New Findings on Foliar Potassium
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 triggers numerous biochemical and physiological processes related to plant growth, yield and quality. Extensive research into this mineral by Lester et al in 2005 and 2006 confirmed that adequate potassium nutrition is directly linked to increased yield, fruit size, shelf life, soluble solids and higher levels of ascorbic acid in many horticultural crops. It is also related to improved fruit colour and shipping quality. An Essential Fruiting Food In many plant species most of the potassium uptake from the soil occurs during the vegetative stage when root growth is not inhibited by the availability of plant sugars from the above ground plant. The delivery of sugars to the roots is often compromised when this glucose is needed to fuel the reproductive process once fruiting begins. This competition between roots and fruiting organs is often linked to a reduction in root growth and activity, and an associated reduction in potassium uptake. Potassium is the second most abundant mineral in the plant and there is a substantially increased drawdown during the reproductive period. Disruption in potassium delivery can prove costly at this critical time of the season, particularly if other factors are also impacting K delivery. Uptake of potassium from the soil depends upon a variety of factors including mineral balance, soil type and plant genetics. Excesses of calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous can negatively impact the uptake of potassium but the mineral with the greatest adverse impact is nitrate nitrogen. In this context, I have always felt that there was a question mark about the popular practice of foliar spaying potassium nitrate as a K source. It seems like giving with one hand and taking with another and now some new research has confirmed my suspicions. Potassium Nitrate Proves Counter Productive New, published research by USDA research scientist, Dr Gene Lester and his associate, Dr John Jifon, involved analysis of the benefits of foliar potassium during fruiting and the study also compared various sources of soluble potassium including, potassium sulfate, potassium chloride, potassium nitrate and Mono Potassium Phosphate (MKP). In this comprehensive, multi year, field study (involving rock melons) the researchers analysed differences in petiole K, fruit K, brix levels and total sugars based upon different potassium inputs and a control that did not receive foliar potassium. In each of the three years of the trial, potassium nitrate performed poorly. In fact, it was the worst performer in each year on every parameter. It was even worse than the control in a couple of instances. Next the researchers compared nutritional value and fruit firmness with the various inputs. They looked at vitamin C, beta-carotene, and fruit colour. Colour is linked to pigments, which are, in turn, antioxidants of considerable nutritional importance for humans. The more intense the colour, the greater the protective capacity of the fruit or vegetable. Again, potassium nitrate was the dismal performer, although it was edged out for the wooden spoon by potassium chloride on a few occasions during the three-year research project. Finally, the study looked at yield, fruit size and discarded fruit. Here, the negatives associated with the K nitrate input became most pronounced. The yields on the potassium nitrate treated blocks were lower than the control in each of the three years of the study and the discards were substantially higher following K nitrate foliars. In fact, there was an average of three times more throwaway fruit when K nitrate was compared to potassium sulfate and twice the discards in comparison to the controls. This input proved to be seriously counterproductive and yet tens of thousands of growers around the globe religiously foliar spray potassium nitrate throughout the second half of the season. The authors of the study concluded that “potassium nitrate may not be suitable for late season foliar nutrition” and they are most certainly correct. Nitrate nitrogen is for vegetative growth. It does not provide a reproductive push and it can be antagonistic to potassium uptake. Nitrates are always absorbed with water so there is a nutrient dilution factor that inevitably reduces fruit quality. It is hard to imagine a more inappropriate choice for potassium nutrition! The Indisputable Benefits of Late Season Foliar Potassium This comprehensive study highlighted the importance of selecting the correct potassium input, but it also demonstrated the value of late season potassium supplementation. Brix levels and total sugars increased by an average of 20% in line with increased potassium in the leaf and fruit. Fruit firmness increased by a similar percentage and key antioxidants (vitamin C and beta carotenes) increased by an average of15%. Discards were considerably lower than the control in every block (with the exception of the K nitrate treated blocks). Yields were up to 20% higher in the blocks treated with the better potassium sources. Potassium increases the translocation of sugars and is the major nutrient associated with fruit size and flavour. Small, acid tasting citrus fruit, for example, are a classic sign of potassium deficiency. This mineral can mean more to your bottom line than any other so it is important to get it right. We have achieved impressive potassium response with a specialist potassium foliar that can help maximize yield and quality. K-Rich™ – pH Neutral, Foliar Potassium K-Rich™ is a soluble, liquid potassium, based upon potassium citrate. Right back in 1959, Wittwer and Taubner carried out a study to compare plant uptake of potassium from different sources of potassium including potassium nitrate, potassium chloride, potassium sulphate and potassium citrate. They demonstrated that the uptake of K ions was higher with the citrate form of potassium. However, this high analysis concentrate (35% K) features additional agents to further boost the uptake of this important
Ecological Agriculture.
