[nutronjon]

Originally Posted by Ahmabeliever

I have never read of a single instance of e-coli contamination through actual plant material, but what is splashed on the plant is a different matter. Or the chopping board, bench, plate, surface....

Dogs and cats in veg plots are a PITA. Clean your veg really well.

Fecal matter invariably becomes composted. Fecal matter is a possible contaminant in any garden that animals can access. And then the insects fecal matter, the bacteria's wastes...

The example you used shows the potential of charcoal in humans to remove e.coli.

Charcoal could be viewed as beneficial to soil in this regard as well. It will not only soak up the bacteria, they will be recycled as something else, stuck in the carbon with no host they'll die and become potential nutrients.

Hope that helped clear up some things.

Thank you for clearing that up for me. For sure I will be putting charcoal in my soil mix, and perhaps stress to the city that we could use some signs to discourage carelessness with pet droppings.

[Michaelangelica]

Interesting little podcast on fungi
All About Fungi: Part 1 MicrobiologyBytes

[Ahmabeliever]

re: soil mites and gnats

I've found neem is a great for controlling fungus gnats. Soil drench with it or foliar spray and add the foliage eventually to be composted seems to help balance bugs in the compost heap too.

I have a lot of soil mites, compost really helps get them started in your TP pots. In the one pot where I added some bones and terra cotta I smashed up as well as charcoal, there's lots more soil mites than in the pot next to it. If this is good or bad remains to be seen. No spider mites so far, and the odd predator mite which is all good.

[Michaelangelica]

I have found Neem a very effective deterrent to grasshoppers and many other pests.
My problem is when buying the oil how to dilute it.

As it is not an "official" pesticide/deterrent no instructions can be given.


Some info on soil as a"killer". !

Health: French Volcanic Clay Kills Antibiotic-Resistant MRSA Superbug
(NaturalNews) Researchers have discovered that a clay made from volcanic ash in France has powerful antibiotic properties and is capable of killing even antibiotic-resistant superbugs such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). "It's...

French Volcanic Clay Kills Antibiotic-Resistant MRSA Superbug

[Michaelangelica]

Interesting local website of an international organisation

“Soil organisms create a living, dynamic system that needs to be understood and managed properly for best plant growth.
Understanding soil health requires knowing what organisms occur, which ones are working, how many are present and whether they are the right kinds for the desired plants.”

Soil Foodweb Institute Australia ::: Soil Foodweb Australia

Good Products for Soil Health
Our Good Products sections show the results of SFI assays of the microorganisms in a range of composts, compost teas and products that improve the soil foodweb. You can compare the results and find the manufacturers in your area most suited to your needs. Those listed have been approved by SFI as passing our rigorous standards and are involved in our ongoing Quality Assurance Programes.

Soil Foodweb Institute Australia ::: Soil Foodweb Australia

This is adownloadable book from Amazon.com


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Bacterial diversity of terra preta and pristine forest soil from the Western Amazon [An article from: Soil Biology and Biochemistry]

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Bacterial diversity of terra preta and pristine forest soil from the Western Amazon [An article from: Soil Biology and Biochemistry] [html] (Digital)
by J.-S. Kim (Author), G. Sparovek (Author), R.M. Longo (Author), W.J. De Melo (Author)
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List Price: $4.95
Price: $4.95
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Edition: e-document (Learn more)
Book Description
This digital document is a journal article from Soil Biology and Biochemistry, published by Elsevier in 2007.
The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase.
You can view it with any web browser.

Description:
The survey presented here describes the bacterial diversity and community structures of a pristine forest soil and an anthropogenic terra preta from the Western Amazon forest using molecular methods to identify the predominant phylogenetic groups.
Bacterial community similarities and species diversity in the two soils were compared using oligonucleotide fingerprint grouping of 16S rRNA gene sequences for 1500 clones (OFRG) and by DNA sequencing.
The results showed that both soils had similar bacterial community compositions over a range of phylogenetic distances, among which Acidobacteria were predominant, but that terra preta supported approximately 25% greater species richness.
The survey provides the first detailed analysis of the composition and structure of bacterial communities from terra preta anthrosols using noncultured-based molecular methods.
http://www.amazon.com/Bacterial-diversity-pristine-forest-Western/dp/B000PC0KDU/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1209654891&sr= 8-2

[freeztar]

Originally Posted by Michaelangelica

Interesting local website of an international organisation

Soil Foodweb Institute Australia ::: Soil Foodweb Australia

Soil Foodweb Institute Australia ::: Soil Foodweb Australia

This is adownloadable book from Amazon.com


Digital Delivery
(How does this work?)




or Compare with similar items
Bacterial diversity of terra preta and pristine forest soil from the Western Amazon [An article from: Soil Biology and Biochemistry]

See larger image

Bacterial diversity of terra preta and pristine forest soil from the Western Amazon [An article from: Soil Biology and Biochemistry] [html] (Digital)
by J.-S. Kim (Author), G. Sparovek (Author), R.M. Longo (Author), W.J. De Melo (Author)
No customer reviews yet. Be the first.
List Price: $4.95
Price: $4.95
Availability: Available for download now. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.

