General High-Yield Program Outline

Bio Minerals Technologies' basic crop program consists of four foundational elements.

1. Biological Seed Treatment - targeted soil microbes to help feed and protect the plants throughout the growing season, with mineral nutrition and plant stimulants to support both microbial growth and plant germination.
2. In-furrow stimulants and starter - products to stimulate additional microbial growth for greater nutrient transfer and plant support as well as increased soil nutrient availability.
3. Foliars - trace minerals and biological supports to protect and feed the plants through the critical growth and yield support stages.
4. Microbial Mineral Tea - a fungally rich tea that restores proper biological balances to the soil and rebuilds diminishing microbial populations.

There are extensions and variations to our program, based on the needs of the individual crops and fields, but these four elements form the foundation of all our plans. As we build your crop plan, we will work with you to implement the right combinations and variations to address your specific needs and targets.

The information below explains the details of these elements and the roles they play in proper soil and crop progressions.

As you start down this pathway to sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices, it is important to understand how nutrition is transferred from the soil and environment into the plant.

In the process of Creation, the elements were organized, and God made them in an insoluble form, be it the gases (H, C, O, N) or solids (P, K, Ca, S, Mg and all trace elements). Everything on this planet is made up of these minerals, everything! These elements move between soil and plants and from plants to animals and humans. However, each time these elements move between spheres, they must be ‘converted’ or ‘fixed’ into a soluble form for the higher sphere.

There are two types of ‘conversion’ or ‘fixation’; one is natural using biology and the other is unnatural using industrial processes to synthesize elements. These two processes are the extreme opposites of each other. The natural biological methods employ microorganisms that result in a pure form of mineral nutrition in a non-toxic form, while the unnatural industrial synthetic process yields minerals combined with toxic structures such as salts and acids.

Nature has been using the natural fixation process since the dawn of time. Only in the last 100 or so years has man resorted to industrial fixation to derive a soluble nutrient in another form. Industrial synthetic nutrients of N, P, K, etc. have degraded soils, contaminated watersheds, and polluted aquifers, rivers, and oceans. Our food mineral / nutrient values have steadily declined while plant diseases have steadily increased. And in spite of our “progress” in industrial agricultural output, human health is rapidly declining with massive increases in every disease category.

Isn’t 114 years of industrial synthetic mineralization long enough to assess the degeneration of our environment and health?

Only Nature contains the regenerative and sustainable properties that better all life forms.

At Bio Minerals Technologies, our approach is to transition farms back to a managed biological process of mineral fixation converting atmospheric gases, soil elements and mineral compounds, plant residue materials and those numerous and complete minerals held within the bodies of the microbial communities in our soils as the primary sources of our plants’ nutrient needs. You can watch our training video on Using Biology to Maximize Growing Systems. There is nothing better to build a new plant cell than the complete set of minerals from a microorganism cell. For a plant to harvest soil minerals via root exudates (acids and hydrogen) requires time and energy, not just to obtain them, but also using its enzymes to begin the construction of those simple elements / minerals into various components. All of which requires energy, and time.

A plant cell cannot divide without all the minerals to sustain the new cell’s structure and function. The faster the plant can obtain the needed minerals for cellular division, the faster it can divide and grow. The Rate of Mineralization directly controls The Rate of Cellular Reproduction.  Mineral forms coming from a ‘digested’ microorganism are more complete, faster, and require less time and energy than harvesting minerals from the soil. Everything we can do to reduce stress, reduce energy loss, and improve time and mineral efficiency drives growth potential into yield and quality.

In order to properly manage this process and provide the tools that our plants and soil microorganisms need, there are four basic interactions we need to pay attention to.

1.  Plant – Soil The plant/soil interaction is the process whereby the plant produces exudates that dissolve and absorb minerals directly from the soil around it. This is a very inefficient process and is where traditional agriculture spends most of its focus.
   
   
2. Microbes – Plants (direct)
   In direct microbe/plant interactions, microbes extract nutrients from the soil transfer them directly to the plants through the roots. Plants actively solicit these interactions by exuding certain sugars on their roots which will attract specific microbes tuned to the minerals the plants need at that time. Plants are very good microbe farmers.
   
   BMT Seed Treatment and Foliar Biology Boost: We target these direct interactions with the microbes in our seed treatment and foliar biology products. The microbes we use harvest specific nutrients and make those nutrients available for the plants, either through the roots or through the leaf surfaces.
   
   
3. Microbes – Plants (indirect)
   The indirect microbe/plant interactions are focused more on microbial interactions, specifically the predator/prey relationships. We introduce large amounts of protozoa into the soil through our Humate Tea. The protozoa eat bacteria. With the seed treatment, we have introduced large amounts of targeted nutrition-gathering bacteria into the plant root zones and they proliferate as the plants grow and nourish them.
   
   The protozoa see the large bacterial populations and they start feeding. When a protozoa eats a bacteria, about 85% of the mineral content of the bacteria is excreted as unused. The excreted minerals are converted through the digestive process and are excreted in a form that the plants can intake directly. This provides a very rich and energy-efficient mineral source for the plants to absorb and use.
   
   This active nutrient cycling is critical to the nourishment of the plants and it enables them to receive the minerals they require when they are needed most, naturally. It also greatly increases the efficiency of the plant/soil interactions, since the plants don’t have to convert these minerals.
   
