Marvellous Microbes

The talk will cover the importance of soil pH on crop system efficiency, especially the potential to reduce the use of agrochemicals and fertilisers through improved nutrient cycling. The talk will also touch on the loss of a 60 year old long-term pH gradient experiment, the movement of 450 tonnes of soil to a new site within the ACE (Aberdeenshire Cropping Experiment) Platform, and the continuation of pH research on crop productivity, nutrient and carbon cycling, with a greater emphasis on the soil microbiome and its functions as part of the pHoenix long-term experiment.

Last year some of the major supermarkets removed 'Use by' dates on their milk and asked customers to do a sniff test at home instead to check if it was good enough to use after the 'Best Before' date. What does it really mean? Why did they do it and is the milk still safe? We’ll look at some of the confusing issues around use-by, best before and sell-by dates, and the differences between food spoilage and food poisoning.

Before hitting our noses, horse poo makes a remarkable journey. This mass of chomped food has travelled through the horses’ digestive tract, a bustling metropolis for bacteria, protozoa, bacteriophages, and fungi. Together, this community breaks down food into energy for our equine friends. Once expelled, the microbial marvels in horse droppings transform to serve a completely different purpose, shifting from supporting the horse to nurturing the soil. Join us to discover what microorganisms in poo can reveal about their horsey hosts, and find out how they evolve to become a gardener's ally.