Summary

The participants discussed the role of mycorrhizal fungi in food production and the decline in their populations due to modern farming practices. Through a series of short videos participants were introduced to precisely what are myccorhiza and their essential role in agriculture.

Discussion

• To feed the microbes Hugo stated that one of the easiest things for farmers to do is to create an extremely complex worm farm making sure that the ingredients in it to be extremely complex. “And I’d like you to focus on the words: extremely complex.” The more you add, put different varieties of products in there, including particular minerals. Worms, whether compost worms or garden worms,  automatically chelate minerals in compost in their gut,. So the more you can add and the more complex you make the food source that they consume results in this wonderful chelated food source which the plants can readily absorb.

• Reducing Glyphosate and Promoting Diverse Farming
  Hugo shared a success story of a farmer named Ian Smith from Tasmania who improved his onion crop by using a combination of biodynamic compost, worm compost and  thermal compost made into a foliar spray. He emphasized the importance of silica and boron in the compost, which can be obtained from seaweed and other sources. The group discussed the need to reduce the use of glyphosate and promote more diverse farming methods. Gaël, a truffle grower, raised a question about the use of glyphosate in conventional truffle farming.

• Improving Farming Practices Through Soil-Plant Relationship
  Helen emphasized the importance of understanding the intricate relationship between soil and plant to improve farming practices. She stressed that adding unnecessary inputs could harm the soil, and Gael pointed out that some farmers were adding products to recover from previous harm. Helen also highlighted the value of biological inputs in nurturing soil and encouraged the sharing of this knowledge. Hugo further discussed the concept of plant exudates and the role of atmospheric gases and soil minerals in plant growth. Lastly, they encouraged farmers to start implementing these practices, even if it was a small portion of their farm.
• Seaweed Foliar Spray and Organic Methods
• Hugo discussed the potential application of seaweed as a foliage spray and the use of fish waste in worm farms, and in composting
• Helen and Jane explored the idea of using fish waste in worm farms for creating nutrient-rich products. They also discussed the environmental benefits of utilizing carp waste for composting. 

In summary,  modern farming practices, including the use of fungicides, pesticides, and heavy machinery, have led to a decline in essential mycorrhizal fungi populations in soils.

Whereas regenerative farming practices embracing the role of myccorhizal fungi is the future of healthy food production.