Researching farming with fungi…
The Farming with Fungi project is also a research study. We are investigating the effects of how enhancing an established soil microbiome with arbusular mychorrhizal fungi (AMF) and bacteria affect the yield, nutrition or amount of carbon absorbed by plants or soil. To evaluate our approach, we will undertake several studies of the Myco Market Garden. We will measure the carbon content of the soil and plants, the nutritional density of crops and use nanopore DNA sequencing to get an overview of the microorganisms present in the soil. We are archiving soil and DNA samples in case opportunities arise for further studies in particular the ability to differnentiate the species of AMF present with differnt plant species.
What are we researching?
Our approach can be summarised as “provisioning the hyphosphere”. We have three main research questions:
- Does this approach affect crop health?
- Does this approach increase carbon sequestration?
- What are the effects of crop rotation on AMF?
The Myco Market Garden will include three test plots for each of the combinations of crops and conditions listed below, in randomised locations. Samples we be collected, tested and reported annually, in late summer.
Crops: Potato, Onion, Carrot, Maize, Wheat
Conditions:
Measurements
| Sample | Measurement | Measuring apparatus |
| Soil and leaf | Carbon content | Elemental analyser |
| Soil | Metagenomic DNA | Bentolab / nanopore sequencer |
| Crop | Nutrition | Brix refractometer |
| Crop | Yield | Weighing scales |
Do you want to get involved?
The bioregional lab will run a training session once per year. This will be an opportunity to learn some skills for studying mushrooms and fungi using the bentolab. For updates follow us on social media or sign-up to our newsletter.