Sugar for Microbiological Life: Good or Bad?
As agriculture starts to recognize the importance of microbiological life in plants and soil, a discussion always arises focusing on the use of sugar to assist microbiological life. This discussion always centers on the carbon-to-carbon bonds that contain energy which can be utilized by the microbes. The various forms of carbon bonds may be supplied by well recognized sugar (molasses) or by less well known versions of carbon bonds (humic acid, fulvic acid). So as Growers Mineral, Corp. started to experiment with microbiological life, it only made sense to conduct preliminary experiments with sugar and its influence on microbiological lie.
So, with the use of a growth medium (agar plate) and a compost tea, a simple experiment was conducted with the results of that simple experiment pictured in Figure 1. The picture in Figure 1 shows 4 agar plates that were swabbed with various mixtures. Plate F1 was swabbed with the compost tea solution (the compost tea was made using beef manure and a machine to make the compost tea). F2 was swabbed with the compost tea solution which had GMS added to the tea. F3 was swabbed with the compost tea solution which had molasses added to the tea. F4 was swabbed with the compost tea with GMS and molasses added to the tea. So, what happened?
As the agricultural focus on microbiological life increases, many experts are extolling the virtues of carbon bonds, particularly as sugar, as a way to improve microbiological activity (F3). As we discussed in the Growers Reference Library, our grandmothers allowed the consumption of apple pie at Sunday supper only after we consumed meat, potatoes, and lima beans (F4).
This is an excerpt from the Winter Growers Solution (2022) written by Jim Halbeisen, Director of Research.
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