hazelnut said:
But I suspect that trying to feed a few microbes into disturbed soil or into a hydroponic set-up really misses the lessons of what microbe-plant relationships are all about.
For example, here some 33,000 microbes were identified from a sugar beet field. But what was effective against disease was the interaction and community activity of the whole microbiome of the field that developed over several years.
Although I agree with what you said, I would suggest a qualification. Adding 2-3 species of microbial root helpers to a nearly sterile potting mix can't come near to giving as much benefit as mature soil that's adapted its populations to vegetable roots for years.
But I bet that roots in a sterile mix can still be helped "a lot" if the MR spores you add do happen to include even 1-2 compatible species.
Assuming the vendors are smart or lucky, they probably grow their micro-herd in association with plant roots that are most typical of their customers' needs ... or rather, that they grow a few kinds and mix them. in each bag.
One company talked a lot about working with you to determine what kinds of products were most likely to be helpful in your soil, your climate, and your crop mix.
I have huge respect for the power of biological multiplication. If there is ONE compatible spore within a mm or two of ONE root hair, soon there will be 100 MR cells. Then 100,00, and worms and insects are spreading them to every plant that needs them.
And one article proved that once a field of some crop (I forget which) is well established, you can dump insects onto one plant, and plants 10 yards away will react with protective responses
because of chemical signals sent through the root-MR network!
(kidding now)
Maybe all the roots and fungi in an entire field organize themselves like neurons into a "brain".
