Thread by @TEVAchrisk, Biologicals can be good, but usually aren't consistent. Some recommended questions to [...]

Biologicals can be good, but usually aren't consistent. Some recommended questions to ask when a product is being pitched:

- What's in it, and what do those organisms do specifically to the crop I'm planting?

- Will it survive anaerobic/highly saturated conditions?

Thread Cont https://twitter.com/ShaneAgronomy/status/1317843874463633409

https://twitter.com/ShaneAgronomy/status/1317843874463633409

- In what temperature range does it flourish? If it's dormant at high temps, can it help the crop at crucial growth stages?

- How does it compete with native biology? Can it compete with nematodes? Have you checked for nematodes?

Cont...

- If adding with planter, is the biological compatible with your seed treatment or added pesticides?

- If the recommendation is for application on growing crop, can the biological directly affect a plant, or does it need to enter the soil to make an impact?

Cont...

- Can the biological flourish in any negative conditions you've identified in your fields, ie compaction, high Mg, high Na, high bicarbonates, high or low pH, low OM%, poor drainage, arid areas, etc?

There are many factors affecting whether the application of a living organism to your soil pays off. There are both good and bad "biologicals" thriving in many soils. Poor nutrition feeds them both indiscriminately.

In some cases, plants have shown an ability to feed the beneficials at the expense of the non-beneficial species, but this was in controlled environments. Out in fields exposed to rain, temp swings, geographic variation, etc, it's far from conteolled.

A quality biological has a better chance of paying off if it's a part of an intentional strategy. Put it in the root zone. Make sure it's beneficial to the crop you're growing, and that it has a chance of survival.

Nutrient movement issues will typically dwarf the gains of biologicals in many cases. While an argument can reasonably be made that biologicals can improve soil nutrient availability, there are limitations.

If more nutrients enter the soil solution due to biological activity, they need to get into the plant asap, otherwise they are subject to all of the processes that made them unavailable in the first place.

That means the plant must be actively or passively intaking nutrients/water. In other words, growing vigorously. If soil moisture and temps are ideal, the biological activity will be a benefit.

If soil conditions are hot and dry, it will be much less likely to see benefits, and the biologicals applied may not survive or go dormant, depending on species.

If your soils get too saturated, oxygen deprivation will negatively impact the biologicals and the crop. Redox processes in these conditions become a larger factor than biology in many cases.

A biological that I've had consistent results from is Bradyrhizobia on soybeans. I also keep Ca and B levels on my radar as these are crucial for nodulation. There's a specific reason that it works, and an understandable set of factors to improve your chance of payoff.

Evaluate biological products through a purposeful and logical lens. They're neither magical nor a panacea, but they can be beneficial when things line up. Familiarize yourself with common components, and you'll find that most use similar organisms.

I posted a spreadsheet showing common components and CFUs of about 20 biological products several weeks ago, along with descriptions of each component. If you'd like a copy of it, I'm happy to email it to you.

Everything is connected, and nothing is single variable. If you made it this far in the thread, thanks for your time. Get in touch if I can be of assistance. Discussion and soil reviews are always free.

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