biology and fertilisers tips for management success · biology and fertilisers tips for management...
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AFSA SA Conference Feb 2019
© 2019 Microbiology Laboratories Australia Pty Ltd ABN 66 145 073 481 1
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Biology and FertilisersTips for management successDr Ash Martin Dr Maria Manjarrez-MartinezPhD BSc (For) Hons PhD MSc BScManaging Director Technical Director
Who we areDr Ash Martin PHD BSC(FOR)HONS
Business ManagerDoctorate in applied soil microbiologyHonours by research in wood microbiologyPublic and private R&DSustainable agronomyFarmerBusiness ownerKeen trout fisherman
Who we are
Dr Maria Manjarrez PHD MSC BSC
Research and Analytical Services ManagerDoctorate in soil microbiologyMasters in microbiologyBachelors in agriculturePublic R&D and agronomyKeen Rotarian
AFSA SA Conference Feb 2019
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What we do
We help peoplegrow healthier crops, in more efficient ways by better managingsoil microbiology
What we do
We help peoplemake bettercompost, in more efficient ways by better managingmicrobiology
What we do
Improve Sustainability Economic Environmental
AFSA SA Conference Feb 2019
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What we do
Improve Profit More efficient use of
inputs and resources
How we can help you
Information to make better soil management decisions
Soil – The Basis for Productivity
Chemical Biological
Physical
AFSA SA Conference Feb 2019
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Soil – The Basis for Productivity
Chemical Biological
Physical
Soil – The Basis for Productivity
Chemical Biological
Physical
Soil – The Basis for Productivity
Chemical Biological
Physical
AFSA SA Conference Feb 2019
© 2019 Microbiology Laboratories Australia Pty Ltd ABN 66 145 073 481 5
Soil – The Basis for Productivity
Chemical Biological
Physical
How we can help you Microbiology analyses Focussed on outcomes Advanced techniques Extensive range
Project work and R&D
How we can help you
Talk to us later about how we might help you specifically
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Setting the scene: What’s our aim? The long game
Soil health What is it? How do I get it?
What can we do about it? The Big 4 soil functions How can we manage them?
How to get moving Opportunities for AFSA members
Outline
Sell fertiliser? Profitability?Customer success? Short term? Long term?
What’s our aim?
Long term customer success = profitability
Long term customer success = healthy soils
What’s our aim?
AFSA SA Conference Feb 2019
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The ability of a soil to keep producing healthy plants, while efficiently supporting all the organisms, animals and people that depend on it.
From Doran et al. 2000 & Arias et al. 2005
What is soil health?
The challenge in agriculture: maximise productivity provide important functions for
agriculture and the environment simultaneously!
What is soil health?
Properties of a healthy soil
From Slavich 2001 and Stirling et al. 2016
• Deep root zone • Low levels of pathogens
• Resilient and stable structure • High soil organic matter
• Favourable strength & aeration • High bio- activity & diversity
• High water infiltration rate • Low levels of toxic substance
• High moisture storage capacity • Protected surface & low erosion
• Adequate internal drainage • Favourable pH
• Balanced stores of nutrients • Favourable temperature
AFSA SA Conference Feb 2019
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How do we get it?
Chemical Biological
Physical
Microbiology – Amazing Complexity Single-celled organisms – not so simple!
Each soil property is the result of four main soil processes 1. Residue digestion2. Nutrient cycling3. Soil structure4. Pest & disease regulationThe ‘Big 4’ soil processes!
What can we do about it?
