TOPIC: arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and Ginseng

About Trichoderma from Scotts book:

\"Trichoderma, a family name for a group of naturally occuring beneficial fungi, which live in the humus layer of the soil, is the biological control that has probably had the widest use by ginseng farmers. In the soil, Trichoderma intermingle with the plants root hairs and an exchange of nutrients occurs to their mutual benefit. Trichoderma not only aggressively compete with other soil fungi, including pathogens, for food resources, but Trichoderma also parasitize and kill other fungi and produce metabolites that suppress the growth of competing fungi, thereby providing some protection to the ginseng roots\"

Trichoderma can also be used to treat seeds before planting. I have also read that it is ok to use chemical fungicides with trichoderma. There is alot yet to be learned about biological treatments. but I have found that there are more trials being done with them on ginseng and it's starting to look more promising than chemicals.

classicfur

Latt

Here's a word on mycorrhizal fungi(MycoApply) that you were talking about, from Scott's book.

\"Also, natural mycorrhizal seed inoculants(MycoApply is one brand) are reported to remain within the system of the young plants after the seeds sprout and be surprisingly effective in preventing damping-off. Theoretically natural fungicides could not only be more sustainable but also more effective than synthetic ones.\"

The idea is to treat the seeds with this before planting.

classicfur

Classicfur
Interesting and thanks for the info.

Latt

Anyone ever heard of this supposed natural product below to control fungus.

www.enviroselects.com/nontoxic-captan-fungicide-alternative/

Latt

The article is very interesting... the one in the opening post. When y9ou look at the table #3 [pasted below] there's quite a bit of difference in weight of the treated roots!

The seaweed suppliment called Agri-grow makes similar claims, and is in widespread use in the farming community out in the midwest for corn and soybean.

Of Course, it makes me wonder about what such treatment will do to the status of how the 'sang is grown.... As discussed in the thread started by BCastle \"Discussion of Definitions Wild, Wild Sim\" ....
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Table 3. Growth characteristics of ginseng plants at 16 weeks after transplantation of AMF+ seedlings and AMF seedlings.Treatment AMF AMF+
Plant height (cm) 15.0 ? 1.2b 16.9 ? 1.5a
Root length (cm) 8.7 ? 0.6b 10.2 ? 0.7a
No. of lateral roots 17.1 ? 2.2b 24.0 ? 2.2a
Leaf area (cm2/plant) 105.7 ? 8.2b 154.5 ? 10.1a


Fresh weight (g/plant)
Shoots 1.72 ? 0.5b 2.66 ? 0.8a
Roots 2.08 ? 0.6b 2.84 ? 0.6a


Chlorophyll content (mg/100 cm2) 2.9 ? 0.1b 3.2 ? 0.2a
Full-size table
Means and ?SE values are presented. Each value was determined from 3 independent replicates (n = 12). For each parameter, the data presented in each line are followed by dissimilar letters (a?c); the significance level was set at P