AFFORDABLE ORGANIC LAWN CARE PROGRAM

Use of Mycorrhiza to alleviate the apple replant disease under orchard conditions.

UTKHEDE, RAJ.
Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, P. O. Box 1000, Agassiz, B. C. Canada, V0M 1A0.

Apple replant disease (ARD) suppresses initial growth of young trees and reduces yield of pome fruits. Greenhouse and orchard experiments were conducted to determine the effect of chemical and biological treatments alone and in combinations in ARD soil. The response was measured by increase in shoot growth, plant weight, and fruit yield of apple trees planted in ARD soil. Inoculations of apple seedlings with the mycorrhizal fungus Glomus Intraradices significantly increased their growth in ARD soil under greenhouse conditions. The application of G. Intraradices alone was consistently effective in increasing fruit yield for 3 years under orchard conditions. The application of B. subtilis alone and in combination with G. Intraradices significantly increased fruit yield for 2 years only. There were no significant differences between chemical treatment with metam sodium and the biological treatments with G. Intraradices, B. subtilis and its combinations for fruit yield under orchard conditions. The consistent performance of G. Intraradicies indicates that this Mycorrhiza has the potential to alleviate the ARD under orchard conditions.

Effects of AM on shoot disease development, yield and physiological background.

GERNNS, HEIKE & HENNING VON ALTEN.
Institut für Pflanzenkrankheiten und Pflanzenschutz, Herrenhäuser Str. 2, D-30419 Hannover, GERMANY.

In contrary to increased resistance against root pathogens, AM barley-plants were more susceptible to the shoot pathogen Erysiphe graminis. In spite of a nearly 3-fold higher sporulation rate of the pathogen, AM plants suffered less than non-AM plants in term of ear-yield and yield-index. AM eliminates the positive correlation between disease intensity and yield-loss. This modified disease-yield-relationship indicates that AM can induce tolerance against powdery mildew in barley. Under field and greenhouse conditions the physiological symptoms underlying the AM effects were investigated. Parameters are the carbohydrate and nitrogen metabolism and senescence development, investigated in the different sink and source parts of the plant. Special attention is directed towards the fructan pool. Development of the biotrophic pathogen on barley hindered the filling of fructan pools in the internodia of the plants. In AM plants the carbohydrate allocation an reallocation were less disturbed. In spite of the increased pathogen activity AM plants were able to accumulate higher amounts of stored stem reserves than non-AM plants. Better filling of this long-time storage pools and a good utilisation of these stem reserves during grain filling can be base of a better compensation of pathogen attack in tolerant plants.

Many of our findings have not been reported in recent scientific journals and are original in our own tests, in a variety of growing situations and conditions.

1. The roots of grasses and Raspberry and Strawberry plants extended deeper into the ground because of the effects of BioVam Mycorrhiza and that the earthworm habitat, which is tied to where those plant roots are located, was also extended deeper into the soil. The populations of earthworms have greatly increased and there is a noticeable increase in the surface activity as the earth worm population comes to the surface to glean organic material and breed. On lawns where the grass is thick the worm activity is the same, it just can not be seen due to the thickness of the grass.

2. Dandelions, which were in those lawns, are stressed for nutrients and as winter has set in, the stress is even higher on those weeds. The earthworms are consuming the dandelions, which are under great stress due to lack of nutrients. As long as the soluble Phosphorus levels are kept low, the weeds that are not benefited by Mycorrhiza are not getting enough nutrients and can not compete with the grasses. There are research papers in scientific journals that show this effect on weeds can be reversed if levels of phosphorus are raised. When levels of (soluble) Phosphorus are raised above 1% there are several scientific studies that illustrate the benefits of Mycorrhiza are deterred. 2% slow release (organic), such as Biosol Forte 7-2-1 organic is fine.

