Determination of Optimal Fertilizer Formulation to Improve Root Strength and Connectivity for Plant-Based Infrastructure

Helping Nature Heal（HNH）是一家加拿大生态景观公司，自2004年以来，将环境和可持续发展科学结合起来，更新和恢复退化，受损或被破坏的生态系统和栖息地。HNH还为景观和园艺的许多方面提供咨询服务，包括森林管理，侵蚀管理，栖息地创造和食用景观。由于担心加拿大各地土壤侵蚀的破坏性影响，HNH制定了重要的战略，通过实施以植物为基础的系统，可以帮助减缓98%的侵蚀速度。这项研究的总体目标是确定最佳的施肥制度，以改善植物根系生长及其宏观和微观尺度的特性。肥力方案包括营养源、微生物肥料配方（增加生长素释放）、真菌菌落的实施以及处理时间。该项目将涉及确定最佳肥料配方和施用时间;确定根系宏观和微观尺度特性;评估微生物肥料改善植物根系生长的潜力;以及评估菌根真菌增加植物根系和土壤之间连通性的潜力。该拟议项目将在加拿大开发以植物为基础的土壤侵蚀预防方法，从而产生环境和经济效益。开发防止土壤侵蚀的新技术可以帮助减少房主因土壤侵蚀而遭受的经济损失。此外，防止土壤侵蚀将使加拿大农民受益，减少每年因土壤侵蚀而损失的农作物的百分比。加拿大的自然环境将受益于拟议的方法，因为它们对生态的影响较低，并能改善土壤的完整性。总体而言，这种以植物为基础的方法比建造海堤更具成本效益和可持续性。

Helping Nature Heal (HNH) based in Bridgewater NS, is a Canadian ecological landscaping company that combines environmental and sustainability science to renew and restore degraded, damaged, or destroyedecosystems and habitats since 2004. HNH also provides consultation services for many aspects of landscaping and gardening, including forest stewardship, erosion management, habitat creation, and edible landscaping. Concerned by the devastating impact of soil erosion across Canada, HNH has developed significant strategies that can help to slow the rate of erosion by 98% by implementing plant-based systems. The overall objective of this proposed study is to determine the optimum fertility regime(s) to improve plant root growth and its macro and micro scale properties. Fertility regimes include nutrient source, formulation with microbial fertilizers (increasing the auxins liberation), implementation of fungi colonies as well as timing of treatments. The project will involve determining optimal fertility formulation and application timing; determining root macro and micro scale properties; evaluating the potential of microbial fertilizers to improve plant root growth; and evaluating the potential of mycorrhizal fungi to increase the connectivity between plant roots and soil. This proposed project will have both environmental and economic benefits in Canada with the development of plant-based methods of soil erosion prevention. Developing new techniques for soil erosion prevention can aid in decreasing monetary losses that homeowners experience due to soil erosion. In addition, soil erosion prevention will benefit Canadian farmers by reducing the percentage of crops annually lost to soil erosion. Canada's natural environments will benefit from the proposed methods as they have a lower ecological impact and can improve soil integrity. Overall, this plant-based approach is more cost-effective and sustainable than the construction of seawalls.