Root Exudates

[Microbeman]

Microbeman, this is a lot of information pertaining to bacteria, and clearly they are important to a system. But as far as fungi, what exudates do you hypothesize comprise of their diet? What plant signalling would favor their communal domination in soil?

Hello friend and thanks for your comment. This little essay is equally inclusive of the participating microorganisms, which do include fungi. If you read over you will see this defined.

When considering fungi closely associated with the root system, especially mycorrhizal and dark septate endophytic types, the food sorts are likely carbon based and similar to those 'digested' by bacteria and archaea.

 

[paradoxlost]

So you couldn't plant a cover crop species that will favor fungal growth rather than bacterial

 

[Microbeman]

Sorry but I just don't follow foundationally and it seems off-topic. Perhaps you are better served searching some of the information in the forum related to inoculating clover cover crops with endomycorrhizal spores.

 

[paradoxlost]

So bacteria and fungus eat different chemical compounds, this can mostly be followed by the complexity of the chemicals, be it simple sugers vs lignin and cellulose. With that being said, if I wanted to influence the microbial community of my soil, would I be able to plant cover crops that would inhibit bacteria growth and increase fungal biomass

 

[Avinash.miles]

So bacteria and fungus eat different chemical compounds, this can mostly be followed by the complexity of the chemicals, be it simple sugers vs lignin and cellulose. With that being said, if I wanted to influence the microbial community of my soil, would I be able to plant cover crops that would inhibit bacteria growth and increase fungal biomass

to tailor towards fungal populations use mulch like wood chips, bark, or straw
planting a cover crop to chop and drop is by nature more geared towards bacterial growth over fungal

that's my understanding.... hope it helps
paradox lost if you can't find info you are looking for start a thread, lets keep this one on topic as MM suggested

 

[VortexPower420]

Doesn't root exudates control the microbial population over the microbes that are needed to break down litter on the surface of the soil?

I know you can create compost that are dominate in one or the other but when applied to soil they don't all survive. Only the ones that the plant feeds will remain viable. Mostly

 

[Microbeman]

Vortex

Do have any supportive literature?

 

[VortexPower420]

No. Not on hand. The first part was more of a question. From things I have heard. I do believe from you and other tea pros.

Like if you take a soil dominated in fungi and put it into a bacterial dominated soil from my understanding is that most of the fungi go dormant unless they have a food source(root exudates lingin etc).


I have also heard compost tea talked about as a shot gun approch. Many of the microbe brewed in a tea have go dormant in the soil as it is not the right environment for them.

Am I wrong?

 

[Microbeman]

I do not know that it is that black and white. Certainly when ACT is applied some microbes thrive while others do not but there is no direct evidence (that I know of) that this particular function is controlled by plant root exudates.

I have said many times that a fungal based soil is not (necessarily) created by the fungi found and grown in ACT. As far as I know this is hypothetical and not supported by evidence (that I know of), however many believe this ongoing. (why, I'm not sure)

I have some personal hypotheses speculating that some of the fungal species grown in ACT are dark septate endophytes which MAY function as mychorrhizal fungi but I've yet to see solid evidence.

We do know that fungi is a great organic matter degrader so that fungi in ACT will (more than likely) contribute this function in soil.

At this time I view the use of ACT as separate from the root exudate system, although related in function, if that makes any sense. This could change.

So far as the microbe population in the detritusphere being controlled by root exudates; I think there is certainly some influence but there are many other factors involved, not the least of being climate/weather.

 

[VortexPower420]

Totally MM. I didn’t mean to sound like the roots dictated everything. There is far to much going on to know every reaction

It does seem many thing are at play and we are just learning.

I completely Agree with what you said and what I was getting at in my own garbled way.

Thanks MM

 

[Rico _El_Guapo]

This is awesome. The knowledge in this thread is priceless

 

[paradoxlost]

to tailor towards fungal populations use mulch like wood chips, bark, or straw
planting a cover crop to chop and drop is by nature more geared towards bacterial growth over fungal

that's my understanding.... hope it helps
paradox lost if you can't find info you are looking for start a thread, lets keep this one on topic as MM suggested

well I guess as far as using plant communities to tailor towards certain microbial communities, the most basic concept would be C:N ratio. Clearly since fungi like carbon, legumes would lower that ratio and have the impact of a net shift towards a bacterial dominated microbial community. So to say that root exudates don't have an effect in that regards seems flawed, despite conflicting literature reports. It makes perfect sense that certain species can tip the scales in certain directions

 

[h.h.]

Its a two way conversation between plant and microlife. Dynamic in nature. Nobody dominates.


The fungi build roads so others may follow. In our own world, we have Fords and Chevy's. Diesels and tricycles, all serving the same purpose.
Why choose? It takes a village or in some cases a lie. Know that the roots are doing their thing and simply accept it.
There is no need to dominate.



Rambling on.

 

[paradoxlost]

I guess you haven't seen what some legit spent mushroom compost can do. Also forest soils are typically more dominated by fungi as opposed to grasslands that are bacteria dominant. See how much more productive a forest is than a grassland as far as above ground biomass.

 

[Microbeman]

I guess you haven't seen what some legit spent mushroom compost can do. Also forest soils are typically more dominated by fungi as opposed to grasslands that are bacteria dominant. See how much more productive a forest is than a grassland as far as above ground biomass.

This has naught to do with the thread topic. Please take your discussion elsewhere.

One intelligently uses grassland organisms to grow cannabis and vegetables....or did you not know this? When you begin your own thread I'll happily explain.

 

[OkieSmokie]

Can we talk a bit more about Boron? How should it be added? From what source? Added to vermicompost or mixed into the base? Any additional information would be helpful.

You mentioned Boron as God's pixie dust. I see evidence of the divine plan in all of this. The unfathomable complexity of our universe is evidence of Gods existense. But i digress...

Boron?

 

[Microbeman]

Only because boron came to earth from outer space. It is uptaken through protein pathways. Therefore you can apply it in any organic form. I believe my friend Jeff talks about protein pathways in his KIS interview.