b'Soil health is more important than ever. This microbial association helps the plants grow properly and According to Blackwho is spearheading Canadas firstresist diseases, as the bacteria also colonize potentially patho-national senate soil health study in 40 yearsurbanization, pol- genic fungi, reducing their virulence.lution, and climate change are among the key factors contribut-ing to the degradation of soils, according to testimony received as part of the new soil health study. In the past, the importance of soil health and carbon seques-tration was not as widely recognized as it is today. Its imperative that the health of Canadas soils is assessed and managed more comprehensively to ensure long-term sustainability, Black says.Without healthy soil, crop and livestock production are compromised. This issue stems from generations of neglecting the importance of soil microbiomes worldwide, Zavala says. Soil biology has been overlooked, and growers have been farming without recognizing its vital role.Modern agricultural practices, such as the use of fungi-cides, can sometimes have a negative impact on the beneficial microbes that are prevalent in healthy soil. According to White, many diseases can be controlled naturally by utilizing bacteria that naturally occur in the soil and plants. These bacteria dont kill the fungi but instead alter their behavior, making them less virulent and reducing their impact on plant health.The presence of microbes in the soil and on seeds signifi- The root of a type of grass with a cloud of bacteria around the root cantly influences plant health and development. To encouragetip where those bacteria enter root cells.PHOTO: JAMES WHITEthese microbes to thrive, its essential to adopt practices that promote a healthy microbial community in the soil, rather thanIf we remove all these microbes from the equationwhich relying solely on chemical inputs, White says.modern technologies like fungicides can doit can lead to prob-lems such as damping off disease and poor seedling develop-Soil health directly impacts seed. ment, White adds. A healthy soil microbiome aids in the decomposition of previousRoots might not develop properly, and the absence of crop residues, root materials and pathogens that may have per- microbial support can hinder the overall growth of the plants. sisted from previous years, Blois says. This decomposition andTherefore, its essential to have these microbes associated with turnover of pathogens are integral in preventing diseases fromthe seeds.persisting over time.Some pathogens, like certain fungal species, can form long- Soil healths importance is on the rise due to changing lived survival structures such as spores with thick walls, enablingtechnology, bringing both positive and negative them to survive for several years, he says. A diverse and robustimplications.soil microbiome can facilitate the decomposition of these long- Humans have over the years misunderstood the importance lived structures more rapidly, reducing their persistence. of soil, viewing it as an inert medium as opposed to a thriving New research is showing that these microbes dont simplyenvironment designed by nature to grow plants. Not only have segregate themselves in the soil; they are also found on seed,humans employed farming practices and used inputs that can whose microbes directly interact with microbes found in the sur- be detrimental to the microbiome, but we have deliberately set rounding soil. out to try and eliminate the need for soil entirely, Zavala notes. Seed microbes play a crucial role in seedling development,Research on hydroponics, for example, has investigated the White says. The mother plant utilizes the successful microbes forpossibility of growing plants without soil entirely. Results have growth in a specific habitat and transfers them from the roots tobeen mixed at best.the leaves, ovaries, and eventually, the seeds. This means that theHydroponic growth, while possible, lacks the rich microbial seeds carry these microbes with them, often in accessory tissuesdiversity and nutrient access that soil-based cultivation provides, attached to the seeds.making the latter a more natural and beneficial condition for For instance, in grasses like fescue and rye grasses, there areplant growth, White says.accessory tissues associated with seeds that contain bacteria.The discourse on soil health has evolved considerably over the When these seeds germinate, these bacteria become the firstpast 40 years, Black says. That discourse is creating more aware-endophytes that the plant acquires. ness of soil health.DECEMBER 2023SEEDWORLD.COM /115'