Though the seasonal shift provides opportunities for growers to boost their productivity, stressors like heat, drought, and disease are particularly impactful in the summer. Microbes may not be the first solution you turn to when you’re looking for ways to get your crop through the summer season, but there are immeasurable benefits you can get from diverse microbes as a part of your seasonal amendment program.
Drought Protection
Water access in the hottest parts of the season becomes a challenge. Whether you’re considering the cost of water or infrastructure, dry seasons and drought conditions can decimate your crop.
How can microbes help? Rhizobacteria are one example of a microbial species capable of making plant growth possible during a period of water stress. (1) These microbes facilitate the bioavailability of phosphorus. Phosphorus is water-soluble and typically absorbed by plants through water in the soil. During droughts, there isn’t enough water to make phosphorus readily bioavailable, which is where microbes in the soil can bridge the gap.
Long-term, diverse microbes in the soil can improve soil’s water-holding capacity. This not only allows water to be readily available at critical points in the season but diminishes agriculture’s environmental impact by reducing runoff of chemical fertilizers into lakes and streams.
Stress Reduction
In addition to improved nutrient uptake during essential periods in your plant’s growth cycle, microbes produce plant stress-response genes. During periods of extreme heat and drought, plants are less able to absorb nutrients and water. This quickly leads to difficulties in sustained growth and can decrease yield, nutrient content, and overall plant quality.
Microbes are beneficial for reducing the impact of stressors by allowing the plant to create hormones that improve metabolic actions, especially those that promote plant resilience. Regulatory proteins such as transcription factors and protein phosphate kinases will allow for cell division, intracellular transport, and environmental interaction, which can continue internal regulation in times of stress. (1) Functional proteins including detoxification enzymes, water channel transporters, and macromolecule protection factors, will maintain the plant’s immune system for disease resistance. (1)
(Image Source: Cellular Mechanism of Drought Mitigation by Microbes)
Disease Suppression
Common summer pathogens like white mold, powdery mildew, and nematodes, can decimate your crop with little warning. Diverse microbes in your soil naturally combat pathogens through competitive exclusion. Pathogens thrive in environments with little diversity, so resources are easily available. Broad-spectrum biology can out-compete pathogens and create an environment where they cannot survive. In some cases, as with nematodes, some species of microbes consume pathogens and directly prevent them from impacting your crop.
Check out our blog Modes of Biological Action/Prevention for more info!
Greater BRIX Levels
Foliar application of a liquid biological naturally facilitates photosynthesis, supporting greater BRIX levels in plants. The Balling Relative Intensity Index (BRIX) describes the concentration of sugars that are dissolved in an aqueous solution (otherwise generally understood as sugar content).(2) In plants, it is an indicator of overall health. Higher sugar content is a result of readily occurring photosynthesis, and fuels plant growth, flower development, and fruit size.
Additionally, plants will increase the root exudates they release when BRIX levels are high, feeding the microbes at the root that make minerals bioavailable.(2) Produce with an increased mineral content will naturally repel pests like spider mites and aphids, further supporting a healthy plant. Higher BRIX content also boosts frost tolerance, allowing for an extended growing season.
Our BIOACTIVE™ line is specifically designed to refresh the naturally occurring biology in your soil. Diversifying soil biology allows that soil to provide more to your plants and improve resiliency, especially in the face of stressors during the summer season. Using BIOACTIVE LiquiLife™ in combination with BIOACTIVE Liquid Supercharger™ rejuvenates the soil and provides the necessary sugars to build stronger, healthier plants.
Sources:
- Shaffique S, Khan MA, Imran M, Kang S-M, Park Y-S, Wani SH, et al. Research progress in the field of microbial mitigation of drought stress in plants [Internet]. Frontiers; 2022 . https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.870626/full
- R Bumgarner, N., & D Kleinhenz, M. (n.d.). Using °Brix as an indicator of vegetable quality: An overview of the practice. Ohioline. https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/HYG-1650
- University of California Cooperative Extension, Vegetable Problems in Summer – Diseases, https://sacmg.ucanr.edu/Vegetable_Problems_Summer/diseases/