Soil Foodweb Institute

Soil Foodweb Institute SFI Australia is part of an international soil biology group, independently owned laboratory. Soil/C The Australian arm of the Soil Foodweb Istitute.

laboratory and consulting service was opened at Lismore in 2001 and worked closely with Southern Cross University. Now independently owned, with Dr. Ingham being based in Nth America. we try and work closely with her when needed.. Since its inception, Soil Foodweb Institute (SFI) has been working closely with thousands of growers throughout to improve the health and productivity of their soils. Un

derstanding soil health requires a detailed knowledge of which organisms occur, which ones are working, how many are present, and whether the soil food web has the right balance for the desired crops/plants. At SFI we assess soil, compost, compost tea, leaf, vermicast and various other biological products for micro-organisms (fungi, bacteria, protozoa, nematodes, and mycorrhizal fungi). With this information we are able to devise the right management plans tailored to your specific needs so as to achieve a sustainable, productive and low-input system. The Australian laboratories have continued to build on the extensive research that has been undertaken here and abroad by renowned soil biologists including Dr Elaine Ingham (President and Director of Research, Soil Foodweb Inc.). The large numbers of samples that have been analysed by our Australian laboratories have enabled SFI to gain a comprehensive understanding of micro-organism balance and function specific to the wide range of crops, soils and climates that are within Australia. The team at SFI is fully committed to assisting growers achieve true sustainable soil fertility without the need for toxic and costly chemicals thereby enabling you to improve crop yields and the returns on your investment. You’d be amazed at how cost effective our programs actually are and how beneficial it can be to have a professional on your team to guide you through the processes involved.

The Mysteries of Plant ‘Intelligence’Scientists are debating whether concepts such as memory, consciousness, and communi...
29/12/2024

The Mysteries of Plant ‘Intelligence’

Scientists are debating whether concepts such as memory, consciousness, and communication can be applied beyond the animal kingdom.
By Zoë Schlanger

Scientists are debating whether concepts such as memory, consciousness, and communication can be applied beyond the animal kingdom.

18/10/2024
12/01/2024
05/11/2022

A transverse section through the stem of a woody plant.

The majority of tissue seen here is secondary xylem (dark brown), which transports water and mineral nutrients from the roots throughout the plant.

Forming a thin ring around the xylem is the phloem (beige), which transports carbohydrates and plant hormones around the plant. The outer tissue of the stem (light brown) is the bark.

Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM). Magnification: x30 when printed 10 centimetres wide.

Credit: Steve Gschmeissner / Science Photo Library
https://bit.ly/3d7crX5

nder your feet lies the most biodiverse habitat on Earth. The soil on which we walk supports the majority of life on the...
11/08/2022

nder your feet lies the most biodiverse habitat on Earth. The soil on which we walk supports the majority of life on the planet. Without the life in it, it wouldn’t be soil. Unfortunately, Australia’s soils are not in good shape. The new State of the Environment report rates our soils as “poor” and “deteriorating”.

We’re all familiar with some soil dwellers, such as earthworms. But the lion’s share of life underneath is invisible to the naked eye. Microbiota like bacteria, nematodes, and fungi play vital roles in our environment. These tiny lifeforms break down dead leaves and organic matter, they cycle nutrients, carbon and water. Without them, ecosystems would collapse. Amazingly, most of this wealth of life is unknown to science.

Australia has not undergone the same glacial or volcanic activity as other parts of the world. That’s left most of our soil old and infertile. Our soils are highly sensitive to human pressures, such as contamination, acidification and loss of organic carbon. When we remove communities of plants, this leads to soil erosion. Land clearing also hits underground life hard, causing microbial diversity to decline.

The new State of the Environment report shows Australia’s soil and the life it holds is in poor condition. We need to protect our underground biodiversity.

Chile’s Villarrica National Park—As a motley medley of mycologists climbed the basalt slopes of the Lanín volcano earlie...
05/08/2022

Chile’s Villarrica National Park—As a motley medley of mycologists climbed the basalt slopes of the Lanín volcano earlier this year, the green foliage at lower elevations gave way to autumnal golds and reds. Chile’s famed Araucaria—commonly called monkey puzzle trees—soon appeared, their spiny branches curving jauntily upward like so many cats’ tails.

Beneath the majestic trees, the scientists were focused on something far less glamorous—indeed, mostly invisible: mycorrhizal fungi, tiny organisms that intertwine with roots of the Araucaria and nearly all the other plants in this forest. The multinational research team had come to collect soil samples they hoped would, with help from DNA testing, reveal exactly which fungi live here, and how they support this complex assemblage of flora. By the end of an exhausting day that included bushwhacking through heavy brush, the fungi hunters had filled seven small plastic sacks with dirt from different locations. “I wouldn’t be surprised if there are 100 undescribed species” of fungi in each bag, said mycologist Giuliana Furci, founder of the Chilean nonprofit Fungi Foundation and one of the expedition leaders.

New nonprofit pursues global survey of microbes that help plants thrive

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