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 & fiber products. Ecological farming is a complete system; it is not muck, myth or a magic bullet and takes time and patience to develop. Ecological farming is not necessarily organic only. Most times a combination of organic and conventional inputs produces the best results in terms of nutrition and high production. Ecological farming works with nature to improve the basic conditions for soil organisms, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, algae, earthworms and higher organisms like insects, reptiles, mammals and birds. A properly balanced ecosystem will improve conditions for these organisms, in turn, bringing equilibrium to the whole system, with natural protection and increased energy for growing plants. All organisms rely on lower organisms for survival. This is the way of Nature, if we learn how to harness this system and maintain the balance, we can all benefit. The soil-plant system For the soil-plant system to function well, soil life needs to be considered and protected at every cost. Imbalanced soils, synthetic chemical inputs, nutrient excesses, chemical pesticides, herbicides and fungicide use, compaction, low humus, poor oxygen supply, all play a part in keeping the soil active, (the aim of an Ecological Farming System) or inactive, which is easily possible with some of the inputs being made. A previous CSIRO biology study has shown that herbicide applications alone can affect the function of the soil biota by as much as 40-50 days, with high nitrogen applications having a detrimental effect on soil organisms by up to 40 days. Recent studies by the USDA have also shown detrimental effects on beneficial soil organisms, with the general use of a well -known herbicide. Balance is the key for the soil-plant system to perform at its’ best. Balance is the key to the production of high-quality food and fiber. Chemistry, physics and biology should be kept in balance for sustainable agriculture to remain just that, ‘sustainable’. Where do you start? Start with the soil and a complete soil test. A balanced soil will provide ideal pore space in the aerobic zone or ‘topsoil’. This allows for a good supply of oxygen and optimizes field capacity (soil moisture retaining properties) assisting beneficial microorganisms. The organisms in the soil assist the development of healthy root systems and provide nutrients to plants. Plants in turn provide food for these organisms from exudates and wastes. The Albrecht Model The Albrecht soil test determines the level and balance of all major & secondary nutrients. In our opinion (after thousands of soil tests), it is the ideal test for evaluating soil balance and the measures required to ameliorate soils which require adjusting. Major & minor elements like anions (nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorous), cations (calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, hydrogen) and the micronutrients (copper, zinc, manganese, iron, cobalt, molybdenum) could be limiting factors when undersupplied, or antagonistic to the availability of other essential elements, when in excess. (ref. Mulder’s Chart). The ideal calcium: magnesium ratio (~6:1) is vital to keep air and moisture flowing freely through the soil profile. For aerobic organisms to proliferate, oxygen is vital. Compacted soil due to excess magnesium or low calcium may reduce soil oxygen, plant root development and microbial activity. pH, which is determined by the percentage of base saturations of the major cations and their relative balance, is another limiting factor . The Soil Food Web Most of the beneficial organisms are aerobic and require sufficient oxygen to grow and flourish. Bacteria, beneficial mycorrhizal fungi and earthworms assist in building soil structure with sticky waste by-products that glue soil particles together. Protozoa assist in mineralizing nutrients, making them available to plants. In order to make more minerals available, adequate numbers of protozoa must be present in the soil. Microbes under favorable conditions can divide every 20 mins; increasing their numbers to more than one thousand from one, after just 3 hrs. This astronomical growth rate includes tens and hundreds of millions of microorganisms, present in every grain of soil. These microbes alter the biochemical substances as they work and rework all the dead cells components. Some fix atmospheric nitrogen (Azotobactor, Nitrobactor) some are symbiotic (live inside root systems, supplying nitrogen from the atmosphere, Rhizobium) some decompose cellulose and organic matter (Bacillus subtilis), releasing nutrients from previous living plants & organisms, while others attack pathogens and unfriendly organisms (Trichoderma). Others increase humus content and available carbon. Carbon and oxygen are essential components in the process of photosynthesis. Soil conditions and the balance of nutrients greatly affect the positive or negative function of these microbes. The Benefits A general benefit from soil balance and nurturing of the living organisms of the soil-plant