Cows and Effect

Do you like your agricultural scientific research sumarised in easily digestible form or described at length in mind numbing detail? Oh, OK, nevermind; how about this then? Have you ever asked yourself what happens to arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal mediated phosphate supply when stressed plants stop supplying sugar-like carbon molecules to the fungi? No? Seriously? Nevertheless, buckle up and welcome to the School of Biology at Leeds University, West Yorkshire. Eee by gum, ey up, etc. Michael makes a

Bored with multi species pastures episodes? Welcome to North America dear listener and a research paper that is definitely not about multi species pastures (although they get a mention in the intro). No spoilers, but it's proper science done by proper scientists. As well as the science, Michael reveals that he is a High Noon guy, Paul admits a life long obsession with Katy Jurado and Black Cat disgraces himself on mike (on microphone, not on Michael).  Links Jim and Stan's paper. Polston, J.E. and

We’re staying in Ireland for Episode 2 and talking about at a research paper that looks at four different pasture types (permanent pasture, perennial ryegrass, a six species mixture and a twelve species mixtures) under grazing. They measured yields, nutritive value and how plant species persisted and it’s all fascinating stuff (it helps, if you keep telling yourself that). There’s more. Paul cries at a boat. Michael reveals his Joel Williams man-crush. And there’s four jokes. Here are the links

Episode 1 dives into the science with an Irish research paper that looks at the yields of multi species pastures (along with the various different plant species that go into them) at several levels of Nitrogen (including zero). Which grasses work best in different systems? Why bother with Plantain and Chicory? Which plants drive yield?  There's some chat about ewes and Red Clover and there's a smell under the table. Link to the main paper Moloney et al, 2020.

Michael and Paul introduce themselves and explain why the world needs yet another farming podcast (it's a science podcast). There's bits about their farms, the other stuff they do and how science works and, for no obvious reason, a foray into the world of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.    Here's the link to Frank B. 1885.  https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00572-004-0329-y Link to the original wood wide web paper https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-023-01986-1 and the recent paper that