"PGPR" What is It?

[amideutch]

Ran across this article from the "Canadian Organic Grower". Ami

http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=...fJ0JgkHuIXWp9w

[clay199]

Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria.

[David Marek]

Neat article. I did not really know what all of those bacteria do, or that like mycorrhizae and the rhizobium, they also colonize the plant. Several of them- including pseudomonas and baccilus are added to Plant Tone (and I think also the new Tomato Tone) which is the main reason I buy it (I could care less about the feather meal- a friend has plenty of chicken and horse poo). I like to think that it helps to keep the plants a step ahead of the pests. Others, Plantshield and Rootshield are different strains of Trichoderma harzianum, are specific to reducing the ability of pythium, etc to establish itself.

I am guessing they must be isolated and grown on sterile media before they are blended and added to a carrier in a product available to us gardeners/ growers/ farmers, which would explain the cost $$$. Hopefully, spreading compost is a close second. Or compost tea.

[amideutch]

These products are not as expensive as you think. I use Actinovate for Disease control $16.00 See link and MycoGrow Soluable from the below link and at $5.00 an ounce which is enough for 125 to 250 plants I call that a small price to pay for increased plant growth/yield and disease resistance. Ami

http://www.fungi.com/mycogrow/index.html

http://www.amazon.com/Actinovate-Org.../dp/B0026KSLG2

[Farmette]

I saw MycoGrow for veggies on that site. Is therre a reason you prefer the regular soluble over the one for veggies?
Thanks
Chris

[amideutch]

Two reasons, one it is soluable and I mix it with Actinovate in a bucket of water and dip my plants in it prior to planting them in the ground or containers. Two it also has Trichoderma and beneficial bacteria that help with nutrient uptake and fighting disease. According to the company the spore count of the Endomycorrhizal fungi is the same for all their innoculants. Ami

[whistler]

Ami - How do you dip your plants in it? Just the roots, or the whole plant?

I'm just learning about all of this stuff. Thanks.

[amideutch]

When I pot up my seedlings I use biodegradable pots, either Dot Pots or CowPots. So I don't remove the plant from the pot but plant the pot and plant. So I submerse the pot into the water for ten seconds and remove and let it drain back into the bucket and plant it. If your using traditional plastic pots and have to remove the pot before planting you can submerge the pot into the bucket, remove and let drain and set it on the site where you intend to plant it and do this with all your plants and when your done go back to the first plant. By then it will have sufficiently drained at the plant site and you can remove it without it falling apart and plant. Ami

[David Marek]

True, I think it is worth the cost, too. Just because something is "wild" or "natural" does not mean that it should be free if someone goes to the effort to propagate it. I contacted the fungiperfecti people, the second part with the spore count is not on the main listing:

"MycoGrowRoot Dip Gel contains 16 carefully selected endo- and ectomycorrhizal fungi, well suited to a variety of soils, climates and plants. It also contains soluble kelp, humic & fulvic acids, vitamins B and C, and an organic starch based gel for improved water storage and uptake. MycoGrowRoot Dip Gel offers 20,000 endomycorrhizal spores per pound and 110 million ectomycorrhizal spores per pound. MycoGrowRoot Dip Gel can be stored in a cool dry area for 24 months without loss of viability."

So 20,000 spores per pound seems to be pretty much standard. This product seemed to have the longest list of fungi species, so it was my choice- I will be growing about 70 plant species. I am always a fan of diversity.

I also bought 1.5 lb. endomycorrhizial innoculant for $53.64 US shipped from www.biconet.com. Good price.

[David Marek]

Oh, also I got the kind without the bacteria for the prairie plants because I was worried it might harm insects that use them as a larval host plant...

[bohica]

Another PGPR is Azospirillium, this bacteria colonizes roots and works with Mycorrhiza to create vast colonies of roots that aid in drought resistance, aid in the uptake of water and nutrients, and provide nitrogen naturally.
We also use and carry Actinovate, Rootshield and Companion, these are just three of the more effective bio fungicides, these were once thought to be "snake oil" by many, but after years of documented success they are almost a must for alot of growers. If you can find Premier Promix bx, this starting medium has mycorrhiza in the mix, the HP formula has Mycorrhiza and Bacillus subtilis, what a great mix, but only found in nurseries.

[amideutch]

I am going to put my order in for Azospirillium to use this year on my plants and have great expectations as to the outcome. Ami

[creister]

I was looking at the info at the site that sells Azosprirllum in bohica's post. It says you just mix and spray the soil. I would assume then, that one could just spray around the plants and not the unplanted areas?

[amideutch]

Creister, here is a link on Azospirillum. Ami

http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/microbiology/2667

[creister]

Interesting article, thanks for the link. Did I understand the article correctly that plants treated with Azospirillum and no nitrogen produced as well as chemically fertilized plants with no Azospirillum?