I really want to thank you Elaine. Years ago I was very depressed and was very lost in my life and I found out gardening. Then I heard about your work and it really inspired and helped me a lot on my journey of learning how to grow organic veggies. Thank you for your work!
I haven't even finished watching the video, but I gotta pause and comment first. Thank you so much for such insightful informations, from a student in Thailand.
That was a good explanation for my observings at our organic farm. Insects prefer weak unhealthy plants, even the Colorado Beetle attacks almost potato plants growing slowly and not good. Fantastic work by Dr Dykstra.
A raw Brix reading ignores the diurnal nature of photosynthesis production and so depending what time of day you take your reading, the sugar concentration would be different. A switch doesn't flip at night and turn photosynthesis off, it increases to a max at midday in full sun, and decreases to zero at night. I imagine you could come up with an standardardized Brix reading for something like light intensity at the plant, measured with a light meter, but using an arbitrary measure of refraction through a sap sample (also containing crushed chloroplasts, cell walls, pigments, and other refraction increasing substances) doesn't control for any other variables. Also curious on Dr. Dykstra's opinion on other measures of photosynthetic activity like Infrared Gas Analyzers as a proxy for plant health. Thank you for this discussion! I very much enjoy tiptoeing the boundary of the unknown with you lot
He does say that he has done Brix measurements in all kinds of situations, precisely because of effects such as this. Brix levels also vary according to temperature, hydric stress, growth stage, etc... That's why he has done enough (hopefully) measurements to get a statistically significant result for each plant, insect attack etc... I'm assuming the main Brix level VS insect type attacking graph, the main result of the conference, is the result of thousands of Brix measurements.
*Just like a Microscope, a Brix meter needs Training to use* A digital Brix Meter is probably more accurate (removing the human factor) Yes Brix measurements done in the Summer Hot Sun at Noon will get you higher readings, and that 'fudging' the factors to get the results you want, and MANY "Organic" farmers do this. Dr Tom also goes into EC meters, Electrical Soil Meters that can either measure Biological activity or if the plant has been sprayed with NPK/Glycophosphates and would kill any Biology you brew in the Bio-Complete Compost. In Organic Salts will show up as 1.2+ or 1200+ on the EC meter, which means the Soil is contaminated. I found this to useful. 0.0 - 0.2/ 0.0 - 200 on the EC meter indicates no Soil Life. They probe in different areas around the plant and watch the meter for changes in EC activity. This could save time getting the microscope out just to say there is no life in the Soil, you can confirm there is NONE with the Microscope, but the Probe can give you a quick estimation. Phase Contrast Microscopes show Bacteria more easily then a Standard Microscope can, and a UV Microscope can show Fungi more easily. Mineral Tests also will be required, if all else fails, while on Average Soil has every Mineral, sometimes it's just not the case, how can we add Micro Minerals to the Soil? Will the Soil Food Web add Brix Training? I hope so, it's another Data Point that can help us Humans to "Get it Right", nature already does.
Dr. Tom Dykstra thank you from the bottom of my heart for joining the dots in this field. Easy to integrate learning and very well delivered. Dr. Elaine & the team thank you for bringing this on 😊
This should be part of me foundation courses and the advance courses. Especially in the regards to the electronics brix meter. Information is gold tier. As a recent foundation course graduate I would love to see this information Included in all courses.
Incredible to getting so good info and science for free.. i am so gratefull for you guys, very important to give more strength to agroecology movement and regeneration models for agriculture. Thanks!
This is interesting, I also have made many presentations and videos about exactly this subject of insect physiology! I agree somewhat with the question by Abraham at 1:54:52 and appreciate the discussion these sessions bring. The published, peer-reviewed research and replicated experiments I have read (and participated with) on the subject, especially literature in the last 5-10 years, contradicts some of these points made by Dr. Dykstra who I respect has several patents and degrees but unfortunately, no published research that I or anyone else in my field of pest management science and ecology are able assess. I do hope that Dr. Dykstra will be publishing some of his personal efforts in a peer-reviewed journal in the near future because I would enjoy seeing the mechanistic data and how it fits with other observations. A follow up regarding some of these points would be helpful for my understanding. For example at 28:26 Dykstra explains that "they (aphids and other homoptera) are extracting water and sugar so they can get other various nutrients", but for example aphidologist Angela E. Douglas describes along with Shakesby et al. in, "A water-specific aquaporin involved in aphid osmoregulation" published in 2009, that: "Water cycling in phloem-feeding insects is suggested by the anatomy of the gut, in which a close physical association exists between proximal and distal regions. In some species, the association is anatomically complex and is termed as a filter chamber; in other species, there is a close juxtaposition of different gut regions without structural elaboration. The structural organization of the aphid gut anatomy provides the opportunity to transfer water rapidly from the stomach to the distal intestine without altering the endpoint of osmotic adjustment. For aphids with transglucosidase activity in the proximal intestine (i.e. the region immediately distal to the stomach), the putative direction of water transfer is from the distal intestine to the stomach. The resultant dilution of ingesta in the stomach would protect the insect against the osmotic loss of water from the haemolymph to the gut contents... In summary, the function, localisation, and consequences of reduced gene expression in vivo suggest that ApAQP1 is a waterspecific aquaporin involved in a homeostatic water cycling mechanism that transfers water from the distal intestine to the stomach and, thereby, contributes to the osmoregulation of the pea aphid.". More simply, many aphids transfer water from the end (distal) back into the stomach (proximal), not the reverse, diluting the ingested plant sugars while they digest them with various enzymes like α-glucosidase and sucrases rather than to bypass these sugars in an effort to digest other substances, I would be curious what physiological studies are being referenced here. It is very surprising that Dykstra totally glosses over all the protein- and sugar-digesting enzymes that aphids and grasshoppers both have, not to mention myriad mutualist microbes, that contribute to amino acid synthesis in aphids specifically, as evidenced in many research papers since the early 2000s, such as "Honeydew Sugars and Osmoregulation in the Pea Aphid Acyrthosiphon Pisum" published in 2014, that states: "Many insects of the order Homoptera, including most aphids, feed on the phloem sap of plants, a diet rich in sugars and usually dominated by sucrose. The insects ingest the phloem sugars at rates in excess of their requirement for carbon, and high concentrations of unassimilated sugars are voided in their honeydew (Klingauf, 1987)".
