A biostimulant formulation for promoting plant growth, comprising: juice obtained from at least one seaweed species; and hydrolysate obtained from at least one seaweed species pulp, wherein the hydrolysate is obtained from the pulp after juice has been extracted. A method of preparing the biostimulant formulation. A method of contacting the biostimulant formulation with plant to promote the plant growth.

A biostimulant formulation for promoting plant growth, comprising: juice obtained from at least one seaweed species; and hydrolysate obtained from at least one seaweed species pulp, wherein the hydrolysate is obtained from the pulp after juice has been extracted. A method of preparing the biostimulant formulation. A method of contacting the biostimulant formulation with plant to promote the plant growth.

A treated biochar comprising a porous carbonaceous particle that has been treated and mixed with a media containing a mineral solubilizing microorganism, whereby the porous carbonaceous particle after mixing has retained the mineral solubilizing microorganism.

A treated biochar comprising a porous carbonaceous particle that has been treated and mixed with a media containing a mineral solubilizing microorganism, whereby the porous carbonaceous particle after mixing has retained the mineral solubilizing microorganism.

Disclosed are a special fertilizer for intercropping maize and peanuts and a cultivation method for maintaining soil organic carbon (SOC) balance, belonging to the technical field of SOC balance. The special fertilizer for intercropping maize and peanuts includes the following raw materials: coated urea, heavy superphosphate, ammonium sulfate, fermented soybean meal, bentonite, sodium molybdate, borax, humic acid, ammonium dihydrogen phosphate, plant ash and zinc sulfate heptahydrate. The cultivation method includes the steps of land selection, land preparation, fertilizing, sowing, field management, and rotation.

The invention is a method for enhanced growth of mycelium in culture including the key steps of seed blend choice from among corn, rice, quinoa, chia, canihua, cumin and flax seed, germinating the seed blend prior to inoculating the mycelium starter, and conducting the mushroom cultivation with water and particular transmissions of sound and particularly colored light. Mushrooms grown by such a method not only mature in 13-15 days rather than 21 days, but have an enhanced nutritional and medicinal profile along with absence of unwanted organism contaminants whose unwanted overgrowth occurs during days 16-21 (or days 16-28) of typical mushroom culture.

The invention is a method for enhanced growth of mycelium in culture including the key steps of seed blend choice from among corn, rice, quinoa, chia, canihua, cumin and flax seed, germinating the seed blend prior to inoculating the mycelium starter, and conducting the mushroom cultivation with water and particular transmissions of sound and particularly colored light. Mushrooms grown by such a method not only mature in 13-15 days rather than 21 days, but have an enhanced nutritional and medicinal profile along with absence of unwanted organism contaminants whose unwanted overgrowth occurs during days 16-21 (or days 16-28) of typical mushroom culture.

Biochar is provided that is treated to have certain chemical and physical properties found to have the highest impact on plant growth and/or soil health. In particular, the following physical and/or chemical properties, among others, of a biochar have been identified as critical properties to control for in the selection of biomass feedstock, pyrolysis conditions, and/or enhancing treatment to increase biochar performance: (i) bulk density (ii) impregnation capacity; (iii) particle size distribution; (iv) solid particle density; (v) surface area; (vi) porosity; (vii) total porosity; (viii) ratio of macroporosity to total porosity (ix) content of residual organic compounds; (x) content of volatile organic compounds; (xii) ash content; (xiii) water holding capacity; (xiv) water retention capabilities; (xv) levels of dioxins and other potentially hazardous byproducts of pyrolysis; and (xvi) pH. Treatment can modify and preferably increase hydrophilicity/decrease hydrophobicity, remove dioxins from the raw biochar, modify electrical conductivity and/or surface charge, modify cation exchange capacity and modify anion exchange capacity, among other things.

Biochar is provided that is treated to have certain chemical and physical properties found to have the highest impact on plant growth and/or soil health. In particular, the following physical and/or chemical properties, among others, of a biochar have been identified as critical properties to control for in the selection of biomass feedstock, pyrolysis conditions, and/or enhancing treatment to increase biochar performance: (i) bulk density (ii) impregnation capacity; (iii) particle size distribution; (iv) solid particle density; (v) surface area; (vi) porosity; (vii) total porosity; (viii) ratio of macroporosity to total porosity (ix) content of residual organic compounds; (x) content of volatile organic compounds; (xii) ash content; (xiii) water holding capacity; (xiv) water retention capabilities; (xv) levels of dioxins and other potentially hazardous byproducts of pyrolysis; and (xvi) pH. Treatment can modify and preferably increase hydrophilicity/decrease hydrophobicity, remove dioxins from the raw biochar, modify electrical conductivity and/or surface charge, modify cation exchange capacity and modify anion exchange capacity, among other things.

Processes capable of producing bulk materials suitable for use by the horticulture industry, resulting bulk materials produced thereby, and applications for these processes and materials. Preferred bulk materials have physical properties similar to peat moss and comprise individual materials, each at least partially having a twisted, curled, clumped and rolled structure. The individual materials may further comprise small granular particles dispersed throughout the twisted, curled, clumped and rolled structure. The individual materials may be rolled fibers such that the bulk material has physical properties similar to sphagnum peat moss so as to be particularly suitable as, for example, a soil conditioner, an absorbent material, a chemical carrier, or a filtering material. Alternatively, the individual materials may be rolled particles such that the bulk material has physical properties similar to milled peat moss so as to be particularly suitable as propagation media.