The Passionate Tale of Regenerative Agriculture
friendship between plants and soil microbes
The story of the Earth is the story of the friendship between plants and soil microbes. Plant roots provide carbon-rich sugar sap to soil microbes. Interestingly, 20-40% of the food that plants produce is released by roots as liquid food for soil microbes. In turn, the soil microbes use the liquid carbon as food and provide plants with nutrients, minerals, and trace elements. Additionally, microbes protect plants from insects, diseases, and drought. Furthermore, soil microbes use the liquid carbon to make humus and glomalin, which remain stable for hundreds of years. The plants and soil relationship would not be more chemistries without practicing regenerative agriculture. And its call the passionate on regenerative farming.
Are you passionate about soil health?
In a teaspoon of healthy soil, there are more microbes than there are people on Earth. The soil microbial community is composed of more than 90% bacteria and fungi by mass. In particular, undisturbed soils like those in grasslands and forests benefit fungi, whose thread-like hyphae remain intact. Conversely, cultivation or the use of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers reduces the fungal population.
Moreover, the soil is a living kingdom that includes fungi, algae, bacteria, earthworms, termites, ants, nematodes, and dung beetles. About 90% of these organisms are bacteria and fungi. They all require carbon as an energy source to feed, grow, and build their bodies. Most of that carbon originates from plants and it should considering the passionate on regenerative farming at the practices, using organic materials into soil.
Plants absorb CO2, use sunlight and water to make sugars. What you may not know is that 20 to 40% of these sugars, amino acids and carboxylic acids are released into the soil as liquid carbon. It is like the tax that we pay to Governments.
Why do plants release sugars into the soil?
Millions of microorganisms, bacteria, fungi, nematodes, etc., eagerly await this liquid carbon food. Consequently, they rush to the root zone, known as the rhizosphere, where they colonize and feed on the carbon exudates. In return, soil organisms extract nutrients from minerals in the soil and provide plants with essential nutrients and hormones. This ensures plant health and promotes the continued release of more liquid carbon.
Microorganisms called saprophytes feed on dead organisms. Organic soils rich in microbes serve as the saviors of mankind. These microbes and soil organisms degrade plant and animal biomass, fixing carbon in the soil as humus and glomalins, which remain stable for hundreds of years. Healthier plants release more liquid carbon, leading to an increase in glomalins, humus, and suberins.
The Relation between human vs soil fauna & microbes?
Soil organisms feed on dead organic matter, consuming cellulose and lignin, and releasing CO2 and water. Consequently, they produce humus. Additionally, microorganisms called saprophytes feed on dead organisms. Organic soils rich in microbes serve as the saviors of mankind. These microbes and soil organisms degrade plant and animal biomass, fixing carbon in the soil as humus and glomalins, which remain stable for hundreds of years.
Carbon Sequestration:
Thus, the plant and microbial systems work together to permanently remove a portion of the carbon and lock it away in soils. Atmospheric carbon is captured by plants to build organic biomass, which soil organisms use, releasing CO2 back into the atmosphere. However, only 2-4% of carbon from the organic biomass is sequestered in the soil as humus and glomalins.
Furthermore, plants fix or sequester carbon as suberins, while microorganisms do so as glomalins and humus in the soil, which remain stable for thousands of years.
Suberins:
Suberins are carbon rich compounds that are produced by plants to protect roots from toxins and other stress. They are like carbon polyester. They don’t degrade in the soil and could remain for thousands of years.
Humus and glomalins are stable carbon compounds. Soil microbes build their tiny homes called soil aggregates with carbon rich humus, that is lined by a carbon cement called glomalin. Both Humus and glomalins cannot be easily degraded and could remain stable for hundreds of years in the soil. When the passionate on regenerative farming grows in the farmer end, then the improvement of soil nutrient and plants comes in front of nature.
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