@@rosemarydaigh3642 Yes, you might be interested in, "Why aphids can (and do) attack healthy plants | Matthew Gates | Regenerative Ag" and "The Role of Insect Digestion in Integrated Pest Management". In both I go over the evolutionary and physiological capabilities that allow insects to feed on even healthy high brix plants, as well as studies that show insects like aphids and leafhoppers feeding on high brix plants. Gut microbes play a major role, as does gut pH and many enzymes that are used to suppress the plant immune response, degrade defenses, and digest plant sugars and other materials, so I was surprised to see these well documented aspects absent.
How does that contradict the main result that is insects can't attact healthy plants though ? The result isn't that insects don't eat sugar, it's that they eat different sugars depending on the brix levels of the plant. A healthy plant will produce complex sugars and metabolites that insects can't digest, that's the main result. All these details about the aphid's stomach are pretty confusing and useless.
@@charmainechia7599 That's interesting, I wrote a comment confirming that I do have a channel that talks about this in several videos for the above commenter rosemarydaigh3642 but the comment no longer appears for me.
I have witnessed this phenomenon over and over. I leave the insects to their work. The outcome is amazing... Let nature do it's natural work. We reap the benefits... Patience is essential!
TY DR TOM U ARE A GENIUS WHAT U SAYS MAKES SENSE THATS WHAT I PRACTICALLY THINK THOUGH IM AN AMATEUR GARDENER U ARE A BLESSINGS GLAD WE FIND THIS VIDEO TY TO DR ELAINE TOO FOR LOADING THIS TREASURE INFO MORE POWER 💕 MILA FR SEBRING FL
There is a mistake here, beginning around 30:05. A nucleotide is not a protein, not at all, and not composed of amino acids. It is a sugar-phosphate-nucleic acid, best known for being a subunit of deoxyribonucleic acid (that's DNA). Dr. Dysktra meant to say "peptide." A peptide is a short protein or protein segment composed of amino acids. With appreciation for the information presented here, this mistake should be corrected.
I just learned my wife have taken out a huge life insurance on me. When I found out, she laughed and said it was because I'm always chased by mosquitos. Today I found this video in her TH-cam log.
I have been in joying and learning from the video that is put out. I have learned a great deal from them. The only thing I haven't found is controlling stink bugs so far. Is there any information on what to do to control them? I understand the brix learning more about it. If there is any information could you please let me know.
Slugs are my nemesis and I've determined I have half the world's slugs in my garden because of the huge amount of mulch I use. The slimy critters eat 99% of any crop I direct sow, such as carrots. I don't think the tiny seedlings have had the time to develop natural immunity to the slugs, who see them as filet mignon of the plant world. I'm now working at eliminating most of the early season mulch and other slug hiding spots in my garden. I've found that an after dark application of 10% household ammonia solution does a real number on the slugs without damaging the plants. It also kills every other bug it hits. like tent caterpillars. Just be careful not to spray in bright sunshine or you'll likely damage your plants. A half inch layer of sifted compost slao makes it difficult for them to crawl on becasue it sticks to their body and prevents them laying down a slime trail which is how they move. BTW, recent soil tests show my garden has 14% organic matter.
There are definitely many creatures that don't particularly care of the plant in front of them is super healthy, they'll eat it anyway. Like us. Your experience was like mine when veggie farming. Quite healthy (appearing, storing, and tasting) vegetables but provide slugs and snails with habitat reasonably close by and they'll have a feast. I did what you are doing now and it helped a lot. I kept at least a meter wide clean (wood chipped) pathway around the perimeter before perennial vegetation and mulched with compost. Kept slugs and snail numbers to a dull roar or absent. Even with 16% soil organic matter according to one test, it was likely that a nutrient could have been out of proportion. Never had time to follow up on it though. Would have been very interesting to see some sap tests on those veggies... Good luck getting the upper hand!
Slug is a different matter than insects, but I observed that they do favor weak plants like insects, especially plants with thin leaves like in the case of excess fertilization. However, many gardens have slugs from being an isolated patch of greenery in the middle of nothing. If your garden is raised beds surrounded by gravel or a very shortly cut lawn, no trees, no hedges, no flower beds, then there's nothing for slugs to eat other than your veggies in the raised beds, no shelter for slug predators like toads, birds and hedgehogs. One "trick" that veggie farmers in France use against slugs is to sow their small seeds like carrots, turnips or radishes on sifted mature compost, like a 10 cm layer on top of the ground. No mulch. Slugs don't like crawling on mature compost for some reason. If it still does not work, you may have to resort to ducks, the ones used for that are usually indian runner ducks, because they don't fly. Like chickens, they need an enclosure though, otherwise after eating the slugs they eat your leaf veggies.
