A manually controlled and operable self-propelled seed bed sterilization system and method is provided for preventing weeds from growth in seed beds. The system includes a wheel driven shuttle vehicle having a hot water reservoir, a hot water applicator manifold housing, a dual-function pump and a controllable valve. A self-contained mobile hot water supply vehicle accompanies the shuttle vehicle and has a water heater with hose connections to the reservoir of the shuttle vehicle to provide a continuous water flow path. The burner of the water heater is controlled to heat the water in the range of about 205-207 degrees F. but below the boiling point of water not to create steam. The shuttle vehicle is displaced over the seed bed at a constant drive speed by an electric motor driven by a gas generator. An operator person guides the shuttle vehicle over the seed bed.

A manually controlled and operable self-propelled seed bed sterilization system and method is provided for preventing weeds from growth in seed beds. The system includes a wheel driven shuttle vehicle having a hot water reservoir, a hot water applicator manifold housing, a dual-function pump and a controllable valve. A self-contained mobile hot water supply vehicle accompanies the shuttle vehicle and has a water heater with hose connections to the reservoir of the shuttle vehicle to provide a continuous water flow path. The burner of the water heater is controlled to heat the water in the range of about 205-207 degrees F. but below the boiling point of water not to create steam. The shuttle vehicle is displaced over the seed bed at a constant drive speed by an electric motor driven by a gas generator. An operator person guides the shuttle vehicle over the seed bed.

The present invention is a mechanical technology that kills parasitic pests, harmful bacteria and weed seeds in the soil by using high-temperature steam while moving forward by using a caterpillar with a self-powered device in order to smoothly perform the eco-friendly high-temperature steam soil disinfection in all types of soils, such as clays and sandy soils, having suitable moisture content; a mechanical technology in which the steam boiler is operated with power of an A/C generator to produce steam the steam is supplied to the re-heater installed on an upper portion of a nozzle through a high-pressure steam hose to increase the steam temperature to reheat the steam with high-temperature dry steam, thereby increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of high-temperature steam soil disinfection, and a saw blade type crusher is activated with the pre-generated electrical energy to crush and soften the soil, so that the high-temperature steam sprayed from the steam outlet of the nozzle protected by the needle rod penetrates into the soil within a short time, and the high-temperature steam is covered with a cover to become banded steam so as to be prevented from escaping to the outside, thereby increasing the instantaneous temperature of the soil; a mechanical technology that conducts disinfection work while checking all directions of the high-temperature steam soil sterilizer with a video monitor in a cockpit; and a researched and developed mechanical technology in which multi-level thermometers installed on the needle rod is monitored through a temperature monitor in the cockpit, so that the killing temperature of pests, harmful bacteria, and weed seeds is analyzed while watching a status of the temperature of the heated soil.

The present invention is a mechanical technology that kills parasitic pests, harmful bacteria and weed seeds in the soil by using high-temperature steam while moving forward by using a caterpillar with a self-powered device in order to smoothly perform the eco-friendly high-temperature steam soil disinfection in all types of soils, such as clays and sandy soils, having suitable moisture content; a mechanical technology in which the steam boiler is operated with power of an A/C generator to produce steam the steam is supplied to the re-heater installed on an upper portion of a nozzle through a high-pressure steam hose to increase the steam temperature to reheat the steam with high-temperature dry steam, thereby increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of high-temperature steam soil disinfection, and a saw blade type crusher is activated with the pre-generated electrical energy to crush and soften the soil, so that the high-temperature steam sprayed from the steam outlet of the nozzle protected by the needle rod penetrates into the soil within a short time, and the high-temperature steam is covered with a cover to become banded steam so as to be prevented from escaping to the outside, thereby increasing the instantaneous temperature of the soil; a mechanical technology that conducts disinfection work while checking all directions of the high-temperature steam soil sterilizer with a video monitor in a cockpit; and a researched and developed mechanical technology in which multi-level thermometers installed on the needle rod is monitored through a temperature monitor in the cockpit, so that the killing temperature of pests, harmful bacteria, and weed seeds is analyzed while watching a status of the temperature of the heated soil.

