Researchers at Cornell University have found that earthworm castings (especially compost using different species of earthworms) are not only excellent fertilizers, but can also help greenhouse farmers prevent common pathogens. Working with New York composters, they have found an organic method to improve crop health with less environmental impact.บทความมาจากFOFCC-http://fofcc.org.cn/th/11360/
Building on research led by Professor Eric Nelson, Allison Jack, a doctoral student in the Department of Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology, stated that beneficial bacteria in earthworm castings can colonize seed surfaces and release a substance that interferes with the chemical signals between host and pathogen, protecting it from infection.บทความมาจากFOFCC-http://fofcc.org.cn/th/11360/
Jack stated: "We know that this microorganism does release something that zoospores dislike. The next step is to study what it is."บทความมาจากFOFCC-http://fofcc.org.cn/th/11360/
Eric Carr, a master's student in the Nelson laboratory, focused his main work on studying the suppressive ability of earthworms at different stages of the life cycle of Pythium aphanidermatum. The zoospores of Pythium aphanidermatum can infect seedlings shortly after germination, causing the seedlings to damp off or wilt.บทความมาจากFOFCC-http://fofcc.org.cn/th/11360/
Carr: "At some point, humans will need to use this type of natural resource efficiently, and by then we will understand better how it works."บทความมาจากFOFCC-http://fofcc.org.cn/th/11360/
Research has shown that certain composts can suppress diseases, but there are thousands upon thousands of microorganisms in good compost, and it is still unknown which strains can suppress which diseases. Another problem facing the identification and manipulation of these suppressive microbial strains is the variability among different composts.บทความมาจากFOFCC-http://fofcc.org.cn/th/11360/
To overcome this problem, Jack approached Tom Herlihy (Tom operates Worm Power company in the Avon area of New York State). The company produces 2.5 million pounds of earthworm castings annually. Because his raw material is dairy farm manure that is regularly monitored, his product has high consistency and good quality, making it very suitable for use by farmers and scientists like Jack.บทความมาจากFOFCC-http://fofcc.org.cn/th/11360/
Herlihy: "In the United States, chemical agents are used to treat seeds. If our earthworm castings can suppress Pythium, then we can use earthworm castings to solve it. Do we still need chemical agents?"บทความมาจากFOFCC-http://fofcc.org.cn/th/11360/
If the Environmental Protection Agency allows Herlihy to sell this type of biopesticide product, there will be economic benefits.บทความมาจากFOFCC-http://fofcc.org.cn/th/11360/
Another related research topic at Cornell University focuses on the organic fertilizer effect of earthworm castings. Neil Mattson, assistant professor in the Department of Horticulture, recently received a $203,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to study how organic farmers can incorporate earthworms into potting media to achieve better nutrient management. This three-year research project will begin this spring.บทความมาจากFOFCC-http://fofcc.org.cn/th/11360/
Mattson: "Many organic farmers tell us that fertilization is the most difficult problem to solve. People in the organic circle are doing good things. We very much want to make their production systems more profitable, and we also hope that more production systems beneficial to environmental health will emerge."บทความมาจากFOFCC-http://fofcc.org.cn/th/11360/
Source: Organic Information NetworkบทความมาจากFOFCC-http://fofcc.org.cn/th/11360/