@@nicolasbertin8552 No raised beds, lots of lawn and vegetation around... too much, especially straw mulch... that's where they hang out during the day. Need to eliminate some hiding spots. Sowing into sifted mature compost is useful, but it must be kept moist for germination, and the slugs like that. I mentioned a similar thought in my comment. They can't crawl on the dry compost because it sticks to their body and they can't lay down a slime trail, so there they sit until the moning sun comes up... et voila - escargots (for the birds) LOL
After watching this, I supplemented my grow (cannabis) with some UVA lights and my BRIX, after 4 days has already jumped up from 6 to 9. I never had any insect problems but the fact that the plant was not able to produce certain amino acids got me curious about raising for increased secondary metabolites. Curious to see what the levels are after a few weeks and how it will change the end result.
What a fantastic presentation!! I was curious about fungus gnats that I typically have problems with in my plant room overwintering. And I was also very curious about symbiotic relationships for example peonies depend on carpenter ants to liberate their flowers
What a fascinating video. Thank you so much for making it available. Genuinely learned a lot. In the extremely unlikely event that dr Dykstra reads these comments: can you use insect and pest load as a proxy for determining the strongest particular plant lineages for selective breeding purposes and plant improvement?
Thank you so much for this insightful webinar. Most importantly, for not rushing and explaining everything very clearly. English isn't everyone's first language.
This is one of the greatest most eye opening presentations on plants I have ever come across. Please tell me you will present the other parts you mentioned at the beginning of the video.
Doubt: since harvest is the time plants are almost dead / dead , does that count as unhealthy plant? Since bugs attack unhealthy plants and harvest lost?
Healthy harvest is full of substances that continue curing and repelling bugs but the sick fruits will easily infectate nearby ones, especially when stored improperly
Unhealthy Plant vs a Dead Plant ~ maybe there's a difference there. Have you had a Fruit Ripen on the Counter ? I thought it was Dead? What happens if you leave a Banana on the Counter for a few weeks? It's no longer healthy for humans to eat, yet here it is 'Food' for other animals, bacteria. No plants Aren't Dead at Harvests.
Considering the brix levels in fruit, would it not be the case that in plants, brix is reliant on maturity and time of season? Or is it the case that we are talking about the plant leaf and stem only. Apologies if this is unclear.
very useful information, thankyou for the video. HOW TO CREATE RIGHT SOIL CONDITIONS TO GET THE WHITE RING IN THE FRUIT WHICH PREVENTS THE INSECT ATTACK
Composting. That adds the microbes into the soil, which will eventually get the minerals to the plants which they need to create that white ring in the fruit.
Good soil that can lead to high brix levels in plants, is created mostly by good composting. That is compost that adds a lot of microbe diversity to the soil.
Stop tilling , don't use pesticides, herbicides, or chemical fertilizers. Tilling is the worst thing you can do to your soil. Compost and compost teas are really good and always have your soil covered with a mulch. Leaves are the best mulch. Also add mycorrhizal fungi to your plants.
I was really inspired until he got to the bit about light and greenhouses. I live in Ireland where sunshine is rare and greenhouses are a must for alot of crops.. I guess my brix goals are doomed!
AHA! that's why my Ash trees haven't be affected as much as other areas. They're healthier. USDA Forestry told me to sell all my Ash when we logged the forest a few years back.
Had a good year with peppers this year. Had some different night shade plants weeds growing, They were sacrificial the aphids and the Beatles attached those weeds all season.
@25:00 well a fresh leaf of Spinach will have lower amounts of sugar than a leaf that’s been dehydrated by putting it in the fridge. Does that mean the dehydrated leaf is healthier because it has more sugar? No.
Young planta seem to be an exemption to the rule. Maybe because they hace not developed their resistance mecanismos. Maybe the mother planta health wasnt optimal.
Some farmers get rewards (crop insurance) for plantings that are destined to fail. Some of them do it repeatedly. There can be a return (enough positive for repeat performances) on failed crops. Crop insurance. Which is of course, totally unnatural. Only humans could work up a system that pays for failure. Nature does not.
Im curious what Dr. Dykstra would have to say about the Coconut Rhino Beetles (CRB), as well as the Longhorn Beetles (QLB), which are creating catastrophic problems for Hawaii. What might be the solutions?
The title of this video is a classic case of loaded question. Before you ask _"why insects avoid healthy plants"_ you should first establish that this is the case. Not only it is an over generalization, but in fact what we see in many cases is the exact opposite of that. For example, many insects will seek the most healthy plants and their healthiest fruit or tissue they can find in which to lay their eggs. This is not only evolutionary logic, but also evidence that is abundantly corroborated.
Agree with this, for example aphids tends to feed on new leaves and shoots because they are tender and they can pierce the plants easier. I have some mango trees that were all ravaged by mango leaf cutting beetles this year. These beetles lays eggs on new leaves then cut off the healthy young leaves for their larvae feed on. And his example of fruit flies, they will lay eggs on healthy fruits then when their larvae hatches at eats the fruit it causes them to spoil. Some species will lay eggs on the fruits well before the fruit is ripe. So I have a lot of doubt on this presentation.
He has he own evidence, in his Lab, with his own research and his research team. You don't need to believe him as you don't need to believe in Dr Elaine Soil Food Web
@@Dazza_Doo He may have evidence to support his claim in certain instances, but what Im saying is that the claim is not valid in all cases and that posing a question in that manner is a logical fallacy, normally designed to make others buy into his premise without further scrutiny.
