severe, leaving a widening area of burned land. Restoring it at scale calls for low-input, sustainable amendments rather than costly conventional treatments. Post-fire soils recover slowly because of poor water retention, low fertility, and a depleted microbial community. We tested Mycromist, a biodegradable granule combining biochar (terra preta), a superabsorbent hydrogel, and a microbial consortium (arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, Rhizobium, and Trichoderma harzianum), in a 54-day greenhouse trial of 15 boxes of fire-affected soil (five replicates each of untreated control and Mycromist with hydrogel base A or B) seeded with Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon). For each variable, the five replicate boxes per treatment were averaged each day, and these daily averages were compared on their 54-day means and trends. Treated soils dried more slowly than control (−0.065 index day−1 for control versus −0.033 for A and −0.013 for B) and grew 49–57% taller grass (12.8 and 13.5 in versus 8.6 in). Control fertility declined over the trial (−0.031 class day−1), while both treated groups remained roughly steady, and pH drifted upward in the control but stayed flatter in treated plots. The improvements were consistent but modest.
Keywords
biochar, polymer soil amendment, microbial inoculants, fire-affected soil, greenhouse pilot, descriptive analysis
Cite this article
Generate verified APA, MLA, Chicago, BibTeX, and RIS citations from this article's published metadata.
APA preview
Prahallad, P., Prahallad, P., Choudarypally, S. U., & Dontula, H. (2026). Mycromist: A Pilot Greenhouse Study of an Integrated Biochar–Hydrogel–Microbial Amendment for Post-Fire Soil Restoration. National Youth Research Journal, Vol. I · 2026. https://doi.org/10.68101/9431