Bio Charge Boost
Ongoing biological support
Our proposed next step for supporting soil biology and the root zone as we follow the clues beneath the pasture. How it fits will be discussed with the farmer.
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The Next Clue Is in the Pasture
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Time to read 13 min
This is not a photograph of the participating property.
Following the Nitrogen — the next chapter.
For now, we're keeping the name off the gate.
There is a working pasture farm behind this story, and a farmer whose experience matters far more than we can learn from a laboratory report alone. Their name can wait. First, we need to sit down, listen and work out what comes next together.
Our one-year Fungal Feeder update showed more total fungal biomass, fungal-to-bacterial ratios closer to our programme goal, and higher laboratory estimates of nitrogen-cycling potential. Measured fungal activity still needed attention. Those are encouraging clues beneath the pasture. They are not yet measurements of extra pasture grown.
This is the farmer's land, livelihood and business. They make the farming decisions.
We are not here to tell them how to farm or hand them a long testing checklist. Every extra measurement takes time, and there is already a farm to run. Bio Charge's role is to listen, offer support and help make sense of whatever useful observations we can gather together.
The question we would like to explore is simple: is the nitrogen cycling beneath the pasture helping the plants capture nitrogen and grow more dry matter? How much of that question we can investigate will depend on what is practical for the farmer.
In this article
What the first-year results showed Following nitrogen from the soil to the pasture Where Bio Charge fits into the picture A few useful measurements, agreed together Start with a question we can actually measure Building the picture when it is practical The whole farm shapes the result Let the results guide the next step The three products in the conversation This time next year, Rodney Start with the questions that matter on your farm Frequently asked questions About this follow-up
The starting point: encouraging soil biology results give us questions to follow into the pasture. New nitrogen-uptake and dry matter results are not yet available.
The farmer leads: their land, livelihood and decisions. We will agree a few useful measurements that fit the work already happening.
The wider story: weather, management and other inputs shape farm performance. Bio Charge is one contributor and cannot claim the credit for the whole result.
What the first-year results showed
The first-year Fungal Feeder review gives us the starting point. The laboratory estimated higher nitrogen-cycling potential in every 2026 follow-up sample than in either 2025 baseline sample.
| Soil sample | Estimated nitrogen cycling over three months (kg N/ha) |
|---|---|
| 2025 baseline — 2 Left | Less than 28 |
| 2025 baseline — 3 Right | 84–112 |
| 2026 A — 90 L/ha | 336+ |
| 2026 B — 60 L/ha | 336+ |
| 2026 C — 30 L/ha | 336+ |
That is an encouraging increase in estimated cycling potential. It is not a measurement of pasture nitrogen uptake, new nitrogen created by a product, or a confirmed fertiliser saving. We have kept the laboratory’s ranges and “336+” notation rather than turning bounded estimates into an exact percentage increase. The shared 336+ result also cannot distinguish a best application rate.
The three graphs below reproduce the earlier soil biology results. They show the biological changes alongside those nitrogen estimates; they do not measure nitrogen moving into pasture. Sample labels A, B and C identify the reported follow-up rates, not replicated treatment groups.
Total fungal-to-bacterial biomass ratios moved closer to our programme goal near 1:1. That is a programme goal, not a universal soil-health threshold or a measure of fungal activity. Chart reproduced from the first-year review.
These are observations from two baseline samples and three follow-up samples, with one reported sample at each application rate. The first review did not establish matched sampling locations or a replicated comparison. Weather, grazing, other inputs and management also changed the conditions around the samples.
That means the earlier results give us a useful question to follow, rather than credit Bio Charge can claim on its own. Can we connect these clues beneath the pasture with nitrogen in the plants and the dry matter they grow? That is the conversation we now want to have with the farmer.
Following nitrogen from the soil to the pasture
The connection we are interested in has four stages:
- Organic nitrogen held in the soil — in plant residues, microbial material and other organic compounds.
- Release into plant-available forms — biological processes can release ammonium, some of which is converted to nitrate.
- Nitrogen captured by pasture — roots take up available nitrogen as plants grow.
- Dry matter produced — the pasture we can cut, dry and weigh.
That pathway depends on moisture, temperature, roots and pasture demand. Microbes also retain nitrogen in their own biomass, so more biological activity does not automatically mean more nitrogen reaches the plant. USDA NRCS explains these nitrogen-cycling processes.
Following even part of that pathway could help us ask better questions. We will be clear about what each observation can tell us.
Conceptual illustration of pasture roots and soil life. Organisms and structures are illustrative and not shown to scale.
Watch: nitrogen through the pasture system
In Meat & Livestock Australia’s webinar What, Where and When? The Use of Nitrogen in Pastures — Part 1, Professor Richard Eckard of the University of Melbourne explains nitrogen sources, recycling and nitrogen in the plant. This 2019 Australian presentation provides background for the questions we are following here.
The full webinar is about 64 minutes. Useful starting points are 4:34 — where nitrogen comes from, 11:58 — recycled nitrogen and 14:29 — nitrogen in the plant.
