Xtreme Gardening Azos: science or snake oil?

Upon the initial discovery of Azospirillum, it gained praise for its ability to produce a form of nitrogen that plants can easily use. Certainly this was the reason that the beneficial bacteria yields were higher than that of the control groups. However, in recent years research has shown that the increased root growth and overall plant vigor is not connected to nitrogen fixation alone; as is the case with nature, the answer is elegantly simple: Azospirillum’s nitrogen-producing gene was “turned off ”, yet its ability to produce more root mass, higher dry weight, increased survivability, increased crop yield and increased root hairs remained constant. One factor after another was ruled out and it’s now an accepted fact that Azospirillum synthesizes the plant growth hormone called IAA (indole-three-acetic acid) in a way that is easily utilized by plants. Although many scientists have tried, none have been able to efficiently reproduce Azospirillum’s delivery method of IAA to the plant - a way which ensures maximum utilization by plants.

IAA increases lateral root growth and root hairs, effectively boosting plants’ overall root surface area and increasing their ability to access nutrients. Furthermore, Azospirillum works symbiotically with Trichoderma and Mycorrhizae to maximize growth and production rates. This tripartite relationship provides leverage against natural events such as soil pathogens, drought, shock, stress and infestations. The relationship of these three microbes has been proven to increase farm production among the poorest farmers in the harshest of conditions, while delivering more food to the table for less than the chemical alternatives.

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