system is reflected in the reduction of chemicals to control pests and diseases and a reduction of synthetic fertiliser inputs to grow crops. This has a flow-on benefit for the environment and can lead to a reduction in the costs to produce quality crops, not to mention a reduction of toxic residues in the food chain. The Future (Organic, GMO, Conventional, Permaculture, Bio-Dynamic, Hydroponic?) Many of the farming methods being used to date are being questioned and evaluated for their true sustainability. New methods are gradually being incorporated (IPM: Integrated Pest Management is one example), not to mention the campaign of awareness by governments and agencies like Landcare, highlighting impacts we all have on our environment, global warming, soil erosion, desertification, nitrate and mineral leaching etc. Many countries are subsidizing and encouraging farmers to convert to systems that are more Eco-friendly, particularly European countries. Farmers in Germany for example are subsidized to convert to certified organic farming systems, whilst in Italy it is compulsory for children’s school lunches to be organic. Organic farming is growing at
Silica
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, neutralising heavy metal toxicity and countering the negative effects of excess sodium. If I were to tell you that this same missing mineral can increase root growth, boost yield and enhance crop quality, you could well ask, “how could we have overlooked something so important?” and you would be correct. It has been a serious oversight. The mineral in question is silicon, and science is rapidly revealing the scope and scale of our silicon neglect. Poverty in a Sea of Abundance Silicon is not classed as an essential nutrient, but, in response to a wealth of new findings highlighting the importance of this nutrient, that status may soon change. Silicon is the second most abundant mineral on the planet. It is everywhere. Clays are alumina silicates and sand is largely silicon, so how could there be a shortage of silicon? The answer lies in the form of silicon that enters the plant. Plants uptake silicon as silicic acid and this is what is missing in the soil. Something we have done in conventional agriculture appears to have compromised the conversion of insoluble silicon into the plant available form. It may reflect a mineral imbalance or we may have knocked out some of the soil microbe species that solubilise this mineral. It is not yet understood what drove the widespread deficiency but we do know that a healthy, disease suppressive soil should contain 100 ppm of monosilicic acid (as measured in a soil analysis) and very few soils come anywhere near that mark! Little was known about the multiple roles of silicon until recently. It was known to be present in every soil but it was only when it became less plant available that it was realised that there may be a link between this loss and a host of growing problems. During the last decade, silicon seems to have become “flavour of the month” in the soil science community. Researchers have delved more deeply and hundreds of papers have been presented at the International Silicon Conferences in Brazil and South Africa. This neglected mineral is now emerging as a key player in proactive pest and disease management and the production of nutrient dense food. If you are not yet aware of the silicon story then this article should serve to fill some gaps. Cell Strength is Resilience The cell wall in plants is a substantial barrier that must be breached to gain access to the goodies within. A fungal pathogen must drill through this wall with its hyphae to be able to tap into the nutritious cell centre. Once this goal is achieved, the pest has the food source that sponsors its spread, and a disease is born. There is an obvious opportunity here to stop the pathogen in its tracks. What happens if we strengthen that cell wall so that the hyphae buckle? It’s simple – the disease cannot gain a foothold and will not spread. Similarly, why would a leaf eating insect choose to wear out his eating gear on silicon-strengthened rock cakes when it can go elsewhere for sponge. Many published papers have now confirmed the exciting potential for increased disease and insect resistance through good silicon nutrition. In one paper presented at the South African conference, soluble silicon used as a soil drench had the equivalent inhibitory effect as phosphorus acid in the management of phytophthora in avocados. However, the silicon-treated plants had much more vigorous roots and canopies. In another case silicon was shown to offer effective management of dreaded black sigatoka in bananas. Other papers reported efficacy against brown rust in sugar cane, powdery mildew in cucurbits, fusarium wilt in potatoes and leaf blast in rice. Interestingly, the plant understands the protective potential of silicon, even if we don’t. When a disease begins, the plant directs all available silicon to the attack site, to strengthen the surrounding cells and stop or slow the spread of the pathogen. There is a problem