Presentation by Steve Diver at the April 2013 Resilient Farmer workshop

1. Microbial Inoculants:
Effective Microorganisms (EM) &
Indigenous Microorganisms (IMO)
Resilient Farmer Workshop
April 27, 2013
Steve Diver, M.Sc.
Agri-Horticultural Consulting
www.agri-synergy.com
April 27, 2013
Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture
Poteau, OK

2. Kerr Center’s morning Field Day, Resilient
Farmer 2013 workshop:
Biochar
Thermophilic compost
Vermicompost
Fermented sweet potatoes for worms (IMO)
Aerated Compost Tea
Solo backpack bio-sprayer modifications
Fermented Plant Juice (IMO)
No-till vegetables with cover crops &
bio-intensive crop rotations

3. “Without living organisms and organic matter, the birth
of soil is not possible” Kyoichi Kumada (1987)
Objectives for 1st afternoon seminar, Resilient
Farmer 2013 workshop:
1. Mini review of soil organic matter (SOM) &1. Mini review of soil organic matter (SOM) &
soil foodweb processes from 2012 workshop
2. Soil biology principles
3. Microbial inoculants in perspective
4. Effective Microorganisms (EM)
5. Indigenous Microorganisms (IMO)

4. Foodweb pyramid in one square meter of soil
James B. Nardi, Life in the Soil, 2007

5. Soil Foodweb Diagram

6. Soil microorganisms live in association with plant
roots and excrete nutrients & sticky substances
VAM mycorrhizal fungi on
plant root: Paula Flynn
Alfalfa root with bacterial
rhizosphere: Jennifer Fox

7. SOM = Soil Foodweb HabitatSOM = Soil Foodweb Habitat

8. Biochar for Improved SOM + Soil
Foodweb Habitat in 2013 Workshop

9. Charcoal addition to the
soil provides nutrient
and water storage
center for mycorrhizal
fungi
Charcoal is sought out by AM fungi
fungi
Their hyphae invade
charcoal pores and
support spore
reproduction
Ogawa
Kansai Environmental
Fungi on New Char
Fungi on 100 Yr Old CharPhoto: www.eprida.com

10. Rapid colonization of charcoal surface
by fungal hyphae (7 days old)
www.agri-synergy.com

11. Beneficial Properties of Biochar
• Habitat for soil microorganisms (e.g.,
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal fungi)
• Increased soil carbon
• Increased CEC (cation exchange capacity)• Increased CEC (cation exchange capacity)
• Increased AEC (anion exchange capacity)
• Mimicking terra preta soil regeneration

12. Terra Preta soils, Amazonian Black Earth
Transformed “terra preta” Nutrient-poor Oxisol in tropics

13. Soil Biology Principle
The Number and Diversity of soil micro-
organisms is both an indicator & a driver
of soil fertiliy, biocontrol, and other soil
functions.
Soil Fertility, Disease Suppression,
Soil Structure, Humus, Soil Moisture

14. Lower Bacterial Diversity Higher Bacterial Diversity

15. Biological Control Concept
General Suppression
Abundance & Diversity of soil micro-
organisms promotes soil fertility and
biological control; e.g., soil health (i.e.,biological control; e.g., soil health (i.e.,
compost extracts)
Specific Suppression
Specific microbes are antagonistic to plant
pathogenic organisms; e.g., biofungicides
(i.e., microbial inoculants)

16. Worm Gold vermicompost tea extract
Photo: BBC Labs
Pathogen Inhibition Assay

17. Graeme Sait
Nutri-Tech
Solutions
Australia
Field Applications:
Microbe-Mineral
Blends & Brews
Fertigation
Foliars

18. Microbial Inoculants in Perspective
• Tool to manage soil biology, soil fertility,
organic wastes, and create bio-fertilizers
• Can be used to manipulate the rhizosphere &
phyllosphere (e.g., biological control of plantphyllosphere (e.g., biological control of plant
disease organisms)
• Increases the efficiency of delivered
nutrients; can reduce fertilizer rate (e.g.,
MEND concept)
• Not a “silver bullet”; still need minerals and
SOM management for healthy crops

