Can Grow Crop Solutions, a company focused on providing market-leading fluid solutions and service, has been incorporating microBIOMTER® into their business with positive results. Shawn Brenneman, Director of Commercial Growth & Strategy at Can Grow, shared a bit about their company and the testing they are performing.
Vibrant, diversified soil biology is essential in growing crops for maximum yield and quality, Can Grow works with farmers on getting the most out of their cropping systems. They do this through increasing nutrient use efficiency, reducing crop stress, and helping soil/biological systems function at higher levels. Utilizing microBIOMETER® allows their customers to have a greater understanding of how soil type and management practices impact soil biology and advise them on potential solutions to improve performance.
The microBIOMETER® helps Can Grow and their customers determine a baseline of organisms within an entire field or production area that may be high or low yielding. It allows the company to track the improvements their solutions make on the balance and diversity of micro-organisms in the soil. Microbial systems are often hard for growers to understand because they can’t be seen. microBIOMETER® creates a clear picture by quantifying which solutions work in supporting soil health and which ones do not.
In a bio-fertility trial, ReNew (bacteria/fungi team from Biodyne USA) was applied in furrow with water to corn, Can Grow then evaluated the microbial diversity in the root system of the microbial treated area vs. the non-treated area. The untreated soil had a F: B ratio of fungi 4% and bacteria 96%. This level was much lower than what they wanted for yield optimization. However, it was consistent with what they generally see in tilled, high crop protection use fields. The ReNew treated area had a F:B ratio of fungi 29% and bacteria 71% showing the biology was colonizing the root zone area and providing fertility benefits to the crop.
About Can Grow: The company is much more than a fluid fertilizer company. They have a long, successful history of innovating, adapting and manufacturing fluid solutions to maximize plant potential and soil performance. As a manufacturer, they have the technology and knowledge to innovate and adapt proven fluid solutions to meet changing needs in any market. They assist their clients in addressing factors beyond their control, such as changing environmental conditions, through foliar combinations for application throughout the season.
Find out more at: www.cangrow.com
Amanda Foxon-Hill, a chemist by trade, is working with Mid Lachlan Landcare in the region of NSW, Australia. Mid Lachlan Landcare is a community organization committed to the regeneration of land. Their work includes Regenerative Agriculture, Box Gum Woodland Conservation, Superb Parrot Habitat, Community Gardens, Education & more. Cowra is the main town in their Landcare region which consists of various soil profiles. It is rich in farming land with cropping and grazing.
Amanda designed and performed a soil research project funded by the BCT (Biodiversity Conservation Trust). She took soil samples from farms, conservations and public land across the region to map their soil microbiome. Her goal was to see if she could establish a ’normal’ or ’typical’ range of microbes for each type of landscape and soil.
Amanda looked at grazed vs ungrazed land, mono-cropping vs mixed pasture etc. but that was really secondary to the soil geology and microbe link as there was a short window to complete this round of tests and farm management decisions such as what crop to grow, for instance, requires testing over multiple time points.
As part of the project, Amanda trialed microBIOMETER®. Microbes are essential for soil fertility and almost all plants work cooperatively with microbes to access the nutrients they need to thrive. The relationship between plants and microbes is dynamic; changing with the season, how the land is managed, plant species and life-stage, climate and the soil structure and composition.
“Overall, we feel this project has successfully delivered insights into how the Mid Lachlan region’s soils microbiome functions with respect to landscape features and management decisions although it’s clear there’s still a lot more work to do. Also, after putting the microBIOMETER® through its paces we believe it’s a useful tool for those looking to gain a deeper understanding of their soil. Our advice would be to use the microBIOMETER® or similar microbiology assessment tool/ protocol alongside your existing soil testing tools, at regular intervals to monitor the effect management decisions have on the soil microbiota over time.”
Ithaca Central High School science teacher Robert Tuori is conducting a study to examine short term changes in soil health at Nook And Cranny Farm, a diverse vegetable farm, as an independent research project for the USDA Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Fellows.
Utilizing both the microBIOMETER® and Cornell Soil Health Assessment, Robert and students will compare tilled vs non-tilled soil in 4 crop beds, each containing either brassica or cucurbit, and flipping crops midseason. The beds were covered in October of last year with a cocktail of winter rye, vetch, and triticale. These cover crops were grown until early May, then covered with a black silage tarp for one month. The brassicas were planted into hay mulch while the cucurbits were planted into biodegradable plastic mulch.