Disclosed is a mechanical technology that kills parasitic pests, harmful bacteria and weed seeds in the soil by using high-temperature steam while moving forward by using a caterpillar with a self-powered device in order to smoothly perform the eco-friendly high-temperature steam soil disinfection in all types of soils, such as clays and sandy soils, having suitable moisture content; a mechanical technology in which the steam boiler is operated with power of an A/C generator to produce steam the steam is supplied to the re-heater installed on an upper portion of a nozzle through a high-pressure steam hose to increase the steam temperature to reheat the steam with high-temperature dry steam, thereby increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of high-temperature steam soil disinfection.

Disclosed is a mechanical technology that kills parasitic pests, harmful bacteria and weed seeds in the soil by using high-temperature steam while moving forward by using a caterpillar with a self-powered device in order to smoothly perform the eco-friendly high-temperature steam soil disinfection in all types of soils, such as clays and sandy soils, having suitable moisture content; a mechanical technology in which the steam boiler is operated with power of an A/C generator to produce steam the steam is supplied to the re-heater installed on an upper portion of a nozzle through a high-pressure steam hose to increase the steam temperature to reheat the steam with high-temperature dry steam, thereby increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of high-temperature steam soil disinfection.

Methods of propagating Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) are described that do not require the addition of, or presence of, any detectable live host plant material or live plant root material. The method comprises addition of water and optionally exposure to sunlight. It was surprisingly found that soil devoid of any detectable live host plant material, including host plant roots, is capable of supporting AMF reproduction, though it is widely believed that AMF are obligate symbionts requiring live plant roots for colonization to reproduce. Described methods optionally include active removal of living host plant material from the soil prior to AMF inoculation. Optionally, phosphorous compounds are added to the soil prior to inoculation. It was found that addition of phosphorous compounds, such as phosphite, to the soil enhances the growth of AMF spores by as much as three-fold over controls having no added phosphorous compounds.

Methods of propagating Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) are described that do not require the addition of, or presence of, any detectable live host plant material or live plant root material. The method comprises addition of water and optionally exposure to sunlight. It was surprisingly found that soil devoid of any detectable live host plant material, including host plant roots, is capable of supporting AMF reproduction, though it is widely believed that AMF are obligate symbionts requiring live plant roots for colonization to reproduce. Described methods optionally include active removal of living host plant material from the soil prior to AMF inoculation. Optionally, phosphorous compounds are added to the soil prior to inoculation. It was found that addition of phosphorous compounds, such as phosphite, to the soil enhances the growth of AMF spores by as much as three-fold over controls having no added phosphorous compounds.

Methods of propagating Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) are described that do not require the addition of, or presence of, any detectable live host plant material or live plant root material. The method comprises addition of water and optionally exposure to sunlight. It was surprisingly found that soil devoid of any detectable live host plant material, including host plant roots, is capable of supporting AMF reproduction, though it is widely believed that AMF are obligate symbionts requiring live plant roots for colonization to reproduce. Described methods optionally include active removal of living host plant material from the soil prior to AMF inoculation. Optionally, phosphorous compounds are added to the soil prior to inoculation. It was found that addition of phosphorous compounds, such as phosphite, to the soil enhances the growth of AMF spores by as much as three-fold over controls having no added phosphorous compounds.

Methods of propagating Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) are described that do not require the addition of, or presence of, any detectable live host plant material or live plant root material. The method comprises addition of water and optionally exposure to sunlight. It was surprisingly found that soil devoid of any detectable live host plant material, including host plant roots, is capable of supporting AMF reproduction, though it is widely believed that AMF are obligate symbionts requiring live plant roots for colonization to reproduce. Described methods optionally include active removal of living host plant material from the soil prior to AMF inoculation. Optionally, phosphorous compounds are added to the soil prior to inoculation. It was found that addition of phosphorous compounds, such as phosphite, to the soil enhances the growth of AMF spores by as much as three-fold over controls having no added phosphorous compounds.