The Key to Maintaining High-Performance Soil? Abundant Active Carbon
Active Carbon: Fuel for the Microbes that Improve Soil Health
High-Performance Soil: Fueled by Active Carbon to Produce Higher-Yielding Crops
Carbon is present in soil as stable organic matter and active organic matter. Stable organic matter is material that has been in the soil for many years—as long as centuries or millennia. It typically makes up 60-90% of what is called the soil organic matter percentage (SOM% or simply OM%) on a soil test, and is what gives soil its rich, dark color.
Active organic matter is the portion of soil that is actively decomposing and makes up only 10%-40% of the OM% on the soil test. This material has typically been in the soil for five years or less and includes matter from plants and animals that were recently living, waste products, and macromolecules such as proteins, sugars, oils, and cellulose. While it makes up a small percentage of the OM%, active organic matter plays a large role in soil health.
Active organic matter—and the critically important carbon it contains—fuels the growth of microbes that provide a wide range of benefits, from improving water management to driving positive changes in soil aggregation and structure. In short, it helps produce high-performing soil.
Unfortunately, growing operations can quickly deplete both active and passive carbon sources. The solution? Add active organic matter back into fields. PhycoTerra® microalgae-based soil amendment from Heliae® Agriculture does exactly that.
This innovative and extensively tested product enriches soil by introducing microalgae that not only perform important soil-reviving work on their own, but they also help create an environment that is welcoming to other beneficial microorganisms. The result is an improved microbiome and healthier soil Plus, PhycoTerra® soil amendment not only improves harvests in young fields, but can also extend the viability of older acreage, helping growers maintain the value of their most important asset.
To learn more about Heliae® Agriculture, PhycoTerra® soil amendment, and how it boosts active carbon, please visit phycoterra.com or call (800) 998-6536.