feedearthnow-blog - Tumblr blog

[feedearthnow-blog]

Terreplenish Nitrogen Fixing Microbes

#terreplenish, #nitrogenfixing, #nitrogenfixation, #organicfarming, #cannabis, #hemp, #organicagriculture, #soilmicrobes, #freelivingbacteria, #azotobacter, #sustainablefarming, #nocohempexpo, #freelivingbacteria

[feedearthnow-blog]

Great article by Nick Greens Grow Team

[feedearthnow-blog]

Beautiful recipe to try this spring!

[feedearthnow-blog]

The Secret Sauce for growing food indoors

Nick Greens Grow Team learned about the secret sauce for growing food in 2014 after searching for a better organic nutrient mix and have been growing with it ever since. Visually the plants looked better, more virile. And after several trials, we measured a consistent increase in our yield. But what was behind these beneficial microbes? After some research, we were surprised to find out terreplenish® is made right here in Illinois, and even more surprised to learn it is composed of 100% recycled food waste, such as corn, carrots, peas, etc. After using it across several trials, we definitely noticed the difference - larger, healthier looking plants, and greater yield.  As a result, we now use it on all of our crops including lettuce, basil, and microgreens.  

Benefits and Results:

Increases plant health & resistance 

The proprietary blend of bacteria eats the available food sources, crowding out mold and pathogens. At the end of the cycle we had a 20% increase in the yield.

Zero hour re-entry & Zero day harvest interval 

No need to worry about using this product the day before harvest or on the day  of harvest. It's food safe!

Speeds maturity in a beneficial way

By day 9 the plants we treated with terreplenish® were significantly bigger then the rest of the plants in the crop.

Increases microbe population

When using this product hydroponically it helped produce metabolites that restored microbiology in the nutrient water.

Accelerates nutrient uptake

Compared to the rest of the plants in the crop, by day 21 the plants we treated with terreplenish® were intaking more nitrogen from the atmosphere and uptaking more nutrient water without leaching nitrogen from the water. This reduces the need for adding nitrogen to the nutrient water.

Activates compost

We saw the older roots break down faster, which helped the plants focus on the growth of newer roots.

Terreplenish® contains beneficial microorganisms, nitrogen fixing bacteria, and amino acids that increase plant health and reduce irrigation demands. It is packed with trace minerals, but more importantly, we saw it consume plant enzymes using microbes and affect the potency of the secondary metabolites that are responsible for blocking air borne pathogens. Plant enzymes include growth hormones that are only available from plant-based feed stocks. Approved for organic crop production without restrictions, this product is 100% natural, contains no synthetic chemicals, and leaves zero residue.

[feedearthnow-blog]

by Cathy Scratch

As legalization of both medicinal and recreational marijuana continues to increase with almost every election, consumer concerns about pesticide and herbicide use in commercial growing operations is rising as well. Contaminated cannabis is largely the result of growers wanting to produce the biggest, leafiest plants as quickly as possible, and many of them do so with the help of dangerous chemical applications. Many of these chemicals are not approved for use on edible vegetation but rather are meant for lawns and other ornamental plants. Unfortunately, there are no application standards that commercial growers are required to adhere to. Nonetheless, consumers are becoming increasingly concerned that the marijuana products that they purchase may contain chemicals that threaten their health, and this means that a significant future exists for those who decide to nurture their marijuana crops using organic methods. Disease control in marijuana crops can be practiced without the use of chemicals using a variety of methods. The key to producing a high yield crop without pesticides or herbicides is to provide the plants with the best possible growing environment, and this begins with the soil. Strong, healthy plants can easily fend off pathogens as well as fungal disorders such as powdery mildew. The addition of nitrogen-fixing bacteria is essential to the creation of nourishing soil. Nitrogen is necessary for strong root systems and thriving leaves, which is why growers should amend their soil with products containing beneficial organisms. Not only do these amendments help fix airborne nitrogen in the soil, they work to keep disease-causing pathogens out. Another necessary control for organic grow operations is to keep greenhouse humidity levels in check. Overly damp environments will facilitate fungal diseases, and conditions that are too dry may entice pests such as spider mites. Once the grower finds the right balance of atmospheric humidity, creates a fertile, nourishing soil, and plants natural barriers in the form of chives, onions, or garlic, chemical disease control techniques are no longer necessary or desirable. Because of increasing consume demand for organically grown marijuana products, buyers have begun to reject plant material that has signs of mold or pesticide residue. The trend toward an expressed consumer preference for chemical-free marijuana means that knowledge of organic cultivation techniques is a smart long term investment for those who want a career in commercial cannabis production.

[feedearthnow-blog]

By Cathy Scratch 

Many people believe that creating and maintaining healthy soils involves regular applications of nitrogen-based fertilizer products. While it's true that plants require nitrogen in order to thrive, synthetic fertilizers are ultimately counterproductive because they do long term damage to soils. Remember, plant health begins at the roots, and even the best fertilizer for garden plants can't compete with strong soils that have been crafted using organic farming techniques such as inoculating growing mediums with a soil conditioner containing beneficial bacteria.

One of the main underlying principles of organic farming is that the soil is a living organism in its own right rather than inert material that has to be manipulated with chemicals in order to become viable. Sustainable populations of beneficial microbes are essential for healthy soils because they fix airborne nitrogen into the root zones of the plants. They also increase the water retention capabilities of the soils. Perhaps most importantly, sustainable, healthy soils possess an increased ability to store carbon, thereby slowing down the process of global warming.

An entire kingdom of microbes exist below soil surfaces that have a symbiotic relationships with plants. This area even has a name -- it's called the Rhizosphere. The microorganisms and the plants exchange nutrients in ways that support one another's existence, creating a self-propagating living environment that is far superior to the dead, sterile soils that occur as a result of certain modern farming practices that involve heavy applications of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. Therefore, it should come as no surprise to anyone that what is good for the soil is also good for the plants that it nurtures.

The best way to craft a sustainable growing environment is to use a soil amendment such as terreplenish™ that contains beneficial bacteria. Some soil conditioner products contain only one strain of bacteria, but terreplenish™ is formulated with diverse populations of microbial organisms that work to create the type of strong, vibrant soils that result in superior vegetative growth.

Whether you are new to commercial plant production or an industry veteran who is looking for sustainable alternatives to traditional fertilizer for plants, terreplenish™ is an excellent tool for you to have as part of your soil-building strategy. 

