Healthy Soils, Healthy Plants, Healthy Planet!

Healthy soil is vital to growing and maintaining healthy plants. But beyond plant health, a healthy soil microbiome supports human health.

Your soil contains a host of beneficial microbes , a community of microorganisms. These beneficial microbes are an integral part of your land’s ecosystem.

Soil microbes help improve nutrient uptake. Better nutrient availability means better plant growth. Special fungi called mycorrhizae form a symbiotic relationship with plant roots. The fungi provide the plant with nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen in exchange for carbohydrates produced by the plant. Up to 20% of the products of photosynthesis are released through roots. The products include rhizodeposit exudates, mucilage, and sloughed cells. Root exudates contain a variety of organic and inorganic compounds, predominately organic acids and sugars. They also contain amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, growth factors, hormones, and antimicrobial compounds.

Second, soil microbes improve soil structure by creating “glues” and “nets” below the ground that are key in creating a great soil structure. Fungi create a network of nets underground through extensions called hyphae. Bacteria secrete glue-like substances called extracellular polysaccharides, allowing soil particles to bind together.

These glues and nets create soil aggregates and promote soil structure which gives the soil optimal water-holding capacity, increases aeration, and improves plant growth.

Next, those “glues” and “nets” allow soil microbes to improve water-holding capacity and infiltration. This helps make plants more drought tolerant.

Finally, soil microbes help improve disease resistance. Soil-borne diseases need a favorable environment, a susceptible host, and a virulent pathogen. Beneficial microbes create a hostile environment for pathogens and produce compounds to help protect plants from disease and pests.

You can support your microbiome by adopting soil health management practices like reducing soil disruption. For a farmer, that would mean less tillage and adding cover crops. In landscapes, this could translate to using perennials, preferably a diverse selection of native. plants.

A diverse community of perennial native plant species helps maximize the period of living root growth and increase healthy soil microbes. Different native plant species have diverse root structures and can release varied and valuable types of organic compounds into the soil.

For example, some plants have deep tap roots while others have shallow roots, creating an underground cooperative. Rather than being competitive, all the plant roots work together to help support a healthy biomass in soil structure and soil biology.

Even before a plant takes root, its seed communicates with soil microorganisms. As it germinates, it signals soil microbes to help break down its seed coat, absorb moisture, and convert starches to sugars for vital energy to grow.

RPM-production technology has a particular potential to incorporate the beneficial effects of free-living nitrogen bacteria and a variety of advanced mycorrhizal fungi. Together, these microorganisms establish a harmonious symbiotic relationship with each other and the plant. This leads to a range of advantageous effects, such as improved nutrient absorption, heightened drought resistance, and enhanced protection against insect and disease threats.

Advanced soil genomics expands our understanding of RPM technology’s superior plant production. We are moving forward with our patented production technology into the science of soil genomics and achieving a better understanding of what is lacking below ground and needs to be reawakened. When combined with quality, diverse native plant material, you maximize your efforts in creating healthy soils, healthy plants, and a healthier planet.