Prebiotics
In human nutrition, prebiotics are food substances generally composed of linked sugars known as oligosaccharides and short-chain polysaccharides, which are supposed to selectively promote the growth of certain probiotic-type bacteria or the activity of the microbiota and provide a health benefit.
In agriculture, the objective of prebiotics is to stimulate soil microorganisms to increase their beneficial effects.
Mode of action
Prebiotics are molecules constituting a nutritional support usable and assimilable by populations of microorganisms. These substances are then metabolized by microorganisms through various physicochemical processes, notably hydrolysis and fermentation.
Application in agriculture
Prebiotics allow the stimulation of beneficial microorganisms naturally present in the environment. These molecules are capable of energizing all kinds of bacterial populations, especially those developing in agricultural soils. The phytostimulant rhizospheric bacteria, closely linked to rhizogenesis (the process that conditions the formation and development of roots in plants) of the planted crops, can therefore be activated by the use of prebiotics applied to the soil.
Thanks to the use of these prebiotics, it is possible to revitalize soils.
Composition
Prebiotics can be bacteria, yeasts, organic acids, specific polysaccharides, or complexes of trace elements.
Sources