#nutrients #farming #plants #crops #planting #nitrogen #microbes #terreplenish #hemp #hempfarming #cbd #cannabis #cannabiscommunity #livingsoil #soil #organicfarming #organicproducts #farming #trees #fruits #nomorepowdermildew #hydroponics

[feedearthnow-blog]

by Cathy Scratch

Since the soil is teeming with life too small to see, it is easy to do a lot of damage to its structure and composition without realizing anything has happened.  Mechanical tilling has been the field preparation process for small and large scale farmers alike for decades, but pulling out the tractor or tiller this spring could end up hurting your soil instead.

Rich With Oxygen

Tilling churns the soil to expose lower layers to the sky.  This allows oxygen to reach a lot more of the dirt's surface area, drastically increasing free living bacteria and fungal activity immediately.  These little microbes love getting all the oxygen they can absorb. Unfortunately, stoking the fire in this way means they also eat up all the available organic matter in the soil at a very fast rate.  Since this is often done weeks before planting, the action of tilling can cause the microbes to eat up their food supply and starve out before roots can get in the ground to take advantage of all that activity.

Rising Popularity of No-Till

Farmers with thousands of acres are understandably reluctant to switch to a no-tilling method, but CSA and green house owners can experiment with it much easier.  It does usually take a few years for the microbes and fungi to create a strong network in undisturbed soil. However, after that time period there are marked improvements in the number of beneficial bacteria and must have fungi.  Adding in an active product like terreplenish™ is a fast way to jumpstart a new no-till project and avoid the slightly reduced yields commonly seen when first switching over.  Give your plants a boost first, then let the soil take over and leave it undisturbed to build soil fertility that doesn't rely on constant chemical inputs.

[feedearthnow-blog]

By Cathy Scratch  

The garden hibernates. Dried stalks and leafless shrubs stand out against a light dusting of snow. Nature and the gardener draw a breath after summer's frantic rush and fall's rich harvest. Beneath the snow, the soil lies frozen in a rock-like crust. At first glance, it seems lifeless and barren. If we could look deeper, observe the rich interconnectedness of the soil web, we would see that while the garden sleeps, the soil dreams of spring. When we have completed our work as gardeners, replenished and protected the powerhouse of soil life, millions of organisms are eager to provide a surge of growth as weather warms. Knowing what happens deep in the winter soil helps us understand why our fall gardening practices are so essential.In this article, I can only lightly touch on the vast complexity of the soil food web. I will pass over all the protozoan species, the nematodes (good and bad), and the vast range of insects and arthropods. My focus is just a sample of microorganisms and worms -- the smallest and largest inhabitants of the soil.

Bacteria and Archaea

Soil microbes, like all living organisms, need food and energy. In winter, as the sun's warmth declines, these are at a premium. Annual plants die after setting seed, while perennials reduce growth and consolidate sugars in their roots; less plant sap is available to feed carbohydrate-loving microbes. With decreased warmth and nutrients, decomposition of organic matter slows as microbes settle toward a quiescent state.Because of their simple structure, many types of bacteria can freeze without harm. Unlike more complicated organisms, bacteria have membranes that do not burst when their internal fluids turn to ice. With soil rich in humus, bacteria can hibernate through the cold weather well protected within their carbon habitats. Soil that drains well and has humus content around 10% is an ideal environment for overwintering microbes.Some microbes are even hardier and more primitive than bacteria. These are the archaea, a relatively recent discovery in soil biology. Archaea microorganisms are possibly the most ancient living things and have been found in every known environment from Yellowstone's hot springs to ice floes in the Arctic. Because they can live and reproduce in extraordinarily harsh ecologies, they are often called extrememophiles -- lovers of the extreme.While only a few hundred types have been studied, it is probable that thousands of archaea species live in the soil. Until recently, it was thought that only certain bacteria were specialized to convert ammonia into nitrate, a process called nitrification, essential for plant nutrition. Scientists have found that Crenarchaeota archaea are by far the most dominant ammonia oxidizers -- up to 3,000 times more abundant than bacteria. Archaea, with their extraordinarily simple cells, are still working at temperatures near 0C when other microbes are fast asleep.To promote soil life during fall and winter, I lay down compost, plant cover crops (see Cover Crops Article) and make sure to feed the soil with a deep application of Bountea compost tea. Cereal crops such as rye, winter wheat and triticale protect the soil from leaching of minerals and also help stabilize soil carbon, essential for microbes. Terreplenish™ with its diverse microbial population, supercharges the soil and roots with microbial life. Research shows that the population of microbes around cereal roots can actually grow during winter, generating organic nutrients ready for spring.

Soil Fungi and Mycorrhizae Many species of soil fungi do not actively survive the winter; instead they set spores. As soon as soil temperature rises, those spores begin to sprout, sending out masses of thread-like hyphae, connecting to their preferred nutrient sources. Most fungi are beneficial to the soil food web, breaking down cellulose to produce plant nutrients and humus. Others can be noxious pests, colonizing mulch, depleting nutrients and attacking plants.Fungal spores causing rusts, blights, wilting, molds, damping off and root rot are everywhere, floating in the air and settling in the soil. Many gardening experts suggest that the ground be rough dug in fall and weathered during winter to help rid the soil of unwanted fungi and insects. However, this is a two-edged sword. Fall digging disrupts the network of beneficial fungal hyphae, particularly those belonging to mycorrhizae.Mycorrhizae have been shown to not only strengthen plant development, but also help prevent infestation by noxious fungi. Both spores and hyphae of mycorrhizae withstand winter temperatures and, if left undisturbed, can quickly colonize plant roots in the spring. Another beneficial fungi, trichoderma, actively attack destructive fungi in the soil and on plant surfaces. It even prevents snow molds that form on lawns under snow. Healthy winter soil, full of beneficial fungal microorganisms, defends tender spring seedlings from attack and gives a boost to early growth.Again, planting a cover crop is an effective way to strengthen populations of beneficial fungi. Trichoderma and mycorrhizae are found in large numbers in the soil after the cultivation of winter cereals. To support the growth of these beneficial, I add Root Web, with its 21 species of mycorrhizae and trichoderma, to my final application of Bountea compost tea. I seldom have problems with disease in the greenhouse. I believe that a soil well stocked with good fungi has enormous value in protecting plants from attacks of all kinds.