   
4. Microbes – Soil
   The overall microbial interaction with the soil helps deal with general structural issues such as residue decomposition and its attendant nutrient recycling, pathogen control, soil structure, permeability, water retention, and much more.
   
   We provide this broad-based microbial infusion through our Microbial Mineral Tea which can be applied throughout the season for continued improvement and growth. The large populations of beneficial microbes will create a healthy population at all levels and they will actively suppress and control pathogenic populations to keep both your soil and your plants healthy.
   
   In addition, the general microbial activity involved in decomposition produces CO2, which is actively absorbed by the plants, both below the ground and above. Carbon and Oxygen make up 90% of the plant’s total dry matter weight, so the availability of CO2 is critical for active plant growth.

So how does all of this translate into actual planting and farming practices? The steps are detailed below, and at Bio Minerals Technologies, we can help you prepare for and properly execute each step throughout the season.

1. Test soil for current microbial activity and mineral content
   We always start with an assessment of your current state. We will send soil samples in for both a microbial count and classification as well as a mineral content assay. The results of these test tell us where we are starting from and highlight critical deficiencies that need to be addressed.
   
   
2. Microbial Mineral Tea before planting
   The Microbial Mineral Tea is an aerobically brewed product that is applied to the fields throughout the season. The Microbial Mineral Tea introduces large amounts of beneficial biology into the soil, with a strong emphasis on fungal populations to promote residue decomposition and overall soil restructuring. The base target is 20 gallons per acre and the best time to apply the first dose is in the spring on last year’s residue. Boosting the general biological populations before planting stimulates the residue recycling and the CO2 production within the soil at the time the plants need it the most, when they are young and active.
   
   Apply 20 gallons of tea per acre on top of last year’s residue and lightly till it in to push the residue and the microbes down into the soil. Plant directly into the lightly tilled residue for best results.
   
   Additional applications of Microbial Mineral Tea can be made throughout the season as desired either through irrigation or by direct streaming. Microbial Mineral Tea can also be used as a liquid base for the foliar applications, placing additional beneficial biology on the leaf surfaces as well as providing small amounts of trace elements for general nutrition.
   
   
3. At planting – There are several elements to the planting process that will activate and promote the necessary microbial processes. These elements involve both direct microbe applications as well as stimulation and plant/microbe nutrition.
   
   • Seed Treatment: All seed is treated with our Bio Minerals Technologies seed treatment products which include the targeted nutrient-harvesting bacteria as well as natural nutrition and germination and bacterial stimulants.
     
     
   • Bio Release and FLC in-furrow at planting: The application of the liquid Bio Release and FLC in-furrow performs two functions. The Bio Release extracts and neutralizes minerals from the soil, holding them readily available for the microbes and plants to harvest with the least amount of effort. The FLC actively stimulates the reproduction of the microbes, creating a much larger microbial population as the foundation of your underground work force.
     
     
   • Humate tea as the liquid carrier for the Bio Release and FLC: The Humate tea is aerobically brewed using raw humates and Bio Release to extract and vastly multiply the protozoa populations contained in the humates. Injecting this tea at planting jump-starts the nutrient-cycling process and creates a large reservoir of converted, soluble minerals for the plants to absorb and use as they grow.
     
     
4. Foliars – There are multiple foliar options, depending on the crop and the needs of the field and farm. We always recommend at least one good foliar, but preferably two for maximum effect and support.
   
   • Biological foliar: The biological foliar consists of targeted nutrient-harvesting microbes, applied to the plant surfaces with growth stimulants to help them quickly and efficiently populate and cover the plant. These microbes will harvest nitrogen and other minerals from the air surrounding the plant and from dust particles that carry in and settle on the plant surfaces. The biological foliar should be applied as soon as there is enough leaf coverage for a good foliar, but after any herbicide applications.
     
     
   • Micro-nutrient foliar: The micronutrient foliar provides a balanced blend of critical trace elements that are necessary for plant function and growth. Our nutrient foliars are produced with very small molecular sizes, with each element individually chelated yet still small enough to be easily absorbed through the leaf surface. The timing of the micro-nutrient foliars depends on the crop. We generally try to time the application to the growth stage where the plant is determining yield for maximum effectiveness.
     
     Micro-nutrient foliars are also critical as companion applications with glyphosate. Glyphosate chelates plant minerals, stunting their growth and slowing their progress. The micro-nutrient foliars, combined with glyphosate applications, replace the induced mineral shortages, allowing the plants to continue growing uninterrupted.
     
     
   • Protective foliar options: We have a number of natural foliar additions that can help to protect plants from both disease and pests, depending on the needs of your specific area and crop. These additions can be applied separately, or in combination with the nutrient or microbial foliars. These options will be discussed as we plan your crop and field applications with you.

The implementation of these elements within your crop and field plans will give you the best opportunity for success while greatly diminishing the need for synthetic applications. By focusing on the plant, soil, and microbe interactions and managing for them you can create a sustainable and far less expensive growing system, providing not only success, but nutrition at all stages of the crop cycle. Healthy plants produce healthy crops and healthy crops create healthy food for healthy people.

For more information, watch our 2023 video series "Using Biology to Maximize Growing Systems."