The secret life of fungi

Welcome to the ASAP Info site and the world of soil microbiology!

Pictured: Microscopic fungi

Once considered pathogens, microscopic fungi that live in soil are shaping plant communities and aiding efforts in environmental restoration (including proven reduced water use). See the bottom of this page for more information on fungi and the soil foodweb.

• Compost tea brewers (GeoTea & MicroBrewer 20 litres) with proven efficacy. Unlike others, we publish the results of the active fungal levels produced by our brewers by growers (not just by specialist SFI brewing people);
  

• Brewer pumps & parts, for all your brewing needs,
  

• BioActive compost - aiming for full Soil Foodweb ecosystem, living compost can be tailored to suit your specific needs or you can buy boutique supplies from us,
  

• Composting equipment for large and small composting operations,

• Soil & tea additives & innoculums to improve your local soil foodweb,
  

• Microscopes & other testing & monitoring equipment to help you to measure the life & moisture in your soil and compost,
  

• Publications: books and audio CD's on biological farming and sustainable agriculture,

• Services: agricultural consultancy services and soil education events.
  

To browse though all of our products and services, see our online shop.

Paul Taylor has an intensive practical experience of owning and managing farms...these have been steeped in compost and biological approaches to trusting nature. Paul also manages our Nematode Farm and onsite support. Our other director, Jane Oliver, has a five generation agricultural heritage and supports the Advisors with an interest in the technology and research.

The ASAP team also includes Astra Jerebine (administration), Peter in Accounts, Sean Tonnet in marketing & sales, and Claire at Paul's office. Our network of suppliers work closely with us to ensure top quality supplies and service in an affordable, understandable approach.

To get started with biological farming, please read our "Getting Started" page which gives a step-by-step approach to the transition for biological growing, relying on the SFI framework for testing.

• sell tested compost tea brewers with proven efficacy.
  

• provide composting equipment for large-scale or small projects

• support growers to make and test their own compost, compost tea, soil, water and produce, using Microscopes,  DO meters, penetrometers, salinity refractometers and sugar (brix) refractometers (see Monitoring & Microscopes to view the full range of testing equipment).

• supply quality tested compost tea ingredients and soil additives for direct applications.

We are currently shipping brewers to every state in Australia and in New Zealand. Some farms are thousands of hectares others are smaller boutique endeavours. Our export activities include consultancy services, equipment and composting equipment to the Middle East, Kenya, The Ukraine and Fiji.

Compost Tea Centres

To see how important the role of 'succession' plays in the soil food web, view our information page on the succession and soil productivity. Here you will be able to determine whether you wish to feed beneficial fungi, encourage it, or encourage nematodes, protozoa or bacteria instead. This information and research has been supplied by Dr Elaine Ingham and other soil ecologists from around the Globe.

Fungi and the Soil Foodweb

The main secret about fungi in the soil food-web is that it feeds on the exudates in the soil and nutrients from the root system of the plant. It forms a critical role in the exchanges between the soil and the plant. Vascular arbuscal mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi live on the root zone of the plant. VAM created for Australian conditions is subject to controversy – to save money, talk to an ASAP advisor before ordering VAM for your district. (Each zone is different, as is each VAM for each crop.)  Fungal extractions are a great way of stimulating beneficial fungi as well. Australian soils are generally fungally deficient, so look for the data that shows fungal feeding and breeding.

	Other kinds of fungi are those that live in leaf litter and top soils and basically feeds on breaking down organic, carbon matter. So the secret life of fungi is one of the most important in the world today.
Pictured: Fungi viewed under magnification. Feeding fungi is the key to healthy soils. Picture from Soil Foodweb Corvallis, USA.

We ask, when so many agricultural systems are failing and the world progresses towards drought and harsher climatic conditions, what can we do to feed and strengthen the Soil Foodweb?

Određeni član nacrt za osuvremeniti agrikultura pa postojati odgovoran umjesto biološki ulaz 3. lice od TO BE u prezentu pristojan u porastu hitan. Očekivanje na temelju kemijski učiniti plodnim 3. lice od TO BE u prezentu unaffordable pa rezultat unutra tlo nerodnost.