Worms Of all the myriad members of the soil food web, worms have the most interesting winter survival strategies. Before the soil freezes, common earthworms burrow down into the subsoil, below the frost line -- as much as six feet deep. There they form a slime-coated ball and hibernate in a state called estivation. Because they are wrapped in mucous, they can survive for long periods without moisture until spring rains wake them from their slumber.Not all kinds of earthworms make the downward journey. Some lay eggs in cocoons safe in the soil, ready to hatch when conditions are right. Then they settle under leaf litter on top of the soil, where they freeze and die. A type of Northern worm, S. niveus, has evolved an extraordinary method of making it through the winter. S. niveus worms can manufacture glycerol as a kind of antifreeze in their internal fluids. This allows them to supercool their bodies to 15C and survive even the harshest cold.In my greenhouses, I find that many worms avoid hibernating by finding unfrozen strata of soil -- perhaps under a barrel of water that serves as thermal mass, or beneath a plastic bag filled with leaves. Lifting some insulating object, I often find a wriggling mass of worms when I least expect them.Organic mulching (see: The Wonders of MaxiMulch, MY December, 2008) is my preferred way of protecting all the life in the soil, including worms. Deep mulch reduces fluctuations of soil temperature that cause problems for soil life and over-wintering plants. It also decreases the amount of freezing in the soil and conserves soil moisture.Soil life needs less water in winter than in summer, only about 15%, so watering is needed only during warm dry periods. In fact, it is often important to avoid watering mulches to reduce molds and noxious fungi. In moist warm climates, artillery fungus and molds colonize mulch, so only materials that have been hot-composted should be used. In dry climates, such as mine, raw materials -- leaves, hay or straw -- work well as long as they are kept fairly loose and un-compacted. I like to fluff up the mulch once or twice during the winter to keep it mold free.Plenty of compost, a smattering of cover crops, a dose of compost tea and a deep covering of mulch will keep all those wonderful organisms in the soil snug and healthy. With all that life poised to spring into action, you can be sure your next growing season will exceed all your expectations.

[feedearthnow-blog]

Even though many significant advances have been made in modern horticultural techniques that allow for more sustainable production methods, pesticide, herbicide, and synthetic fertilizer use in the cut flower industry remains high. Most recipients of cut flowers don't realize that they're getting a face full of chemical residue when they stick their noses into a beautiful bouquet that they've received, and the small white packets of preservative materials that most cut flowers come with have been found to cause serious skin rashes in Columbian greenhouse workers.

The majority of the cut flowers available in the United States have been grown in Columbia and Ecuador in large floral production greenhouses, and many of these enterprises use chemicals that have been banned in the U.S. as a matter of routine. As the buying public becomes increasingly aware of this, the market for organically grown cut flowers increases proportionately.

However, another reason exists for commercial cut flower growers to consider the benefits of probiotics in organic farming. The cut flower industry experiences significant waste due to the relatively short shelf life of cut flowers, and commercial growers are finding that they can decrease this by creating stronger plants and by using flower varieties that last longer.

One of the main benefits of probiotic use in plant production is that beneficial microbes take nitrogen from the air and fix it into the root zones of the plants. This creates healthier vegetative tissue that is stronger and more capable of fighting off insects as well as fungal and bacterial pathogens, thus reducing the need for chemical pesticides and herbicides. Cut flower growers who use products such as terreplenish™ will easily find a market for their products because consumers will appreciate their longer shelf life as well as the fact that they're produced without abundant amounts of chemicals and synthetic fertilizers.

Another benefit is that growers using organic farming methods will be better able to attract and retain high quality employees because workers will appreciate not being exposed to toxic chemicals as a matter of routine. Experienced, well-trained employees who are happy with their work will result in a better end product.

As more and more commercial growers realize that there is a significant consumer demand for organically grown cut flowers, products containing probiotics will become even more widely used.

[feedearthnow-blog]

Most growers - from backyard vegetable gardeners to large-scale producers – understand that nitrogen is essential for plant health. Many people, however, don’t understand the nitrogen cycle, how it works, or why it is so important. Instead of letting natural processes take over, they use nitrogen-based fertilizers to improve their harvest.

It sounds mysterious, but the nitrogen cycle is nature’s way of converting nitrogen from the air and surrounding soil into a useful substance for plants, microbes and other organisms. If you have a healthy soil structure, the nitrogen cycle will be self-sustaining – you won’t need to rely on chemical fertilizers. Let us show you how the nitrogen cycle works, and what you can do to make sure you have all the right bacteria in your soil.

How Does Nitrogen Fixation Work?

Nitrogen fixation is the first step of the process. During this phase, nitrogen is “fixed” into the soil from the air, where it is converted into ammonia and nitrates. There are only two ways for nitrogen to enter the soil: lightning strikes and nitrogen fixing bacteria. Lightning strikes are relatively rare, and a single strike only affects a very small area. Nitrogen fixing bacteria are responsible for the vast majority of nitrogen fixation and conversion, which is why great soil health with plenty of soil bacteria is so essential.

The Assimilation Phase

During this stage, plants take advantage of the nitrogen compounds fixed into the soil. Plants absorb the ammonia and nitrates through their root systems, using them to create chlorophyll and amino acids.

It’s the amino acid production that makes nitrogen so essential for plant health. Plants use amino acids to create proteins, which are crucial for healthy growth. Proteins are also necessary to help plants produce enzymes and hormones that help them flower, bear fruit, fight disease and more.

The Decay Process

The nitrogen cycle partially starts over as plants and animals die or create waste. Dead plant and animal material along with animal waste contains organic nitrogen that plants absorbed from the soil or animals ingested by eating nitrogen-rich plants. As these materials decay, soil bacteria and fungus convert the nitrogen into ammonia so that plants can use it again. This process is called “ammonification” or “mineralization.”

Carefully Balancing Nitrification

The beauty of healthy soil is that it has an incredibly diverse colony of bacteria and microbes. Throughout the nitrogen cycle, different types of bacteria are responsible for fixing nitrogen or converting it from decaying matter. The nitrification process is no different – another type of bacteria uses some of the ammonia from the decay process to create nitrite.

However, too much nitrite is a bad thing because it is toxic to plants. That means that yet another type of bacteria needs to be present in the soil to convert nitrites into nitrates, which are an essential plant nutrient.

Completing the Cycle: Denitrification

Denitrification is the final step of the nitrogen cycle. In this process, certain kinds of bacteria use nitrogen instead of oxygen to breath, releasing the nitrogen back into the atmosphere. Denitrification happens in oxygen-deprived soil, waterlogged soil and soil that has heavy concentrations nitrogen. Carbon from decaying plant and animal matter speeds the denitrification process, which helps to bring balance back to nitrogen-rich soil quickly.

Jump-Start Your Garden's Nitrogen Cycle

The nitrogen fixing bacteria that make the nitrogen cycle go round will provide your plants with all the organic nitrogen they need. If your soil seems to be underperforming, we recommend inoculating it with a culture of sustainable bacteria rather than resorting to inorganic alternatives.

Not only will your plants grow healthier and stronger, but you may notice some other benefits as well. Soils with a healthy bacterial colony tend to increase water retention, and they'll help plants resist diseases and fungal infections like powdery mildew. You may even discover that fruits and vegetables - in addition to being bigger and more numerous - taste better too!

