Re: [compost_tea] Pushing AACT forward;weed control

From: <soilfoodweb_at_aol.com>
Date: Thu, 25 Sep 2003 16:00:59 EDT

You asked:
applying act this fall over the disced soil and residue will bring
down nitrate levels next spring cause the microbes and fungi will
    have it tied up right? Or perhaps it's possible?

AACT adds the organisms that will decompose the plant residue during the
winter. The organisms tie up the excess nitrate in their bodies, and the nitrate
does not leach as snow melts. This happens. No perhaps.
   
Or do the bacteria > chew up the food before winter sets in, die and the
> nitrogen from all the green weeds disced in is lost before Christmas.

Bacteria are not the main chewers of plant residue, unless the plants are
green when they are disced in. Most plant residue is not green when disced in.
They have translocated most of their sugar, protein and carbs to the seeds, to
the fruit, or to their roots. Thus fungi are the most important at
decomposing plant residues. Both bacteria and fungi survive winter just fine, frozen
soil or not.

But the nitrogen in bacteria and fungi is not available to your plant as
bacteria and fungi. The predators have to be present. But they don't wake up
until temperatures warm in the soil in the spring. The same temps that get the
seed to germinate get the protozoa, beneficial nematodes and microarthropods to
wake up. And they start making nitrogen available to the plant.

What temp range > do protozoa thrive/survive?

Many protozoa prefer soil temp above 45 F. Growth and feeding rates are
higher as temp rises, but max out around 155 to 160 F. Temps above that are
detrimental, and the protozoa get too hot, and go to sleep. Note, they go to
sleep, they don't die. There is of course species ranges, so some protozoa go to
sleep at lower temps, but others wake up at the warmer temps. Species vary,
the community of species always has someone functioning until beyond the temp
range for the critters to survive.

Did I disc too soon? Soil temp is > probably above 60F currently.What happens
> with bacteria and fungi at spring discing prior to planting as soil hits
> perhaps 60 F?

As fungi decompose plant residue, they release foods for other organisms.
They release humic acids, fulvic acids, and other slow release foods for other
fungi and bacteria. When you disc, some of the foods are opened up to
bacterial attack, and bacteria go through a bloom. Fungi also find new surfaces to
chew on, but aren't as fast as bacteria, so their bloom happens later.

Bacteria flourish again? Or how can they, as food supply should be low unless
> I disc in more weeds this spring. Believe me they like to grow with
> spring rains and after first discing.

It's the foods, the organic matter incorporated into the soil from the last
fall's plant residues that the bacteria and fungi use. Lots still there, but
thankfully not as foods that pathogens can use, especially if you have a
healthy set of beneficials!

Do you cover some of this info >
> in your crop prod cd's for specific crops? So I need to get a soil
> test for Ca in the watermelon patch for starters..Or do I need Cu,
> Mn,Mg,Zn,K,P,N,NO3, Boron,SO4, as well? Or all the minerals?

You want to do a full soil chemistry test. Choose a test that will tell you
what will actually be available to the plant, not
"extractable-using-this-nasty-extractant" sort of test. So, Reams testing is good (International Ag Labs,
MN for example. Environmental Analysis Lab at SCU, Lismore, Australia,
Agri-Energy Lab in Illinois as a US example). Albrecht labs are a back-up to that
(Perry Labs, for example).

You don't need yearly sampling, however. If you did a soil test in the last
couple years, it's good enough. If you added anything since then, I just need
to know. Send your soil chem in with the Foodweb sample, and I'll try to
integrate what you need to do chem-wise with what you need to do foodweb wise.

Choose the set of minerals that are known to be a problem in your area. Ca,
Mg, Na, K, for example. If S gets limiting, run that analysis. Or any other
limiting nutrient that could be a problem. Bo, Cd, Si, etc.

Hope this helps!

Elaine Ingham
Soil Foodweb Inc.




Received on Thu Sep 25 2003 - 18:42:57 EDT

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