Robert is particularly interested in looking at easy, on-farm testing, as well as lab analysis. They will conduct microBIOMETER® testing on each bed three times throughout the season: before planting, midseason before second planting, and at the end of the season. For the lab based analysis, they will measure nutrient levels in each bed at the beginning and at the end of the study, as well as perform the Cornell Soil Health Assessment on all four beds at the end of the study.
Emil Racelis, a 6th grader in McAllen, Texas, utilized microBIOMETER® in his science fair project at IMAS (International Museum of Art & Science) and was awarded 3rd Place in the middle school division!
As a control, Emil tested three different store bought bagged soils with microBIOMETER®; top soil, organic potting soil and commercial potting soil. The top soil had a very low levels of microbes while the organic and commercial potting soils had a high level of microbes. Emil then collected soil samples in his community garden from areas with high plant diversity (five or more species in the sample plot) and areas of low plant diversity (areas with two or less species per sample plot).
His hypothesis was that areas with higher plant diversity would have more microbes, but that is not what he found. There were low/medium levels of microbes in all the plots sampled, therefore, no solid conclusion could be made. Emil believes the results stemmed from drought conditions they were currently experiencing in Texas. The garden was watered sometimes, but not that much. Emil would like to do more microBIOMETER® soil testing in the future during a season with more rain.
“I had a lot of fun using the tests and I got some pretty cool results even though they were not what I expected. I found the process really interesting and the test easy to perform. I hope I get to use microBIOMETER® again some day.” -Emil Racelis
“Emil really got into this project, and was fascinated by what he found, which only leads to more questions! Now he really wants to do more experimenting to see what helps the soil microbes. We have a garden, and he is talking about testing the results of compost tea, and other organic additives, as well as looking at the affect of drought vs rainy season. We may have to save up for more tests! You got us hooked! It was so cool to see him using the tests independently. I love how user-friendly your system is.” – Alison, Emil’s mom
Please click here to view more science fair projects using microBIOMETER®. If you would like to include microBIOMETER® in your next school or science fair project, contact us for details!
The images above represent microBIOMETER® soil testing results one year apart which show the mB levels have improved over 40%.
David Bray serves as the agriculture and livestock consultant for Omnicrobe Natural Solutions, an all-natural microbial amendment, and represents the company throughout the United States.
Omnicrobe Natural Solutions has performed soil tests in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas on a variety of crops. Their SOIL2 product breaks down the nutrients that are in the soil to become more readily available to the plant root system. Applying SOIL2 lessens the demand for fertilizer by utilizing the nutrients’ that are existing. They use microBIOMETER® to establish a base line reading then retest at various phases to determine how the soil is progressing.
Being able to track the microbes in the soil to determine the amount of SOIL2 microbes to apply, has proven beneficial to rebuild and maintain healthy soil. Application of SOIL2 can vary from in-furrow application, broadcast spray, irrigation, or drip tape.
David Bray was born and raised in Southwest, Oklahoma. He graduated from Cameron University, Lawton, OK with a degree in Agriculture Education and a minor in Agronomy. Retired from public education in July 2022, his passion now lies in plant and animal health,; leading to a healthier human.
Our customer Living Water has been utilizing microBIOMETER® to enhance their approach to sustainable farming and to refine their microbial treatments, ensuring they meet the specific needs of each farm.
Their innovative system integrates with the existing irrigation setup to distribute beneficial microbes effectively. With the help of microBIOMETER®’s soil testing, they are able to analyze microbial biomass and adjust the microbial mixes they provide each month, ensuring optimal soil health.
Sales rep Brent taking a soil sample at one of the farms in West Texas
Leveraging microBIOMETER® for Increased Soil Health
Our customer Living Water has been utilizing microBIOMETER® to enhance their approach to sustainable farming and to refine their microbial treatments, ensuring they meet the specific needs of each farm.
Their innovative system integrates with the existing irrigation setup to distribute beneficial microbes effectively. With the help of microBIOMETER®’s soil testing, they are able to analyze microbial biomass and adjust the microbial mixes they provide each month, ensuring optimal soil health.
Key Benefits:
Living Water and microBIOMETER®’s collaboration is the result of their shared passion for soil health and their quest to transform farming with data-driven microbial management.
About Living Water: Living Water is a visionary agricultural technology company with a mission to redefine the way farmers approach soil health. Their flagship product is a subscription-based automated microbe bioreactor that seamlessly infuses essential nutrients into every irrigation cycle. Designed to deliver maximum efficiency with minimal labor, this innovative system eliminates the need for labor-intensive hauling, mixing, or application processes. Learn more at WeSaveSoil.
