A WSU research team led by Dr Lynne Carpenter-Boggs is working on a project to better understand the functional microbial community composition of different brewing and extraction methods, the role of feedstock selection, and what compost tea can do in different production systems. As part of their research they are inviting Northwest producers to engage with this community-based research.
Please consider taking part in the survey linked below for producers in the area to share motivations and interests around compost teas/extracts. The survey, which closes May 10th, will take approximately 5-10 minutes to complete. There are no foreseeable risks for completing the survey; your information will only be available to our research team. The data will be anonymized and aggregated prior to publication. Here's the survey:
The research team includes Dr Lynne Carpenter-Boggs, WSU Professor of Crop and Soil Science, an expert on composting and biodynamic agriculture, Dr. Maren Friesen, WSU Associate Professor of Plant Pathology, an expert on beneficial plant-microbe interactions and nitrogen fixation, and Carol McFarland, WSU Research Associate, an expert on soil acidity and community engagement. The survey is funded by the WSU BioAg Program within the Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resources (CSANR). They will also be seeking compost tea/extract samples to characterize their microbiomes. Finally, they are doing a residue decomposition experiment, based on conversations with dryland wheat growers who would like to use compost tea to speed up decomposition in their no-till systems.
For additional information on the project, below is a link to a 17-minute video with Lynne Carpenter-Boggs and Maren Friesen discussing compost tea research: