The anatomy of an earthworm is hardly exciting stuff. But, Dr Tim Jenkins, a director at the Centre for Sustainable Agricultural Technologies in New Zealand, has a way of making the bodily functions of an earthworm sound kind of interesting.
He told about 80 farmers at a biological farming seminar in Gore recently that earthworms were a key driver of soil fertility.
A good number was 2000 worms per square metre or about 40 worms per spade, but he often found worm populations around 600 to 1000 per square metre because of poor quality soils.
To improve soil biology, Dr Jenkins suggested minimal cultivation, retaining clover, using lime flour and biological fertilisers and avoiding over-grazing.
Worms thrived in soil with a high pH but if it was too high, it would restrict the uptake of trace elements such as copper, zinc and manganese. A pH of 6-6.4 was ideal for a good balance of clover, trace elements and earthworm activity.
Dr Jenkins said the ideal soil texture was "crumbly" as this allowed worms to move freely through the soil which would promote good drainage.
The mucous the worms left behind would also help hold the soil crumbs together in a wet or dry spell.
Source; Stuff.co.nl
Announcements
Job Offers
- Senior Agronomist/Horticulturist and Agronomy/Horticulture Manager
- Growers & Assistant Growers
- Plant Biologist
- Ripening Officer Bananas / Exotics
- Grower and Nurser
- Farm Manager
- Floriculture Production Planning Manager
- Agricultural Mechanic / Crop Sprayer Operator
- Technical Services Manager
- Quality Controller
"Tweeting Growers"
Top 5 -yesterday
- "A generational change is going on in Italy's horti sector"
- Schartner's mall-size greenhouse in Exeter still on hold after judge's ruling
- Strawberry picking robots aim to save California growers
- Monitoring thrips with image technology unique, benificial insects soon to be counted digitally
- Brazil: $1 mln investment in wasabi greenhouse production
Top 5 -last week
- Top tips for growing lettuce in a greenhouse
- UK: Grower reduces greenhouse temperature by more than 6°C during heatwave with no cooling, fog systems
- Taking the wisdom from indoor farming and bringing it into greenhouses
- New packaging for hydroponic fertilizer launched
- "Kawaguchi tomato variety good option for consumer, but also good for the grower"
Top 5 -last month
Receive the daily newsletter in your email for free | Click here
Other news in this sector:
- 2022-08-16 These growers serve up fresh foods to Augusta restaurants
- 2022-08-16 Hydroponics & citrus farming
- 2022-08-15 New tool helps strengthen local food systems
- 2022-08-12 US (OR): Research shows that plastic tunnels are very good for strawberries
- 2022-08-12 Agave: The new drought-tolerant California crop?
- 2022-08-12 Trinidad and Tobago: Hydroponic farm offers more economic opportunities than fish production
- 2022-08-11 US: How the climate deal would help farmers aid the environment
- 2022-08-10 Top tips for growing lettuce in a greenhouse
- 2022-08-09 "Drought will affect economy, not food supply"
- 2022-08-09 Uganda: Soilless farming highlights Kabale Farm Clinic
- 2022-08-09 Regulation of fleshy fruit ripening: From transcription factors to epigenetic modifications
- 2022-08-09 Mapping fruit characteristics faster with vision and AI
- 2022-08-08 Growing fruits and vegetables on the roof of the MIN in Toulouse
- 2022-08-08 Covered cultivation extends soft fruit season
- 2022-08-08 Pink and White strawberries soon to hit Aussie market
- 2022-08-08 "Fulvic acid encourages optimal growth in all plant phases"
- 2022-07-22 US (VA): Inside the Goochland greenhouse trying to create the freshest lettuce in town
- 2022-07-22 Powering plant growth with solar instead of photosynthesis more efficient?
- 2022-07-21 Prediction of strawberry fruit yield based on cultivar-specific growth models
- 2022-07-21 Crop change in Southern Europe greenhouses
