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Electromagnetic Parameters
electrons to consume nutrients or spew out methane or expel carbon dioxide, or any other biological process. It is often observed that the microorganisms that make up the root microbiome thrive
in the presence of biochar. There had been no clear explanation for this, but scientists from Cornell
University (Sun et al., 2017) have now discovered that biochar provides high-defnition electron
pathways in the soil that allow electrons to travel through the soil farther and more effciently.
Field trials undertaken by Koppert Biological Systems demonstrated that the addition of a liquifed stable carbon source to rockwool enhances Trichoderma (fungal) growth, resulting in at least a
10-fold colonisation of the fungus on the roots in the rockwool slabs that had been treated with liquid carbon. Trichoderma harzianum T22 acts as a biological fungicide against Pythium, Fusarium
and Rhizoctonia in many crops. It also has plant growth-promoting features. Growers often struggle
to get this benefcial fungus established on the plant roots in rockwool substrate. But the addition
of a liquid biochar-like carbon gave remarkable improvements. The mode of action has not been
investigated. It is unlikely that the Trichoderma fungus uses the carbon as a food source, since it is a
very stable form that cannot further be digested. This is confrmed by Sun et al. (2017) who note that
the use of biochar as a food source can be discarded because microorganisms cannot consume much
of it. So the effect may be explained either in that it provides a more friendly place for Trichoderma
to grow than the ‘hostile’ rockwool substrate or in that high-defnition pathways for electrons are
created by the carbon.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS
The above is a snapshot of the research undertaken to better understand the role of electromagnetic
phenomena in plants. The matter has many facets and is quite complicated, and the results are not
always consistent. Many methods have been tried. Some look promising, and certainly, the rapid
developments in the domain of sensors, artifcial intelligence and the Internet of things will help to
develop systems that enable growers to better monitor plant growth and have more comprehensive
information to support their decision-making. Bioelectric methods could also help with simple and
cheap comparisons of fruit and vegetable products and their internal quality.
The same holds true for the methods investigated that promote various types of electromagnetic
effects on plant growth. Many approaches have been tried, yet none have really shown a breakthrough so far. The notion that plant growth concerns more than particles at least has started to be
accepted in some quarters. There is a need for more in-depth and systematic analysis as to whether –
and to what extent – the elements of energy and information connected to electricity can be applied
and managed to beneft plant growth.
As a common thread running through all that has been presented above, I am beginning to see
a lot of similarities between water and electrons. Both must be able to fow freely from the root
zone, upwards through the plant, partly leaving the plant through the leaves and partly stored in
the plant tissue. They need electrons to be present in a free and available form, to help fowers to
be more visible for pollinators, to facilitate metabolic processes throughout the rhizosphere and the
rest of the plant, to store energy in an excited form to help plants cope with oxidative stress and to
contribute to the health of those who eat the parts of the plant harvested for food or feed. Similarly,
water has to be available in the root zone, be taken up and transported via the root system, carry
water-soluble components up and down and be part of many metabolic processes. Water must also
be amply available in the leaves for evaporation to regulate leaf temperature, but suffciently kept in
the plant tissue to maintain turgor.
The question arises that if these concepts have been worked on for almost a century, why have
there not been more major commercial breakthroughs and uptake? Several factors are at play here.
It is curiosity that has driven many researchers and others (including myself) to dive into this topic.
For farmers and growers, the combination between the disciplines of electro(magnetism) and (plant)
physiology may not be suffciently attractive. In the area of monitoring, practical people may prefer direct or visible (e.g. morphological or symptomatic) observations above indirect or invisible
Electromagnetic Parameters
electrons to consume nutrients or spew out methane or expel carbon dioxide, or any other biological process. It is often observed that the microorganisms that make up the root microbiome thrive
in the presence of biochar. There had been no clear explanation for this, but scientists from Cornell
University (Sun et al., 2017) have now discovered that biochar provides high-defnition electron
pathways in the soil that allow electrons to travel through the soil farther and more effciently.
Field trials undertaken by Koppert Biological Systems demonstrated that the addition of a liquifed stable carbon source to rockwool enhances Trichoderma (fungal) growth, resulting in at least a
10-fold colonisation of the fungus on the roots in the rockwool slabs that had been treated with liquid carbon. Trichoderma harzianum T22 acts as a biological fungicide against Pythium, Fusarium
and Rhizoctonia in many crops. It also has plant growth-promoting features. Growers often struggle
to get this benefcial fungus established on the plant roots in rockwool substrate. But the addition
of a liquid biochar-like carbon gave remarkable improvements. The mode of action has not been
investigated. It is unlikely that the Trichoderma fungus uses the carbon as a food source, since it is a
very stable form that cannot further be digested. This is confrmed by Sun et al. (2017) who note that
the use of biochar as a food source can be discarded because microorganisms cannot consume much
of it. So the effect may be explained either in that it provides a more friendly place for Trichoderma
to grow than the ‘hostile’ rockwool substrate or in that high-defnition pathways for electrons are
created by the carbon.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS
The above is a snapshot of the research undertaken to better understand the role of electromagnetic
phenomena in plants. The matter has many facets and is quite complicated, and the results are not
always consistent. Many methods have been tried. Some look promising, and certainly, the rapid
developments in the domain of sensors, artifcial intelligence and the Internet of things will help to
develop systems that enable growers to better monitor plant growth and have more comprehensive
information to support their decision-making. Bioelectric methods could also help with simple and
cheap comparisons of fruit and vegetable products and their internal quality.
The same holds true for the methods investigated that promote various types of electromagnetic
effects on plant growth. Many approaches have been tried, yet none have really shown a breakthrough so far. The notion that plant growth concerns more than particles at least has started to be
accepted in some quarters. There is a need for more in-depth and systematic analysis as to whether –
and to what extent – the elements of energy and information connected to electricity can be applied
and managed to beneft plant growth.
As a common thread running through all that has been presented above, I am beginning to see
a lot of similarities between water and electrons. Both must be able to fow freely from the root
zone, upwards through the plant, partly leaving the plant through the leaves and partly stored in
the plant tissue. They need electrons to be present in a free and available form, to help fowers to
be more visible for pollinators, to facilitate metabolic processes throughout the rhizosphere and the
rest of the plant, to store energy in an excited form to help plants cope with oxidative stress and to
contribute to the health of those who eat the parts of the plant harvested for food or feed. Similarly,
water has to be available in the root zone, be taken up and transported via the root system, carry
water-soluble components up and down and be part of many metabolic processes. Water must also
be amply available in the leaves for evaporation to regulate leaf temperature, but suffciently kept in
the plant tissue to maintain turgor.
The question arises that if these concepts have been worked on for almost a century, why have
there not been more major commercial breakthroughs and uptake? Several factors are at play here.
It is curiosity that has driven many researchers and others (including myself) to dive into this topic.
For farmers and growers, the combination between the disciplines of electro(magnetism) and (plant)
physiology may not be suffciently attractive. In the area of monitoring, practical people may prefer direct or visible (e.g. morphological or symptomatic) observations above indirect or invisible