Compositions and methods are provided for enhancing plant immunity, health, growth and yields, as well as enhancing rhizosphere properties, using beneficial microbes and/or their growth by-products. Specifically, the subject invention enhances plant health, growth and/or yields by applying a yeast-based composition to the plant (e.g., the roots) and/or its surrounding environment (e.g., the soil). Specifically, in one embodiment, the subject invention utilizes the killer yeast Wickerhamomyces anomalus and/or a species related closely thereto.

Compositions and methods are provided for enhancing plant immunity, health, growth and yields, as well as enhancing rhizosphere properties, using beneficial microbes and/or their growth by-products. Specifically, the subject invention enhances plant health, growth and/or yields by applying a yeast-based composition to the plant (e.g., the roots) and/or its surrounding environment (e.g., the soil). Specifically, in one embodiment, the subject invention utilizes the killer yeast Wickerhamomyces anomalus and/or a species related closely thereto.

An amino acid fertilizer composition manufactured from livestock farming by-product using acid, alkali and protease treatment. More specifically, the amino acid fertilizer composition may be manufactured by: 1) separating and producing a crude collagen peptide from livestock farming by-product, such as, bovine skin, pig skin or bovine bone using acid and alkali treatment, 2) hydrolyzing the obtained crude collagen peptide using collagen specific protease produced from Bacillus sp. variant Iren-101, and 3) obtaining an amino acid level fertilizer composition.

Disclosed herein are microbial consortia and compositions including microbes for use in agricultural or biodegradation applications. In some embodiments, soil, plants, and/or plant parts (such as seeds, seedlings, shoots, roots, leaves, fruit, stems, or branches) are contacted with a disclosed microbial consortia or composition including microbes. The microbial consortia or microbe-containing compositions may be applied to soil, plant, and/or plant parts alone or in combination with additional components (such as chitin, chitosan, glucosamine, amino acids, and/or liquid fertilizer). In additional embodiments, the disclosed microbial consortia or compositions including microbes are used in methods of degrading biological materials, such as chitin-containing biological materials.

Disclosed herein are microbial consortia and compositions including microbes for use in agricultural or biodegradation applications. In some embodiments, soil, plants, and/or plant parts (such as seeds, seedlings, shoots, roots, leaves, fruit, stems, or branches) are contacted with a disclosed microbial consortia or composition including microbes. The microbial consortia or microbe-containing compositions may be applied to soil, plant, and/or plant parts alone or in combination with additional components (such as chitin, chitosan, glucosamine, amino acids, and/or liquid fertilizer). In additional embodiments, the disclosed microbial consortia or compositions including microbes are used in methods of degrading biological materials, such as chitin-containing biological materials.

A method of manufacturing fertilizer is provided. The method comprises preparing a primary mixture comprising of 80 to 90 percent in weight of crushed fish less than 100 mesh in size, 5 to 10 percent in weight of corn stalk less than 100 mesh in size, and 5 to 10 percent in weight of rice bran less than 100 mesh in size. The primary mixture is boiled at twice barometric pressure to obtain an extracted mixture. A secondary mixture is prepared comprising 86 to 93 percent in weight of the extracted mixture and 1 to 2 percent in weight of powdered, smaller than 100 mesh size, peat moss, elvan, tourmaline, zeolite, sericite, and minerals from red clay. The secondary mixture is fermented with lactobacillus.

Streptobacillus is grown on purified chitin obtained by fermentation of micronized shrimp or crab shell material and purification using alkaline media. The chitin is biodegraded by the Streptobacillus and produces plant growth hormones or auxins. From 25 to 50% of the biomass is converted to the auxins. Since the soil amendment including the auxins has a low trace metal content, the soil amendment does not contribute to metal uptake by the treated growing plants. For example, Cannabis plants with a reduced trace metal content can be grown in soil media provided with the soil amendment with an 8 to 10 fold increase in root mass and root growth rates in order to comply with legal limits on the content of trace metals in the plants.

An organic fertilizer with one or more natural ingredients is provided. The organic fertilizer includes molasses to provide additional nutrients to the soil that are readily available for plant intake such as providing sugars to increase microorganism activity. An aromatic ingredient is provided to mask the unwanted odors of other fertilizer components.

The invention concerns a method for extracting valuable materials from organic compounds contained in waste or chemical elements contained therein.

The method comprises the following steps carried out in succession: a) mixing the waste (1) with a base so that a liquid medium is formed, b) heating the medium in a reactor (3) to a temperature of 100 C. to 140 C. in order to hydrolyse the organic compounds contained in the medium, and withdrawing (c) the vapour which is formed, b1) transferring (c) the vapour from the reactor (3) to a washing tower (4), b2) adding sulphuric acid or phosphoric acid (c) to the vapour in order to form ammonium sulphate(s) or ammonium phosphate(s), wherein a solution is obtained in the bottom of the washing tower (4) and the vapour is withdrawn from the head of the washing tower (4), b3) transferring (e) the solution obtained in step b2) to an electrochemical cell (6) with a cathode chamber and an anode chamber and electrolysing the solution, whereupon in the anode chamber, sulphuric acid or phosphoric acid is obtained for step b2), b4) recycling (c) the sulphuric acid or phosphoric acid obtained from the anode chamber to the washing tower and withdrawing (f) valuable materials formed in the cathode chamber, in particular an ammoniacal solution, c) transferring (d) the liquid medium remaining in the reactor (3) in step b) to a separating device (5) in order to separate any solid inorganic phase which is contained in the liquid medium.

The present invention relates to a fertiliser and/or soil improver, for use in enhancing the growth of plants, comprising keratin, preferably obtained from wool. Also described is a method of enhancing the growth of plants using a fertiliser and/or soil improver comprising keratin.