Re: [compost_tea] chitin, chitinase, crab shells

From: <soilfoodweb_at_aol.com>
Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2003 15:24:54 EDT

Typically it is both bacterial and fungal species that make chitinase.
Different components in the chitin molecules in crusteceans versus fungi at times,
so the exact enzyme can be different.

I actually think it is probably more likely that the chitin feeds a community
of bacteria and fungi that are exceptional at chewing on pests. We don't
have good data for the mechanism of whether it is chitinase production that
selects against the pests, or just that chitin is a food that selects for the
organisms that compete well with the pests.

But nonetheless, adding chitin to worm composts to improve these organisms is
patented. Ah, adding chitin to your bin for your own production is not
limited by the patent, but selling such a compost with the claim that the compost
is better because of the chitin addition would be infringing the patent, I
believe.

Elaine
President, Soil Foodweb Inc.
www.soilfoodweb.com
SFI Oregon, USA
SFI Australia
SFI New York
SFI Europe
SFI New Zealand

"Hope is not a feeling. It is not the belief that things will turn out well,
but the conviction that what we are doing makes sense, no matter how things
turn out." -- Vaclav Havel, former President of the Czech Republic





Received on Wed Oct 15 2003 - 17:25:47 EDT

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