Breakthrough News
BREAKTHROUGH NEWS!!
from AIR8TORS
We have completed some very exciting trials using new, scientifically proven methods
Application of this new microbially-active product has resulted in the following benefits:
- An increase of 48% endo-mycorrhizal fungal colonisation of kiwi-fruit roots
- An increase by 100% in ecto-mycorrhizal colonisation of kiwi fruit-roots
- Drastic reductions in root-feeding nematode numbers
- Enhanced soil micro flora biomass and activity
- Massive increase in beneficial, free-living and decomposer fungi
- Improved soil structure, aggregation, water-retention and thus oxygenation of soil
- Earthworm population increases
- Nitrogen cycling increased, improved nitrogen-availability to plants from previously plant-unavailable sources in the soil
- Increased root and plant vigour
- Huge increases in desirable fungi and beneficial nematodes which enable plants to defend against diseases like Armillaria
- Scientifically tested
Turning dirt into healthy soil
The Mix
Compost Teas are known for their benefits to soil microflora (Ingham, 2000).
I have worked on this for 9 months, with assistance from the Soil Foodweb Institute, to find the right mix.
We targeted improvement in Mycorrhizal colonization, by encouraging the indigenous and native species present in our soils, in beneficial fungal activity, and desirable nematodes. Plants need 40 – 80% of the root systems colonized by Mycorrhizal fungi, and with our product, we have achieved these levels, or better.
Balanced fungal diversity is needed to maintain nutrient retention, soil aggregation and structure, and to combat disease-causing fungi. Desirable nematodes help ward off root-feeders as well.
Scientific Research Summary
Pre-trial tests
Frustrated that our worm castings and Trichoderma mix did not always improve plant chances to combat and ward off Armillaria, we set about improving the biology in our products.
In May we started trials on Joyce Road, in Tauranga after we tested the soil, using the Soil Foodweb Institute (SFI), for initial levels of fungi, bacteria and nematodes.
Lab results from Australia showed no Mycorrhizal fungal colonization at all, either endo- or ecto-mycorrhizae. This surprised us, but not SFI. They tell us that it is not uncommon for roots to be devoid of these beneficial species in NZ Kiwifruit. There were a high number of un-desirable root-feeding nematodes as well.
Six weeks after treatment with our product, applied with our new machine, using less-detrimental-to-the-biology methods, showed an increase of 48% of the root system colonised by endo-mycorrhizal fungi, and an increase of 100% in ectomycorrhizal colonization (the roots were colonised by BOTH types of Mycorrhizal fungi in some places).
The added bonus was that the root-eating nematodes were drastically reduced, within a 6 week period of time. We have maintained these improvements for 3 months.
Method of Application
We had compost tea in mind when we developed our new machine .
We had noted that when people applied tea in injection systems, they didn’t pay attention to the fact that while the pressure of injection may not harm the organisms, abrupt impact with the soil particles on arrival in soil would result in certain death of the organisms.
We developed a second low pressure injection system for our tea, and our results have been unprecedented.
Our new machine has other benefits, such as going deeper and adding larger volumes, up to 200 L/HA, which is a desirable injection rate for compost teas.
We feel extremely confident that this new product will allow addition and survival of organisms that have the ability to protect roots of plants from diseases, while improving soil structure, nutrient availability, and therefore yield, fruit size, taste and, in particular, dry matter in your crop.
Soil Foodweb Institute tested two long-term organic orchards and found that the orchard treated with our new product showed a far greater colonization of Mycorrhizal of roots, i.e., 48%, and 100% higher colonisation in the treated areas than the non-treated areas.
Research has already shown that Mycorrhizal colonization strongly influences fruit quality, dry weight, taste and keeping quality (see Mycorrhizal Application website for references).
Want to know more? Email clive@air8tors.co.nz
