[Terrapreta] Soil microorganisms

[Sean K. Barry]

Hi Richard et. al.

> soil with charcoal additions. Learning about potential for enrichment
> culture of Azotobacter and trying to measure available nitrogen in
> this situation.


Here you mention promoting the growth of nitrogen fixing Azotobacter.  I 
have always been interested in the possibility of inoculating charcoal with 
mycorrhizal fungi.

Do you think it might be possible that you could isolate, culture, and 
propogate enough of both types of microorganism species from the soil in 
your area, then enrich or inoculate charcoal with it, and put that charcoal 
into plant growth trials?  I have seen some FDA ARS (Agricultural Research 
Service) documentation about developed and patented methods to do this 
(propogate soil fungi) kind of thing.  The charcoal you have on the forest 
floor with the litter (I believe I've seen this picture); is it incorporated 
into the soil containing the fungus? Or just on top with the litter?  Are 
there any plants growing in it?  Are there also Azotobacter in that soil 
(along with the mycorrhizal fungi) ?

Regards,

SKB