Soil Microbiome Course- Understand what underpins soil health
Understand how to manage and how the soil microbiome works in this thorough course that works through soil science that covers all of the factors that lead to a healthy soil microbiome.
When the soil microbiome is healthy, plants flourish and crops grow better, requiring less chemicals and pesticides.
This course is essential learning for anyone who works in plant production, farming or horticulture.
This course covers nine lessons:
Lesson 1. Nature and Scope of the Soil Microbiome
Nature of soil
Soil Structure & Texture
Soil Structure and Porosity
Soil Structure Research
Topsoil Thickness
Nutrient Components
Carbon and Nutrient Content
Carbon Retention
Nitrogen
Phosphorus
Sulphur
Other Important Indicators of Soil Health
Acidity (pH)
Salinity
Environmental Factors Affecting Soil Health
Drought
Frost
Erosion
Water Retention
Nature of soil Microbes
Bacteria
Archaea
Viruses
Fungi
Protozoa
Scope of the Soil Microbiome
Plant-Microbe Relationships
Microbe Interrelationships
Changes to the Soil Microbiome
Key Definitions and Concepts for Understanding Soil
Lesson 2. Analysing the Soil Microbiome Status
Measurement vs. Monitoring in Soil Biology
Things the Soil Microbiome can Help Measure or Monitor
Types of Soil Biological Testing and Analysis
Deciding on the Right Type of Test
Overview of Different Testing Types
Cotton Strip Assay
Microbial Activity Using Basal Carbon Dioxide Respiration
Microbial Biomass
Identification Through Culturing
Potentially Mineralisable Nitrogen
Biolog Plates
Microarrays
Community Profiling
More Advanced Approaches to the Microbiome: Omics
Transcriptomics
16S rRNA
PCR
PCR-ELISA
Bioinformatics
Lesson 3. Human Impact on Microbiomes
Land Development and Urbanisation
Changes in Land Use and Microbial Communities
Problems with land development on soils
Climate Change
Pollution
Air Pollution
Deposition
Precipitation
Erosion
Microplastics
Anti-microbials
Antibiotic Resistance
Monocultures
Lesson 4. Soil Substrates and Additives
Soil Substrates
Inorganic Substrate Materials
Perlite
Vermiculite
Sand
Rockwool
Organic Substrate Materials
Peat
Coir
Bark
Soilless Substrates and Microbes
Substrate Technology
Substrate Engineering
Substrate Evaluation
Novel Technologies used in Substrate Management
Tomography
Rhizometrics
Mini-Horhizotron
Rhizometer
Inorganic Additives
Organic Additives
Manures
Compost
Fungal Additives
Lesson 5. Conventional vs Organic Soil Management
Conventional vs Organic Soil Management practices
Conventional Practices
Soil Carbon Modelling
Organic Practices
Composting
Crop Rotations
Cover Crops
No Tillage Farming
Organic Pest & Disease Control
Weed Control
Rotational Grazing
Livestock Management
Biodynamics
Biodynamic preparations/sprays
Lesson 6: Soil Fertility Management
Soil Management Strategies
Soil Organic Matter
Cover Crops
Cocktail Cover Crop
Legume Crops
Longer Crop Rotations
Reduced Tillage
Planting Trees
ORGANIC Additives
Soil Humus
Building Soil Humus
Humates
Composting
Animal Manures
Microbial Inoculants & Miicroorganisms
Use of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) Inoculants
Specific Inoculums
Protozoa Tea
Earthworms
INORGANIC ADDITIVES
Gypsum
Lime
Lesson 7. Plant Interactions with a Microbiome
Soil Organisms
Function of Plant Microbiome
Effect of Non-native Species
Soil Microbiome and Plants
Plant-Soil Feedback
Plant-Microbe Associations
Examples of Plant-Microbe Associations with Plant Families & Species
Effects of Different Microbes
Other Associations
Cover Crops & Grapevines
Crop Rotations & Microbiomes
Types of Cover Crops & Microbiomes
Lesson 8. Pest and Disease Interactions with a Microbiome
Biopesticides
Advantages of Biopesticides
Biological Control Agents
Microbial Pesticides
Advantages of Microbial Insecticides
Entomopathogenic Fungi
Protozoa
Bacteria
Engineering Microbial Inoculants to Suppress Disease
Lesson 9. Soil Regeneration Practices
Restoring the soil microbiome
Practical Methods Which Benefit the Soil Microbiome
Reducing soil disturbance
No tillage (Zero Tillage)
Advantages of no till farming
Controlled Traffic Farming
Advantages of Controlled Traffic Farming
Increasing crop diversity & ORGANIC matter
Alley Farming
Cover Crops
Mulching & Composting
Biochar
Increasing soil microbes
Microbial Inoculation
Plant Breeding and Microbiome Engineering