[compost_tea] Re: Anaerobic Activity
Elaine -
Congrats on your new position with Rodale Institute.
EM mother culture is professionally manufactured
with quality control. pH is not an issue with
plant health since EM is normally diluted in
water 500 to 1000 times before application to
soils and foliage.
BD herbal teas are made from fresh whole plants
like stinging nettle, comfrey, and local herbs
in combination with BD preps. As you noted,
they stink while going through an anaerobic phase.
That's why Biodynamic farmers in India have integrated
EM with these BD herbal teas in order to shift the
brew from putrefactive anaerobic to fermentative
anaerobic, thus no stinky brews and better conditions
for the creation of beneficial bioactive substances
which promote soil and plant health.
You repeated the same advice on on anaerobic vs aerobic
conditions with ACT as a cure-all for pathogen concerns
in the 1990s and 2000s. Some half a dozen studies
have shown this explanation lacks credibility.
It sounds good, but in real world conditions the
ACT microbial process is more complex.
Steve Diver
soilfoodweb_at_... wrote:
>
>
> MOST pathogens of humans are facultative anaerobes. The exceptions are =
skin surface pathogens, which will not likely kill you, although they can b=
e very unpleasant.
>
> Second, E. coli will not grow in aerobic condition WHEN THERE IS COMPETIT=
ION FROM GOOD GUY AEROBES.
>
> I think that's what is being missed here. Competition prevents pathogen =
growth in aerobic condition.
>
> When something becomes anaerobic, the aerobic organisms can't grow, the c=
ompetition goes away, and human pathogens bloom.
>
>
> Lactobacillus, actinobacteria, and some yeasts are facultative anaerobes,=
and in fact grow better in low oxygen or anaerobic conditions than the hum=
an pathogens. So, if you have them in the brewer, the pathonges will be o=
utcompeted even in anaerobic conditions.
>
> BUT, anaerobic conditions also result in other not-good-for-your- plant p=
roblems. Nitrogen is lost, sulfur is lost, phosphorus is lost in anaerobic=
conditions, as gases. Strong acids are produced in anaerobic conditions t=
hat drop pH to below levels healthy for plants. Some very toxic compounds =
are made in anaerobic conditions that will outright kill your plant. Damag=
e to the plant is highly likely when anaerobic materials are applied to the=
plant.
>
> Please note that in the case of EM, the makers should be very careful to =
make sure that only lactobacillus, actinobacteria, some pseudomonas, and ye=
asts grow, so that pathogens are outcompeted, and the toxic compounds are n=
ot made....... However, these organisms do made low pH acids, so be carefu=
l about what the loww pH (or high acidds) do to your plant.
>
> Please note that in biodynamics, the plant teas, or plant preps (504,505,=
506, etc) do go anaerobic at first, but you do not use them until the inte=
nse microbial growth is past, and oxygen moves back into the liquid becasue=
rapid microbial growth is over, because the organisms used up all the plan=
t sugars and stopped growing. Therefore, most biodynamic preps are aerobic=
when applied. You just have to wait 3 to 6 weeks for a biodynamic prep to=
be ready to use, or some toxicity problems can occur.
>
>
> Microbes are no more complex or hard to understand than humans, but you d=
o have to recognize the full implications of the factors involved.
>
> Too much food means rapid growth, which means oxygen gets used up, the ma=
terial becomes anaerobic and bad things can happen. Unless you added lact=
obacillus, actinos and yeasts....... by any other name, yogurt. Or EM. Ju=
st be careful if you buy EM that the product actually has the needed organi=
sms in it. As far as I am aware, the companies selling EM in the US do not=
check to see if there are any organisms in it at all, so often we were jus=
t buying very expensive water.
>
> Same thing with compost or extract or tea. You can learn to use your own=
microscope, or send a sample to an SFI lab, or send a sample to Ryan Chalm=
ers, and he will do a qualitative assessment for $25, I think it is . Same=
day as the tea arrives, you get the info back. ryan.chalmers_at_...
>
> Once oxygen is low, the anaerobes grow, and in that group are almost all =
of our bad human, animal and plant pathogens. Given time, and use of all t=
he food in the mix, aerobic conditions will return, and aerobic organisms w=
ill outcompete the human pathogens. Good thing, or humans would have died =
off long ago.
>
> Elaine R. Ingham
> President, Soil Foodweb Inc.
Received on Thu Jun 02 2011 - 09:39:26 EDT
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