Developments and News
Case Study Vegetables
Property
The property is situated 10 km south of Colac, 150km west of Melbourne in Victoria. It is 90 hectares, growing vegetables and is certified totally organic. The owner has been farming this area for 15 years. Before organic certification the property was rated chemical with the normal chemical fertilizers and pesticides that were readily available applied to the crops.
During the time of organic certification only organic fertilizer and pesticides have been used to grow current crops.
The soil type is sandy loam, with traces of light to heavy clay. The area is hilly to undulating with very good sun coverage all year.
Initial Engagement
Consulting commenced in February 2008, with an evaluation of soil quality and nutrient levels as well as soil disease.
A number of problems were identified, including Clubroot and Nematode within the soil structure, significantly reducing productivity.
The type of organic fertilizers being used also contributed to the problems, particularly nutrient burn as a result of the fertilizer not being properly composted and allowing raw chicken manures containing large amounts of acids to burn the plant root systems and encouraging pathogen growth.
This was evident in all formed garden beds.
Proposed Solution.
The pathogens needed to be controlled by lifting the beneficial bacterium presence. 
This would be achieved by applying 350 kg per hectare of Bactivate to the garden beds.
Application was carried out by using a spreader as well as direct drill, to allow the bacteria to attach themselves to the root of the plant and develop the rhizosphere around the plants' root systems. The development of this bacterial presence would protect the roots from pathogen invasion.
Results
After 6 months the site was inspected. Results have been outstanding, with visual evidence that the bacteria have formed and developed an effective rhizophere around the root system of the plants. Both Clubroot spores and nematodes have been attacked by other micro flora higher up the food chain, due to signalling presence of beneficial bacteria and fungi colonies. Worm presence was also obvious, as was the improvement in thickness and strength of root structure. Root systems observed were very healthy and there was little evidence of Nematode or Clubroot infestation on the plants' roots.
Nutrient burn had also been controlled.
Soil Structure
During the inspection of the soil beds it was evident that the treatment had created positive changes in the soil structure. Initially, the soil type was very loose and sandy in certain areas, while others were clay and sandy loam. After six months, structural change is evident in all areas, with soil particles particularly in the sandy areas showing more depth as well increased moisture retention ability.
The clay and heavy structures have shown remarkable improvement also in the area of workability, with visual evidence of marked reduction in the mineral salt levels that had earlier been evident on the surface of the soil. This has lead to production in those areas increasing and improvement in the quality of product.
With chicken and other manures as well as lime having been used as part of the fertilizer program, there has been over time a build up of nutrient load which was creating burn in the brassicae, beetroot, and bok choy products being grown. The treatment with Bactivate has addressed this nutrient overload with the result that the quality of plant leaf and growth rate has increased.
Plant Structure 
It was obvious when indentifying the plant structure many changes had occurred. Silverbeet leaf structure had improved, the leaf surface was a lot broader and the colour deeper in appearance, root systems were larger and stronger with very little pathogen activity, the tap root itself had shown thickness and color that was not evident in pre-treatment product. Cabbage leaf showed no sign of nutrient burn, with larger leaf appearance. Height of the plants along crop beds was very even, the plant leaf layer had increased with all leaves showing healthy structure. The comment from the grower was that he was seeing for the first time
a 90% expected harvest, where most of past production only showed
less than 40% because of nematode and clubroot problems.
Bok Choy size at maturity had increased by 20% in the normal growing season, with White Radish showing growth of similar or better percentage.
Beetroot leaf structure had shown no nutrient burn, with most beetroot crops having experienced this type of problem across most production in the past. The leaf at maturity was very deep in color; leaf surface was larger, and thickness increased by 30%. The fruit below ground showed an increase in size and the grower reported that production levels had increased more than 20%. Additionally, the retention rate of production had increased by 40 % with most fruit being retail ready.
Summary
Productivity had increased dramatically and the quality of product visually superior. According to the grower, "I have never been able to grow this quality in all the time I have been here; it is remarkable to see".
