|
|
Bacteria and Soil 'Life'
Putting Microbes To Work in Your Soil
By Robert Carr, February 2004
What's 99.9% safe and extremely effective? Bacteria.
Bacteria everywhere - in the air, water, our body, the soil. The
Earth is very much alive with millions of unique microbial life
forms including algae, fungi, and bacteria industriously working
to survive, multiply and recycle organic components. Through reduction
of waste they provide the basic components for cleaning and renewal.
We are focusing on bacteria and their contribution to the natural
cycles of the soil. Pick up a handful of healthy soil and you should
have more bacteria than the population of the earth. Even
though bacteria are the smallest of the free-living microbes in the
soil there may be 2,000+ pounds in the top foot of soil per acre.
Bacteria enhance the breakdown of organics when they come into contact
with particulate matter in the presence of moisture, secreting their
digestive juices (enzymes = a mix of organic acids) partially dissolving
or liquefying the matter and then pulling this "food" through
their outer body wall (cell membrane) for further decomposition and
digestion internally (indo enzyme). In accomplishing this task of
recycling organic matter, the bacteria replicate themselves utilizing
their genetic code (RNA - DNA) by forming a protein nucleus and a
polysaccharide membrane. They double in length with two identical
nuclei and divide in a process known as binary fission - creating
two individual bacteria cells. Utilizing the nutrient uptake for rejuvenation
and species offspring, the bacteria grow exponentially: one becomes
two, two becomes four, etc.
Providing the bacteria have sufficient organics, moisture
(60-70%), proper pH (5.5-9.0) and temperature, this prolific
reproduction can proceed every thirty minutes yielding large volumes
of beneficial nutrients to the soil.
In this natural breakdown of organics, the enzymes secreted by the bacteria also react upon other soil constituents: minerals, rocks, and even the entrapped air molecules.
This results in the "fixing" of minerals and nutrients
including nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, etc. - making
them biologically charged for plant uptake. This is referred
to as increasing the cation exchange capacity and effects the ability
of the plant to extract the nutrients readily thereby decreasing stress
and disease. The polysaccharides and protein based nucleus as by products
of bacterial growth create a larger soil aggregate improving permeability
and moisture retention. Since the vast majority of bacterial activity
in the top 6-12 inches of soil is aerobic (using the oxygen) this
permeability accelerates the organic breakdown and nutrient retention.
Providing a natural carrier to move the bacteria to the root zone
greatly improves the efficacy of the organisms to accomplish the transfer
of nutrients by capillary action to the plant.
Specifically selected bacteria isolated from highly fertile soils
exhibit optimum abilities to produce maximum enzymes, naturally
exhibit adaptation to soil conditions and provide unique abilities
to fix both atmospheric and synthetic (chemical nitrogen). These
organisms are then isolated and custom fermented (laboratory grown)
under aseptic conditions to provide a pure culture to stimulate
the in situ (on-site) growth phase to augment the indigenous soil
bacteria. When added to formulated soil amendments they can create
benefits in chelated mineral update 200-300% and nitrogen utilization
by 50-75%. These benefits result in:
Reduced fertilization application
Reduced crusting and cloding
Reduced water demand
Reduced residual chemical build-up
Increases root formation
Increases yield and quality
Increases taste and sugar content
Increases organic matter
Increases cation exchanges capacity
Increases compost breakdown nutrient retention
Reduces compost odors
In the case of nitrogen utilization this prevents the volatilization (gaseous
escape) and the leaching run off and seepage into the water table.
Select naturally adapted cultures provide the ultimate organic advantage for 99.999% safe and effective - 99.999% non-pathogenic (non disease causing) microbial packed soil powerhouse! Put microbes to full-time work for you.
|
Ask us about Hydrologix® solutions for your soil:
|
 |
|
|