Where Bio Charge fits into the picture
The proposed next stage includes Bio Charge Boost for ongoing biological support, and Silara N30 for the plant-health, structural-support and dry matter side of the programme. The farmer discussion will determine how that fits into existing management.
A fungal-to-bacterial ratio closer to our programme goal is encouraging, but we still need to consider biological activity and roots. Likewise, plant health, structure and dry matter are things we hope to support and observe; they are not outcomes we can promise from an application.
Our products are a contribution to the programme. The farmer's decisions and the wider growing conditions shape what happens next.
A few useful measurements, agreed together
There are plenty of things we could measure. Asking a busy farmer to do all of them would be a tough ask. This is a menu for a conversation, and we will agree a manageable starting point together.
| Question worth asking | A possible way to follow it |
|---|---|
| What nitrogen can the soil supply? | Relevant soil nitrogen tests, chosen with the laboratory, to distinguish reserves from current supply. |
| How much nitrogen is in the pasture grown? | A measured pasture cut, dried and weighed, paired with a laboratory total herbage nitrogen test. |
| How is pasture growth tracking? | Existing plate-meter records where available, with a few weighed and dried cuts to check the estimates. |
| What is changing below ground? | Repeat biological assessments and eDNA sampling if the agreed scope allows. |
| What is happening across the farm? | Resilience satellite reporting, interpreted with the farmer's knowledge of grazing, weather and management. |
If we can agree on just a few useful measurements and keep them consistent, that is a worthwhile start. We can learn from those, see what is manageable and decide together whether to add anything later.
A smaller set of measurements may only answer a smaller question. That is fine. We would rather explain what we have actually observed than stretch a few results into a bigger claim.
Start with a question we can actually measure
If the farmer is comfortable including it, pairing a pasture cut with a herbage nitrogen test would give us a useful connection between nitrogen in the plant and dry matter grown.
Nitrogen in harvested pasture (kg N/ha) = harvested dry matter (kg DM/ha) × nitrogen concentration (% of DM) ÷ 100.
For example, 1,000 kg DM/ha containing 3% nitrogen holds 30 kg N/ha. These are illustrative figures, not results from this farm.
This measures nitrogen in the harvested shoots. It does not, by itself, establish how much came from existing soil organic matter or whether a Bio Charge product caused a change.
Plate-meter readings can help follow growth, especially if the farmer already collects them. Checking some against dried pasture cuts matters because changes in pasture height or stiffness can affect the estimate without an equivalent change in dry weight. DairyNZ explains pasture assessment methods.
Building the picture when it is practical
We also want to include soil eDNA testing and the Resilience Report, powered by Verdi, as the programme develops. The scope and timing need to fit the farm, and the eDNA laboratory and panel are still to be chosen.
eDNA can help describe the organisms detected. A panel that directly tests nitrogen-cycling genes can add evidence of genetic potential, but neither establishes how much nitrogen was released or taken up by pasture. A DNA-based fungal-to-bacterial result is also different from the biomass ratio in the first-year reports. Research on molecular measurements and soil nitrogen processes explains these limits.
Satellite reporting can add a wider view of pasture patterns and recovery. The farmer's knowledge of grazing dates, wet areas, weather and management is essential to interpreting it. Satellite patterns are not direct measurements of nitrogen uptake or harvested dry matter.
Brix and plant-condition observations may also be useful if they fit into the routine. We would use a consistent sampling method and treat Brix as a supporting observation: a higher reading alone does not prove better nitrogen uptake or feed value. Read the USDA-ARS Brix research summary.
Example from a Verdi Resilience Report: coloured lines compare pasture condition across five monitoring areas, with rainfall alongside. This is sample data, not results from the farm in this story. It shows patterns to discuss with the farmer, not measured nitrogen uptake or dry matter yield. © Verdi NZ. Select the graph to view it at full size.
The whole farm shapes the result
Bio Charge cannot take the credit for the farm's performance. We are only part of the greater story.
Weather, soil moisture, grazing decisions, pasture species, existing fertility, other inputs and the farmer's day-to-day management all influence what grows. A good season or an improvement in pasture cannot simply be presented as a Bio Charge result.
Where a useful comparison area fits the farm, we can discuss it. Where it does not, we need to be honest about what observations over time can and cannot establish. We are not asking the farmer to reorganise their business around an elaborate trial.
Existing farm records and a few notes about important changes may be more practical than another reporting system. Nitrogen supplied by fertiliser, effluent, clover and our own products needs to be considered when interpreting pasture nitrogen. The aim is to understand the result in context, alongside the person managing the land.
Let the results guide the next step
If testing indicates a nitrogen shortfall that is limiting growth, our proposed supplemental liquid/foliar option is Bio Charge MAX NPKS. Whether it is needed, and its rate and timing, will follow the results, current label and discussion with the farmer.
Low organic nitrogen reserves and low nitrogen supply today are different things. Root restrictions and growing conditions can also affect uptake. The different soil nitrogen tests help make those distinctions before deciding what action is useful.
