American BioChar Company is a Michigan-based company run by longtime green industry couple, Mark & Laurie Mann. For more than two decades, they have been researching and developing programs and products to improve soils, root conditions, and plant growth in urban, rural, and agricultural landscapes.
Over the last 3 years, they have conducted trials on blueberry farms in SW Michigan, using the microBIOMETER® and other soil-metric tests. The trials compared soils of blueberry bushes treated with their VITAL Blend soil amendment to those with untreated soil. Data was collected in the spring, summer and fall each year to demonstrate the natural ebb & flow of microbe communities in soils. Not only does the data show the steady increase of soil microbial biomass, but overall the trial sites have improved soil structure and more nutrient dense crops.
“The biggest impact we have in using the microBIOMETER® is demonstrating the successful transformation within the soil, following applications of our different biochar blended soil amendments. It provides confidence in our product and helps move the client conversation toward the biological benefits of our product. When a client is able to see and track the fungal to bacterial ratio for their soil overtime, it is very empowering.”
American BioChar is also undergoing several other trials throughout the mid-west with corn, cannabis, soybeans, and tree rhizospheres, using both their VITAL Blend and their new GRATEFUL Blend living soil. As both blends provide active and fixed carbon to soil, these trials were aimed to enhance and increase soil biology and restore nutrient density. Pre- and post- application photos can show how these products improved overall crop production.
Recently, Laurie Mann and microBIOMETER® president Laura Decker participated in Heart & Soil Magazine‘s Soil Summit discussing “How to Increase the Speed of Microbe Growth”. Click here to watch!
Our customer Living Water has been utilizing microBIOMETER® to enhance their approach to sustainable farming and to refine their microbial treatments, ensuring they meet the specific needs of each farm.
Their innovative system integrates with the existing irrigation setup to distribute beneficial microbes effectively. With the help of microBIOMETER®’s soil testing, they are able to analyze microbial biomass and adjust the microbial mixes they provide each month, ensuring optimal soil health.
Sales rep Brent taking a soil sample at one of the farms in West Texas
Leveraging microBIOMETER® for Increased Soil Health
Our customer Living Water has been utilizing microBIOMETER® to enhance their approach to sustainable farming and to refine their microbial treatments, ensuring they meet the specific needs of each farm.
Their innovative system integrates with the existing irrigation setup to distribute beneficial microbes effectively. With the help of microBIOMETER®’s soil testing, they are able to analyze microbial biomass and adjust the microbial mixes they provide each month, ensuring optimal soil health.
Key Benefits:
Living Water and microBIOMETER®’s collaboration is the result of their shared passion for soil health and their quest to transform farming with data-driven microbial management.
About Living Water: Living Water is a visionary agricultural technology company with a mission to redefine the way farmers approach soil health. Their flagship product is a subscription-based automated microbe bioreactor that seamlessly infuses essential nutrients into every irrigation cycle. Designed to deliver maximum efficiency with minimal labor, this innovative system eliminates the need for labor-intensive hauling, mixing, or application processes. Learn more at WeSaveSoil.
The image here shows an example of before (control) and 4 weeks after application.
Worm Power, a world leader in organic vermicompost products, helps growers improve crop yield and plant performance through increased root development and plant nutrient uptake. Worm Power’s Vermicompost Liquid Extract is shelf-stable soil amendment from liquid worm castings that have hundreds of diverse bacteria species.
The company currently utilizes the microBIOMETER® test to evaluate field trials on how their product is impacting the soil when compared to an untreated control. They like having the ability to show growers that the product is functioning as intended for increasing microbes in the soil.
Many specialty crops sterilize the soil to avoid pathogens. The addition of Worm Power’s products strives to bring soil back to a healthy and functional microbiome. microBIOMETER® provides the grower a visual measurement of the microbial community over time and the improvements gained with each application of their product. Healthy soils promote healthy plants and having a diverse microbe population is critical to this process and the microBIOMETER® provides a great tool to support their efforts.
“microBIOMETER® lets us see immediate results rather than waiting to see the increase in yield at the end of the season.”
Holganix utilizes the microBIOMETER® test as a baseline for their customers to see the fungi and bacteria levels present in their soil. These results act as a starting point. Most of the soil initially tested is bacteria dominant. That is what the company is trying to change. The Holganix product used to amend the soil is fungal and protozoa dominant. By increasing these levels, they are increasing the soil health on their customer’s farms.
microBIOMETER® acts as a dashboard or gauge that shows where growers start, where they are during the course of the season and where they are at the end of the season. Holganix uses this information to build a database that records year over year results; with the goal of increasing the biology in the soil.
These two photos from the microBIOMETER® app show one of their check fields vs. the same field with their product. This is an accurate representation of how they like to package the information for their growers.
“microBIOMETER® is a simple to use test that opens the eyes of our growers all across the Midwest. When they see the real time results, they begin to understand how important living biology is for their soil.”
About Holganix: As the only true plant probiotics, Holganix Bio 800+ products contain an entire microbiome or community of organisms that is both abundant and diverse. In a single tote of Holganix Bio 800+ there are more than 800 species of active microbes, microbe food, and nutrient enhancers. Working together, the microbes in Holganix Bio 800+ unlock nutrients already present in the soil and optimize the uptake of nutrients you apply, maximizing nutrient efficiency and minimizing loss. Microbe food helps obtain the rapid establishment of beneficial microbes, while nutrient enhancers work with the microbes to promote strong root growth and healthier plants.
Holganix utilizes the microBIOMETER® test as a baseline for their customers to see the fungi and bacteria levels present in their soil. These results act as a starting point. Most of the soil initially tested is bacteria dominant. That is what the company is trying to change. The Holganix product used to amend the soil is fungal and protozoa dominant. By increasing these levels, they are increasing the soil health on their customer’s farms.
BioHub Solutions, an Australian company that provides biological solutions to the agricultural industry, has incorporated microBIOMETER® into their business. BioHub Solutions believes measurements should be simple whenever possible to ensure their implementation and repeatability. microBIOMETER® has become an integral part of the BioPlan processes. Growers also like it because it provides instant feedback and accountability for Biohub’s biological strategies.
“Our trees continue to do well against the control in areas such as average plant height growth, trunk to height ratio, and fungi to bacteria ratio utilizing microBIOMETER®. This is pleasing so far and we will continue measurements.”
Green bean study in North Queensland.
Green bean trial in North Queensland (above). Initial samples taken 2 weeks before harvest. So far overall bean numbers are 36% improved over control. More importantly, marketable sized numbers are improved by 52%. This is where the margin is for the grower. Microbial biomass is also 28% higher than control which is pleasing. Looking forward to the full harvest figures if they reflect the initial samples taken.
Olive rootstock (below). The data has indicated on average, a 17% increase in stem diameter over the control. Root weight improvements of 47%, biology biomass improvements of 46% and fungal to bacterial ratio improvements of 56% over control. This illustrated that the BioHub solution achieved results in the manner the team had predicted. Photo depicts an example of the treated plug on the left and control on the right.
Olive rootstock – treated
Olive rootstock – control
