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Soil Redempt ion Song

The Teaching and Blessing of the Common Root Being

fungal consciousness

Understanding fungal nuance is integral to being a savvy grower.

mycorrhizaWe have much to learn from fungus-root symbiosis.

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The Soil

Food Web

Microbe “feeding frenzy” keeps the immobilization / mineralization balance humming right along.

arbuscules in cell

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Setting Planetary

Norms

A good 95% of plants on this precious earth desire the symbiotic exchange of mycorrhizal fungi.

Mycorrhizal Advantage• Protects roots from soil borne diseases.• Increases soil volume reach of roots• Abets healthy plant metabolism• Provides messaging capability throughout

a plant community• Induces systemic resistance to disease• Makes ecosystems resilient• Oh yeah. One more little thing. Fungal/

plant dynamics tuck away soil carbon

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ecto-endo diagram

common root being

Suppose I were to plant a whole number of herbaceous plants in the soil . . . so that their roots intertwined and merged with one another . . . until it all became a regular mush of roots, merging into one another . . . would not allow itself to remain a mere tangle, it would grow organized into a single entity . . . the saps and fluids would flow into one another . . . a common root being would arise for these plants.

—Rudolf Steiner,

The Agricultural Course 1924

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Common Mycorrhizal Network

Bridge Trees

The so-called “soft hardwoods” like willow and alder bring ectomycorrhizal advantage to an otherwise endomycorrhizalorchard ecosystem.

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diverse orchard

Underground Economy

Researchers grew the legume Medicago truncatula with three species of mycorrhizal fungi that contribute different levels of phosphorous to the plant. Over the span of a day, the most generous species received the highest levels of carbon in return, suggesting the plants somehow monitor their nutrient intake and “decide” what’s most needed.

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rhizosphere trade

Plants dedicate as much as two-thirds of leaf sugar production to “fair trade” with the biology in the rhizosphere.

fungus-root

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Influence on Soil CarbonSoil aggregates are literally what hold our world together. Carbon-rich “glomalin” consist of mycorrhizal-derived proteins that bind soil particles into microbe havens.Here begin the humic mysteries . . .

Soil aggregates are the result of good fungal stewardship. Hyphae will abide within, delivering fertility in long-lasting fashion.

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Mycelial Messaging

Underground signaling extends beyond nutrient exchange. Phytochemical pulsing through the hyphal network alerts neighboring plants to the presence of foliar feeding insects and specific disease vectors.

Signaling by means of the mycelium results in volatiles to attract beneficials, makes leaves less tasty to herbivores, and ups disease response.

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Propagule Nuance

• Mycelial outreach

• Root fragments• Spores and

more spores

poisonous pigskin puffball

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Commercial Inoculum

•Disturbed soil ecosystems and the pace of natural succession

•www.mycorrhizae.com

•www.bio-organics.com

•www.soilsymbiotics.com

•Soluble formulations for established plantings

Symbiotic Teamwork

Non-disturbed ecosystems typically contain 20 to 50 different species of mycorrhizal fungi

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Niche Specialties

Just as we understand diversity aboveground to be profound, greater diversity belowground ties to seasonal rhythms and nutrient ebb and flow.

Core Four• Glomus

intraradices• Glomus

mosseae• Glomus

aggregatum• Glomus

etunicatum

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Caveat Emptor

Glomus intraradices works universally for all sorts of plants.

Nutrient-rich soil is the one requirement.

Spore size is incredibly small . . . so beware those silver-bullet claims beyond the golf course fairway.

Drought Relie f

Mycorrhizae distribute water throughout a plant community:• Glomus deserticola

• Glomus fasciculatum

• Glomus mosseae

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Handy Skill Sets

Glomus aggregatumfunctions well in sandy soils and improves soil aeration in more compacted soils. Demonstrates assertive root colonization at seedling stage. Enhances fruit tree vigor.

Mycorrhizal-abetted Essential Oils

Results show a positive effect of Glomus etunicatum on the composition and level of volatile compounds for all plant species.

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EricacaeAcid loving plants like blueberries have a different fungal partner entirely . . . and here’s where peat moss plays a reassuring role.

Nature is more complicated . . .

The evolution across biological kingdoms points relentlessly to cooperation and support networks as the way to proceed in life.

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one green world

The Making of a Healthy Plant

• Sunshine launches plant metabolism.

• Nitrogen combines with plant sugars to create proteins and fatty lipids.

• Secondary plant metabolites provide “immune function” against disease

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Photosynthesis Efficiency• Mn, Cl, and B are

activators of enzymes.

• Cu, Fe, Zn, and Mo are components of enzymes.

• Micronutrients play a key role in protein synthesis as well.

The Bacterial Bore Fungal exudates

from the hyphal tip feed bacteria cohorts whose metabolites in turn “weather” bedrock to extract minerals at a blistering pace measured in micrometers.

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naughty fungi

Protein SynthesisAmino acids are the building blocks of proteins. Much hinges on enzymes quickening this process.

