b'the health of Canadas soils is assessed andaccessory tissues attached to the seeds. managed more comprehensively to ensureFor instance, in grasses like fescue and ryeTHE COST OF POOR long-term sustainability, Black says. grasses, there are accessory tissues associatedSOIL HEALTH TO THE Without healthy soil, crop and livestockwith seeds that contain bacteria. When theseWORLDproduction are compromised. This issue stemsseeds germinate, these bacteria become the from generations of neglecting the importancefirst endophytes that the plant acquires. 33%of soil microbiomes worldwide, Zavala says.This microbial association helps the plantsof global land area is Soil biology has been overlooked, and grow- grow properly and resist diseases, as the bacte- affected by poor soil ers have been farming without recognizing itsria also colonize potentially pathogenic fungi,health. vital role. reducing their virulence.Modern agricultural practices, such as theIf we remove all these microbes from the use of fungicides, can sometimes have a nega- equationwhich modern technologies like1.5 billion tonnestive impact on the beneficial microbes that arefungicides can doit can lead to problemsof topsoil is lost in Canada/prevalent in healthy soil. According to White,such as damping off disease and poor seedlingthe United States every many diseases can be controlled naturally bydevelopment, White adds.year through erosion.utilizing bacteria that naturally occur in theRoots might not develop properly, and soil and plants. These bacteria dont kill thethe absence of microbial support can hinderSource: FAOfungi but instead alter their behavior, makingthe overall growth of the plants. Therefore, them less virulent and reducing their impactits essential to have these microbes associated on plant health. with the seeds.The presence of microbes in the soil and on seeds significantly influences plant health and development. To encourage these microbes to thrive, its essential to adopt prac-tices that promote a healthy microbial commu-nity in the soil, rather than relying solely on chemical inputs, White says. Soil health directly impacts seed.A healthy soil microbiome aids in the decom-position of previous crop residues, root materi-als and pathogens that may have persisted from previous years, Blois says. This decompo-sition and turnover of pathogens are integral in preventing diseases from persisting over time.Some pathogens, like certain fungal spe-cies, can form long-lived survival structures such as spores with thick walls, enabling them to survive for several years, he says. A diverse and robust soil microbiome can facilitate theThe root of a type of grass with a cloud of bacteria around the root tip where those bacteria decomposition of these long-lived structuresenter root cells. Photo: James Whitemore rapidly, reducing their persistence.New research is showing that theseSoil healths importance is on the rise due to microbes dont simply segregate themselves inchanging technology, bringing both positive the soil; they are also found on seed, whoseand negative implications.microbes directly interact with microbes foundHumans have over the years misunderstood in the surrounding soil. the importance of soil, viewing it as an inert Seed microbes play a crucial role inmedium as opposed to a thriving environment seedling development, White says. Thedesigned by nature to grow plants. Not only mother plant utilizes the successful microbeshave humans employed farming practices and for growth in a specific habitat and transfersused inputs that can be detrimental to the them from the roots to the leaves, ovaries,microbiome, but we have deliberately set out and eventually, the seeds. This means that theto try and eliminate the need for soil entirely, seeds carry these microbes with them, often inZavala notes. JANUARY 2024GERMINATION.CA 33'