Re: [compost_tea] SFI-SFW Reading

From: <soilfoodweb_at_aol.com>
Date: Wed, 26 Nov 2003 00:31:14 -0500

Sorry, the length of the post was a little much for me. Too many things to do, too little time.

> Dry weight of sample 0.79g, AB 153.2, TB 476, AB 29.2, TF 78, HD 2.5, Flagellates 7,269 (high), Amoebae 35,024 (high), Ciliates 1,751 (high, which makes sense to me because of all the rain), Total Nematode #/g 2 (low), and % Mycorrhizal Colonization 16 (low).
>
> > Any suggestions on how to further biologically optimize this field?

Add fungal inoculum to improve the fungal component quickly, feed fungal foods. Use a good fungal inouclum on hte compost pile to activate the decomposition process.

> And I have a related question (trying to stay on one subject here..:-): How is that 16% mychorrhizal colonization is "low?" Or is that a typo (meant 16 spores/gram... I also assume 2nd "AB" is "AF")?

We measure the length of hte root colonized by mycorrhizal fungi, as compared to the total root length that we observe.

We know that VAM colonization should be at least 40% to be able to have all of the benefits from VAM that you can get. Anything over 85 to 90% is probably a bit too high. We don't ever see that happen in healthy soil. Someone consumes some of the hyphae and keeps things in balance.

So, 16% colonization is low. In general, there is enough colonization there that you have the inoculum, but you need to help colonization expand, so feed humic acids to give the VAM a bit more jump-start, a kick in the butt, to get the colonization improving.

Did that answer adequately?

Elaine Ingham
President, Soil Foodweb Inc.
SFI Corvallis, OR
SFI Port Jefferson, NY
SFI Lismore, NSW, Australia
SFI Hilversum, The Netherlands
SFI Cambridge, New Zealand
www.soilfoodweb.com

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Received on Wed Nov 26 2003 - 12:17:56 EST

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