A soil additive that is a sugar ferment derived from adding water to sugar and salt to form a solution such that the water comprises from 0.5x to 4.0x the volume of the sugar and salt and fermenting the solution, wherein said sugar ferment contains signalling molecules comprising from 1 to 50% (w/w) of the organic matter present in the sugar ferment after fermentation, wherein the signal molecules are selected from microbial quorum sensors and quenchers, biocides and plant elicitors, wherein the microbial quorum sensors and quenchers include at least one furanone compound and/or ethanone compound or esters thereof, such as 3 -furanone, dihydro-2-methyl furanone, 2 -furanone, 5-hexyldihydro furanone, ethanone 1-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenyl), ethanone 1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl (acetosyringone), ethanone 1-(1H-pyrrol-2-yl), benzofuran 2,3-dihydro; wherein the biocides include at least one phenolic compound and/or eugenol compound or derivative thereof, such as phenol 2-methoxy, phenol 4-methyl, phenol 3-ethyl, phenol 4-ethyl, phenol 3,4-dimethoxy, phenol 2-methoxy-4-(1-propenyl), vanillin, phenol, benzyl alcohol, phenylethyl alcohol, 4-ethyl-2-methoxy-phenol, 2,6-dimethoxy-phenol, eugenol, 3,4-dimethoxy-phenol, 2-methoxy-4-(1-propenyl)-phenol, ethylparaben, 4-methyl-phenol, 2,6-dimethoxy-4-(2-propenyl)-phenol and 4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxy benzoic acid; and wherein the plant elicitors include at least one phenolic compound and/or eugenol compound or derivative thereof, such as ethanone 1-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenyl) (acetosyringone), ethanone 1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl, ethanone 1-(1H-pyrrol-2-yl), benzofuran 2,3-dihydro, 1-butanol 3-methyl, hexadecanoic acid ethyl ester, 1-butanol 3-methyl-acetate, carbamic acid, methyl-3-methylphenyl ester, 1-(1H-pyrrol-2-yl)-ethanone, 1-(2-hydroxy-6-methoxyphenyl)-ethanone, 1-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-ethanone, 1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-ethanone, 1-(2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)ethanone, 1-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-ethanone, and 2-(1H-imidazo[4,5-b]pyridin-2-yl)-1-(4-morpholyl)-ethanone. wherein the microbial quorum sensors and quenchers include at least one furanone compound and/or ethanone compound or esters thereof, such as 3 -furanone, dihydro-2-methyl furanone, 2 -furanone, 5-hexyldihydro furanone, ethanone 1-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenyl), ethanone 1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl (acetosyringone), ethanone 1-(1H-pyrrol-2-yl), benzofuran 2,3-dihydro; wherein the biocides include at least one phenolic compound and/or eugenol compound or derivative thereof, such as phenol 2-methoxy, phenol 4-methyl, phenol 3-ethyl, phenol 4-ethyl, phenol 3,4-dimethoxy, phenol 2-methoxy-4-(1-propenyl), vanillin, phenol, benzyl alcohol, phenylethyl alcohol, 4-ethyl-2-methoxy-phenol, 2,6-dimethoxy-phenol, eugenol, 3,4-dimethoxy-phenol, 2-methoxy-4-(1-propenyl)-phenol, ethylparaben, 4-methyl-phenol, 2,6-dimethoxy-4-(2-propenyl)-phenol and 4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxy benzoic acid; and wherein the plant elicitors include at least one phenolic compound and/or eugenol compound or derivative thereof, such as ethanone 1-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenyl) (acetosyringone), ethanone 1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl, ethanone 1-(1H-pyrrol-2-yl), benzofuran 2,3-dihydro, 1-butanol 3-methyl, hexadecanoic acid ethyl ester, 1-butanol 3-methyl-acetate, carbamic acid, methyl-3-methylphenyl ester, 1-(1H-pyrrol-2-yl)-ethanone, 1-(2-hydroxy-6-methoxyphenyl)-ethanone, 1-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-ethanone, 1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-ethanone, 1-(2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)ethanone, 1-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-ethanone, and 2-(1H-imidazo[4,5-b]pyridin-2-yl)-1-(4-morpholyl)-ethanone.