The present invention relates to a method of improving growth of plants and/or improving germination of plants by applying flonicamid to said plant or plant propagation material or the locus thereof.

A plant disease control method and a plant disease control apparatus that can irradiate a plant under cultivation with an appropriate amount of near-infrared light to obtain an effect of controlling diseases while efficiently using light energy. The plant under cultivation is irradiated with the near-infrared light including a wavelength set within a wavelength range of 800 to 1000 nm so as to satisfy all following Equations 1 to 3 where X is an irradiance (W/m.sup.2) and Y is an irradiation time (second), so that the effect of controlling diseases can be obtained.

644893X.sup.−1.873≥Y≥5901.9X.sup.−1.856  Equation 1:

X≥1  Equation 2:

Y≥0.01  Equation 3:

Methods and systems for the controlled production of aqueous halogen solutions with varying compositions are disclosed. According to an embodiment, aqueous solutions of hypochlorite ions are modified through the sequential addition of pH adjusting chemicals, non-chloride halide ions, and halogen stabilizing compounds. Sensors, for measuring physical and chemical properties of the solutions as they change due to the impact of the various chemical reactions, are linked to a control system which, in turn, can control the input of one or more chemicals. The control system facilitates the production of a solution with desired characteristics in terms of pH, specific halogen composition, degree of halogen stabilization, and limiting the production of undesired by products such as bromate ions.

Methods and systems for the controlled production of aqueous halogen solutions with varying compositions are disclosed. According to an embodiment, aqueous solutions of hypochlorite ions are modified through the sequential addition of pH adjusting chemicals, non-chloride halide ions, and halogen stabilizing compounds. Sensors, for measuring physical and chemical properties of the solutions as they change due to the impact of the various chemical reactions, are linked to a control system which, in turn, can control the input of one or more chemicals. The control system facilitates the production of a solution with desired characteristics in terms of pH, specific halogen composition, degree of halogen stabilization, and limiting the production of undesired by products such as bromate ions.

The invention relates to the field concerning the treatment of plant material, particularly plant material for propagation or reproduction e.g. seeds. The method of the invention comprises the application, to all or part of the surface of plant material, of an aqueous dispersion comprising (a) particles of at least one water-swellable polymer and (b) at least one compound selected from among a mineral salt, organic salt, dispersant organic polymer and mixtures thereof. The invention also relates to this treated plant material and to use thereof for cultivating or producing a plant.

The invention relates to the field concerning the treatment of plant material, particularly plant material for propagation or reproduction e.g. seeds. The method of the invention comprises the application, to all or part of the surface of plant material, of an aqueous dispersion comprising (a) particles of at least one water-swellable polymer and (b) at least one compound selected from among a mineral salt, organic salt, dispersant organic polymer and mixtures thereof. The invention also relates to this treated plant material and to use thereof for cultivating or producing a plant.

The use of biological fertilizer combined with microbes can be used instead of herbicides, pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. Silk and trehalose dry films can be used as seed coatings to localize and quantify delivery of plant microbes to mitigate plant stress and soil salinity. Similar microbes can be delivered using the same technology.

The use of biological fertilizer combined with microbes can be used instead of herbicides, pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. Silk and trehalose dry films can be used as seed coatings to localize and quantify delivery of plant microbes to mitigate plant stress and soil salinity. Similar microbes can be delivered using the same technology.

The use of biological fertilizer combined with microbes can be used instead of herbicides, pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. Silk and trehalose dry films can be used as seed coatings to localize and quantify delivery of plant microbes to mitigate plant stress and soil salinity. Similar microbes can be delivered using the same technology.

Treatment compositions for controlling bed bugs and methods of use, including reducing bed bug resistance to a biological control agent are disclosed. The treatment compositions can include both a NF-kB signaling inhibitor and biological control agent, such as, an entomopathogenic bacteria, to improve the treatment composition efficacy against bed bugs. Provisioning of a small molecule inhibitor of NF-kB signaling can increase the rate of bed bug mortality during infection with a bacterial entomopathogen. Increased mortality can be independent of direct effects of the inhibitor on bacterial growth and can be instead the result of a reduced ability of bed bugs to clear the infection when treated with the inhibitor.