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Actinovate (Organic Gardening Product)


 

Actinovate: Beneficial organism product that helps control several soil-born diseases. It contains a harmless soil microorganism, Streptomyces lydicus strain WYEC108, in zeolite, for use as a plant growth enhancing supplement in agricultural and greenhouse operations. This organism colonizes the roots of a variety of different plants and stimulates plant growth in a symbiotic relationship with the plant.

 

It contains the following
1) Saprophytic, rhizosphere-colonizing actinomycetes,
2) Isolated from the roots of a linseed plant,
3) Produces potent antifungal metabolites,
4) In vitro, it strongly inhibits a wide range of fungi (Pythium, Rhizoctonia, Phytophthora, Scherotinia),
5) In vitro, it also inhibits, but to a lesser degree, fungi such as Fusarium, Geotrichum and Verticillium. In addition, if the material is put on the plant as soon as it emerges from seed or when it is transplanted, it will prevent the plant from getting one of the numerous virus strains that can stop plant production.

 

Hard to find product. A better approach is as follows:

 

Soil borne diseases are controlled by increasing the biological activity in the soil. When microbes are plentiful, the beneficial organisms control the pathogens. Pathogens themselves are not pests when in their proper populations. The best products for stimulating life and the balancing of biological activity in the soil and thus controlling soil borne diseases include cornmeal, garlic, molasses, compost and mycorrhizal fungi products.

 

A broader scale soil borne diseases can be controlled by improving and maintaining drainage, keeping bare soil mulched, and planting native and adapted plants. Common sense is the basic answer.

 

 

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