Dave Stark, molecular biologist and CEO with Holganix says microbes boost plant nutrition four ways by making plant available nitrogen (N), by unlocking soil fertility, helping plants create robust roots, and by breaking down nutrients in plant residue. Soil biology is a real asset to farmers which should be enhanced.  Microbes have many soil functions. A healthy diverse microbial system improves soil structure, improves water drainage, stores more soil water, and consumes parasites and pathogens; releasing soil nutrients. Generally, about 50% of applied fertilizer gets into the plant, as it is first recycled through soil microbes. Microbes process nutrients to make them plant available.  Nutrient efficiency on N is only 40-65%, on phosphorus (P) 15-25%, and on potassium (K) around 30-50%. Farmers operating cost for fertilizer is around 36% for growing corn and only about half or less of applied fertilizer is efficiently used. Soil biology and soil microbes improve nutr...

Soil and plant nutrients are vital for optimizing crop yields. Some are free while others require extensive fertilization using the 4R's (Right Rate, Place, Form, and Time). Due to higher fertilizer and application costs, agronomists prioritize the 4R's. For conventional farmers, Nitrogen (N)-Phosphorus (P)-and Potassium (K) seem to be the big three nutrients. These three macronutrients consume most of the fertilizer budget, especially on corn and small grains. Nitrogen (N) is used to make protein, P is used for DNA, RNA, cell walls, and for energy transfer (ATP). Potassium (K) is used like money in the plant, involved in nutrient exchange and balancing electrical charges. Next, secondary nutrients are Calcium (Ca)-Sulfur (S), and Magnesium (Mg). Calcium (Ca) is a major regulator of plant hormones and growth. Calcium carbonate or lime is used to balance pH, just slightly acid. Sulfur (S) is needed with nitrogen to make essential amino acids for protein synthes...

  Farm logic is hard to define and put into use. Before Albert Einstein died, a reporter interviewed him. He decided to ask: Define Logic? Albert Einstein answered with a question: What does Logic mean? Einstein shared this story. “Two men entered a chimney to clean it. One man comes out with a dirty face, the second comes out with a clean face. Using logic, which man will clean his face?” The reporter replied quickly, “The man with the dirty face!” Einstein answered, “NO. You are wrong! The man with the dirty face will look at the man with the clean face and assume his face is clean. He will d o nothing. The man with the clean face will look at the man with the dirty face and assume his face is dirty, and he will clean, wash and scrub his face, even though it is already clean.” The reporter thought for a moment, agreed, and said, “That sounds logical!” Einstein just shook his head and said, “NO! You are wrong again! First, there is nothing logical about two men entering a chimney ...

  A new innovation called metal organic frame works (MOF) may soon effect agriculture. MOF’s are very small organic (carbon) molecules with a metal bridge. They are quite small but have a tremendous amount of pore space. For example, a few grams (454 grams per pound) can have the surface area of an entire football field. The MOF’s have layers of single metal atoms that attach to the carbon to form porous sheets that fold upon themselves in a ball. This increased porosity can be used for a number of technological uses, some in agriculture, others in electronics, and even medicine.  For example, about 1.8 billion people are in need of water throughout the world. Dr. Omar Yaghi researched and made a MOF-5 compound that contains zinc. Zinc connects many folds of carbon together in a small ball with high porosity. Dr Yaghi got the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for this discovery and technically invention. These synthetic crystal substances do not exist in nature and need to be manu...