here, though, because silicon is immobile once incorporated into the cell wall. It must be in constant supply so that the plant can utilise it at these times. Most soils contain less than half of the soluble silicon required so there can be significant benefits in foliar spraying silicon at the first sign of a disease. This can stop the spread of the disease and many growers are successfully using this strategy. Silicon and Sun Power Photosynthesis is the most important process on the planet. The green plant is the only source of food and the management of chlorophyll, the green pigment where all the action happens, is the chief role of the farmer. Silicon is a gold sponsor of the sugar factories within the plant as it supports this process in several ways. The leaf is essentially a solar panel, the underside of which also serves to capture the CO2 gas as it rises from the roots and soil life. The better that panel is presented, the more efficient it will prove in capturing sunlight, water and CO2 (the three components of photosynthesis). Silicon strengthens the stem and holds that panel in perfect position. The plant is less likely to droop in warm conditions and more likely to maximise photosynthesis. Minerals are the major players in the photosynthesis equation. Blotches, stripes and pale colours, from shortages of minerals, represent the mismanagement of chlorophyll. Sometimes it’s not just the lack of these nutrients but their delivery into the crop that is the issue. Silicon can have a big impact upon mineral uptake. Phloem and xylem are the pathways that govern mineral absorption and the translocation of minerals within the plant. These nutrient
The Humate Phenomenon
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 article may serve to summarise some of the many benefits of humates and hopefully inspire you to trial these inputs if you are not already using them. Fifty years of scientific research has quantified the multiple benefits of humates derived from brown coal. Professor William Jackson has chronicled some of this research in his 1000-page, award winning book, “Organic Soil Conditioning”. Humates have been shown to be a highly productive input in all forms of agriculture, in stock health management and in environmental remediation. The Mechanics of Humates If we consider the attributes of humus in the soil, we find that the long list of benefits directly parallels the benefits of humates. Humus provides pH buffering, increased heavy metal and toxin tolerance, moisture retention, microbe stimulation and support, soil structure improvement and improved nutrient uptake. Humates do the same thing, but more powerfully, because they are like a concentrated form of humus. In fact all humus naturally contains Humic and fulvic acid (humates) so these natural acids can serve as a band-aid to substitute for the loss of humus in our soils. We have lost more than two thirds of the planet’s organic carbon during the past few decades of extractive agriculture so humates have become an increasingly important tool to counter those losses. Humates, like humus, contain both negatively and positively charged sites which enable the storage of both cations and anions. The nutrient storage capacity of a soil is often measured as Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) on a soil test. A light sandy soil, for example, might have a cation exchange capacity of just five and this is a soil where your fertiliser investment is always at risk. Loss through leaching is inevitable in these soils. Humic acid has a CEC of 450 and fulvic acid has a whopping CEC of 1400 so it is not hard to imagine the benefits of combining these materials with fertilisers to reduce leaching. Powerhouse Problem Solvers Global heating and peak oil have highlighted the vulnerability of an agricultural system based upon petrochemicals and easily influenced by weather extremes. Humates are a multifaceted tool that addresses both situations. Humic acid is the most powerful stimulant of the beneficial fungi that build humus. This all-important intervention in the carbon cycle traps and stores CO2 that was otherwise destined for the atmosphere. This humus then retains moisture and nutrients reducing the requirement for oil-based inputs and the carbon footprint of the grower (less irrigation, diesel and chemical intervention). Fulvic acid is the most powerful bacterial stimulant and it is these creatures which can seriously reduce the need for applied nitrogen and phosphorus. Nitrogen fixers, both free living and leguminous, are fired up by fulvic acid and can supply a natural nitrogen source that is much more plant supportive than the nitrates that pervade modern agriculture. Fulvic acid also fires the phosphate solubilising bacteria that can access the ten billion dollars of phosphate that is estimated to be locked within Australian soils. Humate-based reductions in fertilisers, farm chemicals and irrigation requirements are impressive but there is more! Humates can neutralise chemical residues in the soil that are often compromising production. In fact