@virusmyth4930 But he's not the only one saying it. If his knowledge is wrong then it is wrong but he's not trying to sell you something unlike others. His information crosses over with other speakers in this area. And it's the accumulation knowledge of multiple speakers who have multiple knowledge in different areas that you can get a more complete picture.
Can fruit trees have a high brix reading to where they are not being attacked but still not produce high yields of fruit? or does having a high brix reading in fruit trees mean they will likely produce high yields of fruit.
@@Wavy_Gravy maybe that too. He mentioned it a couple of years ago in a webinar with John Kempf. I understood him to mean that those ag firms who contracted the research would sue him if he published.
What invaluable information I learned today thank you Dr. Dykstra and Dr. Elaine. I can now evaluate the effectiveness of my soil amendments in the lens of sugar levels (brix measured levels)
It would take less training than a wine-taster to be able to judge the health/brix of a plant by taste. For general plants, the accuracy would be reasonable and for a plant you trained on daily you should become quite accurate. Could be a useful skill for crop surveillance or pasture management.
I wonder why fruitflies go after mushrooms? Is it because the mushrooms are nutrient deficient, or because of their unseen decay? Fruitflies are a mushroom cultivator's nightmare.
I think the idea of keeping plants or animals “clean” - i.e. free of other organisms, instead of making sure they are populated with healthy other organisms that crowd out the options for bad organisms. And the concept of monoculture. Those are at the root of most issues with pests
In the UK I compost all my vegetable and grass cuttings every year. I put no fertilisers on the soil. Last year black fly went for all my healthy runner beans. This year no black fly and a good crop of beans. Planted broccoli and was stripped by insects. Looked healthy to me!😂
I was also gone mad after listening to Tom Dykstra. The video was uploaded by Jhon Kempf at AEA. And I was using brix meter everywhere and many times I am getting brix above 15 but insects also feeding on plants. I was very disappointed. But later I came to know it was not sugar level. It was mixed with salt level. So sugar level is true reading. Brix dont show exact situation.
To Dr.D, "Insects only feed upon unhealthy, unfit plants" is very much taught to the practicers of the Back To Eden Method. Before, you didn't know where else this principle was being openly taught. Now you do!
Dr. Elaine, I gotta ask, why do you keep implying that anaerobic microbes are bad? They're just as important to a diverse soil food web as aerobic microbes. Plus only the first foot or two of the soil is aerobic, the rest is mostly anaerobic. If you look at practices like Korean Natural Farming or JADAM, many of the fertilizers are fermented by anaerobic microbes that help break down the nutrients in order to feed the plants. The same happens in nature, so I'm not sure why you'd try and say all these microbes are somehow bad or harmful, the most important thing is diversity.
Natural systems don't make perfection in everything, The reason why we have nutrient recycling is because things are not Healthy, they die and decay and other organisms eat decaying things. Nature isn't paradise.
I really want to thank you Elaine. Years ago I was very depressed and was very lost in my life and I found out gardening. Then I heard about your work and it really inspired and helped me a lot on my journey of learning how to grow organic veggies. Thank you for your work!
❤
wow, this is the missing link to my understanding of "why healthy plants are pest free". such a great presentation! thank you for sharing this video!
I haven't even finished watching the video, but I gotta pause and comment first. Thank you so much for such insightful informations, from a student in Thailand.
These TH-cam collaboration videos are gold! We definitely need more collaboration and sharing of data.
This presentation is amazing !
Glad to hear you enjoyed it! :)
Best video ever. Words from heaven. Cannot thank you all enough
That was a good explanation for my observings at our organic farm. Insects prefer weak unhealthy plants, even the Colorado Beetle attacks almost potato plants growing slowly and not good. Fantastic work by Dr Dykstra.
Wow, what a mind blowing webinar. Absolutely fascinating. Dr Dykstra - awesome work I applaud you.
Really a fantastic presentation Tom. I enjoyed it very much.
Learned SO much! Thanks Tom and Elaine!!
Outstanding mind boggling class by Dr Dykstra 🐞🐛🐜
such passion! thanks for that Dr. Dykstra.
I'm blown away by this presentation (and want to see the others)! Thank you so much for this amazing info!
Awesome! We would love to see you on the webinars. You may register here: webinar.soilfoodweb.com/reg-webinar-celebrating-the-soil-food-web-community/
A raw Brix reading ignores the diurnal nature of photosynthesis production and so depending what time of day you take your reading, the sugar concentration would be different. A switch doesn't flip at night and turn photosynthesis off, it increases to a max at midday in full sun, and decreases to zero at night.
I imagine you could come up with an standardardized Brix reading for something like light intensity at the plant, measured with a light meter, but using an arbitrary measure of refraction through a sap sample (also containing crushed chloroplasts, cell walls, pigments, and other refraction increasing substances) doesn't control for any other variables.
Also curious on Dr. Dykstra's opinion on other measures of photosynthetic activity like Infrared Gas Analyzers as a proxy for plant health.
Thank you for this discussion! I very much enjoy tiptoeing the boundary of the unknown with you lot
He does say that he has done Brix measurements in all kinds of situations, precisely because of effects such as this. Brix levels also vary according to temperature, hydric stress, growth stage, etc... That's why he has done enough (hopefully) measurements to get a statistically significant result for each plant, insect attack etc... I'm assuming the main Brix level VS insect type attacking graph, the main result of the conference, is the result of thousands of Brix measurements.
Treu, his story is not correct
*Just like a Microscope, a Brix meter needs Training to use*
A digital Brix Meter is probably more accurate (removing the human factor)
Yes Brix measurements done in the Summer Hot Sun at Noon will get you higher readings, and that 'fudging' the factors to get the results you want, and MANY "Organic" farmers do this.
