LEFT: Untreated
RIGHT: Treated with MycoApply Mycorrhizae

The same hyphal network that makes mycorrhizal fungi a sustainable option for reduced water use also makes them a sustainable solution for nutrient management. With mycorrhizae, nutrients can be absorbed along the entire length of the hyphae compared with just the tip of plant roots and root hairs.

Similar to how these fungi absorb and hold water for a plant to use later, they do the same with nutrients. On top of that, mineral nutrient uptake through hyphae can come from both the soluble and insoluble pools of nutrients.

There are three main sustainability benefits of mycorrhizae to growers in the nutrient category:

• Reduced nutrient leaching through run-off
• Improved nutrient-use efficiency
• Plant access to nutrients that would be difficult to reach or unavailable

LEFT: Untreated
RIGHT: Treated with MycoApply Mycorrhizae

Stressed plants experience more insect and disease issues. Plants grown with mycorrhizal fungi experience less stress and better overall health. As every grower knows, plants with less stress need fewer plant healthcare products.

For sustainability in crop health, growers often see:

• Healthier plants better able to handle biotic stress like pests and diseases
• More resilient plants that are resistant to drought and other abiotic stressors

LEFT: Untreated
RIGHT: Treated with MycoApply Mycorrhizal Fungi

Mycorrhizae’s main function is to expand the plant’s root absorptive system. They build a hyphal network that can expand more than 40X the absorption area of the roots. Mycorrhizal fungi build and improve soil/substrate structure, buffering the plant against water stress. In many conditions, they even assist the plant by retaining water.

The two main sustainability benefits a grower will see around water are:

• Less frequent watering
• Observing less run-off – which often includes macro- and micro-nutrients that a grower wants in their media, not in the ditch

When a grower can water less and apply less nutrients, the labor needed to complete those tasks decreases. Additionally, mycorrhizal fungi-treated plants tend to naturally branch better, requiring less labor for pruning or PGR applications.

Overall, plants that have formed an association with mycorrhizal fungi need fewer touchpoints than plants grown without – resulting in less labor required.

This is straightforward. When a grower is using less water and nutrients, losing less water and nutrients, and not needing to utilize as much labor with their plants – they end up saving money. The Return on Investment (ROI) of mycorrhizae is high and we all know that time is money in nursery and greenhouse production.

LEFT: Untreated
RIGHT: Treated with MycoApply mycorrhizae

While most growers in our industry grow in-pot with substrates, for those that grow in-ground, mycorrhizal fungi are crucial in enhancing soil health. They do this by improving soil aggregation, boosting soil fertility, and increasing resilience to soil erosion. Their extensive hyphal networks bind soil particles into stable aggregates, which improves soil structure by increasing water infiltration and creating microhabitats for beneficial soil microbes.

Operations that grow in the soil see many benefits from mycorrhizae.

• Strengthened soil cohesion, making the soil less prone to erosion from wind and water by stabilizing aggregates and preventing the detachment of soil particles.
• Increased native fertility of the soil, particularly with phosphorus and nitrogen.
• An increased presence of other beneficial microbes.

Mycorrhizal fungi contribute to more fertile, stable, and resilient soils, supporting healthier ecosystems and improving plant productivity.

One of the best parts about mycorrhizae is that once the plant is planted in the ground, the mycorrhizae continue supporting it for the rest of its life. They become a member of the local microbial community and help build a thriving ecosystem.

The end consumers, landscapers, restoration specialists, and more all see the following benefits:

• Improved soil structure
• More stress-resistant plants
• Water conservation
• Higher transplanting success
• Increased yield and flowering

Our biorationals include products like botanical insecticides, microbial pesticides, essential oils, minerals, and insect growth regulators. Growers can treat pests and maximize plant performance with more eco-friendly products and fewer environmental side effects.

These types of products are a key component of many Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies and can have many sustainability benefits:

• Reduced risk of pesticide resistance forming
• Shorter Preharvest Intervals (PHI)
• Reduced risk of phytotoxicity
• Reduced risk to plant care professionals
• OMRI-listed for organic growers

Plant Growth Regulators (PGR) can also play a significant role in sustainably helping growers reduce their resource/labor use and optimize plant growth. PGRs can have big impacts on operational sustainability:

• Improved utilization of resources like sunlight, fertilizers, and more
• Improved crop uniformity – resulting in less waste during growing and shipping
• Reduced labor and production needs

Our commitment to sustainability does not stop with our products. Mycorrhizal Applications focuses on sustainability in every aspect of our operation. Here are some of our favorites:

• Recycling programs for hard-to-recycle products like lab gloves, batteries, and K-cups.
• Quarterly street clean-ups in our hometown of Grants Pass.
• Annual clean-up day for the Rogue River.
• Bio-swale to collect and filter stormwater collected onsite through native plants before returning to natural streams.
• Participating in local community events like Plant-a-Row, food drives, seed swaps, and other activities that promote happier and healthier communities.

To check out our full Sustainability Report, follow this link. You will also be able to see the sustainability activities from our parent company, Valent BioSciences