A method for preparing a solid Trichoderma seed from direct fermentation of crop straws with Trichoderma, and a product prepared by using the same. The method includes adding a liquid amino acid to the crop straws, adjusting the initial pH to 3.0-4.0, and inoculating a liquid Trichoderma seed for solid fermentation. An acidity that allows Trichoderma to grow and multiply rapidly and inhibits the growth of other non-target fungi is established in the material by adjusting its pH value, an optimum nutritional formula for Trichoderma is screened out, and an inexpensive proprietary process for preparing a solid Trichoderma seed through fermentation is established. 1% of the solid Trichoderma seed is added to a matured compost, which allows the density of Trichoderma spores in the Trichoderma amended bioorganic fertilizer to reach above 5×10.sup.7 spores/g, and the production increasing effect is considerable after the Trichoderma amended bioorganic fertilizer is applied.

Disclosed are an antiviral composition, a composition for controlling plant viruses, and a method for controlling plant viruses using the composition. Trichodermin or Trichoderminol which is a tricothecene-based compound and is isolated from Trichoderma albolutescenes strain has antiviral activities against various plant viruses and is thus suitable for controlling plant viruses. This description can facilitate mass production of an active component derived from natural products, provide environment-friendly antifungal agents, which do not harm plants, using safe materials, and be variously utilized in agricultural fields, for example, such as production of high-value crops.

This invention provides low-dose, low-concentration formulations of phytotoxic trace inorganic compounds for use in methods and systems for selectively and effectively controlling invasive plants.

Water dispersible granules are provided containing (a) an agrochemical active ingredient that is solid at 25° C., (b) a polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether phosphate or its salt, (c) at least one anionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of arylsulfonates or their formaldehyde condensates, ligninsulfonates, and polycarboxylates, and (d) lactose. The granules are water dispersible granules having good disintegrability and dispersibility in water and also having good storage stability. The water dispersible granules can be disintegrated and dispersed in a small amount of water. Accordingly, the water dispersible granules can be mixed with paste fertilizers to produce agrochemical-containing paste fertilizers, which can also be used in paddy fields and are useful water dispersible granules.

A composition based on three strains of microorganisms to promote plant growth and serve as a plant protection product to protect plants from damaging influences including plant disease, pests or insects. The composition is comprised of isolated strains of Paenibacillus polymyxa M.sub.10, Azospirillum canadense B.sub.2, and Bacillus pumilus L.sub.13. A mineral mix is used to maintain the microorganism viable for a long time, maintaining high efficacy as a biopesticide and biofertilizer. The mineral mix combined with the fermented microorganisms is then further combined with a nutritional additive to enhance the biofertilizing and biopesticidal features of the composition. The resulting composition can be applied to plants in liquid form or to the soil in solid form.

The present invention provides novel phosphate-solubilizing fungal strains, compositions comprising novel phosphate-solubilizing fungal strains, and methods of using novel phosphate-solubilizing fungal strains to increase the availability of phosphate for plant uptake in soil. In some embodiments, one or more of the novel phosphate-solubilizing fungal strains is coated onto a seed.

The present invention is directed to methods of treating a plant having a plant part. One method involves providing a plant having a plant part; applying an aqueous treatment formulation to the plant, where the aqueous treatment formulation comprises a thickener, a water soluble divalent salt, a foam control agent, a complexing agent, a film forming agent, and water; and harvesting the plant part, where the aqueous treatment formulation, when applied to a surface of a plant, creates a water fast film on the surface that permits permeation of an aqueous material to the plant while minimizing loss of moisture or loss of a plant treatment chemical from the plant as compared to when the composition is not applied to the surface of the plant. The present invention also relates to a methods of treating a harvested plant part and to the treated harvested plant parts.

An agricultural water disintegrable granular composition is disclosed. The granules include at least one water insoluble crop nutrient or algae or pesticidal active ingredient, and one or more agrochemically acceptable excipient, whereby the granules have a bulk density of less than 1.5 gm/ml and hardness of at least 1 Newton. A process of preparing the water disintegrable granular composition including one or more water insoluble crop nutrients or algae or the pesticidal active ingredients is described. A method of crop protection, fortification of the plants or the soil or the plant propagation material or locus thereof with the water disintegrable granular composition comprising water insoluble crop nutrients or algae or the pesticidal active ingredients is described.

The present disclosure relates to the field of biostimulants used in agriculture to promote plant growth. In particular, lipopeptides are used as a biostimulant agent for plant growth, a biostimulant composition contains lipopeptides, a method for obtaining such a composition is provided, and a method for promoting an increase in plant matter by applying this composition is disclosed. In another aspect, seeds are coated with a biostimulant composition.

An agricultural spray may be produced by admixing citric acid and glutamic acid with a metal salt and a pesticide or other agricultural chemical containing components capable of precipitating with the metal salt in the admixture. The citric acid and the glutamic acid chelate with the metal salt to provide a stability and compatibility-enhancing composition, thereby preventing the metal salt from forming an insoluble solid within the admixture. Such a composition may be produced by admixing citric acid and glutamic acid at a molar ratio of about 6.8:0.5 to about 1:0.29. The composition may include a metal sat, citric acid and glutamic acid in a molar ratio of about 1:6.8:0.5 to about 1:1:0.29 and a pesticide.