Dr Tom also goes into EC meters, Electrical Soil Meters that can either measure Biological activity or if the plant has been sprayed with NPK/Glycophosphates and would kill any Biology you brew in the Bio-Complete Compost.
In Organic Salts will show up as 1.2+ or 1200+ on the EC meter, which means the Soil is contaminated. I found this to useful.
0.0 - 0.2/ 0.0 - 200 on the EC meter indicates no Soil Life. They probe in different areas around the plant and watch the meter for changes in EC activity. This could save time getting the microscope out just to say there is no life in the Soil, you can confirm there is NONE with the Microscope, but the Probe can give you a quick estimation.
Phase Contrast Microscopes show Bacteria more easily then a Standard Microscope can, and a UV Microscope can show Fungi more easily.
Mineral Tests also will be required, if all else fails, while on Average Soil has every Mineral, sometimes it's just not the case, how can we add Micro Minerals to the Soil?
Will the Soil Food Web add Brix Training? I hope so, it's another Data Point that can help us Humans to "Get it Right", nature already does.
Very important information for all the world to know. Keep on the fantastic job Tom
So glad dr white was mentioned, his work is amazing. This is so fun thank you so much dr dysktra.
Dr. Tom Dykstra thank you from the bottom of my heart for joining the dots in this field. Easy to integrate learning and very well delivered. Dr. Elaine & the team thank you for bringing this on 😊
This was such a wonderful speedup to my workday. Thank you for the great information!
Hope the other 3 parts of the 4 part presentation are uploaded.
I'm highly motivated.Thanks.
An extraordinary presentation. Now I know what data I need to collect in the mango farm!
What data will you be collecting from your mango tree?
Dr. Elaine IN THE HOUSE! ❤ 🏠 woot woot!
Asombroso.
Es un genio, Dr Thomas!
Congratulations, thanks! 🙏🙏🙏👏👏👏
love you Dr Tom and Dr Elaine
This should be part of me foundation courses and the advance courses.
Especially in the regards to the electronics brix meter.
Information is gold tier.
As a recent foundation course graduate I would love to see this information Included in all courses.
Incredible to getting so good info and science for free.. i am so gratefull for you guys, very important to give more strength to agroecology movement and regeneration models for agriculture. Thanks!
This is interesting, I also have made many presentations and videos about exactly this subject of insect physiology! I agree somewhat with the question by Abraham at 1:54:52 and appreciate the discussion these sessions bring. The published, peer-reviewed research and replicated experiments I have read (and participated with) on the subject, especially literature in the last 5-10 years, contradicts some of these points made by Dr. Dykstra who I respect has several patents and degrees but unfortunately, no published research that I or anyone else in my field of pest management science and ecology are able assess. I do hope that Dr. Dykstra will be publishing some of his personal efforts in a peer-reviewed journal in the near future because I would enjoy seeing the mechanistic data and how it fits with other observations. A follow up regarding some of these points would be helpful for my understanding.
For example at 28:26 Dykstra explains that "they (aphids and other homoptera) are extracting water and sugar so they can get other various nutrients", but for example aphidologist Angela E. Douglas describes along with Shakesby et al. in, "A water-specific aquaporin involved in aphid osmoregulation" published in 2009, that:
"Water cycling in phloem-feeding insects is suggested by the anatomy of the gut, in which a close physical association exists between proximal and distal regions. In some species, the association is anatomically complex and is termed as a filter chamber; in other species, there is a close juxtaposition of different gut regions without structural elaboration. The structural organization of the aphid gut anatomy provides the opportunity to transfer water rapidly from the stomach to the distal intestine without altering the endpoint of osmotic adjustment. For aphids with transglucosidase activity in the proximal intestine (i.e. the region immediately distal to the stomach), the putative direction of water transfer is from the distal intestine to the stomach. The resultant dilution of ingesta in the stomach would protect the insect against the osmotic loss of water from the haemolymph to the gut contents... In summary, the function, localisation, and consequences of reduced gene expression in vivo suggest that ApAQP1 is a waterspecific aquaporin involved in a homeostatic water cycling mechanism that transfers water from the distal intestine to the stomach and, thereby, contributes to the osmoregulation of the pea aphid.".
More simply, many aphids transfer water from the end (distal) back into the stomach (proximal), not the reverse, diluting the ingested plant sugars while they digest them with various enzymes like α-glucosidase and sucrases rather than to bypass these sugars in an effort to digest other substances, I would be curious what physiological studies are being referenced here. It is very surprising that Dykstra totally glosses over all the protein- and sugar-digesting enzymes that aphids and grasshoppers both have, not to mention myriad mutualist microbes, that contribute to amino acid synthesis in aphids specifically, as evidenced in many research papers since the early 2000s, such as "Honeydew Sugars and Osmoregulation in the Pea Aphid Acyrthosiphon Pisum" published in 2014, that states:
"Many insects of the order Homoptera, including most aphids, feed on the phloem sap of plants, a diet rich in sugars and usually dominated by sucrose. The insects ingest the phloem sugars at rates in excess of their requirement for carbon, and high concentrations of unassimilated sugars are voided in their honeydew (Klingauf, 1987)".
Are your videos accessible on TH-cam?