Soil testing in Mexico
In the Pacific region of Mexico (state of Sinaloa), many vegetables are grown mainly for export to the United States and Canada. The soils in these crops have been greatly affected by the intensity of their management, which has unfortunately caused a considerable loss in their fertility and microbial biodiversity. In lieu of this, the use of biotechnologies based on microbial complexes is currently being highly promoted in order to inoculate the soils and recover part of the natural fertility. This is being performed alongside the use of other organic tools such as algae extracts, humic/fulvic acids, and liquid composts.
Mydagro LLC is using microBIOMETER® on vegetable plots where their biotechnology E-Microzyme (mix of beneficial bacteria) is inoculated into the soil. Their results have shown an increase in microorganisms and yield compared with the check plots. With the use of the microBIOMETER® soil test to measure the microbial increase quickly, it is now possible to better understand the behavior of microbiology and the positive effects of this type of horticultural crop.
“microBIOMETER® has proven that the use of biological and organic technologies can substantially help with the renewal of worn-out soils and gradually revitalize them to boost the productivity and health of the crops.” Fernando Cantu Galindo- Technical advisor Mydagro LLC Mexico
Drew Hundelt, Horticultural Specialist and Agroecology Practicioner, has partnered with Gibrill Sesay at Central University in Sierra Leone and microBIOMETER® is playing an important role in their work. Central University is a beautifully maintained college campus nestled in the lush tropical surroundings of Tonkolili in the Northern Provence.
Drew first became acquainted with Gibrill through the United States Department of State’s Community Engagement Exchange Program. The two spent some time at The Urban Farm in Denver facilitating agricultural programming for local neighborhoods. Shortly thereafter, their application to the reciprocal grant was approved which allowed Drew to visit Central University as an agricultural specialist in the Spring of 2023.
Utilizing the microBIOMETER®, Drew is currently working with the university on curriculum development around soil health in agriculture. Their most recent trials analyze how the effects of compost extract using soil from termite hills can bring about exponential growth and drought resistance to crops. The students are using the kit to get real time results of how the fungi to bacteria ratio can be a catalyst to real beneficial change.
“I had the opportunity to collaborate on several lectures and practicums for 30 students in the agricultural department. I spoke on the advantages of regenerative agriculture, community-built systems, and biologically driven yields. What struck me the most was the look in their eyes and how their spirit was teaming with curiosity. I knew then, initiated by the financial constraints of affording a commercial soil diagnostic lab, that I needed to get a biological tool into their hands to foster that curiosity. I am extremely hopeful about what the future holds for Central University, small-holder farmers in Sierra Leone, and West Africa at large. ” Drew Hundelt
Founded in 2003 UK based Wildflower Turf Ltd has pioneered and developed a soil-less growing system which has transformed the concept of turf growing.
Working with soils a fair bit, it being the substrate into which their products are grown, they are interested in understanding the relationship between plants and soil. This involves investigating things such as soil structure, nutrient content, and more recently microbial content, at their R&D testing facilities in Hampshire.
They know that microbe-rich soil is beneficial for plant health. However, is there a relationship operating in the other direction? Does having a healthy plant population, or a more diverse plant population like the kinds of habitats they are trying to create with their products, influence the soil community or the type and scale of microbial activity in the soil?
To investigate this, they used a microBIOMETER® kit to conduct a study into the difference in microbial biomass of soils under meadows compared to lawns.
The results suggested that increased species richness above ground supports a larger amount of microbial life in the soil below. The meadow areas they tested, where there was around 14 species per m2 on average, had 42% higher microbial biomass than the lawns, which consisted of only a handful of species, and a 60% increase in the amount of fungi was also seen. Microbial biomass was therefore found to be positively correlated with species richness. So, they can demonstrate that there is some kind of positive interaction between the species richness of the planting scheme and the life in the soil below. And this corroborates evidence from a number of similar studies which have shown positive relationships between plant species richness and various soil factors.
This is very interesting research which leads them to believe that you should be able to improve the health of your soil just by increasing the diversity of your plants. Because they know that the more microbes and fungi there are, the more ecosystem services the soil will be providing. There’s more work to be done here to investigate this relationship, but just from this brief study they have found that the soil-plant interaction is much more complex than they were giving it credit for, and the benefits of biodiverse planting schemes like wildflower spaces are also more myriad than they imagined.
Previously they had focused on the importance of wildflower reintroduction for improving aboveground biodiversity, in the form of habitat for insects and birds for example. But they are just beginning to understand how important this habitat is for its relationship with the soil as well. It is their hope that research like this will continue and eventually feed into recommendations like Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) in the UK, and the many benefits of improving soil health through soil organisms.
