Microbial Analysis for Growers
What you'll learn
- Use a microscope to determine whether soil microbial density and diversity are adequate to support production of healthy, nutrient dense plants.
- Learn strategies to increase the microbial diversity and density of your soil.
- Understand the nutritional, ecological, and economic benefits of putting trillions of microbes to work in your soil.
Requirements
- Experience growing plants.
- Note: You will need a microscope to implement what you learn. We'll show you how to choose one that meets your needs.
Description
One of the best kept secrets in agriculture is that microbes carry out every function growers rely on chemicals to provide. When you have adequate microbial diversity and density in your soil microbial community, your need for costly inputs can be reduced or eliminated.
Whether you are an urban gardener, growing food in containers on your balcony, a farmer planting hundreds of acres for commercial markets, a landscaper managing city parks, or anyone else who works with plants and soils, learning to recognize microbial indicators of soil health can help you grow better quality plants with higher yields and fewer inputs.
Microbial Analysis for Growers can help you transform your growing practices. Learn:
When and why a do it yourself soil test for microbes makes sense.
How to choose a microscope suitable for soil testing.
How to classify and identify important soil microbes by general morphotypes.
How to use your results to help you grow high quality crops.
How to corroborate your qualitative, visual results with qualitative soil respiration measurements.
Note: All the equipment needed to conduct soil biology testing will be described within. It is not necessary to have the equipment on hand to take the course.
Who this course is for:
- Anyone who grows plants (farmers, nursery growers, greenhouse growers, home and community gardeners, turfgrass managers).
- Grower educators (master gardeners, extension agents, crop consultants, certified crop advisors, science and agriscience teachers...).
- Restoration biologists and soil health technicians
Instructor
- 4.6 Instructor Rating
- 410 Reviews
- 1,879 Students
- 5 Courses
Dr. Mary Lucero spent more than thirty years as a research professional examining plant and microbial interactions in complex ecosystems.
From this work, she has concluded that microbial communities determine the health of all living systems. They also provide a framework for restoring soil health, crop nutrition, food security, and general health and wellness.
Today she enjoys sharing information that helps people utilize microbial communities to:
-restore nutrition to crops and soils
-build food security
-improve human health
-clean toxic environments
-build sustainable and prosperous communities