【The Wonders of Plants】The Surprising World Beneath the Soil: The Power of the "Underground Network" Spun by Crop Roots

Hello. I am Takahiro Ogawa, an agricultural management supporter. For all of you who work hard at farming every day, the growth of your crops is truly a daily joy, and at times, a challenging puzzle.
Sowing seeds, watering, and applying fertilizer. While it is certainly important to carefully observe the appearance of crops above ground, today I would like to change our perspective a little and look at the "underground" that we usually do not see.

In fact, a surprisingly dynamic world is spreading within the soil of your fields.
Our crops are not living in isolation.
With the roots of the crops at the center, they build a vast network in places we cannot see, exchanging information and helping each other just like the internet.
This time, I will passionately discuss the surprising capabilities of this "underground network" and how it can be useful for our agriculture.

The Underground Superhighway: "Mycorrhizal Fungi"

Supporting this underground network are microorganisms called mycorrhizal fungi.

When you hear the word "fungi," you might think of bad germs that cause disease. However, these mycorrhizal fungi are the best partners for crops. They live in symbiosis with crop roots, extending countless thread-like hyphae from the root tips, literally spreading throughout the soil.

Imagine our crop roots, with the help of mycorrhizal fungi, absorbing nutrients and water from a wide range of soil as if they had grown dozens of times longer.

In particular, they efficiently collect nutrients like phosphoric acid, which crops have difficulty absorbing on their own, and supply them to the crop roots. In return, the plants share the sugars they produced through photosynthesis with the mycorrhizal fungi. This is truly a wonderful symbiotic relationship of mutual benefit.

Exchanging information too!? Underground "communication"

Surprisingly, this underground network goes beyond just the exchange of nutrients.

Research suggests that plants may be communicating with each other through this network.

For example, suppose a crop is attacked by pests. The plant then secretes specific chemical substances from its roots and sends a "danger signal" to adjacent plants through the mycorrhizal network. The plants that receive the signal may be able to minimize damage by preparing their defenses in advance.

It is as if the entire field is functioning as a crisis management system.

This is still in the research stage, but if it is true, it could become a new clue for pest control. By viewing the entire field as a single ecosystem, might it not lead to more sustainable agriculture?

3 Tips to Strengthen the Underground Network

So, how can we make the most of this wonderful underground network in our fields? Here are three concrete tips.

1. Do not over-till the soil

Excessive tilling destroys the carefully spread mycorrhizal network. It is important to maintain the soil structure and create an environment where hyphae can easily live. It might be a good idea to consider no-till farming or reducing the number of times you till.

2. Do not rely too much on chemical fertilizers

In particular, excessive use of phosphate fertilizers can cause plants to weaken their symbiotic relationship with mycorrhizal fungi, thinking, 'I don't need to search for nutrients myself.' Utilizing organic fertilizers and compost to balance the microorganisms in the soil is the key to activating the underground network.

3. Plant a variety of crops

If you continue to plant a single crop, the soil balance is likely to collapse. By combining multiple crops or practicing crop rotation, various types of mycorrhizal fungi can easily establish themselves in the soil. This is also an important point for enriching the ecosystem of the entire field.

A field is one 'team'

A field is not just a place where we grow crops. The roots of the crops, mycorrhizal fungi, and countless microorganisms are **'one team'** that cooperates and helps each other to survive.

What we can do is not just grow crops, but create an environment where this invisible team can perform at its best. By doing so, crops will become more resistant to disease, their nutritional value will increase, and they will surely bring you a harvest that exceeds your expectations.

In the corner of your daily farm work, why not think about the mysterious world that spreads beneath the soil? There may be hints hidden there that will open up the future of sustainable agriculture.

[Related Articles]-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------