The present invention includes broccoli plants with curds having detached florets and methods for obtaining such broccoli plants. The present invention also provides reagents that can be used in methods for obtaining such broccoli plants.

A method of categorising microgreens, the method comprising the steps of establishing a growing protocol for specific species of microgreen that is replicatable to deliver reliable consistent cropping and maximise vitamin and mineral availability of the species; nutritionally mapping said species through its growing cycle; calculating the nutritional content of said species for a given crop; and categorising a plurality of species of microgreen based on their nutritional load; calculating the amount of crop of the species which, on its own or in combination with a crop of a different species delivers a pre-defined vitamin or mineral load and preparing and delivering to the end user a growing media pre-seeded with the calculated amount of crop of the or each species.

Means and methods are provided to produce abiotic stress tolerant plants with improved yield based on the specific identification of a DNA methylation signature in the plants out of a population of the plants. The methods involve identification and utilization of epigenetic features of a plant with high energy use efficiency.

In a solution cultivation method for a low potassium vegetable, an entire cultivation period from seeding to harvesting is divided into a first cultivation period and a second cultivation period depending on the vegetable to be cultivated. In the first cultivation period, the vegetable is cultivated in a first culture solution containing a first fertilizer for solution cultivation which contains potassium. In the second cultivation period, the vegetable is cultivated in a second culture solution containing a second fertilizer for solution cultivation which does not substantially contain potassium. During the second cultivation period, an air flow is applied at a controlled speed to the growing point of the vegetable.

Containers for growth of sprouts are described. The covered containers have an air-permeable seal and may also have additional openings to increase the air permeability rate of the covered container. The air permeability rate is balanced to have sufficient air exchange but with an evaporation rate that is low enough to avoid addition of water during germination and growth of the cryo-sprouts. The seeds and sufficient water are added to the container and covered with a lid to form an air-permeable covered container. The seeds germinate and grow in the covered container at pathogen antagonistic temperature without the removal of the lid until use by consumer. This results in cryo-spouts in that have reduced numbers of pathogenic organisms, are greener and have an extended shelf-life.

Containers for growth of sprouts are described. The covered containers have an air-permeable seal and may also have additional openings to increase the air permeability rate of the covered container. The air permeability rate is balanced to have sufficient air exchange but with an evaporation rate that is low enough to avoid addition of water during germination and growth of the cryo-sprouts. The seeds and sufficient water are added to the container and covered with a lid to form an air-permeable covered container. The seeds germinate and grow in the covered container at pathogen antagonistic temperature without the removal of the lid until use by consumer. This results in cryo-spouts in that have reduced numbers of pathogenic organisms, are greener and have an extended shelf-life.

The invention concerns novel nitrification inhibitors.

Disclosed are methods of producing nutrient solutions having unique isotopic fingerprints; methods of producing traceable plants; and methods of identifying the source of a traceable plant that does not rely on expensive artificially separated isotopes. Plants grown with these nutrient solutions will have unique isotopic fingerprints that will be difficult or impossible to counterfeit.

Disclosed are methods of producing nutrient solutions having unique isotopic fingerprints; methods of producing traceable plants; and methods of identifying the source of a traceable plant that does not rely on expensive artificially separated isotopes. Plants grown with these nutrient solutions will have unique isotopic fingerprints that will be difficult or impossible to counterfeit.

Methylobacterium strains that enhance early growth of plants, improve propagation/transplant vigor, increase nutrient uptake, improve stand establishment, improve stress tolerance, and/or increase a plant's ability to utilize nutrients are provided herein. Also provided are methods to identify Methylobacterium strains that improve nitrogen use efficiency in various crop plants.