Re: [compost_tea] Re: fungal or bacT dominant plants

From: <soilfoodweb_at_aol.com>
Date: Mon, 9 Aug 2004 01:30:40 EDT

Hi Elaine.

Jeff's list is great and in great demand, as we saw by the number of
questions this subject generated at the workshop in Austin.

As we all try to add to the list and make it more specific, would it
help to refer to a species' pH preferences?

Yes, it might, because the desired pH is related to the desired biology.

Is there a correlation between acid >
> loving plants and those that thrive in fungal environments?
>

Fungi release organic acids that buffer soil between a pH of 5.5 and 7.0, at
least based on all the testing we've done. Fungal-dominated soils maintain pH
in the desired range for plants that do best in those ranges.

Now, we have some weird things being done in liquid culture with plants,
where in liquids, it is being shown that many plants that like more alkaline SOILS
actually take up ammonium at a pH optimum of 6.5 to 6.8.

But, what relationship does liquid culture conditions have to soil? When we
deal with soil, pH issues are one thing. Optimum uptake of ammonium, in
STERILE liquid culture conditions seems to me to be a VERY different thing.

Elaine Ingham

in OZ.......




Received on Mon Aug 09 2004 - 09:09:18 EDT

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