The microbial inoculant product Continuµm™ from the Colorado manufacturer Impello Biosciences is a next-generation microbial inoculant for growers cultivating cannabis in high-intensity systems.
Microbial inoculants or biostimulants, are a staple in commercial cannabis production. Beneficial microorganisms can improve yield, root development, and reduce disease pressure. But there are many products to choose from that contain different beneficial microorganisms. At Cultivation Warehouse we examine them all, including microbial inoculants that contain beneficial bacteria or fungi like Trichoderma or mycorrhizae. We then determine what best suits your needs when it comes to fertigation capabilities, crop size, convenience and cost. We provide you with the comparative data so that you can make the decision most appropriate for management practices in your operation.
Continuµm™ enables growers to maximize nutrient uptake, root development, and growth rates in ways no other microbial product has been able to achieve before.
The folks at Impello designed Continuµm to be compatible with all commercial fertigation systems without causing any sort of biofilm in irrigation lines or emitters. The beneficial microorganisms in Continuµm can also survive in the presence of common sterilizing agents used in commercial cannabis production (e.g., hypochlorous acid) thanks to the endospore forming ability of the Bacillus microorganisms in the blend.
In order to maximize plant performance at all stages of plant growth, Impello has developed Continuµm with a targeted consortium* of beneficial microorganisms that help plants uptake a wider range of both macronutrients and micronutrients. The unique consortium of microorganisms found in Continuµm include Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Bacillus pumilus, and Paenibacillus chitinolyticus.
Continuµm™ being applied at the Colorado State University Horticulture Center to speed up root growth.
Continuµm is produced via an advanced fermentation method known as co-culturing which improves the bioactivity of the blend and its effectiveness. Continuµm produces all the same benefits as Impello’s first generation microbial product, Tribus™, plus many more thanks to the bacterial metabolites – or growth-promoting compounds – retained in the bottle that are produced during the co-cultured fermentation process.
So, how do these microscopic organisms promote plant growth? We asked the team at Impello Biosciences, and here is what they told us:
Bacillus microorganisms promote plant growth by the production of different metabolites. The metabolites these Bacillus microorganisms produce include extracellular enzymes, antifungal metabolites, phytohormones, siderophores, amino acids, and more. To give you an idea of what each category of metabolites do we outline them in the list below:
1) Extracellular enzymes assist with nutrient cycling, and can help plants uptake unavailable forms of nutrients like phosphorus and potassium, even if you’re using a conventional nutrient salt line. Examples of enzymes produced by Impello’s microbial products include: phosphatase, amylase, urease, xylanase, tannase, cellulase, chitinase, protease, and more. The production of these enzymes by the microorganisms in the Continuµm™ microbial inoculant negates the need to add additional enzymes from other products!
2) Antifungal metabolites are compounds produced by Bacillus that help outcompete and competitively exclude harmful pathogens like powdery mildew, Botrytis, Fusarium, Pythium, and more. Bacillus bacteria are widely used as a biocontrol agents to prevent disease occurrence in many different types of crop plants, including cannabis.
3) Phytohormones like auxins are produced by Bacillus, including Indole Acetic Acid (IAA), which can encourage cell elongation and cell division and speed up plant growth. Phytohormones can also induce systemic resistance and prime a plant’s defense mechanisms in preparation for an attack.
4) Siderophores are small chelating molecules that help plants better uptake essential micronutrients like Mo, Co, Mn, and Ni, and especially Iron. 5) Amino Acids, simply put, are the building blocks of all life. Amino acids are some of the most readily available growth promoting compounds that plants can use and in fact are the most bioavailable form of nitrogen for a plant to uptake! This means that plants fertilized with amino acids spend less time and energy acquiring nutrients and more time producing massive, high-quality yields.
Pictured above is a Scanning Electron Micrograph (5.0 kV, X2500) image of the bacterial consortium within Continuµm™ colonizing plant root tissue taken at Colorado State University’s Imaging and Surface Science (CSU-ISS) laboratory in Fort Collins, CO.
In order to maximize crop performance, you should aim to apply Continuµm at a rate of 0.5mL / gallon of nutrient solution at least once a week. Starting in propagation is one of the best practices for speeding up root development and growth rates. From there, weekly or bi-weekly applications ensure consistent nutrient mobilization, water uptake, and overall rhizosphere performance.
Microbial products differ in formulation and concentration, but the nice thing about Continuµm is that it is universally applicable. It can be used with all nutrient lines, at any stage of plant growth, and with all irrigation systems. There is literally no cultivation system where Continuµm™ can’t be used, and there is no system that won’t benefit from applications of this powerful microbial inoculant.
Successful propagation starts with coating the roots with beneficial microorganisms where they will quickly begin assisting with nutrient uptake, root development, and growth rates.
Reach out to Cultivation Warehouse today to schedule a trial, get commercial samples or to learn more about Impello Biosciences and how they are cultivating the path in plant biostimulant R&D by contacting us at [email protected].