Sterile growth environments – especially in the soil – do not meet the goals of the organic program. Sterility is a result of the lack of microorganisms in the soil. The consequences are the impoverishment of the biodiversity of the soil, a decline in soil fertility and carbon content, lower water retention capacity, disruption of the gas and nutrient cycle, reduced degradation of pollutants, sealing, floods, erosion and landslides. Soil degradation has a direct impact on the quality of water, air and food, and has a negative impact on biodiversity and climate change.

Microorganisms not only support plant health, but also the health of the ecosystem as a whole. They give fruits and vegetables a taste in the first place, and they play a crucial role in nutrient processing and uptake by plants. Without them, plants are more prone to disease and have difficulty absorbing nutrients. The increasing use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides leads to a decrease in soil microflora.

This can be countered by renewing the soil microflora using bio|m|stimulants or organic soil additives. ekolive‘s ekofertile® and microfertile® contain organic acids with living soil-friendly bacteria and their adequate nutrition.

Soil bacteria are very important in biogeochemical cycles and have been used for plant production for decades. The main functions of these bacteria are:

• to provide nutrients for crops;
• to stimulate plant growth, e.g., through the production of plant hormones;
• to control or inhibit the activity of plant pathogens;
• improvement of the soil structure; and
• Bioaccumulation or microbial leaching of inorganic substances.

The interactions between plants and microbes in the rhizosphere play a critical role in the conversion, mobilization, solubilization, etc. of nutrients from a limited nutrient pool, and the subsequent uptake of essential nutrients by plants in order to reach their full genetic potential. Currently, the use of biological approaches as an additive to chemical fertilizers to improve crop yield in an integrated plant nutrient management system is becoming increasingly popular.

Our bio|m|stimulants are manufactured using the bioleaching process, which is registered as an EU patent on ecological release of elements and degradation of organic substances using heterotrophic microorganisms, proven in several bioleaching projects in the EU.

You may contact us for more information – find our leaflet on agricultural biotechnology here and the leaflet on organic soil reactivation here – and you may also take a look at the proof of the effectiveness of our bio|m|stimulants: Exploring a hidden value of mining waste.