AFSA SA Conference Feb 2019
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1 Residue digestionWhere residue carbon ends upThe Soil Carbon cycle! Returned to CO2 by
respiration Incorporated into
biology biomass Stabilised into
humus
Soil respiration
Source: http://csp.unl.edu/public/G_srfco2.htm
Microbial Respiration Increases Crop Growth
Low CO2 is often a limiting factor for maximum crop growth
Microbial activity produces CO2
More activity = more CO2
More CO2 = more growth
Get your ducks lined up!Humus construction
Labile CLabile CMicrobial activity
(Respiration) Nutrients Structure
Goldilocks PrincipleLabile Carbon – to provide energy and turn into humus
Microbial activity – to degrade residues and build polymers (correct ratio to Labile C, not too high)
Right soil C, N, P & S – to provide food & build polymer structure (also some clay, silt, micronutrients)
To stabilise 1 t C in humus: 1,000 kg C; 83 kg N; 5-19 kg P; 14 kg SAfter Kirkby et al. 2011
residues ⇌biology Concentrate
carbon Reduce oxygen
AFSA SA Conference Feb 2019
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Measure & Manage - Residues
Example 1 – Dairy pasture ‘Normal’ practice Irrigated
Measure & Manage - Residues
Example 2 – Dairy pasture Large addition of
manure compost Not irrigated
2 Nutrient cycling
Nutrients ⇌ Biology interactions Carbon cycle Nitrogen cycle Phosphorus cycle
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Nutrient cyclingSoil Nitrogen cycle
Nitrogen fixation What happens? N2 organic N compounds (eg glutamine)
Who’s involved? Root nodule bacteria (eg Rhizobium) Associative nitrogen fixing bacteria (Broad range
of bacterial groups (eg Azotobacter)
How much? Cereals ≈ 5 to 80 kg/ha/month1
Substantial contribution1
Noteworthy Sensitive to soil soluble N
& some herbicides2http://www.micro.cornell.edu/cals/micro/research/labs/angert-lab/bacterial-genomes2.cfm1 After Bell, Murphy & Llewellyn, GRDC SBI2; 2 GRDC SBI2
Nitrogen mineralisation
What happens? Organic N NH4
+
Who’s involved? Ammonifying bacteria Bacillus, Clostridium, Proteus, Pseudomonas,
and Streptomyces How much? Cereals Net mineralisation (release from SOM – microbial uptake)
≈ 2 to 8 kg/ha/month1,21 Vadakattu (2016); 2 UWA, GRDC SBI2
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Nitrogen – How much is too much?
After Mulvaney et al. (2009)
224kg N/ha/yr
112kg N/ha/yr
76kg N/ha/yr
Soil Phosphorus cycle
Soil Phosphorus cycle Interacts with soil nitrogen & carbon cycles Soil C:N largely controls nutrient mineralisation
Manage Optimise
solubilisation/mineralisation ⇌ precipitation/immobilisation
Keep soil C:P < 200:1 Keep soil C:N < 22:1 Certain plants can
effectively solubilise P Mycorrhizal fungi can reduce
immobilisation/precipitation P solubilising microorganisms
(e.g., Pseudomonas)
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Measure & Manage - Cycles
3 Soil structure maintenance
Measure & Manage - Structure
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4 Pest & disease regulationRoot pathogen Crop Suppression by
Thielaviopsis basicola Tobaccolow pHNH4-Nnot NH3-N
Verticillium dahlia andV. albo - atrum
Tomato, eggplant, cotton, potato
low pHNH4-Nnot NO3-N
Streptomyces scabies Potatolow pHNH4-Nnot NO3-N
Sclerotium rolfsii Assorted high pHNO3-N
Fusarium solani f. phaseoli Bean NO3-Nnot NH4-N
Fusarium oxysporum f. lycopersici Tomato high pH
Fertiliser form affects root pathogens After Smiley (1975)
Microbiology - Diversity
Diversity is Good! Resilience Adapts to
changing conditions
Balance
http://www.sciencephoto.com/media/12391/enlarge ©2009 Creation Innovation Agriculture and Forestry Pty Ltd
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Measure & Manage - Diseases
Soil Indicators Indicate key soil
processes P-solubilisation Nutrient cycling Disease resistance Drought resistance Residue breakdown Soil process
resilience(Overall Microbial Balance)
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Measure & Manage -Diversity
Colour-coded Key microbe
groups Useful
indicators Microbial
diversity Nutrients held
in microbes
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Measure & Manage -Diversity
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Take home soil health tips Line up your ducks with Goldilocks!
Optimise soil: Labile C Microbial Activity Total C:N:P:S Structureto build humus, health &biological fertility
Balance N inputs for biological fertility Increase biological diversity to minimise
pests and disease
Looking for a place to start?Deal for AFSA members Soil health test Microbial Activity PMN PMPNormally $90 + GSTBuy a pack of 10 today and receive 30% off RRP!
TODAY ONLY!See me any time during the day