A dormancy control system for use with plants such as fruit trees, nut trees, and perennial berry bushes planted in commercial settings. The dormancy control system employs vertical shade structures to control the dormancy of plants such as fruit trees, nut trees, and perennial berry bush crops. The dormancy control system results in dramatic increases in crop yield, and may be coupled with orchard planting directional orientation, evaporative cooling systems, and chemical and hormone based spray applications

A device and a method for breeding blueberry-specific mycorrhizal fungi. The device includes a container, where a bottom of the container is laid with perlite to form a perlite layer; an absorbent cotton is arranged on the perlite layer; a hole for planting is provided in the absorbent cotton and blueberry tissue culture seedlings or moss seedlings are placed in the hole; and a spore transfer solution is provided around the blueberry tissue culture seedlings or moss seedlings. When used as a bacterial fertilizer for inoculation in the field, the pieces of absorbent cotton are buried directly around the blueberry roots; while used for research, one of the pieces of the absorbent cotton is washed with sterile water and filtered with a filter paper to obtain mycorrhizal fungi spores.

A water level controller for a hydroponic system includes a float shifting upward and downward with the culture solution, a first magnetic attraction element and an inlet valve for feeding in the culture solution. The float includes a seal and a second magnetic attraction element. The seal closes the inlet valve to stop feeding in water when the float ascends to a high water level, and moves way from the inlet valve to start feeding in water at a low water level. The second magnetic attraction element attracts the first magnetic attraction element to keep the seal closing the inlet valve at the high water level and to keep the seal moving away from the inlet valve at the low water level, until the buoyancy of the float is larger than the magnetic attraction between the second and the first magnetic attraction element thereby causing escape from each other.

A facility for treating and recycling animal waste (2), including a unit (6) for methanizing the waste including treatment of the obtained biogases, a cogeneration unit (8) delivering electricity and heat (32) from the biogases, and a unit for hydroponically cultivating microalgae (14) in photo-bioreactors supplied by the liquid phase (12) of the organic residues from the methanization. The facility further includes a unit for cultivating macrophytes (22) supplied with water (20) leaving the unit for cultivating microalgae, and a vermiculture unit (24) fed by harvesting the macrophytes (22) and by the sludge (36) coming from the raw digestate from the methanization.

A facility for treating and recycling animal waste (2), including a unit (6) for methanizing the waste including treatment of the obtained biogases, a cogeneration unit (8) delivering electricity and heat (32) from the biogases, and a unit for hydroponically cultivating microalgae (14) in photo-bioreactors supplied by the liquid phase (12) of the organic residues from the methanization. The facility further includes a unit for cultivating macrophytes (22) supplied with water (20) leaving the unit for cultivating microalgae, and a vermiculture unit (24) fed by harvesting the macrophytes (22) and by the sludge (36) coming from the raw digestate from the methanization.

The invention concerns novel nitrification inhibitors.

A novel collapsible plant support includes a collapsible coil adapted to rest on a flat surface. In a particular embodiment, the collapsible plant support includes a plurality of vertical support structures coupled to the collapsible coil so as to provide additional support. In another particular embodiment, a collapsible plant support includes plant receptacle receiving element that supports both a collapsible coil and also a plant receptacle. In a more particular embodiment, the plant receptacle receiving element includes fluid ducts for connecting multiple plant receptacle receiving elements into a fluid network. In another embodiment, the coil is disposed within a helical sleeve coupled to a flexible, cylindrical mesh.

A method and a system for increasing the degree days in the immediate environment of fruit bearing vines for the cultivation of particular fruit bearing vines, such as non-rustic vinifera variety vines, in unfavourable climatic regions where the degree days is insufficient for the full maturity of the fruit, is described. Rows of the vines are protected in removable shelters which have a removable tarp cover disposed over a support frame structure to shield the rows of vines from the harsh, vine damaging, winter month temperatures while keeping the vines in a controlled temperature environment. Heated liquid circulation conduits are supported in the shelters at predetermined locations and provide controlled heat during the winter months to prevent the vines and the cordon bearing spuds of the vines from damaging cold temperatures. In the early spring the roots are activated early and the tarp is removed and a transparent film sheet covering is substituted to admit sunlight to help activate the vine early to gain degree days. The method and system is also applicable to semi-rustic or rustic wine producing grape vines grown in these climatic regions having degree days down to about 1200.

A light-transmissive fruit protection case for installation about a cluster of fruit pieces hanging from stems along or at an end portion of a tree branch. The light-transmissive fruit protection case comprises first and second case housing portions connected about a common flexible hinge structure. The first and second case housing portions each have side, top and bottom surfaces. A plurality of air and water openings formed about the side, top and bottom surfaces of the first and second case housing portions. First and second branch access ports are formed on opposing ends of the first and second case housing portions, along its longitudinal axis, so as to allow the entry and passage of a fruit tree branch. A set of reclosable fasteners are formed on the side end portions of the first and second case housing portions to releasably lock the case in its closed configuration once arranged about a cluster of fruit hanging from the tree branch.

A light-transmissive fruit protection case for installation about a cluster of fruit pieces hanging from stems along or at an end portion of a tree branch. The light-transmissive fruit protection case comprises first and second case housing portions connected about a common flexible hinge structure. The first and second case housing portions each have side, top and bottom surfaces. A plurality of air and water openings formed about the side, top and bottom surfaces of the first and second case housing portions. First and second branch access ports are formed on opposing ends of the first and second case housing portions, along its longitudinal axis, so as to allow the entry and passage of a fruit tree branch. A set of reclosable fasteners are formed on the side end portions of the first and second case housing portions to releasably lock the case in its closed configuration once arranged about a cluster of fruit hanging from the tree branch.