Re: [compost_tea] Re: Re: Tea and powdery mildew

From: <soilfoodweb_at_aol.com>
Date: Wed, 27 Oct 2004 23:17:46 EDT

Hi Dave -

you are right, I tend to focus on the critters, but I do try to push the food
diversity as being really important.

You wrote:
It is my understanding (though admitedly it could be wrong) that the
vast majority microorganism species are in fact ubiquitous, though
their population and activity levels will vay significatly with
differing conditions. There are just far too many transportation
mechanisms available for this not to be the case. It may not grow, and
it may not reproduce, and it may not survive but that does not mean
that it is not present.

Ubiquitous means wide-spread, common in all areas. And most bacterial
species aren't all that wide spread, and few species are common beyond those areas
where they can reproduce.

Why would that be? They get eaten in soil. If they aren't reproducing,
aren't growing, and can't survive, that means they aren't there.

Local, endemic species are the norm. Widely spread organisms are not usual.
The reason microbiology has, in the past, had that sort of attitude, is
because we can't grow those indigenous, local species on media in the lab.

There are many mechanisms for spreading organisms, but lots of mechanisms for
exiting them from the system once they get there.
Starvation, lack of appropriate housing, incorrect temperature, moisture,
humidity, food, and, most of all, being eaten by something else. If you aren't
growing rapidly and keeping ahead of the predators, you have to find shelter,
fast. Most organisms added to soil don't make it, if they can't find a place
to live, and some food to consume.

That's why we make sure that compost tea has food for the beneficials.

Elaine R. Ingham
Soil Foodweb Inc., Corvallis, Oregon
Soil Foodweb Inc., Port Jefferson, New York
Soil Foodweb Institute, Lismore Australia
Soil Foodweb Institute Cambridge, New Zealand
Laboratorios de Soil Foodweb, Culiacan, Mexico
Soil Foodweb Inc., Jerome, Idaho
Soil Foodweb Inc., South Africa







Received on Thu Oct 28 2004 - 02:14:01 EDT

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