19. Introduction to EM and IMO
• Probiotics for human, animal, and
environmental health
• Fermentation technologies
• Understanding aerobic & anaerobic systems• Understanding aerobic & anaerobic systems
• Multiple uses for treating soils, crops,
livestock, organic wastes
• Transform raw materials into bio-fertilizers

20. Probiotics = Organisms or substances whichProbiotics = Organisms or substances which
contribute to intestinal microbial balance and health
i.e., beneficial and effective microorganisms
Lactobacillus casei, L. brevis, L. kefir, L. acidophilus,
Saccharomyces cerevisae, S. unisporus, S. turicensis,
Steptococcus thermophilus

21. Fermented Probiotics = Kombucha & Water Kefir

22. EM (Effective Microorganisms)
Phototrophic bacteria Yeast
Lactic acid bacteria
Actinomycetes

23. EM = Effective Microorganisms
•Developed by Dr. Teruo Higa, Univ. of
Ryukyus in Okinawa, Japan
•Liquid microbial inoculant (shelf-stable)
•Mixed culture of naturally-occurring•Mixed culture of naturally-occurring
beneficial microorganisms
•Fermentative anaerobic + aerobic
microorganisms co-existing symbiotically

24. Main Species of EM Microorganisms*
Lactic acid bacteria
• Lactobacillus plantarum
• Lactobacillus casei
• Lactococcus lactis
Photosynthetic bacteria
Actinomycetes
• Streptomycetes albus
• Streptomycetes griseus
Fermenting fungi
Photosynthetic bacteria
• Rhodopseudomonas palustrus
• Rhodobacter spaeroides
Yeasts
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae
• Candida utilis
• Aspergillus oryzae
• Mucor hiemalis
*early EM literature

25. Key Properties of EM
• Fermentative anaerobics
• Microbial functions
• Multiple farm uses• Multiple farm uses
• Antioxidative action of microbes
• Microbial metabolites

26. Putrefactive & Fermentative
Anaerobics
Putrefaction:
Production of odors and harmful substances (hydrogen
sulfide, mercaptan, ammonia, oxidation substances) via
anaerobic microbial metabolism; pathogenic organisms.anaerobic microbial metabolism; pathogenic organisms.
Fermentation:
Production of useful substances (enzymes, amino acids,
organic acids, anti-oxidative substances) via anaerobic
microbial metabolism; beneficial organisms.

27. Microbial Pathways in Organic Matter
Decomposition
1. Aerobic
E.g., Thermophilic compost
2. Putrefactive anaerobic2. Putrefactive anaerobic
E.g., Stinky organic wastes (non-managed)
3. Fermentative anaerobic
E.g., EM bokashi (managed)

28. Two Suppliers of EM & EM-like Cultures
TeraGanix (Texas)
www.teragamix.com
Effective Microorganisms (EM-1)Effective Microorganisms (EM-1)
SCD Probiotics (Missouri)
www.scdprobiotics.com
ProBio Balance “mother culture”
Bio Ag “ready-to-use”

29. Activated EM Recipe (AEM)
1:1:20 Recipe for AEM
Per 1 Gallon Per 5 Gallon
EM 3/4 C 4 CEM 3/4 C 4 C
Molasses 3/4 C 4 C
Water 14.5 C 72 C
Ferment = 2 weeks
pH = 3.5

30. Fermentation Box – keep it warm
Fermentation technology: bucket,
airlock, sample thief

31. Using AEM in Agriculture
• Soil, organic mulches, cover crops
• Foliar fertilization & plant protection
• Fermented plant extracts
• Vermicompost integration• Vermicompost integration
• Food waste handling & composting
• Livestock probiotics: water & feed
• Livestock remediation: stalls, manures,
lagoons

