Biology and Fertilisers Tips for management success · Biology and Fertilisers Tips for management...

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



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



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




Chemical Biological

Physical


Chemical Biological

Physical


Chemical Biological

Physical




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



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?



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



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?



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



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



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



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)



Measure & Manage - Cycles

3 Soil structure maintenance

Measure & Manage - Structure



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



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



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



Let’s make a move

Got Questions?

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Thanks for Your Attention!

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Biology and Fertilisers Tips for management success · Biology and Fertilisers Tips for management...

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