The Importance of the Ryzosphere

We are finally getting back on track with our biological series since harvest is now over! We left off with talking about why it's important to farm with a biological mind set, now lets us start to focus in on some fine details that really impact how the plant is able to react to the biology. We will be starting with the Ryzosphere.

So what exactly is the Ryzosphere? 

The Ryzosphere is a microscopic area surrounding the root tip where micros live and feed off of the sugar and exudates that are secreted by the plant. These microbes feed off the sugars that the plant secrets thought the root tip in turn multiply and feed off the available minerals that are the very edge of the ryzosphere. As the micros (bacteria) feed as they die or are eaten by protozoa the plant takes up the dead bacteria, which is rich in minerals, or the digested bacteria that the protozoa feed on.

In this form, this is real plant food, and how minerals get into the plant making the plant nutrient dense.

Example:

The difference between this approach (biological) and conventional is that the conventional grower will only feed N-P-K. The only way a plant can be nutrient dense is by using the microbes in the ryzosphere to soublize ALL the necessary minerals to be nutrient dense, rather than just N-P-K.