It is an obvious fact that soil health affects plant growth and growers wanting better results are now taking a closer look at the microbes in their ground.
Many of the innovators in regenerating land and building soil carbon attended the Carbon Farming Conference in Albury last month, spreading the word on understanding the role and function of microbes and their interactions with carbon.
Rachelle Armstrong, one of the owners and managing director of Nutrisoil believes building stable carbon in the soil is not a linear process and there are multiple and possibly unknown factors that impact the capacity and efficiency of storing carbon long term in the soil.
"This is a relatively new and exciting frontier for science," Ms Armstrong said.
"Plants are the key to sequestering carbon as they draw down atmospheric carbon through the process of photosynthesis.
"Maximising ground cover year round is the ultimate goal for building the plant's capacity to sequester carbon.
"Minimising synthetic fertilisers and chemical applications will prevent blocking the plant's efficiency to sequester carbon from the atmosphere."
Ms Armstrong believes worms can play an important role in plants gathering carbon.
"Applying a biological stimulant made from vermiculture (worm-farming) will feed the plant and increase the efficiency of sequestering carbon," she said.
"It will also stimulate the microbes necessary to carry on nutrient exchange between the plant and the soil and through this process, build stable soil carbon."
Ms Armstrong said that regenerative farming is an emerging field for farmers who understand that supporting natural processes is fundamental to building stable soil carbon.
"These farmers trust nature 'knows' and invest time observing and monitoring plants than applying inputs to control growth," she said.
"Evidence of a larger root system with a 'dread-lock' appearance due to soil completely covering them shows where the 'communication' occurs between plant roots and microbes.
"Root exudates are received by microbes in exchange for specific nutrient requests by the plant.
"Australian scientist, Dr Christine Jones describes the journey of carbon through the plant as the 'Liquid Carbon Pathway'.
"The reward for choosing to farm regeneratively is healthier, more resilient plants and soil that require little to no artificial fertiliser inputs, no insecticides or fungicides and more nutrient-dense produce which is life-enriching to consumers.
"As for building soil carbon stocks, data shows soils biologically-managed using worm liquid were 41 per cent higher in soil carbon than conventionally-managed soils, amounting to an extra 10 tonne per hectare of soil carbon."
