Gurpreet Kaur, a PhD student with the Nutrient Management Spear Program (NMSP) at Cornell University, has been working with microBIOMETER® soil testing kits to evaluate the impact of dairy manure application and field history on soil health and yield in corn fields in New York. This project is part of
There are many soil tests on the market so it can be difficult for farmers to ascertain whether or not they’re choosing the right one. The truth is, there are pros and cons to every soil test. Therefore it boils down to finding which ones align best with your farming
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:
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
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
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
Seasonal dynamics are a major driver of soil microbial communities. Much like you and I, microbes are more active during some seasons, and more dormant during others. This can be attributed to the different responses microbes have to nutrient inputs, climatic conditions, and other soil properties. As there are a
IngenuityWorx has been working to prove that the application of nanobubble oxygen as an irrigation/fertigation tool can provide low cost, easily applied plant benefits both indoors and outdoors. It has been known for over 40 years that increased oxygen to plant roots in soil improves nutrient absorption, reduces effects of
This is an abridged version of Dr. Judith Fitzpatrick’s talk at last December’s Acres U.S.A. Eco-Ag conference. Article also featured in the April 2022 issue of Acres U.S.A. magazine. When a grower first goes organic, they often have one field that’s organic and, right next to it, a field that
A teaspoon of healthy soil contains billions of microbes. Microbes feed the plants, strengthen their roots, and increase their yields. A plant sends signals to attract the microbes it needs at any given moment. In chemical-free agriculture, there is a good marriage between plants and microbes. In a complex, self-regulating
Janet Atandi, a nematology PhD student in Kenya, is currently working on an assessment of banana fiber paper on soil health as part of a Wrap and Plant technology study. In brief, she is testing the long-term effect of using modified banana fiber paper to manage plant-parasitic nematodes and its
University study demonstrates legumes are more efficient at improving soil MBC than grasses Under the direction of Assistant Professor Denise Finney, Kylie Cherneskie, biology student at Ursinus College, conducted an experiment on the impacts of nitrogen fertilizer addition on soil microbial communities. Kylie measured microbial responses using microBIOMETER®. Click here