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.

A light source for plant cultivation includes at least two light emitting devices supplying light to a plant. Each of the light emitting devices includes a first semiconductor layer doped with a first conductivity type dopant, a second semiconductor layer disposed on the first semiconductor layer and doped with a second conductivity type dopant different from the first conductivity type dopant, and an active layer interposed between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer. The light emitting devices emit light towards the plant under a different condition in terms of at least one of wavelength, radiation intensity, and emission timing to control the type and content of phytochemicals in the plant.

A light source for plant cultivation includes at least two light emitting devices supplying light to a plant. Each of the light emitting devices includes a first semiconductor layer doped with a first conductivity type dopant, a second semiconductor layer disposed on the first semiconductor layer and doped with a second conductivity type dopant different from the first conductivity type dopant, and an active layer interposed between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer. The light emitting devices emit light towards the plant under a different condition in terms of at least one of wavelength, radiation intensity, and emission timing to control the type and content of phytochemicals in the plant.

Proposed is a pod and a plant cultivation apparatus having the pod of the present disclosure. In the pod, cultivation preparation is completed simply by removing a package that covers an upper portion of a container constituting the pod and seating the pod on the plant cultivation apparatus. Accordingly, even a user who does not have background knowledge of plant cultivation easily cultivate plants.

A cultivation method of konjac under non-chemical simulated environment includes: (1), site selection: a forest land with a shade degree in a range of 30% to 90% and a slope of 0 to 30 is selected, roots 1.5 to 2.0 meters away from a tree trunk are plowed and broken, followed by fertilizing, and forming ridges for planting; (2), planning: a planting depth of konjac seed corms is 3 to 5 times a height of the konjac seed corms, then a Penicillium glabrum agent is applied; (3), weed and pest control: after the planting, a planting bed of the ridges is covered; once konjac seedlings are grown, a complex solution containing Penicillium glabrum is applied every month, after half a month of the applying the complex solution, Qingkulike, matrine, and azadirachtin are applied; (4), fertilization: after the konjac seed corms enter a swelling period, a high-potassium organic fertilizer is applied.

A cultivation method of konjac under non-chemical simulated environment includes: (1), site selection: a forest land with a shade degree in a range of 30% to 90% and a slope of 0 to 30 is selected, roots 1.5 to 2.0 meters away from a tree trunk are plowed and broken, followed by fertilizing, and forming ridges for planting; (2), planning: a planting depth of konjac seed corms is 3 to 5 times a height of the konjac seed corms, then a Penicillium glabrum agent is applied; (3), weed and pest control: after the planting, a planting bed of the ridges is covered; once konjac seedlings are grown, a complex solution containing Penicillium glabrum is applied every month, after half a month of the applying the complex solution, Qingkulike, matrine, and azadirachtin are applied; (4), fertilization: after the konjac seed corms enter a swelling period, a high-potassium organic fertilizer is applied.

A cultivation method of konjac under non-chemical simulated environment includes: (1), site selection: a forest land with a shade degree in a range of 30% to 90% and a slope of 0 to 30 is selected, roots 1.5 to 2.0 meters away from a tree trunk are plowed and broken, followed by fertilizing, and forming ridges for planting; (2), planning: a planting depth of konjac seed corms is 3 to 5 times a height of the konjac seed corms, then a Penicillium glabrum agent is applied; (3), weed and pest control: after the planting, a planting bed of the ridges is covered; once konjac seedlings are grown, a complex solution containing Penicillium glabrum is applied every month, after half a month of the applying the complex solution, Qingkulike, matrine, and azadirachtin are applied; (4), fertilization: after the konjac seed corms enter a swelling period, a high-potassium organic fertilizer is applied.

A cultivation method of konjac under non-chemical simulated environment includes: (1), site selection: a forest land with a shade degree in a range of 30% to 90% and a slope of 0 to 30 is selected, roots 1.5 to 2.0 meters away from a tree trunk are plowed and broken, followed by fertilizing, and forming ridges for planting; (2), planning: a planting depth of konjac seed corms is 3 to 5 times a height of the konjac seed corms, then a Penicillium glabrum agent is applied; (3), weed and pest control: after the planting, a planting bed of the ridges is covered; once konjac seedlings are grown, a complex solution containing Penicillium glabrum is applied every month, after half a month of the applying the complex solution, Qingkulike, matrine, and azadirachtin are applied; (4), fertilization: after the konjac seed corms enter a swelling period, a high-potassium organic fertilizer is applied.

Horticultural hydrogels are provided that include bentonite. Methods of increasing plant mass and processes for manufacturing/preparing horticultural hydrogels are also provided.

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.