Sources:

http://ecosystems.mbl.edu/Research/Clue/nitrogen.htmlhttp://www.siue.edu/~rbrugam/Nitrogen.pdf

http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/cellular-microscopic/nitrogen-cycle-info.htm

http://passel.unl.edu/pages/informationmodule.php?idinformationmodule=959117477&topicorder=2&maxto=7

http://passel.unl.edu/pages/informationmodule.php?idinformationmodule=1130447042&topicorder=2&maxto=8

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v212/n5061/abs/212528a0.html

[feedearthnow-blog]

Farming for the Future

By Ronald G Doetch, Solutions in the Land

The hydrological cycle is one of the most important but poorly understood Earth System processes. It involves the journey of water from the Earth's surface to the atmosphere, and back again. This gigantic system, which is responsible for the continuous exchange of moisture between our planet’s oceans, atmosphere, and land surfaces, is powered by the energy from the Sun. The bulk of the Earth’s water (about 96.5%) is stored in the global oceans, about 1.7% is stored in the polar ice caps, glaciers, and permanent snow fields, and another 1.7% is stored in groundwater, lakes, rivers, streams, and soil. Only one one-thousandth of our planet’s water is present in the atmosphere, but it is still the most important ‘greenhouse gas’ and therefore has a very strong influence on our weather and climate.

About 90% of this atmospheric water vapor is produced by evaporation from bodies of open water like oceans, lakes, and rivers. Plant transpiration and soil evaporation supply the remaining 10%. Plants take up water through their root systems to deliver nutrients to their leaves, and release it through small pores in their leaves, called ‘stomata’. While evaporation from the oceans is the primary driver of the surface-to-atmosphere portion of the hydrological cycle, plant transpiration and soil evaporation are also significant contributors. Soil moisture therefore plays a crucial role in our planet’s hydrological cycle. In most of the world, the water supply is the factor that most affects plant growth and crop yields, and hence food supplies. Although soil moisture is not a headline topic, this paper explores the reality that it is indeed our reckless abandonment of the soil that today affects our health, climate and economic concerns and only a refocusing and re-engagement with the soil will put us on the pathway to sustainability.

The focus of this paper is the thin layer between heaven and earth that we call soil. The Soil is a Living System Soil organisms are responsible, to a varying degree depending on the system, for performing vital functions in the soil. Soil organisms make up the diversity of life in the soil. This soil biodiversity is an important component of terrestrial ecosystems. Soil biodiversity is comprised of the organisms that spend all or a portion of their life cycles within the soil or on its immediate surface (including surface litter and decaying logs) Soil organisms represent a large fraction of global terrestrial biodiversity. They carry out a range of processes important for soil health and fertility in soils of both natural ecosystems and agricultural systems. This section provides brief descriptions of organisms that are commonly found in the soil and their main biological and ecological attributes. The community of organisms living all or part of their lives in the soil constitutes the soil food web. The activities of soil organisms interact in a complex food web with some subsisting on living plants and animals (herbivores and predators), others on dead plant debris (detritivores), on fungi or on bacteria, and others living off but not consuming their hosts (parasites).

Plants, mosses and some algae are autotrophs, they play the role of primary producers by using solar energy, water and carbon (C) from atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) to make organic compounds and living tissues. Other autotrophs obtain energy from the breakdown of soil minerals, through the oxidation of nitrogen (N), sulphur (S), iron (Fe) and C from carbonate minerals. Soil fauna and most fungi, bacteria and actinomycetes are heterotrophs, they rely on organic materials either directly (primary consumers) or through intermediaries (secondary or tertiary consumers) for C and energy needs. The Soil food-web diagram below shows a series of conversions of energy and nutrients as one organism eats another. The “structure” of the soil food web is the composition and relative numbers of organisms in each group within the soil. The living component of soil, the food web, is complex and has different compositions in different ecosystems. In a healthy soil, there are a large number of bacteria and bacterial feeding organisms. Where the soil has received heavy treatments of pesticides, chemical fertilizers, soil fungicides or fumigants that kill these organisms, the beneficial soil organisms may die (impeding the performance of their activities), or the balance between the pathogens and beneficial organisms may be upset, allowing those called opportunists (disease-causing organisms) to become problems.

The soil environment Source: S. Rose and E.T. Elliott MICRO-ORGANISMS These are the smallest organisms (<0.1 mm in diameter) and are extremely abundant and diverse. They include algae, bacteria, cyanobacteria, fungi, yeasts, myxomycetes and actinomycetes that are able to decompose almost any existing natural material. Micro-organisms transform organic matter into plant nutrients that are assimilated by plants. Two main groups are normally found in agricultural soils: bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi. Bacteria Bacteria are very small, one-celled organisms that can only be seen with a powerful light (1 000×) or electron microscope. They constitute the highest biomass of soil organisms. They are adjacent and more abundant near roots, one of their food resources. There are many types of bacteria but the focus here is on those that are important for agriculture, e.g. Rhizobium and actinomycetes.

Bacteria are important in agricultural soils because they contribute to the carbon cycle by fixation (photosynthesis) and decomposition. Some bacteria are important decomposers and others such as actinomycetes are particularly effective at breaking down tough substances such as cellulose (which makes up the cell walls of plants) and chitin (which makes up the cell walls of fungi). Land management has an influence on the structure of bacterial communities as it affects nutrient levels and hence can shift the dominance of decomposers from bacterial to fungal. One group of bacteria is particularly important in nitrogen cycling. Free-living bacteria fix atmospheric N, adding it to the soil nitrogen pool; this is called biological nitrogen fixation and it is a natural process highly beneficial in agriculture. Other N-fixing bacteria form associations (in the form of nodules) with the roots of leguminous plants.

The nodule is the place where the atmospheric N is fixed by bacteria and converted into ammonium that can be readily assimilated by the plant. The process is rather complicated but, in general, the bacteria multiply near the root and then adhere to it. Next, small hairs on the root surface curl around the bacteria and they enter the root. Alternatively, the bacteria may enter directly through points on the root surface. Once inside the root, the bacteria multiply within thin threads. Signals stimulate cell multiplication of both the plant cells and the bacteria. This repeated division results in a mass of root cells containing many bacterial cells. Some of these bacteria then change into a form that is able to convert gaseous N into ammonium nitrogen (they can “fix” N). These bacteria are then called bacteroids and present different properties from those of free cells. Most plants need very specific kinds of rhizobia to form nodules.