32. AEM Application Rates
Use AEM at Following Dilutions
1:50 manures, stalls
1:100 composts, stalls
1:250 soils1:250 soils
1:500 soils & foliar
1:1000 irrigation
1:2500 animal drinking water

33. Bokashi kitchen bucket to
keep food scraps fresh; then
add to compost pile, or bury in
soil, or feed to worm bin
EM Bran Bokashi

34. EM Bran Bokashi

38. Organic farm with packaged salad mix, Switzerland

39. Salad packing-shed waste, treated with EM

40. EM-treated salad waste, compost windrow feedstock

41. EM Bokashi Balls for bioremediation of pond water
in Africa
Photo: Ibo Zimmerman, Polytechnic of Namibia

42. Photo: Ibo Zimmerman, Polytechnic of Namibia

43. EM Microbial Cultures
AEM = Activated EM
FPE = Fermented Plant Extract
EM-5 = Foliar Pest Control
FF = Fermented FishFF = Fermented Fish
Bokashi = Fermented Organic Matter
EM-X = EM Antioxidant Beverage
EM Ceramics = Embedded EM

44. FPE = Fermented Plant Extracts
•Stinging nettle
•Comfrey
•Equisetum
Also called:
•Herbal teas
•Liquid manures
•Plant-based pest control
Comfrey

45. Plant Species for EM-FPE, Auroville
Turmeric Ginger
Tobacco Papaya
Custard Apple Vitex
Neem CalotropisNeem Calotropis
Onion Garlic
Aloe Tulsi
Pongam Euphorbia
*Table of EM-FPE for 64 different insects & diseases

46. EM-FPE for Pest Control
*Margarita Correa, Auroville in India
15 liters water
3 kg neem leaves3 kg neem leaves
250 g selected plant leaves (previous table)
450 ml EM
450 ml molasses
Close tight and ferment 5 days
Filter and store for 90 days of usage
Apply diluted 1:500

47. IMO = Indigenous Microorganisms
Korean Natural Farming: Indigenous
Microorganisms and Vital Power of
Crop/Livestock
Han Kyu Cho and Atsushi KoyamaHan Kyu Cho and Atsushi Koyama
Korean Natural Farming Association, 1997.
172 p.

49. Cho’s Global Natural Farming (IMO)
IMO = No. 1, No. 2, No. 3
FFJ = Fermented Fruit Juice
FPJ = Fermented Plant Juice
FFJ = Fermented Fruit JuiceFFJ = Fermented Fruit Juice
FAA = Fish Amino Acid
LAS = Lactic Acid Bacteria Serum
OHN = Oriental Herbal Nutrients
BRV = Brown Rice Vinegar

50. Farm bamboo for multi-purpose agroforestry: IMO microbial culture

51. Bamboo leaf mulch and root exudates: IMO microbial culture

58. Farm-made Biofertilizers: Managing for
Fermentative Substrate & Microbial
Culture
Substrate (Raw Organic Biomass)
+ Microbes (Local or Purchased)
+ Microbial Food Source (Sugar)+ Microbial Food Source (Sugar)
= Fermentation & Extraction
= Bioavailable Nutrients
= Bioactive Substances
= Beneficial Microbes

59. Fermented Plant Juice (IMO) from Kerr Center herbs
Bioavailable nutrients + Bioactive substances + Beneficial microbes

60. Summary for 1st afternoon seminar, Resilient
Farmer 2013 workshop:
1. Microorganisms perform multiple functions
and produce beneficial substances (enzymes,
organic acids, hormones, anti-oxidants)
2. Managing SOM and thereby soil foodweb2. Managing SOM and thereby soil foodweb
habitat is the fundamental approach to soil
health (plus soil testing and minerals)
3. Microbial inoculants are multi-purpose tools
4. EM and IMO are easy-to-use fermentative
microbial systems with multiple on-farm uses

61. Thank You!
Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture
and USDA-NRCS Conservation Innovation
Steve Diver, M.Sc.
Agri-Horticultural Consulting
www.agri-synergy.com
steved@ipa.net