Fungi, especially arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), play a vital role in helping crops survive and thrive under drought conditions by extending plant root systems and improving nutrient and water uptake. By reducing tillage and synthetic inputs, farmers can restore fungal populations, strengthen soil health, and make their operations more resilient to extreme weather.
Have you noticed your dry, sandy soil needs more irrigation or that your clayey field is harder to get onto in the spring? As weather patterns change, more extreme conditions make it difficult to plan farm activities.
If you’ve been farming the traditional way by tilling and adding synthetics, chances are very good that you have a farm that is losing topsoil and becoming more degraded every year. Tilling and the use of synthetics are making it more expensive to farm, inputs are becoming more costly, decreasing profit. Fungi, on the other hand, are adaptable and work with nature.
Soil microorganisms give plants many essential nutrients and increase plant drought resistance. Nearly 6,000 species of fungi interact with plant roots. One of the most important microorganisms in today’s hotter, drier world is arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, or AMF.
AMF prefers drier conditions, but its health is also dependent on the chemical and physical properties of the soil. Maintaining optimal soil health ensures AMF fulfills its role in providing your crops with essential nutrients, even in drought conditions. ST Biologicals mentors often recommend BIOACTIVE LiquiLife+ and Supercharger as alternatives to the traditional fertilizer/chemical products that lead to fungal-poor soil.
Fungi: A Bulwark Against Drought
The nutrient exchange between plants and fungi maintains crop yields in an increasingly unstable climate. In a world where many agricultural areas are experiencing drought, mycorrhizal fungi could make the difference between crop success or failure.
The hyphae, or one-celled strands of fungi called mycelium, weave between soil particles. They get into cracks and crannies too small for the smallest plant root hairs to extract nutrients and water. They send the water and nutrients to the plants. The symbiotic relationship between plants and fungi means the mycelium becomes an auxiliary root system that spreads over a subterranean volume of soil several hundred to 2,500 times greater than any plant could ever reach.
In exchange, plants contribute to the health of this massive fungal root mass. Root exudates in the forms of sugars, amino acids, flavonoids, aliphatic acids, and fatty acids feed fungi. They attract beneficial microbes and repel or kill pathogens.
Doesn’t that sound like a recipe for a bountiful harvest? And because fungi also help with drought it means less irrigation. If you’re farming in the south or southwest, that is music to your ears.
Help protect your operation from the effects of drought by working with Mother Nature, not against her. The ST Biologicals mentors can show you how, so get in touch with us today. We’re here to help you succeed. When soil speaks, we listen.
Fungi and Drought FAQs
How do fungi help crops during drought?
Fungal networks called mycelium act as extensions of plant roots, accessing water and nutrients from areas that roots alone can’t reach, reducing the need for irrigation.
What are arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF)?
AMF are a type of beneficial fungi that form symbiotic relationships with plant roots, improving nutrient absorption and helping crops withstand dry conditions.
Why do tilling and synthetic fertilizers harm beneficial fungi?
Tillage breaks up fungal networks in the soil, and synthetic chemicals disrupt the natural balance of soil microorganisms, reducing fungal populations and overall soil health.
How can farmers encourage beneficial fungi in drought-prone soils?
Farmers can promote fungal growth by minimizing tillage, cutting back on synthetics, and using biological soil amendments like BIOACTIVE LiquiLife+ and Supercharger to restore soil biology.