A specific Rhizobium species will form a nodule on a specific plant root, and not on others. The shapes that the nodules form are controlled by the plant and nodules can vary considerably in size and shape. Actinomycetes are a broad group of bacteria that form thread-like filaments in the soil. The distinctive scent of freshly exposed, moist soil is attributed to these organisms, especially to the nutrients they release as a result of their metabolic processes. Actinomycetes form associations with some non-leguminous plants and fix N, which is then available to both the host and other plants in the near vicinity. Bacteria produce (exude) a sticky substance in the form of polysaccharides (a type of sugar) that helps bind soil particles into small aggregates, conferring structural stability to soils. Thus, bacteria are important as they help improve soil aggregate stability, water infiltration, and water holding capacity.

Nematodes Nematodes are tiny filiform roundworms that are common in soils everywhere. Free-living nematodes graze on bacteria and fungi, thus they control the populations of harmful micro-organisms. These nematodes are 0.15-5 mm long and 2-100 ìm wide; an exception are Mermithidae nematodes, which may be 20 cm long and are very common in tropical soils, being parasites of some arthropods such as locusts. Nematodes can only move through the soil where a film of moisture surrounds the soil particles. They live in the water (they are hydrobionts) that Farming for the Future 5 4.28.14 fills spaces between soil particles and covers roots. In hot and dry conditions, they enter into a dormant stage, and as soon as water becomes available, they spring back to activity. Nematodes are recognized as a major consumer group in soils, generally grouped into four to five trophic categories based on the nature of their food, the structure of the stoma (mouth) and oesophagus, and the method of feeding (Yeates and Coleman, 1982): bacterial feeders, fungal feeders, predatory feeders, omnivores, and plant feeders.

The bacterial feeders prey on bacteria (bacterivores) and may ingest up to 5 000 cells/minute, or 6.5 times their own weight daily. This helps disperse both the organic matter and the decomposers in the soil. Bacterial- and fungal-feeding nematodes release a large percent of N when feeding on their prey groups and are thus responsible for much of the plant available N in the majority of soils (Ingham et al., 1985). The annual overall consumption may be as much as 800 kg of bacteria per hectare and the amount of N turned over in the range of 20-130 kg (Coleman et al., 1984). Fungi These organisms are responsible for the important process of decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems as they degrade and assimilate cellulose, the component of plant cell walls. Fungi are constituted by microscopic cells that usually grow as long threads or strands called hyphae of only a few micrometres in diameter but with the ability to span a length from a few cells to many metres. Soil fungi can be grouped into three general functional groups based on how they source their energy: Decomposers - saprophytic fungi - convert dead organic material into fungal biomass, CO2, and small molecules, such as organic acids. These fungi generally use complex substrates, such as the cellulose and lignin, in wood. They are essential for decomposing the carbon ring structures in some pollutants. Like bacteria, fungi are important for immobilizing or retaining nutrients in the soil. Mutualists - mycorrhizal fungi - colonize plant roots through a symbiotic relationship. The definition of symbiosis is a close, prolonged association between two or more different organisms of different species that may benefit each member.

Mycorrhizae increase the surface area associated with the plant root, which allows the plant to reach nutrients and water that otherwise might not be available. Mycorrhizae essentially extend plant reach to water and nutrients, allowing plants to utilize more of the resources available in the soil. Mycorrhizae source their carbohydrates (energy) from the plant root they are living in/on and they usually help the plants by transferring phosphorus (P) from the soil into the root. Two major groups are identified: (i) ectomycorrhizae, that grow on the surface layers of the roots and are commonly associated with trees; and (ii) endomycorrhizae, such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and vesicular mycorrhizal fungi, that grow within the root cells and are commonly associated with grasses, row crops, vegetables and shrubs.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi can also benefit the physical characteristics of the soil because their hyphae form a mesh to help stabilize soil aggregates. Vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae are the most widespread mycorrhizal fungi. Mycorrhizae are particularly important for phosphate uptake because P does not move towards plant roots easily. These organisms do not harm the plant, and in return, the plant provides Farming for the Future 6 4.28.14 energy to the fungus in the form of sugars. The fungus is actually a network of filaments that grows in and around the plant root cells, forming a mass that extends considerably beyond the root system of the plant. Pathogens - or parasites cause reduced production or death when they colonize roots and other organisms.

Root-pathogenic fungi, such as Verticillium, Pythium andRhizoctonia, cause major economic losses in agriculture each year. Many fungi help control diseases, e.g. nematode-trapping fungi that parasitize disease-causing nematodes, and fungi that feed on insects may be useful as biocontrol agents. Rhizosphere The rhizosphere is the region of soil immediately adjacent to and affected by plant roots. It is a very dynamic environment where plants, soil, micro-organisms, nutrients and water meet and interact. The rhizosphere differs from the bulk soil because of the activities of plant roots and their effect on soil organisms. The root exudates can be used to increase the availability of nutrients and they provide a food source for micro-organisms. This causes the number of microorganisms to be greater in the rhizosphere than in the bulk soil. Their presence attracts larger soil organisms that feed on micro-organisms and the concentration of organisms in the rhizosphere can be up to 500 times higher than in the bulk soil. An important feature of the rhizosphere is the uptake of water and nutrients by plants. Plants take up water and nutrients into their roots. This draws water from the surrounding soil towards the roots and rhizosphere. The soil organisms near the rhizosphere influence plant roots because they translocate nutrient compounds increasing the available nutrients for plants.

BENEFICIAL ORGANISMS IN AGRICULTURAL SOILS;

Agricultural practices can have either positive or negative impacts on soil organisms. Land management and agricultural practices alter the composition of soil biota communities at all levels, with important consequences in terms of soil fertility and plant productivity. The different agricultural practices used by farmers also exert an important influence on soil biota, their activities and diversity. Clearing forested or grassland for cultivation has a drastic effect on the soil environment and, hence, on the numbers and kinds of soil organisms. In general, such activity reduces the quantity and quality of plant residues and the number of plant species considerably. Thus, the range of habitats and foods for soil organisms is reduced significantly. Through changing the physical and chemical environment, agricultural practices alter the ratio of different organisms and their interactions significantly, for example, through adding lime, fertilizers and manures, or through tillage practices and pesticide use. The beneficial effects of soil organisms on agricultural productivity include organic matter decomposition and soil aggregation; breakdown of toxic compounds, both metabolic by- products of organisms and agrochemicals; inorganic transformations that make available nitrates, sulphates and phosphates as well as essential elements such as Fe and Mn; and N- fixation into forms usable by higher plants. “In 1937, President Franklin D Roosevelt wrote… ’The Nation that destroys its soil, destroys itself.’ ”