@@rosemarydaigh3642 Yes, you might be interested in, "Why aphids can (and do) attack healthy plants | Matthew Gates | Regenerative Ag" and "The Role of Insect Digestion in Integrated Pest Management". In both I go over the evolutionary and physiological capabilities that allow insects to feed on even healthy high brix plants, as well as studies that show insects like aphids and leafhoppers feeding on high brix plants. Gut microbes play a major role, as does gut pH and many enzymes that are used to suppress the plant immune response, degrade defenses, and digest plant sugars and other materials, so I was surprised to see these well documented aspects absent.
Would like to know if you have a channel too
How does that contradict the main result that is insects can't attact healthy plants though ? The result isn't that insects don't eat sugar, it's that they eat different sugars depending on the brix levels of the plant. A healthy plant will produce complex sugars and metabolites that insects can't digest, that's the main result. All these details about the aphid's stomach are pretty confusing and useless.
@@charmainechia7599 That's interesting, I wrote a comment confirming that I do have a channel that talks about this in several videos for the above commenter rosemarydaigh3642 but the comment no longer appears for me.
I have witnessed this phenomenon over and over. I leave the insects to their work. The outcome is amazing... Let nature do it's natural work. We reap the benefits... Patience is essential!
Great presentation. That's why I believe in design. THANKS much 🙏
TY DR TOM U ARE A GENIUS WHAT U SAYS MAKES SENSE THATS WHAT I PRACTICALLY THINK THOUGH IM AN AMATEUR GARDENER
U ARE A BLESSINGS GLAD WE FIND THIS VIDEO TY TO DR ELAINE TOO FOR LOADING THIS TREASURE INFO
MORE POWER 💕
MILA FR SEBRING FL
There is a mistake here, beginning around 30:05. A nucleotide is not a protein, not at all, and not composed of amino acids. It is a sugar-phosphate-nucleic acid, best known for being a subunit of deoxyribonucleic acid (that's DNA). Dr. Dysktra meant to say "peptide." A peptide is a short protein or protein segment composed of amino acids. With appreciation for the information presented here, this mistake should be corrected.
I just learned my wife have taken out a huge life insurance on me. When I found out, she laughed and said it was because I'm always chased by mosquitos.
Today I found this video in her TH-cam log.
excelente presentation. best regards from Colombia.
I have been in joying and learning from the video that is put out. I have learned a great deal from them. The only thing I haven't found is controlling stink bugs so far. Is there any information on what to do to control them? I understand the brix learning more about it. If there is any information could you please let me know.
Slugs are my nemesis and I've determined I have half the world's slugs in my garden because of the huge amount of mulch I use. The slimy critters eat 99% of any crop I direct sow, such as carrots. I don't think the tiny seedlings have had the time to develop natural immunity to the slugs, who see them as filet mignon of the plant world. I'm now working at eliminating most of the early season mulch and other slug hiding spots in my garden. I've found that an after dark application of 10% household ammonia solution does a real number on the slugs without damaging the plants. It also kills every other bug it hits. like tent caterpillars. Just be careful not to spray in bright sunshine or you'll likely damage your plants. A half inch layer of sifted compost slao makes it difficult for them to crawl on becasue it sticks to their body and prevents them laying down a slime trail which is how they move.
BTW, recent soil tests show my garden has 14% organic matter.
There are definitely many creatures that don't particularly care of the plant in front of them is super healthy, they'll eat it anyway. Like us. Your experience was like mine when veggie farming. Quite healthy (appearing, storing, and tasting) vegetables but provide slugs and snails with habitat reasonably close by and they'll have a feast. I did what you are doing now and it helped a lot. I kept at least a meter wide clean (wood chipped) pathway around the perimeter before perennial vegetation and mulched with compost. Kept slugs and snail numbers to a dull roar or absent. Even with 16% soil organic matter according to one test, it was likely that a nutrient could have been out of proportion. Never had time to follow up on it though. Would have been very interesting to see some sap tests on those veggies... Good luck getting the upper hand!
Slug is a different matter than insects, but I observed that they do favor weak plants like insects, especially plants with thin leaves like in the case of excess fertilization. However, many gardens have slugs from being an isolated patch of greenery in the middle of nothing. If your garden is raised beds surrounded by gravel or a very shortly cut lawn, no trees, no hedges, no flower beds, then there's nothing for slugs to eat other than your veggies in the raised beds, no shelter for slug predators like toads, birds and hedgehogs.
One "trick" that veggie farmers in France use against slugs is to sow their small seeds like carrots, turnips or radishes on sifted mature compost, like a 10 cm layer on top of the ground. No mulch. Slugs don't like crawling on mature compost for some reason. If it still does not work, you may have to resort to ducks, the ones used for that are usually indian runner ducks, because they don't fly. Like chickens, they need an enclosure though, otherwise after eating the slugs they eat your leaf veggies.
@@nicolasbertin8552 No raised beds, lots of lawn and vegetation around... too much, especially straw mulch... that's where they hang out during the day. Need to eliminate some hiding spots. Sowing into sifted mature compost is useful, but it must be kept moist for germination, and the slugs like that. I mentioned a similar thought in my comment. They can't crawl on the dry compost because it sticks to their body and they can't lay down a slime trail, so there they sit until the moning sun comes up... et voila - escargots (for the birds) LOL
Have tried ducks?
@@bruceparker6142 no can do on a city lot. Quack quack!
After watching this, I supplemented my grow (cannabis) with some UVA lights and my BRIX, after 4 days has already jumped up from 6 to 9. I never had any insect problems but the fact that the plant was not able to produce certain amino acids got me curious about raising for increased secondary metabolites. Curious to see what the levels are after a few weeks and how it will change the end result.
any update on your grow?
