Blog
Hypatia I soil testing on Mars!
Hypatia I is an interdisciplinary and multigenerational team of Catalan female scientists who journeyed to the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) in Utah in April 2023 for an analog mission to determine if there is life on Mars. At MDRS, they performed high-quality space-related research in a simulated environment, in
Golf and Turf Management with microBIOMETER®
Andrew Turnbull is the owner of SouthWest Agronomy Ltd (SWA) located in Tavistock, England. His company offers advisory and consultancy services to golf courses and sports turf facilities. One issue the company faced was how to prove to their customers that their recommended treatments were actually having a positive influence
microBIOMETER® Partners with Save Soil Foundation
microBIOMETER® is excited to announce a new partnership with the Save Soil Foundation, a global, non-profit organization. The Save Soil Foundation (SSF) was initiated as a part of the #SaveSoil campaign which has committed to solving our planet’s desertification crisis through sustainable soil management practices. The purpose of this collaboration
Does Soil Affect a Dog’s Microbiome?
Kenley Mitchell, a 5th grader at Sargent Elementary School, utilized microBIOMETER® in her science fair project titled “Getting Dirty: Does Soil Affect a Dog’s Microbiome?” Kenley won first prize in her category and received the overall best project award for the San Luis Valley Regional in Alamosa, CO! Project Abstract:
The Effect of Greywater on Plants
Francis Lawton an 8th grader at St. Timothy School in Los Angeles, CA utilized microBIOMETER® in his science fair project titled “The Effect of Greywater on Plant Growth, Soil Microbial Biomass Carbon, and Soil Fungi to Bacteria Ratio. Francis took first prize at the fair and moved on to the
Soil Health Trials
Amy Gardner of Kalispell, Montana serves farmers in the Flathead Valley as an agronomy coach through her business, Lower Valley Consulting Inc. Amy has been scouting soil health trials as part of gathering third-party research for the company AgriGro. Farmers have been applying AgriGro’s prebiotic technology to boost soil health
History and Science Behind microBIOMETER®
The microBIOMETER® was developed with the need in mind to deliver a device that could be manufactured very reasonably so that it could service the whole world. For over 50 years scientists have known that microbes are the best indicator of soil health. One of the common methods used for
How much water and nutrients can your soil hold?
Your soil is a unique mixture of sand, silt, clay, and organic matter. The particular make-up of your soil determines its color, texture, and nutrient storage capacity. Knowing your soil’s texture and nutrient storage capacity is important when deciding how much and how often to feed and water your plants.
Carbon Sink Incentive Program
In March 2020 in San Diego, a small group of farmers decided to activate the “hub” concept and launched Foodshed Small Farm Distro and Resource Hub. Foodshed works directly with farmers, eaters, and entrepreneurs to cultivate an equitable food system in San Diego while addressing the challenges posed by the
Soil Microbial Biomass and Respiration
Both microbial biomass and respiration are parameters used to assess soil health. Soil respiration is the measure of the carbon dioxide produced by the microbes in a given weight of soil while microbial biomass is the measure of the mass of microbes- both active and dormant. Microbial biomass (MB) is
Regenerating Soil Biology through Liquid Compost Extract
Over the past decades, scientific awareness and appreciation of soil microbiology in agricultural systems has dramatically expanded. Flourishing microbial communities interacting with plant root networks play a direct role in plant growth, crop nutrition, disease and pest resistance, and soil aggregate structure, leading to increased soil oxygen flow and water
Sample School Science Project Outline
Created and performed by microBIOMETER® intern, Leanna Ramus, environmental science student at Siena College, this sample experiment is appropriate for high school and advanced middle schoolers. The research project is designed to help students study soil health and understand the impact of soil biology on soil health and plant growth.