[Pil-pc-oceania] Phosphorous transformation

[Rosemary Morrow]

Some years ago I cut out an article from New Scientist in which  
researchers reported finding that Penicillium bilaj  converts  
insoluble phosphorous to soluble phosphorous in farmers' fields.   
(How great for Australian soil phosphorous acidity where only 10% of  
phosphorous fertiliser is soluble and available to plants).     It  
only works effectively if there are high levels of organic matter in  
the soil.

Later I found Vietnamese scientists  working with 'biofertilisers'  
i.e. isolating soil microbes, growing them on and then redistributing  
the culture to farmers groups who multiplied them under fairly  
controlled conditions on manure.    There appears to be, not only an  
array of specific soil organisms for each plant's rhizosphere, but a  
large range of solublising organisms for every element.   Vietnamese  
working with Australian University researchers are at work isolating  
them.

Chemical fertiliser companies wouldnt be pleased because farmers  own  
grow the technology and it is cheap and gives yields similar to  
chemical fertilisers.

There's a world waiting to be discovered in soils.

warmly

Rowe Morrow

Living, breathing learning models change hearts and minds  -       
thanks Andrew Leahy

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