Now I know why my guavas always have larvae. Mind blown.❤
What a fantastic presentation!! I was curious about fungus gnats that I typically have problems with in my plant room overwintering. And I was also very curious about symbiotic relationships for example peonies depend on carpenter ants to liberate their flowers
I love Dr Dykstra !!! A lot of things I learned from him even I studied 8 years agriculture ! So my question is how we can the plants 12 brix ???
Soil Food Web (Microbiology), Mineralised Soil, Direct Sunlight (availability), Water, Oxygen
What a fascinating video. Thank you so much for making it available. Genuinely learned a lot.
In the extremely unlikely event that dr Dykstra reads these comments: can you use insect and pest load as a proxy for determining the strongest particular plant lineages for selective breeding purposes and plant improvement?
Thank you so much for this insightful webinar. Most importantly, for not rushing and explaining everything very clearly. English isn't everyone's first language.
Maple on spring make starch to sugarwith different ttemperatures same for fruit on fall unbarried root flare all help for good brix. 1:59:33
This is one of the greatest most eye opening presentations on plants I have ever come across. Please tell me you will present the other parts you mentioned at the beginning of the video.
Mind blowing :) Thank you!
Why is Tom Dykstra not allowed to publish his research?? Anybody knows??
👋 Hi Carla! 💚
Great video
Doubt: since harvest is the time plants are almost dead / dead , does that count as unhealthy plant? Since bugs attack unhealthy plants and harvest lost?
Healthy harvest is full of substances that continue curing and repelling bugs but the sick fruits will easily infectate nearby ones, especially when stored improperly
Unhealthy Plant vs a Dead Plant ~ maybe there's a difference there.
Have you had a Fruit Ripen on the Counter ? I thought it was Dead?
What happens if you leave a Banana on the Counter for a few weeks? It's no longer healthy for humans to eat, yet here it is 'Food' for other animals, bacteria.
No plants Aren't Dead at Harvests.
I'm going to spam this video everywhere. 😂
Why so
Considering the brix levels in fruit, would it not be the case that in plants, brix is reliant on maturity and time of season?
Or is it the case that we are talking about the plant leaf and stem only.
Apologies if this is unclear.
very useful information, thankyou for the video. HOW TO CREATE RIGHT SOIL CONDITIONS TO GET THE WHITE RING IN THE FRUIT WHICH PREVENTS THE INSECT ATTACK
Composting.
That adds the microbes into the soil, which will eventually get the minerals to the plants which they need to create that white ring in the fruit.
How do you create a high brix soil !!!!
Good soil that can lead to high brix levels in plants, is created mostly by good composting. That is compost that adds a lot of microbe diversity to the soil.
Stop tilling , don't use pesticides, herbicides, or chemical fertilizers. Tilling is the worst thing you can do to your soil. Compost and compost teas are really good and always have your soil covered with a mulch. Leaves are the best mulch. Also add mycorrhizal fungi to your plants.
I need help with understanding what I could convince flea beetles to eat rather than what seems like healthy brassicas?
probably getting too much heat in the middle of summer and starting to die, therefore attracting pests
Great slideshow! I am curious why he can do patents but can't publish?
I was really inspired until he got to the bit about light and greenhouses.
I live in Ireland where sunshine is rare and greenhouses are a must for alot of crops.. I guess my brix goals are doomed!
Great job!!
When we'll get the other presentations?
i am really agree with this lesson or topic.
AHA! that's why my Ash trees haven't be affected as much as other areas. They're healthier. USDA Forestry told me to sell all my Ash when we logged the forest a few years back.
Had a good year with peppers this year. Had some different night shade plants weeds growing, They were sacrificial the aphids and the Beatles attached those weeds all season.
Why is Tom not allowed to publish on the research he does?.. also great talk, tantalizing concepts.
I was curious too?
How can you effect the brick level in the plant?
Sunshine, water, air, and nutrients. =)
Nutrients is the tricky part as it requires good microbes in the soil, which is done through good composting.
@@KhanAndMrPointyEars And Micro-Biology.
@25:00 well a fresh leaf of Spinach will have lower amounts of sugar than a leaf that’s been dehydrated by putting it in the fridge. Does that mean the dehydrated leaf is healthier because it has more sugar? No.
They are talking about Living Plants, not the ones cut up in your fridge, you understand the difference right?
Super! Thanks! 👍
Absolutely loved this video. Fantastic information. Thank you all so much.
I can tell you for a fact that termites WILL eat young healthy seedlings. They do not just eat dead wood.
Young planta seem to be an exemption to the rule. Maybe because they hace not developed their resistance mecanismos. Maybe the mother planta health wasnt optimal.
I do know who he is! I've recognized his voice immediately.
"How Brix Levels Impact Insect Pressure on Plants" is a great video.
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!
How do you explain this- sometimes if we get rid of insects somehow, the plants get healthier again?
Some farmers get rewards (crop insurance) for plantings that are destined to fail. Some of them do it repeatedly. There can be a return (enough positive for repeat performances) on failed crops. Crop insurance. Which is of course, totally unnatural. Only humans could work up a system that pays for failure. Nature does not.
Im curious what Dr. Dykstra would have to say about the Coconut Rhino Beetles (CRB), as well as the Longhorn Beetles (QLB), which are creating catastrophic problems for Hawaii. What might be the solutions?
what about slugs? do they too only eat unfit and dying plants?
I suggest checking out Charles Dowding videos. He controls slugs by removing spent leaves and only applying fully composted mulch.
The title of this video is a classic case of loaded question.
Before you ask _"why insects avoid healthy plants"_ you should first establish that this is the case.
