Science

At a base level, physics, chemistry and biology all have a role when it comes to optimal soil quality and plant yield.

Taking care of crops during the initial stages of life are essential when it comes to ensuring a successful season. Just like us, plants are much more susceptible to disease and other stress factors when they’re young. But rather than relying on nitrogen that can harm yield down the track, ComCat offers an organic solution that plants love.

What happens as a result, is soil that has little or no structure. It’s prone to becoming compacted, where oxygen and water struggle to move freely. But by regarding all three areas of science with equal importance, it’s possible to greatly increase the quality of your results.

The importance of physics

Soil with no structure can be thought of like a flat deck of cards. Without any spaces between cards, there’s no room for anything to move, and in poor soils this is usually the case. The variance of charged particles within soil and their polarity (or lack thereof) can alter soil structure and make it incredibly rigid. But with the right balance of anionic and cationic (positive and negative) minerals, it’s possible to transform that rigid deck of cards into a card ‘house’; where oxygen, water and all kinds of life can move about freely.

GSR Calcium is one product we use to achieve this.

The support of chemistry

With the overall structure of soil taken care of, it’s possible to apply chemicals and expect them to work as advertised. Each of our products contain various minerals and compounds that serve a specific purpose, as do most other chemicals and fertilisers. However, it’s essential to make sure you’re applying them at the right time, in the right quantity to get the right results.

The optimal biology

With soil structure supporting the chemicals you’ve added, the micro-organisms that live in soil and congregate around root systems can each perform their functions optimally.

Whether it’s to decompose organic matter, transport nutrients, or make them available to plants it’s the combination of the right soil and the right minerals that enable their results.

Without an in-depth knowledge of the relationship between soil physics, chemistry and biology it can be easy to focus on one. For years it’s been chemistry, but we’re seeing far better results that offer greater long-term solutions for farmers and orchardists if we consider all three together.