MAX contains other nutrients and a Boost biological base, so it needs to fit with the rest of the programme. A response to it would not automatically demonstrate greater release of nitrogen from the soil.
Looking further ahead, maintaining or improving organic nitrogen reserves is a longer journey involving roots, plant returns, clover and suitable nutrient inputs. Foliar nitrogen does not directly rebuild that soil reserve. Any work in that direction must fit the farmer's wider nutrient and management decisions.
The three products in the conversation
These are the three products we plan to discuss with the farmer for the next chapter. Each has a different role. The test results, the farmer’s priorities and the wider programme will guide what is used, when and at what rate.
SILARA N30
Plant health, structure and dry matter
The proposed silicon input for this part of the programme. Plant condition and dry matter are outcomes we want to follow with practical observations, without promising a response.
Explore SILARA N30 →
Bio Charge MAX NPKS
Supplemental nutrition, if needed
Our proposed liquid/foliar option if testing identifies a nitrogen shortfall. It also supplies other nutrients, so any use must fit the whole programme. Rate and timing will follow the results and farmer discussion.
Explore MAX NPKS →This time next year, Rodney
The next step is a proper conversation with the person behind the gate. What have they noticed? What would be useful to understand? And what can we realistically fit around the work already happening?
If a few practical measurements come out of that conversation, we have made a start. If listening, following through and sharing the results honestly helps build trust, that matters too. It gives us a foundation for learning together over time.
We want to tell this story with the farmer. Their observations and decisions belong alongside the test results, the weather and everything else that shapes a working farm. As the journey unfolds, we can share more and, when they are comfortable, introduce the person behind it.
We are here for the journey. We hope to understand a little more next season, then a little more after that. There may be encouraging results, mixed results and questions we still cannot answer. We will make room for all of them.
Then it will be “this time next year, Rodney” again — another chance to sit down, compare notes and see what we have learned.
For now, the name stays off the gate. The next clue is in the pasture.
Start with the questions that matter on your farm
If you already have soil results or pasture records, they can be a useful place to start a conversation. Tell us what you are noticing and what you would like to understand.
We can discuss which observations might help and what support Bio Charge can offer. Any next step needs to fit your farming priorities, time and wider management decisions.
Frequently asked questions
What changed in the earlier nitrogen-cycling estimates?
The laboratory estimated less than 28 and 84–112 kg N/ha over three months in the two 2025 baseline samples. Each of the three 2026 follow-up samples was reported at 336+ kg N/ha over three months. These are estimated cycling potentials with reported bounds, so we have not converted them into an exact percentage increase.
Does 336+ kg N/ha mean the pasture took up that nitrogen?
No. It is a laboratory estimate of nitrogen-cycling potential, not measured pasture uptake, new nitrogen created by a product or a confirmed fertiliser saving. Pairing harvested dry matter with herbage nitrogen testing can measure nitrogen in the harvested shoots, but identifying its sources needs additional evidence.
Does the farmer need to carry out every test in this article?
No. The measurements are options for a conversation. The farmer decides what fits their land, business, time and priorities. Agreeing on a few useful observations, using existing records and working out what support Bio Charge can provide is a worthwhile start.
Can eDNA or satellite reporting prove nitrogen uptake from the soil?
Neither does that on its own. eDNA describes organisms detected or genetic potential, depending on the panel. Satellite reporting shows wider pasture patterns. Soil tests, herbage nitrogen and dry matter measurements answer different parts of the question, and the farmer’s knowledge is essential to interpretation.
How do Boost, Silara N30 and MAX NPKS fit into the next stage?
Boost is proposed for ongoing biological support and Silara N30 for plant health, structure and dry matter. MAX NPKS is the proposed supplemental liquid/foliar option only if testing identifies a need. Rates, timing and how the products fit existing management will be discussed with the farmer; intended benefits are not guaranteed outcomes.
Can Bio Charge take the credit if pasture performance improves?
Bio Charge cannot take credit for the farm’s overall performance. Weather, grazing, soil moisture, pasture species, fertility, other inputs and the farmer’s decisions all shape the result. We will describe the observations and their limits honestly, with our products as one part of that wider story.
About this follow-up
The earlier figures and charts are reproduced from our published first-year review of Soil Foodweb NZ reports 05-9957 and 05-9958 (2025), and 05-10250, 05-10251 and 05-10252 (2026). The laboratory reports are the authoritative measurement record; Bio Charge’s discussion is its own interpretation.
This follow-up describes questions and options for the next farmer conversation. It does not report new pasture uptake or yield results, an agreed trial protocol, or a laboratory endorsement of Bio Charge products. The farm remains unnamed, and the two pastoral illustrations are conceptual artwork.
Bio Charge
Bio Charge shares practical learning from soil biology monitoring on working New Zealand farms. We listen to farmers, interpret results in their wider context and follow the questions over time. Our products are one part of a much bigger farming story.
