http://www.californianonline.com/new...ws/632748.html

Monday, December 23, 2002


Science, ag joining hands
Researcher gets to the very roots of plant nutrition
By Brian Gaylord
The Californian


--------------------------------------------------------------------------
------
Jim Barlow has searched the world for solutions to farmers' concerns about
plant nutrition and protection.
Technologies he's come upon are beginning to make their way to the Salinas
Valley.

Barlow, a graduate of the Crops Science Department of California Polytechnic
State University, San Luis Obispo, launched his business -- Soilweb, Inc. -- in
Gilroy in 1998. Over the past five years, he's focused on the relatively new
scientific understanding of soil ecology in the root zone, known as the
"soilweb."

The soilweb is a commercial term for what scientists refer to as the "soil
foodweb," which is the community of microbes that live in the soil, usually
around the roots of plants. Barlow said a healthy soil that helps plants grow
well should include a broad diversity of many different kinds of bacteria,
fungi, protozoa and friendly nematodes -- unsegmented round worms, some of
which are parasitic.

Beneficial microbes are the unique source of eight processes in the root zone
that directly affect soil health and plant vitality. When the soilweb is
degraded -- as it always is in farmed soils by tillage, chemicals or fumigation
-- the eight key jobs don't happen as well as they should until the soil is
restored.

Barlow says healthy soils aid in the decomposition of crop residues, manure and
other organic material; are better able to retain and recycle nutrient;
suppress root pests and diseases; produce regulators that stimulate plant
growth and development; create and maintain soil structure; provide drought
resistance; and cleanse herbicides and pesticides from the soil.

"My passion is to help farmers take science and optimize all eight
(processes)," Barlow said.

In an example of technology transfer that is benefiting the United States,
Barlow was the first distributor of the family of natural products developed by
Bio-Start, Pty. Ltd. of New Zealand that have the potential to help farmers
optimize soil.

Barlow had an information booth at the Central Coast Agriculture Technology
Investment Forum at the Marina Small Business Incubator a month ago, and he
believes he made useful contacts.

In March 2002, Richard Boer, vineyard manager of Chalone Vineyards outside
Soledad began using the Bio-Start program on a 14-acre, young pinot noir
vineyard. So far, he's impressed with the results.

He estimates the products have shown that beneficial aerobic bacteria in the
soil has improved by a tenfold ratio.

"I'm expecting to see improved vine growth by next year," Boer said. "I'm
trying a few products, and his (Barlow's) looks the most promising."

At this point, Boer just has the program on the 14-acre plot, and he plans to
do an analysis of soil after another year on the Bio-Start program.

Barlow also is working with several strawberry growers in Watsonville through
the Watsonville Berry Co-op, and said that the growers are expanding their use
of bioproducts Barlow has provided. Most of Barlow's vineyard applications are
taking place in the Central Valley and other locations well outside the Salinas
or Watsonville areas.

Barlow intends to spread the word for bioproduct applications in lettuce and
broccoli fields, among other commodities.