Fwd: Re: [compost_tea] Re: Observing Microbial Biofilms on Leaf Surfaces + Isol
--- In compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com, soilfoodweb_at_a... wrote:
They used the same methods that SFI uses for doing the Leaf Organism
Assay.
We add FDA staining to pick up the active organisms. We also use
molecular
probes for doing the E. coli, Salmonella and Shigella, N-fixers, and
will add
more probes in the coming months. 3 hour turn-around to enumerate E.
coli and
other pathogens.
We will be adding the rapid E.coli assay to SFI assays come April 15
(if all
continues to go well in testing), and will add the ability to do these
tests
to the other SFI labs through the coming year.
Most likely the recommendations to the NOSB will allow assessment of
E. coli
as a method of checking your tea and making sure the tea is low in human
pathogens as a way to allow use of that tea on any plant material.
So, we have a
way now that you could make your tea, test it at 21 hours, and be able
to put
it out on food plants once you know it is documented E. coli-free.
Of course, the tea would have to be sprayed within the next 24 to 36
hours,
with adequate aeration during that time period. If held longer, you
would need
to run another test, most likely, to guarantee no problems. If you are
putting on non-food plants, you don't need to worry about this.
Enough new data
are coming out (Steve has been great to send those pubs along to the
list)
showing human pathogens don't survive on aerobic leaf surfaces that we
can be
pretty certain that they won't survive more than a few hours to a day.
Elaine
--- End forwarded message ---
Received on Wed Apr 07 2004 - 22:40:08 EDT
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: Tue Feb 07 2012 - 14:15:10 EST