Culture and Application of Effective Microorganisms ( EM ) Technology

Introduction

Effective Microorganisms (EM) are a mixed cultures of beneficial microorganisms. They are applied into soil or plants to increase their microbial diversity so as to improve soil health, and the growth, yield and quality of the plants.

Benefits of EM applications

1. Improve soil structure ( soil aggregation, water holding capability, increase alkalinity)
   
2. Improve photosynthesis ability of plants
3. Enhance seed germination, growth, maturity, flowering, fruiting and ripening
4. Hasten decomposition (fermentation) of organic matters
5. Remove odour of animal dungs or organic matter used in organic fertilizer
6. Control or suppress pests and soil-borne diseases
   
7. Reduce re-planting problem

Course on Culture and Application of Effective Microorganisms (EM) Technology

To start an organic farm/plantation or manufacture organic products, knowing how to culture and apply the effective microorganisms (EM) technology is an advantage.

Agro Tech & Solution is organising a course on culturing and using EM to apply on soil and plants. It is a comprehensive two-days' course.The course is worth attending because you will be taught a complete range of fertilizers and requirements for organic farming. It will be conducted by an officer from the agriculture department and assisted by a few experienced organic farmers.


Course Date : 14&15 Mac 2009 (Sat & Sun)
Place : Dewan Balai Raya, Kpg. Kuala Pajam, 43700 Beranang, Selangor, Malaysia.
Course fee : RM380 per person (a discounted 50% fee as introductory offer).
Closing date : 6 Mac 2009
REGISTER NOW!!! Limited to 35 people only.

For more information, feel free to contact me.

EM Liew
Sales Representative

AGRO TECH & SOLUTION
19-G, Jalan Suria, SU5/S.
Seksyen U5, 40150 Shah Alam,
Selangor, Malaysia.
Tel: + 60193136282 Fax:+6016-3715211
Email : emliewhn@gmail.com

Requirements of Plants

Plants are living organisms like human beings. They also require water, air, sunlight, nutrients, vitamins, minerals, trace elements, enzymes, and friendly microorganisms (em) for their growth.

In the jungles, the living creatures, e.g. insects, earthworms and microorganisms (em) recycle the fallen leaves, flowers, fruits and branches as nutrients for the plants. The plants grow healthily and free from diseases for hundreds or thousands of years without chemical or organic fertilizers added. Their nutrients intake are amazingly well-balanced due to the good soil-food web.

However, in the most farms and plantations, chemical fertilizers are used for plant growth. This is because the farmers/planters do not recycle their plant wastes and put them back where they have been removed. The wastes are usually burnt or thrown away.Most of the time, the chemical fertilizers applied are not well-balanced because no man on earth can produce them better than mother nature. They usually contain NPK +Mgo+TE only. These are not complete nutrients for the plants. They lack many natural macro-nutrients, micro-nutrients, minerals and trace elements which only nature can provide. As a result, the plants suffer from malnutrition, nutritional deficiency, and many other factors that impede their growth and weaken their resistance to diseases. That is why, recycling materials from plants and crops by fermenting them correctly can provide a well-balanced nutrients to the plants. They are easily absorptive by the plants because during the fermentation process the microorganisms make them bioavailable to the plants.

Effects of chemical fertilizers, herbicides and other chemically-based products :

1. Destroy friendly insects, earthworms, and microorganisms (em) in the soil;
2. Destroy good soil web, thus making insoluble compound fertilizers in the soil not bio available to the plants;
3. Damage soil structure ( soil becomes hard, acidic, saline, and unable to retain water);
4. Heavy rainfalls or floods will leach fertilizers to the drains or rivers;
5. Poor absorption of fertilizers without symbiosis between friendly bacterias and the plant;

Benefits of Organic Fertilizers and EM derivatives
In the other hand, organic fertilizers or bokashi with added effective microorganisms (em):

1. Promote the reproduction of friendly insects, earthworms, and microorganisms;
2. Promote good soil-food web and condition the soil;
3. Make insoluble compound fertilizers bio available;
4. Improve soil structure, thus prevent water stress and leaching of fertilizers;
5. Help to release the organic fertilizers slowly.
   

