What do you think about adding to soil electricity to increase plant production? I am skeptical. According to one study, electrically "stimulated plants reduce and assimilate NO3 more efficiently than controls" and increased 15-day dry matter production by 50% (doi 10.1073/pnas.2304135120). This could be related to using an abiotic soil substitute, with only the plant metabolism to induce an eH gradient. Without having a native (soil-biology-generated) electrical gradient, bringing in electricity as an abiotic analog may be of benefit. Maybe, but is it a repeatable observation? Can we design systems or make informed management decisions based on supplying supplemental soil electricity? Based on my understanding of how eH/pH work, from my work delineating wetlands, remediating anaerobic soil failure on a field scale, protecting groundwater from avoidable arsenic, etc contamination that results from management-induced deep anaerobic soil conditions, playing with microbial fuel cells, and especially from your deep dive into redox you have shared these last 4 years, I am deeply skeptical that this observed positive effect of adding electricity is repeatable in nature with biologically active soils. If mine is a mistaken understanding, I welcome the opportunity to learn from it.
the eH/pH thing is not a thing in agriculture until it can translate into action. there is no easy way to measure it in the first place. versus sap analysis to which one can respond more or less readily, kind of real time. or even versus the pH measurement of plant sap long ago advocated by the late Bruce Tainio, the ideal being 6.4. until then...blessings to all
What do you think about adding to soil electricity to increase plant production? I am skeptical. According to one study, electrically "stimulated plants reduce and assimilate NO3 more efficiently than controls" and increased 15-day dry matter production by 50% (doi 10.1073/pnas.2304135120). This could be related to using an abiotic soil substitute, with only the plant metabolism to induce an eH gradient. Without having a native (soil-biology-generated) electrical gradient, bringing in electricity as an abiotic analog may be of benefit. Maybe, but is it a repeatable observation? Can we design systems or make informed management decisions based on supplying supplemental soil electricity? Based on my understanding of how eH/pH work, from my work delineating wetlands, remediating anaerobic soil failure on a field scale, protecting groundwater from avoidable arsenic, etc contamination that results from management-induced deep anaerobic soil conditions, playing with microbial fuel cells, and especially from your deep dive into redox you have shared these last 4 years, I am deeply skeptical that this observed positive effect of adding electricity is repeatable in nature with biologically active soils. If mine is a mistaken understanding, I welcome the opportunity to learn from it.
the eH/pH thing is not a thing in agriculture until it can translate into action. there is no easy way to measure it in the first place. versus sap analysis to which one can respond more or less readily, kind of real time. or even versus the pH measurement of plant sap long ago advocated by the late Bruce Tainio, the ideal being 6.4. until then...blessings to all
Super informative conversation, much appreciated
Glad it was helpful!
if photosynthesis is the biggest lever (for soil health), the real question is "what is the biggest lever for photosynthesis?"
Very good question Paul! We hope you enjoyed the conversation!