Not only it is an over generalization, but in fact what we see in many cases is the exact opposite of that.
For example, many insects will seek the most healthy plants and their healthiest fruit or tissue they can find in which to lay their eggs.
This is not only evolutionary logic, but also evidence that is abundantly corroborated.
Agree with this, for example aphids tends to feed on new leaves and shoots because they are tender and they can pierce the plants easier.
I have some mango trees that were all ravaged by mango leaf cutting beetles this year. These beetles lays eggs on new leaves then cut off the healthy young leaves for their larvae feed on.
And his example of fruit flies, they will lay eggs on healthy fruits then when their larvae hatches at eats the fruit it causes them to spoil. Some species will lay eggs on the fruits well before the fruit is ripe.
So I have a lot of doubt on this presentation.
He has he own evidence, in his Lab, with his own research and his research team. You don't need to believe him as you don't need to believe in Dr Elaine Soil Food Web
@@Dazza_Doo He may have evidence to support his claim in certain instances, but what Im saying is that the claim is not valid in all cases and that posing a question in that manner is a logical fallacy, normally designed to make others buy into his premise without further scrutiny.
@virusmyth4930 But he's not the only one saying it.
If his knowledge is wrong then it is wrong but he's not trying to sell you something unlike others.
His information crosses over with other speakers in this area.
And it's the accumulation knowledge of multiple speakers who have multiple knowledge in different areas that you can get a more complete picture.
Can fruit trees have a high brix reading to where they are not being attacked but still not produce high yields of fruit? or does having a high brix reading in fruit trees mean they will likely produce high yields of fruit.
We are wondering why he can't publish any scientific paper
I believe it is because his research is privately contracted and he is legally obligated to keep that research proprietary for his clients.
@davenichter7569 Yeah, keeping secrets to ensure job security for the maximum amount of time seems to be the reason, IMO.
@@Wavy_Gravy maybe that too. He mentioned it a couple of years ago in a webinar with John Kempf. I understood him to mean that those ag firms who contracted the research would sue him if he published.
What would you say was the main cause for the ammonium concentration problem in the soybeans? PNK? Over feeding?
this explains locust swarms decimating modern large scale crops
What about Japanese beetles slugs thrips spider mites ? Thanks
So interesting…
Am immediatelly ordering a Brix refraktometer.
What invaluable information I learned today thank you Dr. Dykstra and Dr. Elaine. I can now evaluate the effectiveness of my soil amendments in the lens of sugar levels (brix measured levels)
Tom, are you not allowed to publish by the chemical manufacturers?
It would take less training than a wine-taster to be able to judge the health/brix of a plant by taste. For general plants, the accuracy would be reasonable and for a plant you trained on daily you should become quite accurate. Could be a useful skill for crop surveillance or pasture management.
I wonder why fruitflies go after mushrooms? Is it because the mushrooms are nutrient deficient, or because of their unseen decay? Fruitflies are a mushroom cultivator's nightmare.
Fruit flies find rotting food. There's your answer. Sterilize your growing area.
Can I fertilize plants with sugar?
Yes with jaggery....
I think the idea of keeping plants or animals “clean” - i.e. free of other organisms, instead of making sure they are populated with healthy other organisms that crowd out the options for bad organisms. And the concept of monoculture. Those are at the root of most issues with pests
How about squash bugs
what about slugs and snails? Does a higher brix mean an end to slugs and snails demolishing a crop?
In the UK I compost all my vegetable and grass cuttings every year.
I put no fertilisers on the soil.
Last year black fly went for all my healthy runner beans.
This year no black fly and a good crop of beans.
Planted broccoli and was stripped by insects.
Looked healthy to me!😂
Why can’t you publish your findings?
spider mite info pleeeeeeeeeeease🙏🙏🙏🙏
I was also gone mad after listening to Tom Dykstra. The video was uploaded by Jhon Kempf at AEA.
And I was using brix meter everywhere and many times I am getting brix above 15 but insects also feeding on plants. I was very disappointed. But later I came to know it was not sugar level. It was mixed with salt level. So sugar level is true reading. Brix dont show exact situation.
To Dr.D, "Insects only feed upon unhealthy, unfit plants" is very much taught to the practicers of the Back To Eden Method.
Before, you didn't know where else this principle was being openly taught. Now you do!
Cabbage moth land on healthy Cabbage.
Lay eggs they eat the Cabbage.
How do you know it's Healthy?
Its not just unhealthy plants, the insects are the nurseryman of nature.
The plants request the insects to prune them.
Seem minerals to improve photosynthesis efficiency as john kemph explain
My plant only attracted grasshopper and ants
Dr. Elaine, I gotta ask, why do you keep implying that anaerobic microbes are bad? They're just as important to a diverse soil food web as aerobic microbes. Plus only the first foot or two of the soil is aerobic, the rest is mostly anaerobic. If you look at practices like Korean Natural Farming or JADAM, many of the fertilizers are fermented by anaerobic microbes that help break down the nutrients in order to feed the plants. The same happens in nature, so I'm not sure why you'd try and say all these microbes are somehow bad or harmful, the most important thing is diversity.
I assume that it is because of being dangerous to humans (while applying them)
Is an untouched ecosystem, like a prairie remnant “unhealthy” because its plants are used by insects?
Natural systems don't make perfection in everything, The reason why we have nutrient recycling is because things are not Healthy, they die and decay and other organisms eat decaying things. Nature isn't paradise.
Richard Dreyfuss sure knows his stuff....And drinks a lot of coffee.
I need six legs 😂