Different Stages of Plant Growth :
Plants have different stages of growth just like humans.

Human Requirements

1. Pregnancy - The expecting mother prepares her body by eating a well-balanced diet.
   
2. Baby stage - The baby drinks mother's milk.
   
3. After weaning - The child takes powdered milk or grind-grain milk .
   
4. About 1 year - The child takes porridge or powdered-grains porridge.
   
5. Above 2 years - The child takes solid food.
6. Adult Stage - An adult requires solid food and more nutrients
   

Likewise, we shouldn't feed the plants with just a few types of nutrients or fertilizers only.

Plants Requirements

1. Before planting - The soil should be mixed with organic fertilizers and compost
2. Seeds - Good seeds should be selected and germinated properly
3. Vegetative stage - The correct fertilizers applied for growth
4. Changeover stage - The correct fertilizers applied for flowering
   
5. Mature/Fruit Stage - The correct fertilizers applied for maturing/fruiting

Applying the correct organic nutrients plus effective microbes (em) at the right stage of growth, will help the plants to grow naturally and produce good quality crops or fruits.

Chemical Fertilizers Vs Organic Fertilizers

For past several years, the people of our planet have been affected by polluted food, water and environment. This is because the farmers and the planters used excessive chemical fertilizers to grow their crops and plants.

Mindset
The farmers and planters have a mindset that chemical fertilizers have higher nutrient value. They applied N:P:K as high as 15:15:15 for the growing stage and 20:20:37 for matured stage once every 3 or 4 months. But they failed to see the actual truth. The truth is that plants do not require high doses of fertilizers all at once. Like all living things, they take in nutrients bit by bit everyday. Excessive chemical fertilizers will be destroyed by exposure to sunlight and leach away during rain and floods. Since chemical fertilizers are expensive, their dependence on them will increase their production cost. According to advertisements, chemical fertilizers have immediate effect on the plants, whereas organic fertilizers have a slower effect. Yes it is true, but there are many side effects.

Side Effects of Chemical Fertilizers
When a patient is sick, the doctor cannot give him high doses of medicine at once to make him get well faster. High doses may make his health condition worse and have many side effects. Likewise, high doses of chemical fertilizers will damage the plant and affect the soil structure and ecosystem. The soil will become hardened and thus make it harder for the water/rain water to penetrate and be stored in the soil. Without adequate water, plants will become water- stressed. Furthermore, the dryness, hardness, acidity and salinity condition of the soil make it difficult for the beneficial microorganisms (em), earth worms and moles to survive. Without their presence in quantity, plant growth will be affected. After a few years, the condition of the farms or the plantations will become very difficult for the plants to grow or for replanting.

Benefits of Organic Fertilizers
On the other hand, organic fertilizers are natural to the plants because they are made up of organic matter. They contain a whole range of nutrients required by plants which chemical fertilizers cannot provide. The organic fertilizers can enrich, condition and improve the soil structure. Once the soil structure is "conditioned", the plants can be grown on it without problems. Organic fertilizers can also improve the ecosystem of the farms and plantations. Replanting of crops and disease management on organic farms and plantations will not be much of a problem.

Nutritional Value of Organic Vegetables and Fruits
Studies have shown that the normal vegetables and fruits that we are eating now contain about only 10% of nutrients that we got 50 years ago. This is because most of them are grown on the ground, in the water or in containers which are depleted of organic matter and without a good soil-web. To boost their growth, the farmers use solid or liquid chemicals which do not contain the balanced nutrients. That's why organically grown vegetables and fruits taste better and are more nutritious than those chemically grown.

Conclusion
The use of organic fertilizers will benefit the farmers and the planters in the long term. The plants can grow more healthily. Their crops production will increase more in terms of quantity and quality which can be sold at least twice the cost of the crops grown chemically.
Organic farmers and planters can also save their land from damage. In fact if the land is managed properly, the organic farmers can reduce their fertilizer input year after year. Unlike the usage of chemical fertilizers which have to be increased year after year.
If farmers and planters recycled organic wastes and make their own fertilizers and compost, they can reduce their production cost even further.

For information regarding how to produce EM stock and organic fertilizer, please read the postings on this blog.