VGrid partnered with Wageningen University and Research, a global leader in controlled-environment agriculture, to conduct this hydroponics tomato cultivation trial.
A recent university study found that Persist® PAF, a liquid enhancer for plants and soil, boosts the growth of beneficial microbes in biochar—leading to lasting improvements in the root zone of hydroponic tomato plants.
The study, conducted in the Netherlands, compared pistachio shell biochar—produced by VGrid’s Bioserver® units—with standard coir slabs, untreated biochar, acetic acid-treated biochar, and biochar pre-treated with PAF. Researchers evaluated microbial activity in both the growing medium and tomato rhizosphere over a 23-week cultivation period using advanced qPCR and DNA metabarcoding methods.
In the trial, PAF-treated biochar showed significantly higher levels of beneficial bacteria—especially those involved in nutrient cycling and plant resilience—compared to untreated or acid-only treatments. The result is a more biologically active root zone that supports better plant growth and productivity.
Key Findings:
Biochar treated with PAF resulted in the highest overall tomato yield and bacterial abundance compared to all other substrates, including coir, untreated biochar, and biochar treated with acetic acid.
The bacterial phyla Nitrospirae and Firmicutes, which are known to promote nutrient cycling and plant resilience, were substantially more abundant in the PAF-treated biochar.
PAF had a lasting impact on the microbiome of the biochar substrate and the tomato rhizosphere, resulting in a more diverse and beneficial bacterial community throughout the cultivation period.
These findings highlight the potential of PAF to enhance crop and soil productivity, reduce reliance on synthetic inputs, and advance sustainable, organic, and regenerative agriculture.
Jeff Norton, Vice President of Business Development with VGrid, commented, “We’re excited with these results. They further confirm what we’ve seen in previous trials and the field—PAF improves plant vigor and drives positive change to the microbiome. The PAF-treated biochar significantly outperformed acetic acid-treated biochar, showing that PAF’s benefits aren’t just about lowering pH—its unique chemistry is driving the results.”
