Soil Solarization

amideutch · January 28, 2012

Here is a link about Mycorrhizae but it also has a paragraph on soil Solarization that might interest folks with soil borne pest problems. Ami

http://idosi.org/wjas/wjas2(1)/4.pdf

matereater · January 28, 2012

Interesting article, but difficult to digest. Any chance you can put some of that info into lamens terms?

I just started using a mycorrhizae product last season and saw a substantial difference in root development when I potted up. not sure how or why it works so well, but it does so I will continue using it.

FiguredOut · February 4, 2012

Mycorrhiza is a word that means "fungus" and "roots." When two species interact with one another and there is a beneficial outcome to both it is known as "symbiotic" or "mutualistic." (This is contrasted with parasitic in which one species benefits and the other is harmed.) There are different types of mycorrhiza just as there are different types of plants and animals. You can distinguish different types by their physical appearance and their actions [physiology.]

The ectomycorrhizae (ecto: outter,external) have an external sheath around the roots of the plant. These guys penetrate between the cells of the epidermis and the first few layers of the cortex.
The endomycorrhizae (endo: inner) do not form an external sheath. It works its way through several layers of the outer root cortex.

Vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, are known as VA in this paper, are a type of endomycorrhizae. They penetrate plant cells and form arbuscles. These arbuscles are the things that make them so helpful to the plant. Arbuscles help the plant take up a variety of nutrients. They increase the mass and surface area of the root system. More mass and volume leads to more nutrient uptake.

dice · February 4, 2012

This site from Australia has lots of good pictures:
http://mycorrhizas.info/vam.html

dice · February 4, 2012

So basically the report that Ami posted is saying that soil solarization
before planting crops (like cowpea) that are inoculated with appropriate
mycorrhizae and rhizobacteria increased effectiveness of the
mycorrhizae and rhizobacteria in infecting and nodulating the roots of
the cowpea. (The mycorrhizae extend the reach and efficiency of the
roots in taking up nutrients, and the rhizobacteria fix nitrogen on the
roots of legumes like cowpea.)

amideutch · February 5, 2012

Quote:

Interesting article, but difficult to digest. Any chance you can put some of that info into lamens terms?

matereater, go to the "Gardening in the Green" Forum as there is a lot of threads on mycorrhizae. Ami

ddsack · February 10, 2012

Quote:

This site from Australia has lots of good pictures:
http://mycorrhizas.info/vam.html

Thank you dice, that is an excellent site, I like the clear textbook format with lots of diagrams and photos. I've never thought too much about mycorrhiza, just let things develop or not. Very interesting!

rws-NH-45 · March 14, 2012

Somewhere I read that the mycorrhizae act like an external digestive system for the plants roots.

We animals have all sorts of little "critters" in our guts. Hopefully not the parasitic kind.

Since I started using Pro Mix with mycorrhizae two years ago, my seedlings have been really healthy. Hardly ever any problems with damping off.

It makes sense to me, that if you feed your soil with good things: mulch, compost, etc., your soil will get a healthy population of bacteria, fungi, worms, etc., and maybe the good "guys" will crowd out the bad "guys."

Now if I could only get rid of the flea beetles !

good luck all,
Dick Shannon

January 28, 2012	#1
amideutch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Germany 49°26"N 07°36"E Posts: 5,041	Soil Solarization Here is a link about Mycorrhizae but it also has a paragraph on soil Solarization that might interest folks with soil borne pest problems. Ami http://idosi.org/wjas/wjas2(1)/4.pdf __________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘...Holy Crap .....What a ride!'

January 28, 2012	#2
matereater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: S.E. Michigan (Livonia) Posts: 1,264	Interesting article, but difficult to digest. Any chance you can put some of that info into lamens terms? I just started using a mycorrhizae product last season and saw a substantial difference in root development when I potted up. not sure how or why it works so well, but it does so I will continue using it. __________________ Steve Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult

February 4, 2012	#4
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	This site from Australia has lots of good pictures: http://mycorrhizas.info/vam.html __________________ -- alias

February 4, 2012	#5
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	So basically the report that Ami posted is saying that soil solarization before planting crops (like cowpea) that are inoculated with appropriate mycorrhizae and rhizobacteria increased effectiveness of the mycorrhizae and rhizobacteria in infecting and nodulating the roots of the cowpea. (The mycorrhizae extend the reach and efficiency of the roots in taking up nutrients, and the rhizobacteria fix nitrogen on the roots of legumes like cowpea.) __________________ -- alias

February 4, 2012	#3
FiguredOut Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: NJ Posts: 17	Mycorrhiza is a word that means "fungus" and "roots." When two species interact with one another and there is a beneficial outcome to both it is known as "symbiotic" or "mutualistic." (This is contrasted with parasitic in which one species benefits and the other is harmed.) There are different types of mycorrhiza just as there are different types of plants and animals. You can distinguish different types by their physical appearance and their actions [physiology.] The ectomycorrhizae (ecto: outter,external) have an external sheath around the roots of the plant. These guys penetrate between the cells of the epidermis and the first few layers of the cortex. The endomycorrhizae (endo: inner) do not form an external sheath. It works its way through several layers of the outer root cortex. Vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, are known as VA in this paper, are a type of endomycorrhizae. They penetrate plant cells and form arbuscles. These arbuscles are the things that make them so helpful to the plant. Arbuscles help the plant take up a variety of nutrients. They increase the mass and surface area of the root system. More mass and volume leads to more nutrient uptake.

March 14, 2012	#8
rws-NH-45 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Sanbornton, NH Posts: 27	Somewhere I read that the mycorrhizae act like an external digestive system for the plants roots. We animals have all sorts of little "critters" in our guts. Hopefully not the parasitic kind. Since I started using Pro Mix with mycorrhizae two years ago, my seedlings have been really healthy. Hardly ever any problems with damping off. It makes sense to me, that if you feed your soil with good things: mulch, compost, etc., your soil will get a healthy population of bacteria, fungi, worms, etc., and maybe the good "guys" will crowd out the bad "guys." Now if I could only get rid of the flea beetles ! good luck all, Dick Shannon