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[<dmnorton@royaloakfarmorchard.com>]



I'm not sure anyone really knows.  I think the real problem lies in the application rate of any supplements.  I don't know if anyone has ever really determined what the exact rate of what specific fungi to use to obtain the exact connection all the trees in the forest have.  How does one duplicate the exact cycle of the organisms unless they have the  exact duplicate mix of vegetation in that soil?  Can you fool Mother Nature???  It is amazing to think about though.

 

Dennis Norton
Royal Oak Farm Orchard
Office (815) 648-4467
Mobile (815) 228-2174
Fax (609) 228-2174
http://www.royaloakfarmorchard.com
http://www.theorchardkeeper.blogspot.com
http://www.revivalhymn.com

----- Original Message -----

From: Alan Haigh

To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org

Sent: Saturday, March 21, 2009 12:16 PM

Subject: [NAFEX] mychorizal fungal rip off?

When I was in hort school the research on mychorizal relationships was still pretty fresh and I was enthralled to the point of reading a lot of it in their library just out of curiosity.  It was amazing to think that all the trees in the forest are connected by these fungus which makes the whole forest seem to be one organism.

 

When the products came out touting the benefit of applications of these organisms I assumed that it was just typical marketing BS.  The research I read indicated that these fungus aren't very species specific beyond trees not having relationships with the same species as prairie plants.  The conclusion was that anywhere trees grow there are already plenty of M. fungus in the soil, tree compatible, unless it is in a strictly prairie environment or where strip mining has been practiced.  In these sites a few shovels full of forest soil would accomplish any needed inoculation. 

 

Is there any reason to think anything different?