Project Number: 1935-12000-010-04
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Aug 11, 2005
End Date: Jun 30, 2009

Objective:
The objective is to study the roles of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi in carbon sequestration in conventional, chemical-based, and organic agricultural systems and the contribution of an enhanced AM fungus population upon the composition and nutritional quality of food.

Approach:
Results of The Rodale Institute Experimental Farm's Farming Systems Trial has showed the potential of organic farming to sequester large amounts of carbon in the soil relative to the minimal net carbon holding capacity of soils farmed via conventional methods. ERRC scientists will collaborate to test the hypothesis that the production of glomalin and hyphal biomass by the large population of AM fungi in organically farmed soils contributes significantly to the observed carbon sequestration in these soils.