The instant invention relates to methods for increasing or promoting microbial activity in soil selected for treatment.

A system for installing and labeling lay flat irrigation pipe in flooded rice and furrow irrigated fields, and a trailer for laying a roll of pipe in an irrigated field. The trailer includes a flexible hitch assembly positioned at a first end of the trailer, wherein the hitch assembly couples the trailer to a vehicle. The trailer also includes a distribution assembly positioned at a second end of the trailer, wherein the distribution assembly includes a spindle and wherein the distribution assembly couples the roll of pipe to the trailer; and a gooseneck frame including a first end coupled to the hitch assembly and a second end coupled to the distribution assembly, with an upper member between the first end and the second end of the gooseneck, wherein the upper member of the gooseneck is elevated relative to the hitch assembly. The trailer may also include offset tandem wheels with a furrow assembly to facilitate the creation of a furrow ditch and for traversing flood irrigated levees for the purposes of installing lay-flat polyethylene pipe for irrigation. The trailer may also include an adjustable telescoping hitch to adjust to various vehicle hitch heights. The system includes a labeling system for indicating the punch size needed along the pipeline during installation. A computerized hole selection plan is developed and transferred to a microprocessor device, where sensors or a global positioning system is co-locate the device so the punch label can be applied along the pipe during installation.

An irrigation pipe that extends along an axis and has a pipe wall with a base portion (55) and a plurality of bulge members (1, 2) that extend away from the base portion.

An irrigation pipe that extends along an axis and has a pipe wall with a base portion (55) and a plurality of bulge members (1, 2) that extend away from the base portion.

A plant growing system includes a growth medium preparation unit and a plant growing unit. The growth medium preparation unit includes a supply of water that feeds water through a water treatment unit, a nutrition module, and a reactor sub-system to have the water treated and modified and added with nano-elements and other nutrition components to provide a nutrition formula. The nutrition formula is supplied to the plant growing unit that includes a growing box inside which a tank is provided for receiving and holding the nutrition formula. A plant plate is disposed on the tank and is formed with at least one through opening for receiving and holding a plant. The root of plant is allowed to extend into the nutrition formula inside the tank, while the stem of the plant is growing in a void space above the plant plate and inside the growing box.

An irrigation modeling framework in precision agriculture utilizes a combination of weather data, crop data, and other agricultural inputs to create customized agronomic models for diagnosing and predicting a moisture state in a field, and a corresponding need for, and timing of, irrigation activities. Specific combinations of various agricultural inputs can be applied, together with weather information to identify or adjust water-related characteristics of crops and soils, to model optimal irrigation activities and provide advisories, recommendations, and scheduling guidance for targeted application of artificial precipitation to address specific moisture conditions in a soil system of a field.

In one aspect of the invention there is provided a plant surround for forming a water retaining barrier around a plant, including a curved generally elongate body having opposing ends including cooperating engagement members that are configured to reversibly engage to thereby delineate said water retaining barrier and a locking member attached to said elongate body and configured to inhibit complete or partial disengagement of said opposing ends of the body. In other aspects, there is provided a biodegradable plant surround and a plant surround including irrigation hose engaging tabs.

The cylindrical emitter (3) with water filter is welded into a pipe (2), the filter develops in the internal concave surface of the emitter and is comprised of a collection channel (4) developing preferably peripherally and to an arc of large magnitude incorporating considerable number of orthogonal openings (5) formed by the side walls (11) of shallow channels (12) that cross perpendicular the collection channel (4) extended to a considerable length front and rear of the openings (5). Every opening (5) cones ponds to a shallow channel (12), the shallow channels are parallel to the flow (14) of the water and are preferably raised over the internal concave surface of the emitter. The flow in the shallow channels (12) feeds continuously the collection channel (4) irrespectible if the surface of the openings (5) is covered or not by foreign particles (15). The openings (5) and the side walls of the filter are formed with the engraving of longitudinal, shallow and preferably radial channels on the cylindrical core of the mold that forms also the internal cylindrical surface of the emitter.

There are provided soil moisture sensing valves and devices that use osmotic potential of an aqueous solution to control the state of the valves and devices, such as those used in irrigation systems.

A modular hydroponic tower array fixture system for the growth of organisms such as plants and fungi on arrays of hydroponic towers, allowing for the insertion and removal of individual towers from the array, is provided. Methods for the production of organisms such as plants and fungi using a modular hydroponic tower array fixture system are also provided herein.