How does a microbial extract affect?

There is a high biodiversity of microorganisms in the soil in a constant “fight” for their development, competing for nutrients or niches that allow them to benefit from optimal conditions for their growth.

This translates into an interaction of microorganisms and their environment, as well as between them. This is how the plants in the soil form symbiosis with the microorganisms in their environment that are capable of providing a benefit, either by the exudates excreted by microorganisms or through their activities promoting plant growth (e.g., phosphate solubilization).

On this occasion, we are going to talk about exudates or ferments. When a microorganism has access to a series of nutrients, it can transform them into different compounds, which are either available to other microorganisms or are provided to the plant through the rhizosphere (the influence area of the root). Figure 1.

Depending on the microorganisms and the growth medium where they are produced, they can produce a high concentration of substances which are useful for the plant. In the case of microbial exudates, HEROGRA ESPECIALES has developed TOTEM.

It is a microbial ferment based on the exudate of microorganisms patented by the University that is composed-of substances capable of promoting plant growth, improving its conditions to enhance the symbiosis that the plant has set in the rhizosphere.

This ferment is composed of auxins, phytohormones, enzymes and other substances that will:

• Improve the root elongation, as these exudates are composed of auxins, such as gibberellins or indole acids, promoting cell division and therefore the formation of root hairs. All this translates into an improvement in rooting.

• Increase the structure of the soil, since by improving the root zone, the plant is able to cover more areas for its nutrition, and therefore to improve the structure of the soil by getting nutrients from more remote areas.

• Release complexed compounds. Nutrients are found in the soil in forms not available to the plant. Thanks to TOTEM, it is possible to reduce the pH of the rhizosphere environment and to release the nutrients trapped by high pHs.

• Improve the plant-microorganisms interaction. TOTEM can improve the conditions of the microorganisms in the soil, so that they can express their promoting abilities for plant growth, among which the biological fixation of N and the phostate solubilization stand out.

• In addition, it conditions a supportive environment for the inhibition of stress caused by biotic and abiotic factors, avoiding premature maturation of the plant and future discards at harvest.

By improving the nutritional conditions in the rhizosphere, the microorganisms linked to the root will be in favorable conditions, thus obtaining a competitive advantage for getting nutrients with respect to latent phytopathogens that await a missed opportunity to infect the plant

Figure 1. Enlarged image of the rhizosphere, influence area of the root (all the microbial interaction 2 mm closer to the root). (Shaik et al 2018) Bibliography: Shaikh, Sohel & Wani, Sonal & Sayyed, Riyaz. (2018). Impact of Interactions between Rhizosphere and Rhizobacteria: A Review. Journal of Bacteriology and Mycology. 5. 1058.

Development of microorganisms present in the rhizospher e after the application of microbial exudates, leading to plant-microorganisms interaction.

Some of these conditions have already been tested in Herogra Especiales. One of the examples of biostimulation and inhibition of stress can be found in the following figures.