Unique fertilizer formulations that are low in typical NPK fertility and rich in micronutrients are applied to soil to provide for the robust growth of desirable grassland vegetation, especially perennial grasses, allowing them to outcompete invasive plants.
Allelopathy is a biological phenomenon by which an organism produces one or more biochemicals that influence the germination, growth, survival, and reproduction of other organisms. The term allelopathy was first used in 1937 by the Austrian professor Hans Molisch. (2) He used the term to describe biochemical interactions by means of which a plant inhibits the growth of neighboring plants. (3) The process by which a plant acquires more of the available resources (such as nutrients, water or light) from the environment without any chemical action on the surrounding plants is called resource competition. Competition and allelopathy (e.g. Edaphix® technologies) are both natural processes and can act together to enhance the survival rate of plant species. The definition of alleles are pairs or series of genes on a chromosome that determine the hereditary characteristics. An example of an allele is the gene that determines hair color.
Grasslands, prairies, or savannas cover 20-40% of the earth’s surface and are endangered by climate change, wildfires, conversion to farming or development, and invasive species. https://www.nationalgeographic.org/article/grasslands-explained/
The wildlife, watersheds, and people that live on the landscapes of the world’s grasslands are dependent on the economic output from rangelands used for livestock production, wildlands that conserve wild birds and animals, and watersheds that serve as sources of drinking water. Our grasslands are at risk of increasing fire frequency, loss of agricultural productivity, losses of wildlife populations, and other hazards.
Edaphix’s Technologies replace lost nutrients in degraded soils. Replacement of nutrients accelerates the growth of perennial vegetation, improves soil structure, promotes infiltration and the growth of deep roots, adds organic matter, and allows plants to better withstand drought conditions.
Edaphix’s formulations are fertilizers or soil amendments and are applied as granular dry fertilizer or as a liquid product using conventional equipment.
Edaphix’s products provide soil nutrients so it is best applied in the Spring and Fall when perennial grass plants are actively growing. The granular products are targeted to be long lasting and are best applied in the late summer/early fall while the liquid products are fast acting and may be applied early in the growing season while plants are actively growing. Granular products require dissolution by snowmelt, rainfall, or irrigation, so timing of application should consider local climate patterns.
Edaphix’s products are made from micronutrient fertilizers produced from naturally occurring minerals from the earth including iron, copper, zinc, boron, molybdenum, and manganese. Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium (NPK) ingredients are derived from organic non-synthetic sources such as manure.
Soil nutrients are held tightly in soil by organic matter and clay minerals and are lost by plant uptake and leaching (primarily in wetter climates > 30 inches of annual precipitation). Edaphix’s products are formulated to last for long periods of time (years), but retention of soil nutrients is also governed by climate, soil characteristics, site management, and unplanned disturbances such as wildfire. Higher application rates will tend to have longer term effects.
These innovative technologies have a strong influence on the growth of perennial grasses that are more fire-resistant and stay green later in the season. Fire is a natural process that will never be prevented; however, the degradation of native grasslands has resulted in proliferation of weedy annual plants which accelerate the frequency and intensity of wildfires in the western U.S.
Oh yes. Anecdotally, both wildlife and livestock appear to prefer the nutrient-dense forage resulting from the Edaphix application.
Yes. The NutraFix® product line was launched in August 2020. https://www.nutrafixsoils.com/
No. Edaphix’s turf products are not currently available commercially.
New and highly effective products are under development. Stay tuned for more ground-breaking releases.
Product cost varies with rates of application and feedstock costs but are in the same range as conventional agricultural fertility products. Many of the micronutrients used in Edaphix’s products are traded in the open marketplace and subject to appreciable volatility (e.g. copper and zinc). Product prices will trend downward over time as larger volumes of raw ingredients are purchased and economies of scale apply.
Not at this time. However, the decline of mineral content in food over the past 100 years suggests that broad-spectrum fertilizer application including micronutrients may be beneficial in improving food quality. Edaphix’s products are best aligned with the emerging Regenerative Agriculture sector which emphasizes soil health, organic matter build-up, use of perennial ground cover, cover crops and no-till methods.
Thank you for your interest in Edaphix®.
Citations:
(1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allelopathy
(2) Willis, Rick J. (2007). The History of Allelopathy. Springer. p. 3. ISBN 978-1-4020-4092-4.
(3) Roger, Manuel Joaquín Reigosa; Reigosa, Manuel J.; Pedrol, Nuria; González, Luís (2006), Allelopathy: a physiological process with ecological implications, Springer, p. 1, ISBN 978-1-4020-4279-9