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The creature most often missing in agricultural soils is a fungus that burrows into the crop roots, but this is not a disease organism. Once this creature is locked into a food source from the plant, it gives far more than it receives. This generous life force is called Mycorrhizal fungi and it has become an unfortunate casualty of extractive agriculture.

There are two forms of Mycorrhizal fungi, one that surrounds the plant roots and another that physically attaches to the roots. In both cases they harvest sugar exudates from the plant. AM create structures within root cells called arbuscules that facilitate the transfer of nutrients between the plant and the fungus. It is now acknowledged that these compromised creatures may be the single

most important tool available to reverse global warming as they produce a substance called glomalin. In 1996, a researcher called Sara F. Wright, discovered glomalin, a sticky substance produced by mycorrhizal fungi that generates stable humus in the soil.

This remarkable material permeates organic matter, binding it to silt, sand and clay particles in the soil. The substance itself contains 40% carbon but it also creates aggregates that stabilize carbon in the soil and prevent its return to the atmosphere as part of the carbon cycle.

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Potassium (K) is the mineral with the greatest influence upon crop quality parameters and, in this context, foliar-applied potassium during the business end of the season (from flowering onwards), can be particularly productive. Potassium is unique amongst major minerals in that it never becomes part of functional molecules involved in plant structure. Instead, it serves as a spark plug that…

Ecological Agriculture. What is it? Call it natural, sustainable, organic, biological, low input, basically it is farming with less reliance on chemicals, the benefits flowing towards less toxic production systems, high quality nutritious food, a healthier environment and less exposure to toxic inputs by the farmer. Ecological farming relies more on natural energies and organisms, to produce top quality food…

The hidden cost of Chemicals A major mineral is missing in many soils and most soil tests do not even monitor its presence. This mineral can increase stress resistance, boost photosynthesis and chlorophyll content, improve drought resistance, salt tolerance and soil fertility and prevent lodging. lt can also reduce insect pressure, frost damage and destructive disease while lowering irrigation rates,…

The Humate Phenomenon Humates are the most exciting input for the increase of productivity and profitability in agriculture since the advent of commercial nitrogen. What began as a critical tool in biological agriculture has rapidly become an essential performance enhancer in all types of growing enterprises. What is all the noise about, and should you be investigating this strategy? This…

Humus, humates, microbes, minerals & more!