Systems and methods for seed germination and planting include: a germinator unit providing an environment for seeds to germinate in water, and means to deliver the germinated seeds in batch form, suspended in an aqueous hydrogel; and a planting unit to accept batches of suspended seeds and dispense the seeds, preferably in singulated manner, to selected locations in a planting environment. The planting unit may be man-portable, mounted on a trailer or autonomous vehicle, or substantially stationary for use in a greenhouse. The planting environment may be a field or it may be a planting tray, pot, or other container for use in a greenhouse.

An electric-powered bulk material dispersing system and method of use. The electric power is provided by a battery system with one or more electric motors to replace traditional internal combustion engines. The electric motor or motors are used to provide pressure to one or more pumps that may be used in conjunction with various tubes, hoses or related conduit and spray nozzles in order to disperse a bulk material such as seed, mulch, compost, chipped wood, grain, hay, fertilizer, herbicide, pesticide, plastic pellets, salt, sand or the like that has been combined or suspended within a fluent material. In one form, the bulk material dispersing system may be used as a bulk hydroseeder.

An infeed chute for a material application machine includes a riser and a water spreading unit. The riser includes a sidewall and defines an infeed opening extending through the riser. The riser is configured to be coupled to an opening of a tank of a material application machine such that application material passed through the infeed opening of the riser enters the tank of the material application machine. The sidewall includes a water inlet formed therein. The water spreading unit is coupled to the water inlet and is configured to direct water laterally across the infeed chute.

An infeed chute for a material application machine includes a riser and a water spreading unit. The riser includes a sidewall and defines an infeed opening extending through the riser. The riser is configured to be coupled to an opening of a tank of a material application machine such that application material passed through the infeed opening of the riser enters the tank of the material application machine. The sidewall includes a water inlet formed therein. The water spreading unit is coupled to the water inlet and is configured to direct water laterally across the infeed chute.

A system for an assembly line grow pod includes a germination hub including a tank, a water source in selective fluid communication with the tank, a pump in selective fluid communication with the tank and the water source, a pod line in selective fluid communication with the germination hub, a seeder assembly in selective fluid communication with the pod line, the seeder assembly including a seeder tank, and a metering device in selective fluid communication with the seeder tank, where the metering device selectively releases seeds from the seeder tank, and a cart positioned below the metering device.

The present invention discloses a method for remedying sandy land by using a simulated loam substrate spray-seeding technology. The method includes the following steps: first, carrying out a simple sand-fixing treatment to lay a metal mesh in sandy land, the metal mesh being fixed to the surface of the sandy land by a sand-fixing pile; second, spray-seeding a seed into the sandy land by means of simulated loam substrate spray-seeding; and finally, when the spray-seeding is completed, carrying out maintenance management, including adding a protective plate around the metal mesh, covering with a non-woven fabric, watering, fertilizing, reseeding, and post-monitoring. The method for remedying sandy land by using a simulated loam substrate spray-seeding technology provided by the present invention adopts a two-layer spray-seeding method, and rapidly simulates a simulated loam substrate suitable for plant growth in natural world by bionics; the simulated loam substrate has a good water retention capacity, which is conducive to a higher germination rate of a seed, root development, a microbial activity, nutrient transformation, and plant growth and development; and with less investment and a quick effect, the method is suitable for large-scale sand control.

A hydraulic spray nozzle, a hydroseeding system and a method of dispersing bulk material with a hydraulic spray nozzle. The hydraulic spray nozzle may further include one or more of an inlet, a diffuser cone, an expansion chamber, one or more interior surface vanes, a converging nozzle and an outlet that fluidly cooperate with one another in order to increase the dispersal distance of the bulk material as it exits the hydraulic spray nozzle. In one form, the hydraulic spray nozzle is incorporated into a hydroseeding system or other bulk material dispersing system in order to apply seeds, mulch, fertilizer or related bulk materials over large swaths of land.

In one embodiment, a hydroseeder has an integrated bale grinder. The hydroseeder includes a tank, an agitator, a plurality of grinding flights, and a basket. The tank includes an opening and is configured to hold a material slurry. The agitator is positioned below the opening and is configured to agitate the material slurry. The plurality of grinding flights extends from the agitator and is configured to grind a material bale as it is introduced into the tank. The basket extends from the opening of the tank and is configured to direct the material bale toward the plurality of grinding flights.

A method for pumping seeds to an assembly line grow pods includes releasing seeds to a pipe in fluid communication with a pump, moving water from a water source to the pipe in fluid communication with the pump, combining the seeds released from the tank with the water from the water source in the pipe, and pumping the combination of the seeds released from the tank and the water from the water source to a grow pod line in fluid communication with the pump, and moving the seeds from the grow pod line to one or more carts of an assembly line grow pod.

An autonomous vehicle platform and system for selectively performing an in-season management task in an agricultural field while self-navigating between rows of planted crops, the autonomous vehicle platform having a vehicle base with a width so dimensioned as to be insertable through the space between two rows of planted crops, the vehicle base having an in-season task management structure configured to perform various tasks, including selectively applying fertilizer, mapping growth zones and seeding cover crop within an agricultural field.