James' speaking engagements in 2010

James' speaking engagements are now posted on the Soil & Wine website: http://www.soilandwine.com.

word clouds

Soils introduction

Soil science is the study of soils through an integrated approach including physics, chemistry, and biology- all governed by waterflow. The chemical reactions which occur in the soil are in constant flux, and the greatest changes in the soil profile occur in the zone closest to the Earth’s surface. This zone is referred to as the rhizosphere, which literally means “root zone.”
In the rhizosphere, roots exude carbon compounds which are consumed by soil microbes. In turn, microbes alter the environment chemically, physically, and hydrogeologically.
Soil Solutions LLC conducts comprehensive soil analyses by interpreting the soil profile, at left. The formation of an individual solum is dependent on many factors, including parent material, climate, water regime, and time. By delving into the soil pit,
we can better elucidate soil depth, redoximorphic features, restrictive layers, mottling, porosity, root density and depth, soil water content, and a host of other criteria.
In conjunction with this, Soil Solutions LLC uses the best labs to analyze soil chemistry and biology.

Soil potential index (SPI)

A sampling protocol deals with a representative part of the whole. Soil Solutions LLC uses reference samples of 100 cores per sample, generally to a depth of 7 inches. The greater the ratio of the composite: whole, the more accurate the data; and therefore the better we can use the land. Within a single solum we have many variations, and if one population within the series has been allocated for a higher value crop, such as winegrapes, then we must weigh the costs associated with maximizing quality of yield with potential and subsequent increase in profit.

This is known as the Soil Potential Index (SPI), and is governed by $:

SPI = P – CM – CL

In this formula, P is performance, on a scale of 100; CM is an index of the cost of corrective measures; and CL is an index of the cost of the losses associated to a substandard yield. For example, if performance is improved by $1/bottle, at 3 tons/acre, we increase production at $3000/acre/yr. If amendments cost $1000/acre/year, performance is improved and we have a net positive SPI.
The Soil Potential Index has a wide range of variance to generate increased profit margin. With this increased economic threshold, the financial analysis should analyze CL, by comparing the cost of contracting an applicator with the inconvenience of applying soil amendments in-house. Concurrently, CM should be analyzed by comparing various strategies to fulfill vine nutrition. For example, it may be much cheaper and easier to tank-mix soluble iron, than it would be to apply sufficient granular iron to the soil.
The long-term effects of improved soil is not readily apparent. In fact, the future production value of the soils in concert with residual applications may very well greatly exceed expected SPI, to yield increasingly higher quality fruit. The phenomenon of better fruit from improved soils is well-documented. In sum, the propensity to increase the crop’s market value- by augmenting soils and increasing grape quality- by just $1 per bottle, can greatly justify the economic expense if additional cost per acre is less than $3000, at 3 ton/A.
Another intangible feature is that healthy soils promote healthy plants. Healthy plants resist disease much better than stressed plants in dystrophic soils. Increased profit margin can be realized by:
• Reduced rates and/or applications of pesticides
• Reduced cultural practices
o Pruning
o Hedging
o Root pruning
o Cluster-thinning
o Leaf-pulling
• Increased yield
• Increased quality

By applying the philosophy of base saturation, Soil Solutions LLC utilizes the benefits of various reaction mechanisms within the soil. By moderating the base cations (Ca, Mg, K, and Na) in the soil, the grower can better utilize the availability of other nutrients such as sulfur, phosphorous, and nitrogen. As a rule, these soil ammendments (Ca, Mg, K) are much cheaper than fertilizers such as S, P, and N.

Soil profile analysis

A soil profile analysis describes the nature and extent of the soil horizons. A soil horizon is a layer of soil which is different from adjacent layers. By describing the relations between horizons, and delineating boundary layers- as well as the nature of waterflow- the grower can better elucidate root penetration and restrictive layers.
Soil Solutions LLC conducts soil profile analyses for existing vineyards as well as new sites.

Plant physiology

What is the Sound of Opening Stomata?

We’ve heard the rhetoric question from the sage on the mountain asking what is the sound of one hand clapping. What about the sound of stomata popping? Does this correlate to a real world question in the daily life of phototrophic organisms? Every day at dawn, if we were to listen very carefully we could hear an audible pop echoing throughout the Delaware Valley…
It’s partly driven by a light reaction that causes the radial mycelation of a turgid guard cell. In other words, when the sun rises the stomate opens and we’re ready for business. Let the carbon-fixation begin!
At sunset, the reverse occurs, and the kidney-shaped guard cell sadly becomes flaccid and closes for the night. Please bear in mind that when you’re in the desert, the opposite occurs with CAM plants, which fix carbon at night to reduce the inevitable water loss that occurs every time a stomate opens, operating with a transpiration ratio of 50. However with C3 plants, the transpiration ratio is close to 500, meaning that for every 500 molecules of water lost, only 1 molecule of CO2 is fixed. Talk about 2 steps backward for every 1 step forward!
Ever wonder why Hairy Vetch is so hairy? The trichomes (or plant hairs, affectionately known as pubescence) effectively reduce evapotranspiration, while simultaneously keeping CO2 in place. One of the reasons the transpiration ratio is so great is because generally the CO2 content in the atmosphere is approximately 0.03%, while the water content inside the vacuole of the plant is approximately 2.5%. In addition, CO2 encounters resistance when crossing various membranes. This, coupled with the fact that the CO2 molecule is about 1.6 times larger than the water molecule, really makes it a bad hair day for the misunderstood CO2 molecule. Nobody seems to care about all the trouble he goes to. And he’s not even close to the Calvin Cycle yet…
So what exactly drives this mysteriously unerring opening and closing? Stay tuned next issue and we’ll talk about mineral nutrition, and the wonderful role of the Potassium ion flux of guard cells, inducing electrolytic tendencies, driving hydrolysis of ATP, thereby extruding protons to alter pH, and providing a passive chemical diffusion gradient. Waiter, may I have another helping of sulfate of potash?

Viticultural site analysis

To develop a new site for growing grapes, Soil Solutions LLC can conduct a site analysis. To determine the suitability of a site, we use an analytical hierarchy in which we assign values to parameters such as soil characteristics, topography, and climate.