Organic matter affects both the chemical and physical properties of the soil and its overall health. Properties influenced by organic matter include: soil structure; moisture holding capacity; diversity and activity of soil organisms, both those that are beneficial and harmful to crop production; and nutrient availability. It also influences the effects of chemical amendments, fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. Soil organic matter consists of a continuum of components ranging from labile compounds that mineralize rapidly during the first stage of decomposition to more recalcitrant residues (difficult to degrade) that accumulate as they are deposited during advanced stages of decomposition as microbial by-products (Duxbury, Smith and Doran, 1989). Freshly added or partially decomposed plant residues and their non-humic decomposition products constitute the labile organic matter pool. The more stable humic substances tend to be more resistant to further decomposition. The labile soil organic matter pool regulates the nutrient supplying power of the soil, particularly of nitrogen (N), whereas both the labile and stable pools affect soil physical properties, such as aggregate formation and structural stability. When crops are harvested or residues burned, organic matter is removed from the system. However, the loss can be minimized by retaining plant roots in the soil and leaving crop residues on the surface. Organic matter can also be restored to the soil through growing green manures, cuttings from agroforestry species and the addition of manures and compost. Soil organic matter is the key to soil life and the diverse functions provided by the range of soil organisms.

BIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES;

Soil micro-organisms are of great importance for plant nutrition as they interact directly in the biogeochemical cycles of the nutrients. Farming for the Future 8 4.28.14 Increased production of green manure or crop biomass aboveground and belowground increases the food source for the microbial population in the soil. Agricultural production systems in which residues are left on the soil surface and roots left in the soil, e.g. through direct seeding and the use of cover crops, therefore stimulate the development and activity of soil micro-organisms. In one 19-year experiment in Brazil, such practices resulted in a 129- percent increase in microbial carbon biomass and a 48-percent increase in microbial N biomass under conventional tillage and conservation agriculture Source: Balota, Andrade and Colozzi Filho, 1996. In undisturbed soil ecosystems, e.g. in conservation agriculture, colonization with mycorrhizal fungi increases strongly with time compared with colonization under natural vegetation. Fine roots are the primary sites of mycorrhizal development as they are the most active site for nutrient uptake. This partly explains the increase in mycorrhizal colonization under undisturbed situations as rooting conditions are far better than under conventional tillage. Other factors that might stimulate mycorrhizal development are the increase in organic carbon (C) and the rotation of crops with cover crop/green manure species.  Relationship between bulk density and macroporosity of a soil under different types of management Source: Gassen and Gassen, 1996. Another consequence of increased organic matter content is an increase in the earthworm population.

Earthworms rarely come to the soil surface because of their characteristics: photophobia, lack of pigmentation and tolerance to periods of submergence and anaerobic conditions during rainfall. Soil moisture is one of the most important factors that determine the presence of earthworms in the soil. Through cover crops and crop residues, evaporation is reduced and organic matter in the soil is increased, which in turn can hold more water. Residues on the soil surface induce earthworms to come to the surface in order to incorporate the residues in the soil. The burrowing activity of earthworms creates channels for air and water; this has an important effect on oxygen diffusion in the rootzone, and the drainage of water from it. Furthermore, nutrients and amendments can be distributed easily and the root system can develop, especially in acid subsoil in the existing casts. The shallow-dwelling earthworms create numerous channels throughout the topsoil, which increases overall porosity, and thus bulk density. The large vertical channels created by deep-burrowing earthworms increase water infiltration under very intense rainfall conditions.

CHEMICAL PROPERTIES;

Many important chemical properties of soil organic matter result from the weak acid nature of humus. The ability of organic matter to retain cations for plant use while protecting them from leaching, i.e. the cation exchange capacity (CEC) of the organic matter, is due to the negative charges created as hydrogen (H) is removed from weak acids during neutralization. Many acid-forming reactions occur continually in soils. Some of these acids are produced as a result of organic matter decomposition by microorganisms, secretion by roots, or oxidation of inorganic substances. Commonly used N fertilizers through microbial conversion of NH4+ to NO3-. In particular, ammonium fertilizers, such as urea, and ammonium phosphates, such as monoammonium and diammonium phosphate, are converted rapidly into nitrate through a nitrification process, releasing acids in the process and thus increasing the acidity of the topsoil.

When acids or bases are added to the soil, organic matter reduces or buffers the change in pH. This is why it takes tonnes of limestone to increase the pH of a soil significantly compared with what would be needed to simply neutralize the free H present in the soil solution. All of the free hydrogen ions in the water in a very strongly acid soil (pH 4) could be neutralized with less than 6 kg of limestone per hectare. However, from 5 to more than 24 tonnes of limestone per hectare would be needed to neutralize enough acidity in that soil to enable acid sensitive crops to grow. Almost all of the acid that must be neutralized to increase soil pH is in organic acids, or associated with aluminium (Al) where the pH is very low. However, with large values of soil organic matter, the pH will decrease less rapidly and the field will have to be limed less frequently. A lime application of 1-2 tonnes/ha every 2-3 years might be sufficient to regulate the acidity. Organic matter may provide nearly all of the CEC and pH buffering in soils low in clay or containing clays with low CEC. In comparing conventional and conservation tillage in Brazil, the highest values of soil CEC and exchangeable calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) were found in legume-based rotation systems with the highest organic matter content).

In particular, systems with pigeon peas and lupine resulted in a 70-percent increase in CEC compared with a fallow/maize system. Organic matter releases many plant nutrients as it is broken down in the soil, including N, phosphorus (P) and sulphur (S). Leguminous species are very important as part of a cereal crop rotation in view of their capacity to fix N from the atmosphere through symbiotic associations with root dwelling bacteria. Again in Brazil, five years after starting an intensive system in which oats and clover were rotated with maize and cowpea, there was 490 kg/ha more total soil N in the 0-17.5-cm soil layer than under the traditional oats/maize system with conventional tillage. After nine years, no tillage in combination with the intensive cropping system had resulted in a 24-percent increase in soil N compared with conventional tillage. Although N uptake by plants was less in no-tillage systems, probably because of N immobilization and organic matter building, the maize yields under the different tillage systems did not differ. As the no-tillage system was more efficient in storing soil N from legume cover crops in the topsoil, in the long term this system can increase soil N available for maize production (Amado, Fernandez and Mielniczuk, 1998). Calegari and Alexander (1998) noted that the P content (both inorganic P and total P) of the surface layer (0-5 cm) was higher in the plots with cover crops after nine years. Cover crops were shown to have an important P-recycling capacity, especially when the residues were left on the surface. This was especially clear in the fallow plots, where the conventional tillage plots had a P content 25 percent lower than the no-tillage plots.

