MinRock Mineralisation - The Way Forward
Naturally Based Nutrition to replace Synthetic Fertilisers
Regen AgTek is working in collaboration with MinRock, an Australian company that has developed tailor made solutions to provide full nutritional requirements for crops and pastures without using synthetic / chemical fertilisers. Chemical fertilisers are now known to cause suppression, and or, destruction of the microbes in the microbiome of the rhizosphere.
Let's have a look at some of the issues we are facing with soil health and ultimately crop health and yield.
The Problem - Declining Soil Health
Decreasing crop yields and nutrient poor produce is the result of soil degradation.
Soil degradation is the physical, chemical and biological decline in soil health and quality, diminishing its capacity to support plants and animals. Farmers grow plants, animals or both, and when they remove these from the farm to sell, they are exporting a whole spectrum of minerals and earth elements. Therefore farmers can be considered miners of the soil. The majority of soil minerals, earth elements and nutrients are finite!
- Declining soil fertility.
- Reduced crop yields.
- Increased disease and pest incidence in crops and animals.
- Nutrient and mineral deficiencies in produce (vegetables, fruits, grains and meats).
- Deficiencies move up the food chain and ultimately affect human health.
- Declining Soil Organic Matter (SOM) – carbon / organic matter.
- Reduced water holding capacity.
- Reduced nutrient holding capacity.
- Degraded soil structure.
- Reduced microbial activity and diversity of species.
- Increased erosion.
- Increased soil compaction.
- Increased nutrient run-off.
Many of the problems outlined above, are exacerbated by the increased use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides.
The Solution - Natural Minerals, Earth Elements and Organic Matter
Mineralised Compost - The controlled aerobic, biological decomposition of biodegradable organic matter that is fully mineralised with macro, micro and nano-nutrients. When soil is extremely degraded, it is recommended to apply a microbial stimulant (organic fermented product) to promote beneficial microbial growth and colonisation of the rhizosphere.
Minerals and nutrients in the soil are finite and need to be replaced in a balanced and stable way.
- Application of mineralised compost.
- Prior to planting – Majority of annual crops.
- Broadacre crops – Wheat, barley, millet, sorghum, corn etc.
- Horticultural crops – Tomatoes, bell peppers, potatoes, broccoli etc.
- Pastures – Seeding of new pastures.
- Fodder crops – Lucerne, silage crops etc.
- Prior to planting – Majority of annual crops.
- After planting / establishment – biennial crops, perennial crops and pastures.
- Orchards – Apples, almonds, citrus, peaches etc.
- Crops – asparagus etc.
- Fodder crops – Lucerne.
- Pastures – native and introduced perennial species.
- Application of microbial stimulant with, or post-application of mineralised compost.
The Outcome - Healthy Soil, Greater Yields and Nutrient Density
Increased crop yields and nutrient-dense produce are a direct result of improving soil health and quality by using mineralised compost. Replacing the nutrients and minerals and increasing organic matter on a yearly basis will keep improving the soil year after year. Monitoring is required to replace nutrients and minerals in a balanced way.
- Increasing soil fertility
- Increased crop yields and animal weight gains.
- Increase in carbon sequestration via increase in plant and animal biomass.
- Enhanced nutrient uptake with increased symbiotic associations with rhizosphere microbes.
- Increased resistance to stresses – plants (Frost, heat, drought, wind etc.)
- Decrease or negate disease and pest incidence in crops and animals.
- Increases plant and animal immunity and faster healing.
- Increase in nutrients and minerals in produce (vegetables, fruits, grains and meats).
- Nutrient density moves up the food chain and ultimately will improve human health.
- Increased crop yields and animal weight gains.
- Increasing Soil Organic Matter (SOM) – carbon / organic matter.
- Increase water holding capacity – With every 1 percent increase of organic matter content, the soil can hold 154,300 litres of plant-available water per hectare of soil down to 30cm deep.
- Improved water filtration into soil profile.
- Increase in the number of micropores and macropores in the soil.
- Increase nutrient holding capacity.
- Increased cation exchange capacity.
- Improve soil structure.
- Improved soil friability and aggregate structure.
- Improved aeration of soil profile (roots also require oxygen).
- Increase microbial activity, populations and diversity of species.
- Greater populations of beneficial microbes, including mycorrhizae which colonize the rhizosphere of crops.
- Increase water holding capacity – With every 1 percent increase of organic matter content, the soil can hold 154,300 litres of plant-available water per hectare of soil down to 30cm deep.
All of the above points directly influence and affect the following 3 points;
- Decrease or negate erosion.
- Decrease or negate soil compaction.
- Decrease or negate nutrient run-off.