humates are now considered to be the first step in environmental remediation. Even glyphosate residues (or the breakdown compound which can be even more destructive than the original) can build up in the soil and hinder growth. Humates can be utilised to remove these toxins. Productive Combinations If you have yet to discover the many benefits of humates, you are in for a real treat. Trial a small area and monitor the response. We have never encountered a single grower who trialled the combination of Humic acid with either DAP or Urea, who does not still use these products together. The easiest way to monitor the combination of DAP and humates, for example, is to compare leaf tests on treated v’s untreated crops. What you will witness is a fall off in phosphate levels in the untreated crop as the season progresses. The humate treated plants, however, will continue to access phosphate throughout the season. There is 100% more phosphate drawdown during reproduction than at the start of the crop but most of your applied acid phosphate has locked up at that point. When Soluble Humate Granules are included with the DAP the two inputs combine to form a phosphate humate which is available throughout the crop cycle. This is a simple strategy which maximises your phosphate investment. Not only do you stabilise the phosphate and maintain access to the 70% of P that is usually lost to lockup, but you are also increasing plant availability of P via cell sensitisation (a well researched phenomenon where the cell membranes become more permeable and the plant absorbs up to 35% more than otherwise). When humates are combined with Urea, a urea humate is formed that is much more productive than the standalone urea. Not only is the urea prevented from converting to a highly leachable nitrate through this stabilisation, but it is also 35% better absorbed due to the cell sensitisation phenomenon. Cost effective Humate Help Many growers add a little Soluble Fulvic Acid Powder™ to all liquid fertilisers to chelate and magnify these inputs. A little goes a long way with this material. There is an obvious benefit from as little as 200 grams of powder per hectare. In fact, the maximum suggested rate to achieve chelation, bio stimulation and fertiliser magnification is just 500 grams per hectare. Similarly, the soluble Humic acid is more cost effective than the liquid alternative. 5 kg of Soluble Humate Granules™ per hectare (combined with granular
Tri-Kelp™ – A Multi Purpose Marvel
Tri-Kelp™ – A Multi Purpose Marvel If you have yet to discover the many benefits of kelp in agriculture, then do yourself a favour and experiment with foliar spays or soil applications of liquid seaweed in your particular crop. There are now no cost limitations upon the use of kelp because the introduction of Tri-Kelp™ Soluble Seaweed Powder from NTS has effectively re-written the rules relating to kelp usage. Where this plant growth promoter was once considered a costly but highly effective inclusion in intensive horticulture, it can now be used in every situation, including pasture and broadacre crops. Tri-Kelp™ is a highly concentrated powder that is productive at application rates of just 1 gram per litre for foliar applications or 500 grams per hectare in the soil. Liquid seaweed fertilisers, that have grown increasingly popular in the local marketplace over the past two decades, typically involve 10% solids, and retail for around $12.00 per litre. You can now produce your own 10% liquid kelp by adding 100 grams of Tri-Kelp™ powder to one litre of water (10%) at a cost of around $2.00 per litre (and you no longer need to transport 90% water around the country). However, this dramatic reduction in price is just the first factor in a long list of reasons to explore the use of Tri-Kelp™ in your enterprise. Kelp boosts nutrient uptake, provides the full spectrum of minerals from the ocean, increases shelf life, improves reproduction, enhances root growth and supports the plant’s immune system. It is also a powerful promotant of the beneficial fungi that sequester stable carbon in the soil (cellulose digesting fungi). These creatures are arguably the most important life form on the planet at this point in time, as they represent the most rapid and effective means to remove excess CO2 from the atmosphere and return it to the soil. Building humus in your soil is not just an environmental imperative, it is also set to become a second income stream for growers when carbon credits are introduced (and kelp will prove a major player in this biological process). Kelp Ain’t Kelp Does this mean that all liquid seaweed products will perform these roles equally (aside from the cost comparison)? No, this is definitely not the case. All kelp fertilisers are beneficial but there is a distinct variation in performance, based upon where the seaweed came from, the percentage solids, the kelp species involved and the level of contamination. Unfortunately, some of the cheap Chinese kelp products have become notorious for heavy metal contamination, as they are often sourced from polluted waters and