Edition: e-document (Learn more)
Book Description
This digital document is a journal article from Soil Biology and Biochemistry, published by Elsevier in 2007.
The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase.
You can view it with any web browser.

Description:
The survey presented here describes the bacterial diversity and community structures of a pristine forest soil and an anthropogenic terra preta from the Western Amazon forest using molecular methods to identify the predominant phylogenetic groups.
Bacterial community similarities and species diversity in the two soils were compared using oligonucleotide fingerprint grouping of 16S rRNA gene sequences for 1500 clones (OFRG) and by DNA sequencing.
The results showed that both soils had similar bacterial community compositions over a range of phylogenetic distances, among which Acidobacteria were predominant, but that terra preta supported approximately 25% greater species richness.
The survey provides the first detailed analysis of the composition and structure of bacterial communities from terra preta anthrosols using noncultured-based molecular methods.
http://www.amazon.com/Bacterial-diversity-pristine-forest-Western/dp/B000PC0KDU/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1209654891&sr= 8-2

Great stuff MA! Thanks for sharing!

[Michaelangelica]

I was thumbing though an 'old' USA book on tissue culture and was suprised to find these ingredients listed as plant growth substances

• Bacto (? brand name?) malt extract (Concentration 50-5,000mg/l)
• Bacto Yeast extract (Concentration 50-5,000mg/l)
• Caesin hydrolysate (Concentration 50-5,000mg/l)
• Coconut milk/water (Concentration 100-150mg/l)
• Orange juice (Concentration 50-300mg/l)

Can anyone shed any light on this?

Also iI speculated before about agar as a growing medium for wee beasties' as it is used in lab petrie dishes for growing "wee beasties" but now also tissue culture!
This book also suggests

• "Gelrite" derived from bacteria (Pseudomonas sp.)
• and various trade names of red algae (noble algae Simar Agar TC agar, etc

Does this stimulate any creative/speculative neurons in anyone's cranium?
Mine are just puzzled, but think there should be something in this information. (?)

BTW
If you want to import a plant into Australia Tissue Culture is the way to go. Customs and Agriculture far less feral as Tissue Culture is sterile.

[Ahmabeliever]

Bacto (? brand name?) malt extract (Concentration 50-5,000mg/l)
Bacto Yeast extract (Concentration 50-5,000mg/l)
Caesin hydrolysate (Concentration 50-5,000mg/l)
Coconut milk/water (Concentration 100-150mg/l)
Orange juice (Concentration 50-300mg/l)

You listed food for wee beasties. The list of what they'll recycle in soil and other substances is enormous.

[Michaelangelica]

Originally Posted by Ahmabeliever

You listed food for wee beasties. The list of what they'll recycle in soil and other substances is enormous.

Yes I know.
There must be a zillion amino acids that they eat
I was just surprised to see the above listed in a Tissue Culture Book ??!!
Orange Juice?
Coconut milk???
Do they have a full 'English Breakfsst' (Caesin sausages???)

[Essay]

Originally Posted by Michaelangelica

Yes I know.
There must be a zillion amino acids that they eat
I was just surprised to see the above listed in a Tissue Culture Book ??!!
Orange Juice?
Coconut milk???
Do they have a full 'English Breakfsst' (Caesin sausages???)

Breakfast with the beasties.... Good one, M,ca!

I think this is a link to that Springer article, above.
http://www.ambientenet.eng.br/TEXTOS...OLOGY20073.PDF
...there's another half hour of my life I won't get back.

The relationship between organic matter inputs from different overstory trees, rhizosphere effects, and the bacterial community composition of forest soils is still not understood, but likely contributes to differences in diversity and community composition along the forest floor.

Rhizosphere! What a neat word! That'll be running thru my head all day....

Thanks for pointing out that "download from Amazon" stuff.
I'm trying to figure that out....
~Later....