Mycorrhizal Fungi experiment
Prof. Kent
Below is a description of an experiment with Mycorrhizal Fungi (also known as vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungus) using two seed potatoes. Here http://www.tandjenterprises.com/tandj_lodi_apples.htm is also a great link to a must-read experiment with two Lodi apple trees.
Mycorrhizal fungi improves the ability of plants to absorb water and mineral nutrients. Therefore you will see best results with trees under stress from drought or poor soil. Without VAM trees suffer from malnutrition. All trees and almost all plants growing in the field are mycorrhizal, whether you inoculate them or not. But there are lots of different kinds of beneficial VAM fungi. What you buy is a mixture of the spores.
I was wondering how many of The Group would be interested in trying their own experiment and then documenting their results? We could post videos of the experiments and share them with the group (and the world). I believe a lively discussion and videos would increase visibility of the Group also. Your experiment could be as simple as the potato example or you could compare the results between two trees or two rows of trees of similar size. If possible, have one "control" plant that is not treated with Mycorrhizal Fungi and another which is. If we all do it we get to see the results of several experiments while only paying the price for one! I believe adding VAM on your trees will be money well spent, especially if you have some trees planted in poor soil. VAM spores grow and spread through the soil but it takes a lot more to inoculate a large tree to see results the first year than by inoculating a small tree.
What say you?
I will be trying the Mycorrhizal Fungi product called BioVAM. If you are interested in doing this experiment with me, buy a little BioVAM and try it out.
- Kent
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Here is a the Potato Seed Experiment from http://www.permaculture.co.uk/articles/plants-and-fungi-using-beneficial-mycorrhizal-fungi-boost-plant-growth
Plants and fungi
I knew that the symbiotic fungal mycelia bind to plant roots and effectively massively increase their surface area and hence ability to extract water and nutrients from the soil but I was still astounded to see such a startling demonstration in the 'real' world.
I was personally convinced enough of the benefits that almost everything I have planted or sown since has been inoculated with mycorrhizae. It has taken me a while however to run another semi-controlled comparison and take some pictures.
Two seed potatoes ready for the mychorrizae trial
The test subject was an second early potato and the mycorrizal innoculant came from the Symbio in the UK this time. Each medium sized pot received near identical seed potatoes and the same clay/compost mix as soil.
A seed potato dusted with mychorrizal spores
After planting, each pot got a 5 litre dousing from a watering can and then nothing more. The only difference between the two was that one potato had been 'dusted' with the symbiotic fungal spores and the other had not. This was intended as a genuine test to destruction so the idea was to let nature take its course until both plants' topside foliage was visibly dead.
Mychorrizal fungi bestowing drought resilience
The non-treated potato plant died back completely a full week before the treated one and the resulting difference in the tubers was fairly well defined. The total weight of the tubers from the inoculated plant was about 26% greater than the other.
The results: Mychorrizal fungi-inoculated potato on the right, normal on the left
This summer I intend to run a very similar test again but by keeping the plants well watered the aim will be to see if the mycorrhizal relationship is able to offer any additional resilience to our old friend blight. I'll keep you posted!
Brian Lynch
I've got 30 myrobalan rootstock scheduled to arrive Wednesday April 4th from FEDCO of Maine which will be grafted to a bunch of apricots and early ripening plums. Many of the cultivators are being done in duplicate so it would fit great with the experiment. However, I'm not willing to pay overnight FedEx shipping so I was wondering if you know of any big box retailer (Home Depot, Tractor Supply, Menard's, etc.) that carries mycorrhiza.
--Brian
Prof. Kent
Brian,
Home Depot sells a fertilizer called "Espoma Bio Tone Starter Plus" in a 4 pound bag that has mycorrhiza in it. But I would call some local full-time nurseries, garden shop or Elevator. Big box stores are too seasonal for this stuff, I think.
"Bio tone starter plus is an all natural plant food that helps prevent transplant loss and ensure superior plant growth. It is made from natural and organic plant food ingredients and contains no sludges or fillers. The organics in Bio tone Starter Plus break down gradually to provide a safe, long lasting food reservoir throughout the growing season. It also contains a proprietary blend of microbes and mycorrhizae."
- Kent
John and Annette Trout
Prof. Kent
-Kent