Depending on the cover crop, the increase was between 2 and almost 30 percent. Even more important is the effect of land preparation on the increase of P availability in the soil Nitrification process and acid formation in the topsoil Source: Mielniczuk, 1996.  Phosphorus content of soil after 9 years of conservation agriculture, compared with conventional tillage Note: P content of the soil (0-10 cm) was 9 mg/kg in 1985.  On the other hand, where direct seeding is practiced and the crop residues are left on the surface, 50-75 percent of the nutrients were concentrated in the top layer of the soil.

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES;

Organic matter influences the physical conditions of a soil in several ways. Plant residues that cover the soil surface protect the soil from sealing and crusting by raindrop impact, thereby enhancing rainwater infiltration and reducing runoff. Increased organic matter also contributes indirectly to soil porosity (via increased soil faunal activity). Fresh organic matter stimulates the activity of macrofauna such as earthworms, which create burrows lined with the glue-like secretion from their bodies and intermittently filled with worm cast material. Surface infiltration depends on a number of factors including aggregation and stability, pore continuity and stability, the existence of cracks, and the soil surface condition. Organic matter also contributes to the stability of soil aggregates and pores through the bonding or adhesion properties of organic materials, such as bacterial waste products, organic gels, fungal hyphae and worm secretions and casts. Moreover, organic matter intimately mixed with mineral soil materials has a considerable influence in increasing moisture holding capacity. The quality of the crop residues, in particular its chemical composition, determines the effect on soil structure and aggregation.

BENEFITS OF SOIL ORGANIC MATTER;

As noted above, the benefits of a soil that is rich in organic matter and hence rich in living organisms are many. Direct organic matter amendments include: 1. inoculants and compost; 2. animal manure; 3. use of vermicompost; 4. use of waste sludge. 6. improved cropping systems and rotations; 7. planting cover crops; 8. maximizing crop residues and their management; 9. improved rooting systems.

The effects of the management practices depend largely on the agro-climatic situation as temperature and moisture influence speed of decomposition and general cycling of organic matter and nutrients.

SOIL ORGANIC MATTER AND DECOMPOSITION;

Soil organic matter consists of living parts of plants (principally roots), dead forms of organic material (principally dead plant parts), and soil organisms (micro-organisms and soil animals) in various stages of decomposition. It has great impact upon the chemical, physical and biological properties of the soil. Organic matter in the soil gives the soil good structure, and enables the soil to absorb water and retain nutrients. It also facilitates the growth and life of the soil biota by providing energy from carbon compounds, N for protein formation, and other nutrients. Some of the nutrients in the soil are held in the organic matter, comprising almost all the N, a large amount of P and some S. When organic matter decomposes, the nutrients are released into the soil for plant use. Therefore, the amount and type of organic matter in the soil determines the quantity and availability of these nutrients in the soil. It also affects the colour of the soil. Dead matter constitutes about 85 percent of all organic matter in soils. Living roots make up about another 10 percent, and microbes and soil animals make up the remainder. Organic matter that has fully undergone decomposition is called humus. The origins of the materials after formation of humus cannot be recognized. Humus is dark in colour and very rich in plant nutrients. It is usually found in the top layers of a soil profile. The dark colour of humus absorbs heat from the sun, thereby improving soil temperature for plant growth and microbial activity under cooler climatic conditions. Some of the most important functions of organic matter in the soil are:

It increases soil fertility as it retains cations and conserves nutrients in organic forms and slowly releases required nutrients for plant uptake and growth.

It binds soil particles together; the cementing and aggregation functions improving soil structure and aeration.

It acts as a sponge in the soil, retaining soil moisture. Soils with high organic matter content can hold more water than those low in organic matter.

It provides food for micro-organisms living in the soil. Decomposition is the general process whereby dead organic materials are transformed into simpler states with the concurrent release of energy and their contained biological nutrient and other elements in inorganic forms.

Such forms are directly assimilable by micro-organisms and plants, and the remaining soil organic matter may be stabilized through physical and chemical processes or further decomposed (Lavelle and Spain, 2001). These transformations of dead organic materials into assimilable forms involve the simultaneous and complementary processes of mineralization and humification:

Mineralization is the process through which the elements contained in organic form within biological tissues are converted to inorganic forms such as nitrate, phosphate and sulphate ions.

Humification is an anabolic process where organic molecules are condensed into degradation-resistant organic polymers, which may persist almost unaltered for decades or even centuries.

Decomposition is essentially a biological process. Nutrients taken up by plants are derived largely from the decomposition process. Micro-organisms are by far the major contributors to soil respiration and are responsible for 80-95 percent of the total carbon dioxide (CO2) respired and, consequently of the organic C respired (Satchell, 1971; Lamotte, 1989). Therefore, decomposition is a process determined by the interactions of three factors: organisms, environmental conditions (climate and minerals present in the soil); and the quality of the decomposing resources (Swift, Heal and Anderson, 1979; Anderson and Flanagan, 1989).

These factors operate at different spatial and temporal scales (Lavelle et al., 1993). Living organisms are made up of thousands of different compounds. Thus, when organisms die, there are thousands of compounds in the soil to be decomposed. As these compounds are decomposed, the organic matter in soil is gradually transformed until it is no longer recognizable as part of the original plant. The stages in this process are:

Breakdown of compounds that are easy to decompose, e.g. sugars, starches and proteins.

Breakdown of compounds that take several years to decompose, e.g. cellulose (an insoluble carbohydrate found in plants) and lignin (a very complicated structure that is part of wood).

Breakdown of compounds that can take up to ten years to decompose, e.g. some waxes and the phenols. This stage also includes compounds that have formed stable combinations and are located deep inside soil aggregates and are therefore not accessible to soil organisms.

Breakdown of compounds that take tens, hundreds or thousands of years to decompose.

These include humus-like substances that are the result of integration of compounds from breakdown products of plants and those generated by microorganisms. The easily decomposable sugars, starches and proteins are quick and easy for fungi and bacteria to decompose, hence the C and energy they provide is readily available. Most of the microbes living in the soil can secrete the enzymes needed to break up these simple chemical compounds.

