Plant-microbe interactions in the rhizosphere are major determinants of plant health and soil fertility. Terra-Fresh Home and Garden ™ is a proprietary mixture of plant extracts containing complex sugars and phytochemicals that naturally enhances rhizosphere activity and the micro-biological processes in the soil, specifically around the plant root system. Terra-Fresh brings a number of factors to the soil and specifically to the rhizosphere that positively affect plant-bacterial interactions.
First, Terra-Fresh provides a mixture of simple and complex sugars that quickly increase bacterial populations and maintain those populations at healthy levels throughout the growing season. The easily digestible simple sugars provide a ready food source to quickly increase bacteria populations. As the simple sugars are broken down and used the microbial community begins to, over time, break down the complex sugars releasing another longer lasting store of carbon for them to utilize.
Second, plants naturally secrete phytochemicals known as root exudates that attract beneficial bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi to the root zone of the plant. The phytochemicals in Terra-Fresh simulate the plant’s natural root exudates, increasing the rhizosphere recruitment that naturally occurs. Terra-Fresh not only increases the number of microorganisms in the soil, it recruits them to the root zone where they benefit the plant.
By stimulating and enhancing soil bacteria Terra-Fresh facilitates numerous benefits to the plant that result in superior growth and increased production. Healthy rhizosphere bacteria populations result in increased transformation, mobilization and solubilization of nutrients from a limited nutrient pool. They create pathways for the transmission of those nutrients in addition to water and minerals to the root system of the plant. As a result, root development is augmented, nutrient uptake by plants is optimized and the plants can realize their full potential.
Many plant associated microbes produce plant hormones such as auxins, and cytokinins. Terra-Fresh improves the metabolic rate of these organisms and therefore increases the amount of plant growth hormones produced. These phytohormones positively influence root respiration rate, metabolism and root proliferation and hence improve mineral and water uptake. Auxins are known to stimulate rapid plant growth by increasing cell elongation and cytokinins are known to stimulate long-term plant growth by facilitating cell division and differentiation in plants.
Plant associated microbes efficiently colonize root surfaces. This allows them to not only provide the benefits listed above, but to also help prevent the deleterious effects of phytopathogenic organisms. They do this through direct competition for resources and through the production of fungal cell wall degrading enzymes and other antimicrobial compounds.
Terra-Fresh Home and Garden ™ creates an environment where beneficial bacteria populations reach their maximum potential. As a result, nutrient cycling and availability is enhanced, phytohormone production is increased and the growth of undesirable pathogenic organisms is suppressed. The plant, in turn, feeds more efficiently and processes more nutrients leading to superior growth.