spl1
Well-Known Member
Why We Need Mycorrhizal Fungi
If you are an organic grower and you have not been using Mycorrhizal Fungi, you have been missing out on one of the greatest symbiotic relationships on the plant.
460 million years ago plants only lived in water, the land mass was bare not having any vegetative growth on it. Plants at that time did not have a root system capable of living on the land. Now around this time a new living organism was born and this organism found a way to survive in this harsh landscape. It found a home in the root system and filled the void that the plants had with fungi filaments. This symbiotic relationship is what gave plants the ability to grow on land.
How did this fungi do this you ask? B y fungi created a filament that used to harvest nutrients to keep the plants alive.
You can have all the organic matter in the world mixed into your soil but with out the right amount of Mycorrhizal fungi to break it down with some speed, you just have dirt. The Mycorrhizal filaments are what access unavailable pools of nutrients that are locked in the soil, they break it down and store them fro when the plant needs it.
Dr. Jim Trappe was at the front of this this study and traveled the world studying why plants could live with out the ad of nutrients and resist pathogens with out the ad of man. In his studies he found that Mycorrhizal fungi attaches to the root system of 95% of all plants on earth. Then the fungi filament increase the ability to intake nutrients by as much as 1000% over not being inoculated alone. You can take a thimble and fill it with living soil and look at it under a microscope and find miles of fungi filaments.
Some of the function of Mycorrhizal fungi is to save water and nutrients that the plant may need in case of a drought. Mycorrhizal fungi does this by secreting enzymes into the soil to break down nutrients to a usable salt Ion.
When this is done it also leave behind air pockets that the plant loves, and in return the plants feeds the Mycorrhizal fungi for the work it does.
A few more added benefit are Mycorrhizal fungi will attack pathogens that come around the root system. Some will kill off the pathogens why other will produce antibiotics to help just in case the pathogens do infect some parts of the root system. Also you can reduce the amount of nutrients you feed the plants by as much as a 1/3rd.
Mycorrhizal does get lazy if to much Phosphorus is used, they really like to go out and find Phosphorus and bring it back to the plant.
If you are using hydroponics or coco coir Mycorrhizal works well with systems also. i use a new natural sponge in my reservoirs to give a place to breed along with the beneficial Bactria. If you have coco coir they will do well in the fiber.
Happy growing and I hope this helped with any questions about Mycorrhizal fungi.
SPL1
If you are an organic grower and you have not been using Mycorrhizal Fungi, you have been missing out on one of the greatest symbiotic relationships on the plant.
460 million years ago plants only lived in water, the land mass was bare not having any vegetative growth on it. Plants at that time did not have a root system capable of living on the land. Now around this time a new living organism was born and this organism found a way to survive in this harsh landscape. It found a home in the root system and filled the void that the plants had with fungi filaments. This symbiotic relationship is what gave plants the ability to grow on land.
How did this fungi do this you ask? B y fungi created a filament that used to harvest nutrients to keep the plants alive.
You can have all the organic matter in the world mixed into your soil but with out the right amount of Mycorrhizal fungi to break it down with some speed, you just have dirt. The Mycorrhizal filaments are what access unavailable pools of nutrients that are locked in the soil, they break it down and store them fro when the plant needs it.
Dr. Jim Trappe was at the front of this this study and traveled the world studying why plants could live with out the ad of nutrients and resist pathogens with out the ad of man. In his studies he found that Mycorrhizal fungi attaches to the root system of 95% of all plants on earth. Then the fungi filament increase the ability to intake nutrients by as much as 1000% over not being inoculated alone. You can take a thimble and fill it with living soil and look at it under a microscope and find miles of fungi filaments.
Some of the function of Mycorrhizal fungi is to save water and nutrients that the plant may need in case of a drought. Mycorrhizal fungi does this by secreting enzymes into the soil to break down nutrients to a usable salt Ion.
When this is done it also leave behind air pockets that the plant loves, and in return the plants feeds the Mycorrhizal fungi for the work it does.
A few more added benefit are Mycorrhizal fungi will attack pathogens that come around the root system. Some will kill off the pathogens why other will produce antibiotics to help just in case the pathogens do infect some parts of the root system. Also you can reduce the amount of nutrients you feed the plants by as much as a 1/3rd.
Mycorrhizal does get lazy if to much Phosphorus is used, they really like to go out and find Phosphorus and bring it back to the plant.
If you are using hydroponics or coco coir Mycorrhizal works well with systems also. i use a new natural sponge in my reservoirs to give a place to breed along with the beneficial Bactria. If you have coco coir they will do well in the fiber.
Happy growing and I hope this helped with any questions about Mycorrhizal fungi.
SPL1
. They know whats up.