The larger mites and small soil animals often help in this first stage of degradation by breaking up the organic matter into smaller pieces, thereby exposing more of the material to colonization by bacteria and fungi. Some of the energy or nutrients released by the breakdown of molecules by enzymes can be used by the bacteria and fungi for their own growth. For example, when an enzyme stimulates the breakdown of a protein, a microbe may be able to use the C, N and S for its own physiological processes and cell structure. If there are nutrients that the microbes do not use, they will be available for other soil organisms or plants to take up and use. When microbes die, their cells are degraded and the nutrients contained within them become available to plants and other soil organisms. The second stage of decomposition involves the breakdown of more complicated compounds by many fungal and bacteria species. These compounds take longer to decompose because they are larger and are made up of more complicated units. Specific enzymes, not commonly produced by most micro-organisms, are required to break down these compounds. Decomposition only takes place where conditions are suitable. Abiotic conditions have a considerable effect on the rate of breakdown. There must be some moisture available, soil temperatures must be suitable (usually between 10 and 35 °C) and the soil must not be too acidic or alkaline. Decomposition also occurs at higher temperatures, as in composts, or under waterlogged conditions through anaerobic processes. Thus, the types of organisms involved in breaking down the organic matter also depend on the conditions.

The type of organic matter, the way it is applied or incorporated into soil and the way it is decomposed influence the physical, chemical and biological balances in the soil and determine the various impacts. It can change: A. amount of N available to plants; B. amount of other nutrients available; C. how the soil binds together (soil aggregation); D. number and type of organisms present in the soil. Micro-organisms can access N in the soil more easily than plants. This means that where there is not enough N for all the soil organisms, the plants will probably be N deficient. When soils are low in organic matter content, application of organic matter will increase the amount of N (and other nutrients) available to plants through enhanced microbial activity. The number of microbes in the soil will also multiply, as they can use the organic matter as a source of energy. Where the number of fungi and bacteria associated with the breakdown of organic matter increases, there may be some improvements to the soil structure. Adding organic matter can also increase the activity of earthworms, which in turn can also improve soil aggregation.

In Summary, using biological approaches to agriculture production and protection restores the land and ecosystem while providing for societal needs. Water is the life blood of all living things and systems. Everything is connected to our hydrological system. These benefits improve bottom-line profitability for the current farmer and provides for generation to come: Reduced input costs: reduced fertilizer needs owing to improved nutrient cycling and reduced leaching from the root zone; reduced pesticide needs owing to pest-predator interactions among organisms and natural biocontrol; reduced tillage costs owing to reliance on biotillage by macrofauna under conservation agriculture approaches. Improved yield and crop quality: soil organic matter and soil biodiversity contribute to improved soil structure, root growth and mycorrhizal development, access to water and nutrients and hence improved root and tuber development and aboveground plant production. Improved soil and crop health reduce impacts of disease-causing organisms (pathogens and viruses and harmful bacteria). Pollution prevention: soil organic matter enhances biological activity of soil organisms that detoxify and absorb excess nutrients that would otherwise become pollutants to groundwater and surface water supplies. Soil organic matter is an important means of C sequestration, and organic matter management practices contribute to C storage (up to 0.5 tonnes/ha/year) and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. The living, breathing, ever-changing soil is a complex system that we have interrupted, stifled, and damaged while increasing demands for food, fiber and fuel for societal needs. We must begin to repair and replace what we have taken and allow that healing to begin.

[feedearthnow-blog]

Create Living Soils With Nitrogen-Fixing Microbes

Nitrogen is one of the main chemical elements necessary for optimal vegetative growth in both greenhouse production environments and in outdoor growing situations. The addition of nitrogen to the growing medium results in faster growth and larger plants, meaning that growers can get their product to market more quickly. However, simply adding a synthetic nitrogen fertilizer is not an ideal solution. These products can eventually destroy the soils by eroding carbons, leaching other nutrients, and causing compaction that results in overly dense soils that can hold very little water. They create a vicious cycle where the soil is only marginally viable when chemical fertilizers have been used, eventually ruining the long-term productivity of the soil and leaving it vulnerable to harmful microorganisms.

Organic plant food that works to fix atmospheric nitrogen into the soil is a far better soil building strategy than simply applying synthetic fertilizers. Soil inoculants containing microbes fix airborne nitrogen into plant root zone areas, thus increasing soil health by creating self-sustaining colonies of beneficial bacteria. Water holding capacity in soils that have been inoculated with these organic plant fertilizer products have also been found to increase by as much as 25 percent.

Modern research shows that building healthy, fertile soils that contain abundant organic matter can create a growing environment that can successfully retain and store nitrogen. On the other hand, annual applications of synthetic fertilizers create conditions where nutrients are easily leached from the soil, and these soils eventually become useless.

Commercial farmland, greenhouse production environments, and home yard and garden areas can all benefit from the use of nitrogen fixation techniques such as planting cover crops during the fallow season and by using soil inoculants containing beneficial microbes rather than synthetic fertilizer products. Strong soils create strong plants with well-developed root systems, making it easier for them to fend off pathogens and fungal diseases. Preventing vegetative diseases by creating durable plants using organic growing techniques is much preferable to waiting until plants begin to show symptoms of damaging conditions to treat them. Thriving colonies of beneficial microbes is one of the essential building blocks in the creation of vibrant, life-giving soil.

[feedearthnow-blog]

The Importance of Probiotics in Producing Superior Plants

Creating healthy soils that produce superior vegetative growth involves much more than simply using synthetic fertilizers as a matter of routine. In fact, these products can eventually wear the soil down to the extent that it’s no longer viable. Anyone who grows anything from agricultural crops to house plants will serve themselves well by gaining some basic knowledge concerning the benefits of probiotics and the strong effect that they have on soil health.

When soil is considered to be a living entity in its own right rather than simply an inert medium that provides a way for plants roots to derive water and nutrients, the basic principles of soil-building for optimal plant health become much more clear. We know, for instance, that healthy human beings are much better able to fend off diseases and to withstand injuries than their more sickly counterparts. Plant that are grown in vibrant, strong soils enjoy similar benefits. Also, keep in mind that in the same way that synthetic horticultural products designed to control plant pathogens also kill beneficial bacteria in much the same way that doses of antibiotics kill the beneficial bacterial organisms human body. Just like humans need to replenish these microbes for the sake of their health, soils need these organisms as well to remain vibrant and alive.

Humans who fail to restore the “good” bacteria after a period of taking antibiotics through the ingestion of materials containing probiotics such as yogurt, probiotic supplements, and fermented food products generally experience unhealthy levels of a fungal yeast known as candida. Candida is the main cause of the majority of fungal infections experienced by humans. Plants also become very vulnerable to the overdevelopment of fungal diseases in the absence of beneficial bacterial organisms in the soil. Powdery mildew, for instance, is commonly found among plants that are growing in soils that have been depleted of life-giving microbes as the result of the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.

Remember that plant health begins at the very tips of the roots, so creating and maintaining living soils is the first step in producing superior vegetation. Think of products such as terreplenish™ as the yogurt of the horticulture world when it comes to replenishing optimal levels of life-giving probiotics.