kelp tends to accumulate heavy metals. There is also variation amongst the European and Canadian soluble kelp powders. However, most of these products are based on the same species (Ascophyllum nodosum) and the difference lies in how well they disperse and dissolve in water. Tri-Kelp™ is an easily dissolved powder that compares with the very best of the high-end products, at a fraction of the price. It is manufactured for NTS in China and the raw ingredients were stringently sourced to ensure a high quality, uncontaminated, inexpensive alternative. Tri-Kelp™ is unique in that it features a special ratio of three of the most successful commercial kelp varieties. In effect, it delivers the best that seaweed fertilisers can offer, and we encourage growers to trial Tri-Kelp™ against any other kelp they have used in the past. To date, we have yet to find a single grower who was not impressed. Why Three is Better Than One Tri-Kelp™ contains a distinctive blend of Laminaria, Sargassum and Ascophyllum nodosum and each of these species has something special to offer. Laminaria, for example, contains twice the iodine of any other kelp and this mineral, essential for thyroid health in animals and humans, may yet prove to have benefits for plant health (aside from its sterilising capacity). Sargassum contains luxury levels of glycine betaine, a compound that has anti-transpirant qualities (to boost drought resistance and reduce irrigation requirements) and has been shown to boost both photosynthesis and nitrogen fixation (according to research conducted on soybeans in WA in 1975). Glycine betaine also increases tolerance to salinity and has been linked to frost resistance. Ascophyllum nodosum has very high levels of cytokinins, which extend shelf-life, increase stress resistance and assist in the recovery from nematode damage. DIY Kelp Chelation Many kelp users are not aware that they can combine kelp with other minerals to chelate these nutrients and increase their uptake. Chelation involves the neutralisation of positively charged minerals so they don’t clog pores in the rush toward a negatively charged plant surface (like the attraction of metal to a magnet). Chelated minerals have been shown to enter the plant much more effectively. If you are planning to foliar fertilise with Tri-Kelp™, then it is a wasted opportunity if you don’t include any other nutrients that may be required. Mannitol, the long chain carbohydrate present in Tri-Kelp™, will provide DIY chelation that can represent considerable savings (particularly when considering the cost of EDTA chelates). Mineral Punch In agriculture we typically look at 14 minerals but there were over 70 minerals in the first cell that oozed from the Precambrian Ocean and it would seem logical that they were all present for a purpose. Each crop removes minerals and this demineralisation is magnified with leaching, erosion and the loss of the humus storehouse (our soils have lost an average of 70% of their organic matter in the last 100 years). The replacement of the full spectrum of trace minerals seems a sensible strategy even if we have yet to confirm their roles in plant nutrition. Tri-Kelp™ offers a naturally complexed, balanced source of all of these minerals. The improvement in flavour, so often attributed to the use of kelp, may be partially linked to this broad-spectrum mineralisation. Vitamins for Plant Health Vitamins are manufactured in the plant using mineral building blocks, so we would expect to see good vitamin levels in a mineral-rich plant like kelp. In fact, kelp is a chief source of carotenes used
Pyro Ag + Microbials aid re-growth in avocado trees.
Grower is amazed at regrowth in his avocado trees. An avocado grower from Robinvale Victoria was surprised to see a dramatic
turnaround of his avocado trees which were suffering from disease. After applyingNutri -Life Bam along with Bio-Tech’s Vermiboost liquid vermicast concentrate via fertigation, a 5 litre per hectare application of Pyro Ag seemed to … Continue reading
Chillis respond to correct nutrients
Riverland greenhouse grower Nirmal Singh had a problem with his chilli crop with poor growth and production. After soil analysis we found the soil required some adjustments to the nutrients being applied to the crop, via drippers. After being told his crop needed more insecticides and fungicides we suggested to him that this was not … Continue reading
Microbe Mastery
Microbe Mastery – Inoculums for Disease Management & Nitrogen Fixing The use of biological inoculums in farming amounts to re-charging the life force in the soil to reap the benefits of a new, task-specific workforce. There are specific inhibitory bacteria or predatory fungi that are the mainstay of resilient soils and plants. The six organisms … Continue reading
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Reducing The Fertiliser Bill
While humus building is obviously important , there are many other benefits associated with increasing the number of AM fungi in your soils. One of these relates to the potential to reduce the ever‐increasing fertiliser bill…..