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ProtoplasmIncentive

An excess of soluble amino acids in plant sap (resulting from incomplete protein synthesis) are a prime draw for foliar pests and pathogenic fungi.

Cell Membrane Dynamics

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planetary membraneBeneficial patterns show up consistently throughout creation. The vast network of mycelia lying beneath the surface of the soil and indeed the ocean floor could be thought of as the planetary membrane holding life’s sacred trust.

Fat EnergyFatty acids profoundly stimulate the arboreal and soil biology.

Essential oils act as a foil to insect interest.

Lipid reserves in plants counter proteolysisduring times of limited photosynthesis.

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Resistance Metabolites

Phenolic compounds are the IMMUNE FUNCTION of the tree.Terpenoid and flavonoid stimulation can be used to further boost core resistance mechanisms. Bitter-tasting alkaloids thwart higher order insect feeding.

Effective Digestion

Nutrient uptake by feeder roots in a “partially built form” allows the tree to reach this apex of phytochemistry. This predigestion of nutrients in the rhizosphere is akin to what the rumen does for the cow.

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Hyphal Lysis

The end result of fungal disintegration within the roots is the release of lipids and complex proteins directly into plant protoplasm.

Meaning what exactly? Phantasmagoria!

Fungal Groupings

• Mycorrhizal fungi

• Saprotrophic fungi

• Arboreal fungi (yeasts, shelf mushrooms, endophytic fungi)

• Parasitic and pathogenic fungi

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stomate guardians

Masanobu Fukuoka quote

The healing of the land and the purification of the human spirit is the same process.- Masanobu Fukuoka

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devolution of man

If voting made any difference, they wouldn’t let us do it.

— Mark Twain

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Woohoo, it ’sFriday!

Oh w ait , I ’m a farmer.

Nondisturbance Principle

• Begin with Gratefulness

• Don’t Screw Up• Do Fungal Things• Honor the Earth

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Farming with a consciousness of the mycorrhizae leads to what I have called the Non-Disturbance Principle. We begin with gratitude, always with gratitude. We grasp that as humans there are numerous ways to harm the life forces in the soil, from excessive tillage to overreliance on chemicals. We move onto to see ways to accomplish our agricultural goals with respect for the fungal realm. And by doing so, we honor this living planet and the integrity of all species.

Biological Transition

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There is one, and only one, solution, and we have almost no time to try it. We must turn all our resources to repairing the natural world, and train all our young people to help. They want to; we need to give them this last chance to create forests, soils, clean waters, clean energies, secure communities, stable regions, and to know how to do it from hands-on experience.

- Bill Mollison

Fungal Carryover

• Cover crop riffs• Diversity superstars• Inoculate following a

nonmycorrhizal phase• Root fragments remain

when practicing surface decomposition

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Inoculate Seeds, Roots, Bulbs!Mycorrhizal connection needs to be restored in disturbed soils.

The concept of “bacterial gardening” overlooks critical plant wisdom.

Gaia’s SecretThe mycorrhizal engine runs on photosynthesis. FUNGUS-ROOT: never ever lose sight of the fact that this is a symbiotic partnership of species.

It takes two to tango!Keep ground in cover throughout the bulk of the year, across the seasons, active green pumping carbon down into holy earth.

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no more of this, please

Going Fungal at Farm ScaleSoil aggregate formation lies at the heart of fungal-friendly farming. Honoring this mycorrhizal pledge determines the wiser choices to be made at every turn.

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Cover Crop Cocktails

Seed mixes of a dozen or more cover species ensures fungal diversity and carryover.

Plant Quorum Sensing

• Different plants have different affinities for selected beneficial soil microbial communities.

• The wider you are able to establish these microbial communities the better the “production system” will work.

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when diversity truly resonates ...

It is possible that the next Buddha will not take the form of an individual. The next Buddha may take the form of a community—a community practicing understanding and loving kindness, a community practicing mindful living. This may be the most important thing we can do for the survival of the Earth.

—Thich Nhat Hanh

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Replanting Advantage

Inoculated seedlings hit the ground running with fungal advantage whereas the survival rate of sterile transplants often goes nowhere.

Fungal Understory

• Chanterelles• Boletes• Hedgehogs• Matsutake• Morels• Black trumpets• Lobsters• The beat goes on

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Mother Trees"A forest is much more than what you see," says ecologist Suzanne Simard. Mother trees are the largest trees in forests that act as central hubs for vast below-ground mycorrhizal networks. They support their seedlings through the mycelium by supplying carbon energy for the young’uns to grow until their turn comes in the sun.

Birch-Fir Mutualism

Photosynthesis across the seasons allows “tree buddies” to support the other during their respective downtimes.

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agroforestry

rational grazing

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Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.

— Rachel Carson

Rachel Carson quote

The fungus-root stands revealedThe fungus-root stands revealed. Now it is up to each of us to care about mycorrhizae in the ecosystems we call home.

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Adieu

Let the beauty you love be what you do.

There are a thousand ways to kneel and kiss the earth.

RUMI