Roots, Soil Biome, & Maine Ag

How does crop diversity strengthen our food system?

What advantages does a large farm have over a small farm, and what is the ultimate result?

What crop brings the highest income to Maine?

• Potatoes

• Corn

• Blueberries

• Apples

• Raisins

What crop is the lobster industry starting to use on the slow season?

• Spirulina

• Almonds

• Kelp

• Cranberries

• Wheat

What farming practices have to change to support a healthy soil food web?

• Irrigate Less

• No more tilling

• Use only focused herbicides, insecticides, fungicides

• Supply organic matter

• Become a rebel

What benefits do farmers see from having a healthy soil food web?

• Improved yields

• Plants more resistant to pests and disease

• Less irrigation required

• Less erosion and nutrient loss

• Fuller, more luxurious hair

How does a healthy food web improve soil structure for plants?

• Breaks up compact soil

• Creates tunnels for drainage and roots

• Sticks soil particles together

• Provides predators so pests don't get out of check

• Creates spongy particles that hold lots of nutrients

Describe the give and take between plants and mycorrhizal fungi.

How is soil created?

Describe how water and nutrients move through a plant. Make sure to describe the role of the xylem and phloem.