Benefits of Electroculture On Soil - Electro-Horticulture - page 59

Electric fields applied to soils and sediments can affect many soil-based compounds,
causing them to be possibly mobilized, mineralized 4 , or broken down by way of redox
reactions that occur at all soil interfaces. One of the factors that affects the rate of
geochemical reactions is the grain size of the soil. Faster and larger-scale reactions tend
to occur more within clays and silts, and slower, smaller-scale reactions will occur within
sands and gravels. The other major factor that affects the rate of reaction is the soil's pH,
wherelowerpHvaluestendtofacilitatefasterreactions,thusleadingtoafasterbreakdown
of nutrients 5 .
It is worth noting here that, even though the material will be repeated in the next chapter
covering the effects upon bacteria, many species of bacteria exhibit increased metabolic
and reproductive activities. Thus, since bacteria are known for processing simpler forms
of nutrients, their increased activity will further assist with the breakdown of complex soil
nutrients.
Application Note: Increasing nutrient availability in colder-climate soils
The use of electro-horticulture can also be beneficial in low-temperature growing regions for similar
reasons. Plants that are grown in low-temperature environments may not grow as well as those in
warmer locales. It is surmised that the main reason for this is a decrease in ionic transport within both
the soil as well as the plant itself. In contrast to higher temperatures, where the ionic mobility tends to
be higher, when the temperature drops, the flow of chemical ions is hampered.
You may have observed this while trying to operate a consumer electronic device, like a mp3 player,
that's been sitting in the cold, overnight. The LCD screen is very slow to operate, and the electronics
maynoteventurnon.Whenthedeviceismovedtoawarmerlocation,theionswithinthebatteryreturn
to their normal state of mobility, allowing for the easy flow of ions and the normal operation of the
electronic product.
In soils, reduced ionic motion affects nutrient diffusion rates which makes normal fertilization methods
lessefficient.Similarly,inplants,reducedchemicalmovementresultsinslowersignaltransport,making
plants respond and ultimately grow at a slower pace.
With electroculture , through the stimulation effects that are produced, faster ionic transport in both
soil and plant can be expected, resulting in normal to accelerated growth rates, even in cold weather. Of
course, since the effects of stimulation can be plant-specific, and even specific to the particular history
of a given plant, this isn't guaranteed, but it is something that should be subject to more experimental
testing.
Summary
Inconclusion, it can beseen that the useofexternally-applied electric fields inconjunction
with traditional forms of fertilizer (either chemical or organic) can significantly reduce the