Toby Holsted grows wheat near Mountain View,
Okla., for leased grazing by stocker operators. He says, “My eyes were opened to what is going on beneath our feet. I took home the message that we need to start doing things differently. If we do a better job of managing our resources, we will put more money in our own pockets rather than letting it go to someone else. I like that thought.” Here are some key points from the seminar.
Underground populations Masters feels that the purpose of the agricultural
industry is to grow nutrient-rich foods from the ground up with healthy soil microbial populations. Microbes are essential because they play a big role in soil me- tabolism, as well as being important in plant and animal systems. Plants receive nutrients and water from microbes. Soil microbes mentioned by Masters included pro-
tozoa, fungi, bacteria and nematodes. Protozoa are single-celled animals that feed primarily on bacteria, but also eat other protozoa, soluble organic matter and sometimes fungi. They are several times larger
than bacteria, ranging from 1/5000 to 1/50 of an inch in diameter. As they eat bacteria, protozoa release excess nitrogen that can then be used by plants and other members of the food web. “Protozoa play an important role
in mineralizing nutrients, making them available for use by plants and other soil organisms,” explained Masters. “Another role that protozoa play is in regulating bacteria popu- lation size. When they graze on bacteria, protozoa stimulate growth of the bacterial population and, in turn, improve decomposition rates and soil aggregation. Protozoa are also an important food source for other soil organisms and help to suppress disease by competing with or feeding on pathogens.” “Bacteria are tiny, 1-cell organ-
isms, generally 4/100,000 of an inch wide and somewhat longer in length,” Masters says. “A teaspoon of productive soil generally contains
tscra.org
between 100 million and 1 billion bacteria. That is as much mass as 2 cows per acre. Most bacteria are de- composers that consume simple carbon compounds, such as root exudates and fresh plant litter. By this process, bacteria convert energy in soil organic mat- ter into forms useful to the rest of the organisms in the soil food web. “A number of decomposers can break down pesti-
cides and pollutants in soil. Decomposers are especially important in immobilizing or retaining nutrients in their cells, thus preventing the loss of nutrients, such as nitrogen, from the rooting zone.” Mycorrhizal fungi live within the roots of most plants
in a mutually benefi cial relationship (symbiosis). They help roots scavenge more nutrients and water from the soil in exchange for sugar to make the molecules they need to live and grow. These fungi extend long threads, called hyphae, outside the roots. The hyphae transport phosphorus and other nutrients into plant roots. Mycorrhizae also enable plants to use water more effi ciently and resist pests. “Plant health is improved by mycorrhizae,” Mas- MORE
ters says.
to what is going on beneath our feet.
My eyes were opened
Field laboratories allowed time for producers to discuss how to improve their soils. February 2016 The Cattleman 87
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