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.
The Central High School Special Education 9th and 10th grade science class reached out to the NOFA/Mass Food Access Team to assist in preparation of the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) exams.
Mr. James Wilkins, the Department Chair, in collaboration with Sis. Anna Muhammad, Food Access Director, created a year long session that features garden techniques, soil health, cooking, nutrition and food preservation.
The microBIOMETER® test is at the core of these soil health sessions with the students practicing taking soil samples and using the test. Below is feedback from two of the students:
“I really like the tools and using the microBIOMETER® App on my phone. It was so quick and learning to handle soil and the fact that it has the same minerals that I have was really fun to learn. I look forward to taking more soil samples.” – Anthony, 9th grade
” I thought it would be hard to use, but it was really easy and I liked the app on the phone. ” – Xavier, 10th grade
Please click here to view more uses of microBIOMETER® in the classroom!
The Central High School Special Education 9th and 10th grade science class reached out to the NOFA/Mass Food Access Team to assist in preparation of the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) exams.
Mr. James Wilkins, the Department Chair, in collaboration with Sis. Anna Muhammad, Food Access Director, created a year long session that features garden techniques, soil health, cooking, nutrition and food preservation.
The image here shows an example of before (control) and 4 weeks after application.
Worm Power, a world leader in organic vermicompost products, helps growers improve crop yield and plant performance through increased root development and plant nutrient uptake. Worm Power’s Vermicompost Liquid Extract is shelf-stable soil amendment from liquid worm castings that have hundreds of diverse bacteria species.
The company currently utilizes the microBIOMETER® test to evaluate field trials on how their product is impacting the soil when compared to an untreated control. They like having the ability to show growers that the product is functioning as intended for increasing microbes in the soil.
Many specialty crops sterilize the soil to avoid pathogens. The addition of Worm Power’s products strives to bring soil back to a healthy and functional microbiome. microBIOMETER® provides the grower a visual measurement of the microbial community over time and the improvements gained with each application of their product. Healthy soils promote healthy plants and having a diverse microbe population is critical to this process and the microBIOMETER® provides a great tool to support their efforts.
“microBIOMETER® lets us see immediate results rather than waiting to see the increase in yield at the end of the season.”
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 goals and which are easily and readily available to you without needing to stretch your resources too much.
Since microBIOMETER® is a relatively new soil test on the market, questions are often raised on how this test compares to other commonly used soil indicators such as the Haney Soil Test and PLFA test.
Bright Endeavors Now (BEN) located in Tanzania, East Africa was started by Biology professor Dr. Regina Herbert, PhD and her husband, an Electrical Engineer, Ricardo R. Herbert, MUP, MBA.
The BEN program provides an environment where budding engineers, designers, scientists and doctors are introduced to concepts in the sciences, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM), through engaging, developmentally-appropriate activities.
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 goals and which are easily and readily available to you without needing to stretch your resources too much.
Since microBIOMETER® is a relatively new soil test on the market, a lot of questions are raised on how this test is different from other commonly used soil indicators such as the Haney Soil Test and PLFA test. While all three are soil biological health tests, their methodologies are very different and the tests measure different parameters.
The microBIOMETER® is an on-site soil test that measures the microbial biomass and fungal to bacterial ratio of living and dormant bacteria and fungi. The test process works by measuring the color intensity of the microbial solution created and comparing the color to the test card comparator. This patented, colorimetric analysis process is generated through our microBIOMETER® Reader App and produces results within 25 minutes of starting the testing process. Test prices range from $13.50/sample to $6.75/sample. The low cost, rapid result detection, and on-site testing of living soil are what makes this test stand out against others. The microBIOMETER® has a slightly limited scope, however, as it’s only able to measure the overall biomass of fungi and bacteria. It does not differentiate between microbial species nor does it measure any other parameters.
The Haney Soil Test is a lab test that focuses on assessing a variety of soil parameters such as pH, microbial biomass, water extractable organic carbon and nitrogen, soil respiration, and inorganic plant available nutrients such as NPK. This test uses multiple methods in order to obtain results, including the Solvita CO2 Burst test to indicate soil microbial respiration and biomass, and the use of unique soil extracts to determine organic and inorganic nutrient availability. While this test offers a large array of soil parameters, there is controversy in the science community about using the Solvita CO2 Burst test methodology as a way of accurately predicting microbial biomass. This is because the soil is dried then rewetted to trigger a release of CO2 to measure microbial activity. Drying soil decreases microbial biomass, and while rewetting it will increase biomass again, it doesn’t necessarily repopulate back to the original microbial composition. The Haney Soil test is offered at several labs throughout the country and recommendations are included with results. Generally, this lab test costs about $50/sample and takes about 3-4 weeks to receive results.
The PLFA Soil Test is a lab-based technique that analyzes phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA), which are found in the cell membranes of living organisms, to determine an estimation of living microbial biomass, fungal to bacterial ratio, and to identify the general presence or absence of microbial functional groups in bacteria, fungi, and protozoa. For this test, labs first dry the soil overnight then use multiple solvents to extract fatty acids from the sample. Then, mass spectrometry is used to identify the sample’s microbial composition based on specific PLFA biomarkers. This testing process takes a few days to complete and generally costs about $60/sample depending on the lab. It is one of the most utilized testing methods since it gained popularity in the late 80’s. Since then, it was discovered that some of the PLFA biomarkers used for identification aren’t limited to one microbial group, therefore making it difficult to determine the accuracy of some results.
The value of each of these tests is to determine a baseline assessment of your soil health. The information obtained from any of these tests will help you gain a better and more rounded understanding of what’s happening in your soil.
David Purdy,, Territory Business Manager at John Deere and Soil Health Specialist, utilized the microBIOMETER® soil test in his study titled Assessment of the mircoBIOMETER Soil Biology Test for Agrovista LTD.
Background:
There is an increased level of interest in soil health and a greater demand for more analytical approaches, in particularly for soil biology, for its assessment from farmers and advisors. This short report reviews the use of a recently developed rapid on-site soil microbial carbon testing tool called microBIOMETER® using a replicated 5 year cover crop experiment.
