The invention relates to a method for producing for producing soluble potassium sulfate by recrystallization of crude potassium sulfate wherein the crude potassium sulfate contains an amount of potassium, calculated as K.sub.2O of about 15 wt % or higher preferably about 40 wt % or higher and has either more than about 0.07 wt % insoluble material, and/or a dissolution speed wherein at 3 min dissolution of 100 gram product in 1 L cold water (20 C.), without stirring the amount of dissolved potassium sulfate of less than about 90% and/or a pH of about 6 or higher as a 1% dissolved crude potassium sulfate, wherein the method comprises the following steps: crude potassium sulfate is dissolved, the dissolved potassium sulfate is subjected to a solid material removal step, potassium sulfate is crystallized, while optionally an acid is provided before, during or after the crystallization step of the potassium sulfate and whereafter the obtained potassium sulfate is separated and dried, wherein the particle size of the crystalline material is controlled to be within the ranges provided, optionally with sieving and/or grinding, preferably by sieving, such that the resulting potassium sulfate crystalline material conforms with the following characteristics: the amount of insoluble material is less than about 0.05 wt %, a 1 wt % solution of the potassium sulfate has a pH below about 6, and/or 1 pH unit lower than the pH of the crude potassium sulfate, the fraction obtained after crystallization has an average particle size within the following parameters: (i) d90<about 0.6 mm, (ii) d10>about 0.02 mm, and (iii) dust amounts to about 0.4 wt % or less, whereby the potassium sulfate contains more than 51% potassium, calculated as K.sub.2O.

The invention concerns novel nitrification inhibitors.

A composition for agricultural or horticultural application, which contains isoleucine as an active ingredient, and is sprinkled on a fruit vegetable, fruit tree, or grain plant, or a harvested fruit as a solution having an isoleucine concentration of 0.5 to 75 mM, is sprinkled on a leaf surface and/or a fruit of a plant to provide at least one of promotion of blooming, promotion of the appearance of the fruit, improvement in number of fruit produced, promotion of ripening of fruit, improvement in essential amino acid and/or ?-ABA content, promotion of carotenoid synthesis, and improvement in antioxidant capacity.

A composition for agricultural or horticultural application, which contains isoleucine as an active ingredient, and is sprinkled on a fruit vegetable, fruit tree, or grain plant, or a harvested fruit as a solution having an isoleucine concentration of 0.5 to 75 mM, is sprinkled on a leaf surface and/or a fruit of a plant to provide at least one of promotion of blooming, promotion of the appearance of the fruit, improvement in number of fruit produced, promotion of ripening of fruit, improvement in essential amino acid and/or ?-ABA content, promotion of carotenoid synthesis, and improvement in antioxidant capacity.

A method for plant treatment, including: receiving a first measurement for a plant from a sensor as the sensor moves within a geographic area comprising a plurality of plants; in response to receipt of the first measurement and prior to receipt of a second measurement for a second plant of the plurality, determining a set of treatment mechanism operation parameters for the plant to optimize a geographic area output parameter based on the first measurement and historical measurements for the geographic area; determining an initial treatment parameter for the plant; and operating a treatment mechanism in a treatment mode based on the set of operating parameters in response to satisfaction of the initial treatment parameter.

This invention relates to methods and compositions for providing a benefit to a plant by associating the plant with a beneficial endophyte of the genus Streptomyces, including benefits to a plant derived from a seed or other plant element treated with said endophyte. For example, this invention provides purified endophytes, synthetic combinations comprising endophytes, and methods of making and using the same. In particular, this invention relates to compositions and methods of improving soybean and maize plants.

This invention relates to methods and materials for providing a benefit to a plant by associating the plant with a complex endophyte comprising a host fungus further comprising a component bacterium, including benefits to a plant derived from a seed or other plant element treated with a complex endophyte. For example, this invention provides purified complex endophytes, purified complex endophyte components such as bacteria or fungi, synthetic combinations comprising said complex endophytes and/or components, and methods of making and using the same.

The present invention relates to the use of a herbicide-tolerant protein, wherein the method for controlling weeds comprises applying a herbicide containing an effective dose of tribenuron-methyl to a plant growth environment where at least one transgenic plant is present, wherein the transgenic plant comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding a thifensulfuron hydrolase in its genome, and compared to other plants without the nucleotide sequence encoding the hydrolase, the transgenic plant has reduced plant damage and/or an increased plant yield. The present invention discloses for the first time that a thifensulfuron hydrolase can show a high tolerance to a tribenuron-methyl herbicide, plants containing a nucleotide sequence encoding the thifensulfuron hydrolase are strongly tolerant to the tribenuron-methyl herbicide and can at least tolerate 1-fold field concentration, and thus the hydrolase has broad application prospects in plants.

The present invention relates to the use of a herbicide-tolerant protein, wherein the method for controlling weeds comprises applying a herbicide containing an effective dose of tribenuron-methyl to a plant growth environment where at least one transgenic plant is present, wherein the transgenic plant comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding a thifensulfuron hydrolase in its genome, and compared to other plants without the nucleotide sequence encoding the hydrolase, the transgenic plant has reduced plant damage and/or an increased plant yield. The present invention discloses for the first time that a thifensulfuron hydrolase can show a high tolerance to a tribenuron-methyl herbicide, plants containing a nucleotide sequence encoding the thifensulfuron hydrolase are strongly tolerant to the tribenuron-methyl herbicide and can at least tolerate 1-fold field concentration, and thus the hydrolase has broad application prospects in plants.

The present disclosure provides a process. In an embodiment, the process includes providing a stable aqueous suspension composed of from 30% (w/w) to 60% (w/w) suspended particles of potassium pentaborate, and spraying the suspension on a plant at a rate from 0.20 lbs/acre to 0.70 lbs/acre.