3. Bent grasses, which invade most of the older established lawns, are doing very well with Mycorrhiza inoculants containing Glomus Intraradicies. Bent grasses are considered by many to be a lawn pest because it does not do very well in most lawns. As the temperatures rise, the bent grasses will often dry out and leave large bare areas in the turf. When Mycorrhiza inoculants are added to bent grasses, those grasses are greener, withstand drought, diseases and insects, and have green shoots all up and down the stem instead of just a tassel at the end of the stems. The work by Dr. R.E. Koske and others at the university of Rhode Island with bent grasses also supports our findings… see the notes above.

4. When Mycorrhiza inoculants containing Glomus Intraradicies are applied to turf grasses, the turf becomes resistant to being killed and browned by dog urine. We noticed that within the first month of inoculation that dog urine did kill the turf, but within three weeks the area killed had been overgrown with new grass shoots as a result of the Mycorrhiza acting in that turf. After two months, the turf had been well saturated with Mycorrhiza fungi and dog urine had no affect upon the turf the remainder of that season.

5. At least one person with a severe allergy to grass (verified by allergists medical findings) had no reaction to turf grasses treated with Mycorrhiza Inoculant (BioVam) containing Glomus Intraradicies fungi. Previously, that particular person would break out in hives soon after coming in contact with turf grasses. There was no sign of any reaction after being on the turf grass for several hours.

6. Dogs react to turf grasses that have been treated with Mycorrhiza Inoculants (BioVam) containing Glomus Intraradicies. This peculiar affect applies to a variety of different breeds of dogs. The dog will sniff the grass and then will turn over on its back and roll all over the grass on its back. It will then get up and go to another location and do the same thing again. We have observed as many as six repetitions of this behavior in dogs on grass treated with Bio-Vam Mycorrhiza inoculants. We suspect this behavior may be connected to a factor, which also influenced the person with the severe allergy to lawns as noted above. We have observed that when one lays upon a lawn treated with Mycorrhiza Inoculants (BioVam) and has a lot of skin area in contact with the turf, there is no itching of the skin. We think some sort of chemical was given off by the turf grasses to protect itself from being damaged. We have evidence to indicate turf grasses that are covered for three days will not yellow and so we are suspecting that no antigen is being released by the turf grasses to ward off animals that might damage the turf.

7. en Mycorrhiza is applied to Aspen trees and to Rose plants that any mildew or fungus present upon those plants will not spread to any new growth that comes in after the application of the Mycorrhiza Inoculants. We have also noticed that the fungus and mildew does not spread to leaves, which were uninfected at the time of the Mycorrhiza Inoculation. We also suspect, based upon observations made in many scientific findings including the one by Dr. R.E. Koske et al above, that this resistance of the plant to mildew and fungus diseases will be in effect as long as phosphorus levels are low. When (soluble) phosphorus is raised above 1% other scientific studies show that the disease resistance effect brought on by the Mycorrhiza fungi in the roots of the plant through higher plant health is then deterred.

8. When Mycorrhiza is applied to turf grasses there is a tremendous amount of new growth in grass shoots that continues for the entire growing season until the grass goes dormant. We estimate this new growth to be close to 100% of the existing turf… perhaps more. We see this new growth happen in areas of shade where grass was very sparse and in areas of direct sunlight. We have observed the new growth appear in the midst of moss patches and will lift the moss right off the ground. We have also seen the new growth take place in dead areas of Ferry rings. We are testing the effects of Mycorrhiza with necrotic rings and have yet to have anything to report… just not enough time to observe any effects. We will be reporting more on our Ferry Ring observations in the Spring of 1999. Even though we have observed a significant increase in new grass shoots, we have observed a decrease in the grass clipping volume for 60 to 90% fewer clippings when the turf is mowed. We were able to get a 60% reduction after watering the turf for several hours. Before that heavy watering the reduction was around 90%. Once site of 7,000 square feet of turf had a reduction in clippings from 10 lawnmower catcher bags to less than one after waiting two weeks after the first mowing after the Mycorrhiza was applied. The first mowing, one week after the Mycorrhiza was applied resulted in three lawnmower catcher bags instead of 10.

Natural Organic Products that Work!