Lay off the layman scientists!

Articles like this appearing at http://www.country-wide.co.nz/article/3738.html are not only disappointing, but are unthinkingly damaging to many Amateurs who are diligent and put in time and effort on research, often being ignored by established scientists and not having access to the resources of the govt-uni funded.

Independent soil scientist Dr Doug Edmeades is warning farmers to watch out for fertiliser salesmen using common myths to promote their products.

Edmeades, of Hamilton-based AgKnowledge, says the fertiliser industry is riddled with amateur scientists who rely on misconceptions to make their products look good.

He says one of the most commonly quoted myths is that the majority of solid fertiliser phosphate is locked up or “fixed” in the soil.

Scientists used to believe that fertiliser-applied phosphate reacted with some soil compounds or minerals that would lock the phosphate up and never release it for plant growth. This was referred to as P fixation.

It seems that when a amateur scientist has a theory or idea that is wrong it is a misconception, myth or fraud. Yet no mention of these transgressions are made when the ‘main stream’ scientists get it wrong and were promoting the idea, then it is a Theory or educated hypothesis.

Maybe I am reading too much into the article which is really only trying to help farmers – however considering these same scientists cannot explain the fundamentals of the existence of the universe, what is consciousness, life, the appreciation of a visual object or sound, what the appendix is for, what came first the chicken or the egg and much more…I think dumping on the amateur is rude.

frankly someone selling a shoddy product or idea is simply a shoddy, poor or dishonest salesman and at that, as such, can be either professional or amateur.