The core of microbes’ effectiveness is in the substances they produce
The core of “effectiveness” is enzymes and coenzymes
Microbes are essential for the cycle of matter in nature, including carbon. For example, if we look at thatch in the context of sports turf management, thatch in a grass lawn is largely made up of cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin, and other plant fibers. The microbes that break down these plant fibers are essential as decomposers in the physical cycle of matter in nature, but some of the microbes that are powerful decomposers can also become the source of turf disease and thus become a problem for sports turf managers.
In this case, applying chemicals for the disease-causing microbe’s spectrum will solve the problem temporarily, but they will also act on plant fiber decomposing microbes with weak pathogenicity that fall within the spectrum. This runs the risk of creating an environment that’s more conducive to thatch accumulation.
Even under these conditions, it’s possible to decompose thatch by applying plant fiber decomposing enzymes, and coenzymes that indirectly support plant fiber decomposition, even where the soil is poor in microbes that decompose plant fibers.
This is because the essence of microbe effectiveness is found in the substances they produce. These produced substances are rich in enzymes and coenzymes, and take part in the biological activity of humans and plants.
Let’s take a look at the correlation between biogenic produced substances and probiotic microbes in humans and in sports turf management.
| Category | Biogenics (Humans) |
Probiotics (Humans) |
|
| Lactobacillus and other fermented products | Lactobacillus | Yogurt | |
| Gastric/bile acid | No effect | Annihilation | Annihilation |
| Short-chain fatty acid | One of main components | None | Almost none |
| Nucleic acid | More than 10 types of nucleic acid | None | ※No data |
| Nutrient composition | More than 750 types of effective components | No nutrients in lactobacillus itself | Some nutrients, but high in calories |
| Gastrointestinal tract | Effective component made by bacillus is absorbed directly in the body | Even if it lives, is egested and extremely unlikely to colonize | Feeds bacillus, but is inefficient |
Reference: Journal of Intestinal Bacteriology/Volume 16 (2002) Issue 1/bibliography Probiotics and Intestinal Flora, Mitsuoka Tomotari 光岡知足
Biogenics and Probiotics in the context of Sports Turf Management
| ※Factors to consider | Biogenics (sports turf) |
Probiotics (sports turf) |
|
| Fermentation products ※Product constituents enzymes, coenzymes, organic acids, amino acids |
Fungi | Bacteria | |
| Behavior in fungicide application | Almost unaffected | Within spectrum, dies | Within spectrum, dies |
| Cellulose decomposing enzyme (thatch decomposing enzyme) | ※Product constituents | Some produce | Some produce, but only trace amounts |
| Nutrient components | (Bioactive organic acid) (Bioactive amino acid) (enzymes, coenzymes) |
Nutrients for fungus body and its habitat more than for fungus itself | Nutrients for fungus body and its habitat more than for fungus itself |
| Soil | Effective components produced by fungus decompose thatch, act on roots and rhizosphere microbes, etc. | Even if it lives, unlikely to colonize, and is affected by environment | Even if it lives, unlikely to colonize, and is affected by environment |
It bears repeating that the effectiveness of microbes lies in the substances they produce, and those produced substances are rich in enzymes and coenzymes, and take part in the biological activity of humans and plants.
Skillful use of these (biogenic) substances produced by microbes in sports turf management can improve plant physiology and rhizosphere microbial activity. This can mean less reliance on chemicals and chemical fertilizers. The natural circulation products and environment-friendly sports turf maintenance program (bio-maintenance) offered by Fuji Biogreeen Ltd. and the Biobusiness Promotion Group don’t disturb the natural environment, move hand-in-hand with the natural environment, and create harmony among the natural environment, people and the turf.