Soil decompaction and mycorrhizal innoculation

[Jack Green]

Hello there is there any one out there using the injecetion of beneficial ectotropic mycorrhiza in conjunction with soil decompaction equipment for the maintainance of veteran trees , or when planting new stock . I'ts a subject Im eager to learn more about , different types of mycorrhiza for different tree species , when to treat ect . A few people are offering this as a service in the u.k. and the results are very encouraging as regards renewed vigour .

 

[Guardabosques]

Check out the book called "Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World," by Paul Stamets. It contains a lot of information relating to mycorrhizae and its uses, including names of specific fungi for specific trees. It has some good info and citations to other sources. The excellent color photographs make for an interesting read. Subjects include mycoremediation, mycoforestry, inoculation, and many others.

A word of warning, though: while there is alot of good science based fact, he tends to hypothesize and conjecture quite a bit. But it should be a good start for you.

Lucas

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

I am somewhat skeptical of the efficacy of adding mychorrizal fungi.
If you fix up the soil, the fungi will come. In studies of mychorrizal fungi, the biggest problem can be trying to isolate the fungi that is being tested, from the fungi that just float in. One test result I saw had sterile soil loaded with fungus, but none of it was from the injections they did, it was all from local native fungus.
I like to compare it to wood decay fungi. If you wanted a piece of wood to decay, you would add moisture and make sure the there was moderate temps, enough O2 and shade. There wouldn't be any need to add wood decay fungus, there's plenty of spores just floating around.

 

[Guardabosques]

Mike, no need to be dubious of the efficacy of adding mycorrhizal fungi to soil. What you say is true, but I reccomend that you view a few more studies on the subject. There are many interesting peer reviewed papers on the effects of innoculation with vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizae, or ectomycorrhiza. An internet search through public databases and even Google will produce several, so there is no need to cite them here.

You can also note that in the experiments both an inoculated and sterile group are used, and the inoculated groups often show over a 50 percent gain in growth over the sterile group.

Mycelia are almost everywhere in the soil and, as you said, they will come. But many areas that are disturbed due to development or logging have had an upset to the natural balance of fungi that may result in a decrease to the natural rate of infection of mycorrhizae.

Without question, it is better to innoculate than to not. Whether one should use native or non-native species is a separate discussion. Isolation of species is not a huge problem either, as there are sources to obtain pure strains of mycelia--it's just a matter of knowing which ones can resist competition from the fungi that may be already established in the soil.


Lucas

 

[Jack Green]

mycorrhiza

thanks for the info lucas , I to dont doubt the efficacy of mycorrhiza in the soil my own particular interest is its usage along side soil decompaction equipment like "teravent" in the treatment of veterran tree's . As a way to promote renewed vigour its been used by kew garden's tree gang in a recent t.v. series thus bringing it to the public's attention . And it would be nice to be able to offer this as a service theres much more to arb work than just knocking them over ! . Do you have any idea of the i.s.b.n. number of the book you reccomended by paul stammet's ? thanks

 

[Guardabosques]

I will get you that ISBN in a few hours once I get home.

 

[treeseer]

Bear in mind that Mike works in rich deep glacial soils high in organic matter.

 

[Jack Green]

mycorrhiza

Greetings I hear what your saying Treeseer , if thats the kind of soil that Mike's got to work with then you can probably get away with not adding any mycorrhiza at the time of initial planting . Sound's like there's nutrients enough , although there is some evidence to suggest improved root development when mycorrhiza Is included . I think Im more interested in its use as a Re-invigorator of veteran trees , it was used at kew gardens on a declining Cedrus deodar and the results were impressive . We have lot's of old victorian and edwardian tree stock in the uk that have been neglected for years , In public places with all of the problems associated with soil compaction and paved all most semi-permeable root zones so any thing that helps as got to be worth utilising . Its just down to trying to convince the powers that be i.e . local authoritys , that it would be a viable tool to assist the trees that they are the stewards of . regards

 

[Guardabosques]

Here is that ISBN: 1-58008-579-2. I saw a copy on Amazon for around 23 bucks, and I paid 35. I think they have it set up so that you can read some of it online so you can examine it before you buy it.

Lucas

 

[Jack Green]

mycorrhiza

cheers ! Thank you kindly for that info Guardabosques ill give it a read , best regards Jack green

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

thanks for the info lucas , I to dont doubt the efficacy of mycorrhiza in the soil my own particular interest is its usage along side soil decompaction equipment like "teravent" in the treatment of veterran tree's . As a way to promote renewed vigour its been used by kew garden's tree gang in a recent t.v. series thus bringing it to the public's attention . And it would be nice to be able to offer this as a service theres much more to arb work than just knocking them over ! . Do you have any idea of the i.s.b.n. number of the book you reccomended by paul stammet's ? thanks

If you guys really think you can save the world with mushrooms, as Stammets suggests, you might want to start with this book.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Bear in mind that Mike works in rich deep glacial soils high in organic matter.

You mean, highly variable, glacially deposited soils, exactly where you might argue mychorizal inoculations might be most beneficial.

 

[treeseer]

ok mike, i guess my memories of WI soil are of a limited remembrance. Also, I may have accidentally ingested samples of the subject of that book, so the memory is "enhanced".

 

[Guardabosques]

If you guys really think you can save the world with mushrooms, as Stammets suggests, you might want to start with this book.

I think it will take a lot more than mushrooms to save the world. But at least your book above would keep us busy in the meantime!

 

[Jack Green]

mycorrhiza

If you guys really think you can save the world with mushrooms, as Stammets suggests, you might want to start with this book.

Nice one mike , Sound's like that stammet chappie know's his stuff , I bet he's a real fun-gi . Sounds like your not convinced though as far as the efficacy of the treatment with mycorrhiza go's . Im inclined to accept the findings of the arboricultural unit at kew gardens though, as they have actually used it with sucess . incidently regarding the subject of the book you sent i did some research on the subject myself many years ago my conclusions were (big sigh !) Like wow !!!

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Jack, I'd be interested in seeing any research the Kew Gardens did on the subject at hand. If you could throw up a link, that would be great.

 

[Jack Green]

I'll see if i can find some info , meantime try putting "terravent" into a search engine I believe they make a reference to kew's finding's , best regard's

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Here's an interesting article: http://www.uoguelph.ca/mediarel/2006/05/weed_using_chem.html

 

[Jack Green]

Thanks for that mike very interesting , some thing else for me look into . Dont you just love the balance of it all !:biggrinbounce2:

 

[Jack Green]

Alliaria Petiolata

Here's an interesting article: http://www.uoguelph.ca/mediarel/2006/05/weed_using_chem.html

Wow that's really interresting mike "Alliaria petiolata" grows in abundance round here it's in flower at the moment ive known it for years as "jack by the hedge" because it grows in close proximity to hawthorn (Crataegus Monogyna) its a plant you can just pick off leaves and eat another name is "poor mans mustard" ill try to read some more on the subject . It do's not seem to have any negative effect on near-by trees and hedges though it's apart of the early summer green lushness or is it ? :jawdrop: