There is N and P being made in the soil. Microbes carry DNA. As they consume one another, split, die etc nucleic and amino acids are released. Remember we also return the biomass to the soil. What was taken is returned with a small cut taken. The enzymes generated via the soil food web handle the rest.
Ok yes, Nitrogen is in the air, its is not in plant form, nor is it when its in many of its pre existing organic forms.
Microbes must convert it, but N also converts because of weather, Lightening etc where its NH4+ and NO3- no longer N2 or other.
As microbes convert N, they need to be fueled themselves and they need to use organic acids and proteins themselves which they get from C and H and so on in order to extract the fuel from the environment.. So microbes in soil, in many cases use some of the N, either that already in soils as decaying biomass, or that in the air, water and so on, or they use minerals like Iron which they convert to amino forms of N.
No N means no mineralization, means no plant can feed itself on organics and so N defs occur. its like me trying to eat a thanksgiving turkey whole, on my own, with no knife or fork. it aint happening, it will need to be cut up in to smaller units of turkey right? Microbes take the turkey, and make it in to a nugget.
Excess N is spilled from microbes as waste, or by way of biological warfare and predation, ionic N, proteins (amino acids) and so on, this is the N our plants might use in nature, but they also use the amino acids created by assimilation of N.
As each round of N is used in our systems and excess accumulates, its is further transformed by another set of microbes whom convert this ionic N and so on, back in to a gas, where it balances that taken from the air, so providing a part of the puzzle of balancing dynamic atmospheric gases. Where we over use N we get too much for the systems needs and so we get n based pollution events. these are something we really ought to have learned to avoid by now.
All of this sways on the local conditions and so any and all of this might fail at any one point in time given unfavorable conditions that may well be outside of our control. For example, what is the operating range of bacillus subtilus? How many other Bac Sub types exist and what is the sum total OSR?
Might we be buying things that dont stand a chance of working in light of how we grow?
Amino acids are just the latest thing to come out of the universities that are themselves funded by big Ag. And on them, I wanted to make some things clear, esp about the relationship between AA and N. This post is confusing otherwise. Plants need Nitrogen, do not stop using sources of this.
But here is some data on AA and why i use it in combinations, including an AAC of N directly.
Every plant like any organism needs certain components for growth over and above soil, sun, rain and air. The basic component of living cells is Proteins, with building block material, Amino Acids. Proteins are formed by sequence of Amino Acids.
Plants synthesize Amino Acids from the Primary elements, the Carbon and Oxygen obtained from air, Hydrogen from water in the soil, forming Carbon Hydrate by means of photosynthesis and combining it with the Nitrogen which the plants obtain from the soil, leading to synthesis of amino acids, by collateral metabolic pathways. Only L-Amino Acids are part of these Proteins and have metabolic activity.
The requirement of amino acids in essential quantities is well known as a means to increase yield and overall quality of crops.
The application of amino acids for foliar use is based on its requirement by plants in general and at critical stages of growth in particular. Plants absorb Amino Acids through Stomas and is proportionate to environment temperature.
Amino Acids are fundamental ingredients in the process of Protein Synthesis.
About 20 important Amino Acids are involved in the process of each function. Studies have proved that Amino Acids can directly or indirectly influence the physiological activities of the plant.
Amino Acids are also supplied to plant by incorporating them into the soil. It helps in improving the microflora of the soil thereby facilitating the assimilation of nutrients.
Foliar Nutrition in the form of Protein Hydrolysate (Known as Amino Acids Liquid) and foliar spray provide ready made building blocks for Protein synthesis but are not always easy to use in blooming plants subject to mold risk..
Proteins have a structural function, metabolic function (enzymes), a transport function and a stock of Amino Acids function. Only L - Amino Acids are assimilated by plants. D - Amino Acids are not recognized by the enzymatic locus and therefore can not participate in protein synthesis.This fact actually means lab AAC is more effective then organic AAC. Although this statement needs to be taken lightly, we dont truly understand the magic.
Stress such as High temperature, Low humidity, Frost, Pest attack, Hailstorm, Floods have a negative effect on plant metabolism with a corresponding reduction in crop quality and quantity.
The application of Amino Acids before, during and after the stress conditions supplies the plants with Amino Acids which are directly related to stress physiology and thus has a preventing and recovering effect.
Plants synthesize carbohydrates by photosynthesis, Low photosynthesis rate implies a slow growth leading to death of the plant, chlorophyll is the responsible molecule for the absorption of the light energy.
Glycine and Glutamic Acid are fundamental metabolites in the process of formation of vegetable tissue and chlorophyll synthesis. These Amino Acids help to increase chlorophyll concentration in the plant leading to higher degree of photosynthesis. Or greener plants :)
Stomas are the cellular structures that control the hydric balance of the plant, the macro and micronutrient absorption and the absorption of gases.
The opening of the stomas is controlled by both external factors (light, humidity, temperature and salt concentration) and internal factors (amino acids concentration, abcisic acid etc.)
The Stomas are closed when light and humidity are low & temperature and salt concentration are high, when stomas are closed photosynthesis and transpiration are reduced (low absorption of macro & micronutrients) and respiration is increased (Carbohydrate destruction)
In this case the metabolic balance of the plant is negative. Catabolism is higher than anabolism. This implies slow metabolism and stops the plant growth.
L-glutamic acid acts as a cytoplasm osmotic agent of the “guard cells”. Thus favouring the opening of the stomas.
Amino Acids have a chelating effect on micronutrients. When applied together with micronutrients, the absorption and transportation of micronutrients inside the plant is easier.
This effect is due to the chelating action and to the effect of cell membrane permeability.
L - Glycine & L - Glutamic Acid are known to be very effective chelating agents.
Amino Acids are precursors or activators of phytohormones and growth substances. L - Methionine is precursor of ethylene and of growth factors such as Espermine and Espermidine, which are synsthesized from 5 - Adenosyl Methionine. L - Tryptophan is precursor for Auxin synthesis. L - Tryptophan is used in plants in L - Form only. L - Tryptophan is available only if hydrolysis of Protein is carried out by enzyme. If hydrolysis is carried out by acid or alkali, as done in many European countries, L - Tryptophan is destroyed.
L - Arginine induces synthesis of flower and fruit related hormones.
Pollination is the transport of pollen to the pistil, so fecundation and formation of the fruit is possible. L - Proline helps in fertility of Pollen. L - Lysine, L - Methionine, L - Glutamic Acid are essential amino acids for pollination. These amino acids increase the pollen germination and the length of the pollinic tube.
The equilibrium of the microbial flora of the agriculture soil is a basic question for a good mineralisation of the organic matter and also for a good soil structure and fertility around the roots.
L-methionine is precursor growth factors that stabilize the cell walls of the microbial flor.
L - Glutamic Acid & L - Aspartic Acid, by transamination give rise to the rest of the amino acids.
L - Proline & Hydroxy Proline act mainly on the hydric balance of the plant strengthening the cellular walls in such a way that they increase resistance to unfavourable climatic conditions.
L - Alanine, L - Valine & L - Leucine improve quality of fruits.
L - Histidine helps in proper ripening of fruits.
I hope this helps.
