Discuss applications of mycorrhiza in agriculture.
Answers
Healthy soil is not only a fundamental necessity for increased food production, but may also be a means of curbing atmospheric greenhouse gas (GHG). A significant contributor to soil health is the presence of soil fungi and the highly beneficial relationship that they can establish with host plants. Science has a good understanding of this relationship but, in agricultural systems, it has been often ignored in favour of reliance upon the application of fertilisers. This situation is changing, however, and a number of primary producers are inoculating crop seed with fungi spores to increase yields and improve soil condition. Early observations of plant vigour, crop yield and cost reduction appear positive, but these findings need to be scientifically confirmed. This potential notwithstanding, the most important characteristic of soil fungi may be its capacity to influence GHG-induced climate change.
The agriculture sector is one of the most important application areas for Mycorrhiza. Especially for wheat, oat, barley, maize and for most of the other agricultural crops Mycorrhiza is really an excellent possibility to improve the yield and the health of the plants.
In the agricultural sector, the advantages of Mycorrhiza which result from the in vitro production process have a special importance:
- NO soil is used for the production of the Mycorrhiza
- NO greenhouse technology is used
- Transportation is easy and cheap
- NO pollution or contamination
- The temperature tolerance for the product ranges between -20 to +70 degree Celsius
- The storage life is up to 5 years