Growing grasses helps prevent the build up of gasses.Glomalin, a substance excreted by soil fungi, holds soil particles together, helps distribute water and nutrients to roots, and stores 27 % of the soil's carbon.
Growing cover crops increases the glomalin content in the soil. High-phosphorus fertilizers and excessive tilling deplete it. USDA microbiologist Kristine Nichols has found that warm-season grasses like switchgrass produce more glomalin then cool-season or annual grasses.Switchgrass, under review for biofuel production, stores large amounts of carbon deep in the soil, preventing it from escaping into the atmosphere. *
*Organic Gardening Magazine
No comments:
Post a Comment