So far the results we are seeing are encouraging, considering the size of the pathogen problem that had existed. The beneficial bacteria have shown without question in this first stage they have the ability to encourage the development of the rhizophere as well as reduce the level of pathogen activity within the plant's root system.
We will continue to work with this grower into the future to develop further evidence of the abilities of Bactivate, and the unique results that its beneficial bacteria can achieve.
Norm Olsen.
Senior Soil Consultant
Andrew Carvill
Agronomist
Case Study Broccilini
The property is situated in Kooweerup east of Melbourne. It is a traditional chemical production farm. It has 90 hectares of production area with asparagus, broccoli and broccolini as the major crops for over 10 years. The soil is typical heavy clay and dark sandy loam with a predominance of heavy clay.
Initial Engagement
Upon investigation there was significant presence of Club Root and Nematode as well as a high level of chemical residue created by the use of herbicide.
The grower had been trying to establish increased consistent growth for broccolini which is normally grown in the winter period and particularly difficult to grow in this particular soil type. He also wanted to have the ability to grow the broccolini in the off season during summer. If this could be achieved the returns would be excellent.
A farm plan was developed which introduced Bactivate bacterium that would allow the development of this crop in the off season and increase production and quality in the normal growing season as well.
Results
After 8 months of the implementation of the Farm Plan the results have been outstatnding, with the reduction of Clubroot and nematode pathogen to a controllable level. The broccolini crops have been established in summer and the soil structure change has been significant ( Bill Jefferies quote: "I have never seen this result before!")
Chemical residue from the herbicide has been eliminated.
To prove that the soil structure in this part of his farm was improving it was suggested to grow lupins as a green manure crop to be turned back into the soil to create organic matter in the soil structure as well as increasing the bacterium population that had already been established. This would provide the bacterium a plentiful food source and aid the development of rhizosphere around the plant root system. If the lupins increased the growth pattern that level of residue and pathogen activity had been reduced.
The soil ph result was 5.5-6.5. The lupins had a height of 680mm
The soil when turned over in other seasons came off the plough, was shiny in appearance and needed to be rotary hoed twice to four times to prepare a seed bed. This time with the introduction of Bactivate bacterium the soil structure was much finerandloose in appearance and will only need to have a light tilling to form a first class seed bed. The ease of the tracor working has resulted in reduced fuel consumption.
The lupin crop was even across the field with no visual nutrient deficiencies in the paddock.
Lupin Crop September 2008 Examples of numerous Lupin root nodules
The most significant result was the abundance of root nodules on the lupin roots.
The root nodules (large lumps on the tap root pictured above) form when specific chemical signals are exchanged between the roots and rhizobia in the soil. This allows the bacteria to recognise the root and enter it without being prevented by the plants natural defence systems. Bactivate bacterium attach themselves to the plant root rhizosphere, hence why the nodule formation is so great. Once inside the root the bacteria trigger the plant cells to multiply to form the nodule, the bacteria then change their function and commence the nitrogen fixation.
Mr Jefferies will continue to use Bactivate to improve the condition of his soil and the health of his crops.
"It's a great insurance for my crop"
Summary
In the 8 months of the Farm Plan the results have been outstanding. Pathogens have been reduced significantly, chemical residue eliminated, retarded growth pattern gone.
This year will be the first year that no crop rotation of the broccolini will take place,. Another crop of broccolini will be planted immediately following the harvest of the previous crop.
It is apparent that the bacterium has controlled the pathogens and removed the heavy metal residue that was in the current soil structure. The production level of the lupin is an indicator that the broccolini production levels have increased as well as the plant heath being very high. The nitrogen increase within the soil and plant structure indicates that the bacterium are providing the assistance needed for plant productivity and pathogen reduction
Norm Olsen
Soil Specialist
Bactivate is a trademark of Bactigro Australia Pty Ltd