BeCrop Test Results: Soil Quality

Learn more about the Soil quality section

Once you've reviewed the summarized information in your report, you'll encounter the Soil Quality section. Here, you can examine values pertaining to soil quality and analyze them.

Soil Quality is defined as the diversity and functionality of microbial species and their metabolic functions present in the soil. It also includes the system's vulnerability based on the estimation of the microbiome’s resilience and ability to overcome disturbance. Here, you can see Biodiversity, Functionality, and Resilience Indexes, as well as Biosustainability which is based on the full microbial ecological network.

Below you will find definitions for each of the variables that impact Soil Quality.

 

Don't have time to read? Watch the video 

Our specialist  Joy Youwakim the Soil Quality part of the report in detail in the following video: 

 

Biosustainability

Biosustainability values are calculated by analyzing the microbiome’s species composition and ecological synergy and functionality. These indexes are biomarkers of the microbial ecosystem and are related to agricultural management practices.

• What is it? Biosustainability provides a metric based on soil microbiome properties like the microbial community network, taxa, and functionality. Low values in the Biosustainability index are indicators of intensive practices that can degrade soil health, while high indexes are linked to regenerative practices, such as cover crops, conservation tillage, organic amendments, and biological/biostimulant products. Soils with a high Biosustainability rating tend to be less specialized and more versatile and cooperative, similar to a natural forest system, while lower Biosustainability values represent a highly specialized microbiome with more niche partitioning and negative interactions between microbes driven by the selective influence of human and environmental selection.
• How is it calculated? It is inferred through network properties analysis.

Biodiversity

• What is it? Biodiversity assesses the community of microbial life that exists in the soil based on taxonomy. It accounts for all the species of fungi, bacteria, and archaea identified in each sample.
• How is it calculated? It is assessed by calculating taxonomic diversity and converting it into a contextualized and meaningful score. It is based on the number of species present, the evenness (relative abundance) between species, and phylogenetic similarity.

Functionality

• What is it? The quantity of ecological functions performed by soil microbes in the sample. In contrast to biodiversity which is based on species identity, this metric is based solely on microbial functions.
• How is it calculated? It is assessed based on the AI-predicted functional-gene profile of the soil microbiome.

Resilence

• What is it? An ecological index based on the ability of communities or populations to remain unchanged when stressed by a disturbance like a drought, flood, tillage, or a pathogen in the soil.
• How is it calculated? It is inferred through ecological network analysis. 

  Resilience is based on the microbial community's network properties, specifically the co-occurrence/exclusion of pairs of microorganisms, and reflects the network's resilience against external disruptions such as tillage or pesticide applications.

  
  We’ve found that this metric correlates well with the type of vineyard management:  i.e. conventionally managed vineyards tend to show low to medium resilience, and vineyards utilizing organic/biodynamic/regenerative practices show high to very high resilience. The pre-print version of this paper where this marker is described can be found here: Emergent properties in microbiome networks reveal the anthropogenic disturbance of farming practices in vineyard soil fungal communities. It can also be explored here: Network Properties of Local Fungal Communities Reveal the Anthropogenic Disturbance Consequences of Farming Practices in Vineyard Soils

 

 

Frequent questions related to BeCrop Reports 

Here are some of the FAQs; remember that you can read all of them by clicking here 📚.

How long does it take to receive results? 

Result delivery takes approximately 3 weeks. Lead times vary depending on the sample quality, number of samples, location, and shipping times.

Do BeCrop metrics change throughout the season?

Yes, as environmental variables change certain microbial populations may be promoted or may decline.

How are scores calculated in reports?

The ratings on BeCrop reports reflects how each sample compares to the BMK database of soil samples. The score is compared across samples in the database from only that specific crop type. This allows us to provide more accurate and relevant conclusions. 

How can I use a report to make an agronomic recommendation?

Similarly to a chemical fertility soil report, BeCrop Tests can be used to identify areas of deficiency in the soil that can be addressed via the use of various soil health promoting practices. For example, if a BeCrop Test reveals low levels of potassium solubilization (supply), then a biological product that contains microbes that specialize in the solubilization and release of potassium may help address this deficiency. 

What is functionality data and how do I use it?

Functionality data describes the specific roles that microbes play in the soil. It describes the ecological roles through which microbes support plant growth, boost yield, and promote nutrient retention in the soil, among many other benefits.