Last week I attended the ASA, CSSA, SSSA annual
meetings in San Antonio where thousands of papers
and posters were presented.
Three posters from University of Wisconsin-Stevens
Point featured research by students on compost teas.
ASA, CSSA, SSSA Annual Meetings
Oct. 16-19, 2011 in San Antonio, TX
1.
355-11
The Effect of Compost Tea Additions On Extractable
Soil Nutrients and Microbial Activity
Anna Courtney et al
UW-Stevens Point, Stevens Point, WI
HTML Poster Abstract
http://a-c-s.confex.com/crops/2011am/webprogram/Paper66696.html
PDF Poster
http://tinyurl.com/3mc68bh
2.
355-12
Effects of Compost Tea On Soil Microbial Biomass
Carbon, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus
Joel Stokdyk et al
UW-Stevens Point, Stevens Point, WI
HTML Abstract
http://a-c-s.confex.com/crops/2011am/webprogram/Paper66784.html
PDF Poster
http://tinyurl.com/3l6qobk
3.
355-13
The Effects of Compost Tea Applications to Soil
on Microbial Activity
Evan Roberts et al
UW-Stevens Point, Stevens Point, WI
HTML Abstract
http://a-c-s.confex.com/crops/2011am/webprogram/Paper66115.html
PDF Poster
http://tinyurl.com/3tadmu4
>>>
Comments and observations:
Based on these trials, very little measurable
effects were seen from use of compost teas.
They constructd a homemade compost tea brewer.
I didn't get details on its design but it seemed
workable.
They referenced The Compost Tea Brewing Manual
by Elaine Ingham as their source of information
and guidance.
In conversation, they students were enthusiastic
about compost teas and put a lot of work into
lab, greenhouse, and field research.
However, the students didn't have much information
on the source of the compost substrate accept
that it was obtained from a local compost
facility.
Likewise, they didn't have any measure of compost
quality or compost tea brewing quality in terms
of biological parameters, nor did they observe
the tea under a microsccope.
I would have liked to seen better protocals
in their research that paid attention to
compost substrate and tea quality, also on
spay mixtures that combine teas with organic
amendments that serve as microbial foods
and stimulants.
Have a look and see if you find anything
of interest among these poster presentations.
Steve Diver
Texas
Received on Wed Oct 26 2011 - 14:55:59 EDT