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Showing posts from March, 2012

Mycorrhizal Effects on Root Growth

Here are a number of scientific abstracts which cover Mycorrhizal effects on plant root growth. Please post a comment if you are interested in finding additional information. LANSAC AR; MARIN A; ROLDAN A. 1995.  MYCORRHIZAL COLONIZATION AND DROUGHT INTERACTIONS OF MEDITERRANEAN SHRUBS UNDER GREENHOUSE CONDITIONS.  ARID SOIL RESEARCH AND REHABILITATION 9: 167-175.           LANSAC AR, CSIC,CTR CIENCIAS MEDIOAMBIENTALES,SERRANO 115 DUPLICADO, E-28006 MADRID,SPAIN.           Juvenile plants of  Thymus mastichina ,  Thymus zygis ,  Lavandula pedunculata ,  Genista hirsuta , and  Cistus ladanifer  were transplanted from the field to the greenhouse; the soil used was the same in which they had grown at their natural site. The plants were grown to maturity to determine comparative growth, water status, and mycorrhizal colonization under greenhouse conditions and to determine the influence of drought on the symbiosis. After 24 months,  L. pedunculata  showed the most developed root system

Success in Arid Arizona

     Arid lands across the globe are being impacted by water shortages that are having grave economic consequences. In the arid west of the United States, this is causing a conflict between cities and agricultural entities which are competing for the same water!    At the same time, arid soils have been compromised due to common management practices and therefore are not functioning at optimum capacity.   As a result, these soils provide relatively low levels of water and nutrition to vegetation. These compromised soils lack or are deficient in Mycorrhizal fungi and Humic substances; both Mycorrhizal fungi and Humic substances greatly increase a soils capacity to hold water and a plant’s ability to uptake nutrients.        If we do not restore compromised arid soils, we cannot maximize crop success nor the conservation of water in arid lands of the Western United States, nor anywhere else on the globe.       Mycorrhizae associate with roots and help improve the uptake of water

Soil Health: Level 2 - Soil Structure

Soil macroaggregates create a soil structure which is permeable (by air and water) and stable (resistant to compaction and erosion). Soil aggregates result when Mycorrhizal Fungi bind soil particulates together . To be more specific Mycorrhizal hyphae, or filaments, are  responsible  for increasing a plants overall root mass. These hyphae extend throughout the soils surrounding a plant, and in their search for water and nutrients end up binding soil  particles  together. As hyphae die and begin to decompose they release Glomalin into soil systems. Glomalin is a glue-like protein which  significantly  increases aggregate formation, by gluing organic matter to soil particles. This process, of binding Labile carbons (as you recall, organic matter contributes to the Labile Carbon pool) to soil particles, traps these rapidly decomposing carbons in the soil; thereby storing them for future use and preventing these carbons from being  released  into the atmosphere.    Humic Acids have bee