Super high energy forage

Rapidly building organic matter

The most cost effective management of plant

nutrition

John Kempf

1. Carbohydrates

2. Proteins

4. PSM’s

3. Lipids

- soil borne pathogens

- sucking and chewing insects

- air borne pathogens

- beetles

24 hour photo cycle

John Kempf

Sugar source Photosynthesizing leaves

Sugar sinks Shoot growth

Root growth

Fruit development

Root exudates

How to build soil organic matter

fast

John Kempf

The Organic Matter Paradox

John Kempf

~ 50% of crop biomass is below the

soil surface

John Kempf

~ many crops deplete soil organic

matter

John Kempf

How can both be true?

John Kempf

John Kempf

Lifetime sugar production

Root Exudate

s

Plant Biomass

Fruit

Root Biomass

John Kempf

Root Exuda

tes

Plant Bioma

ss Fruit

Root Bioma

ss

John Kempf

Root Exuda

tes

Plant Bioma

ss Fruit

Root Bioma

ss

John Kempf

Root Exuda

tes Plant

Biomass

Fruit Root Bioma

ss

John Kempf

Root Exuda

tes Plant

Biomass

Fruit Root

Biomass

John Kempf

Root Exudate

s

Plant Bioma

ss

Fruit

Root Bioma

ss

John Kempf

Root Exudate

s

Plant Biomass

Fruit

Root Biomass

With FULL photosynthesis

John Kempf

Root Exuda

tes

Plant Bioma

ss

Fruit

Root Bioma

ss

With usual photosynthesis

To build organic matter fast:

1. Peak Photosynthesis

2. Fungal digestion

John Kempf

John Kempf

Peak Photosynthesis

John Kempf

Fungal Digestion

John Kempf

Full Capacity Photosynthesis Full Capacity Photosynthesis Bacterial Digestion Bacterial Digestion

Mineralization Mineralization

Humification Humification

Microbial Metabolite Nutrition Microbial Metabolite Nutrition Fungal Digestion Fungal Digestion

1. Carbohydrates

2. Proteins

4. PSM’s

3. Lipids

- soil borne pathogens

- sucking and chewing insects

- air borne pathogens

- beetles

Maximum

photosynthesis

John Kempf

low mineral content =

Two reasons why organic

materials are not converted to

organic matter.

John Kempf

Lack of biological digestion

John Kempf

John Kempf

John Kempf

2. Biological digestion that

doesn't lead to the formation of

stable humic substances

John Kempf

John Kempf

Bacterial Digestion

John Kempf

(Mineralization)

John Kempf

Crop Fertilizer

Amount of organic material does

not correlate to the quantity of

stable humic substances

John Kempf

Fungal Digestion

John Kempf

(Humification)

John Kempf

Soil Builder

Fungal digestion in the field

John Kempf

John Kempf

John Kempf

John Kempf

John Kempf