Disclosed are a special fertilizer for intercropping maize and peanuts and a cultivation method for maintaining soil organic carbon (SOC) balance, belonging to the technical field of SOC balance. The special fertilizer for intercropping maize and peanuts includes the following raw materials: coated urea, heavy superphosphate, ammonium sulfate, fermented soybean meal, bentonite, sodium molybdate, borax, humic acid, ammonium dihydrogen phosphate, plant ash and zinc sulfate heptahydrate. The cultivation method includes the steps of land selection, land preparation, fertilizing, sowing, field management, and rotation.

Biochar is provided that is treated to have certain chemical and physical properties found to have the highest impact on plant growth and/or soil health. In particular, the following physical and/or chemical properties, among others, of a biochar have been identified as critical properties to control for in the selection of biomass feedstock, pyrolysis conditions, and/or enhancing treatment to increase biochar performance: (i) bulk density (ii) impregnation capacity; (iii) particle size distribution; (iv) solid particle density; (v) surface area; (vi) porosity; (vii) total porosity; (viii) ratio of macroporosity to total porosity (ix) content of residual organic compounds; (x) content of volatile organic compounds; (xii) ash content; (xiii) water holding capacity; (xiv) water retention capabilities; (xv) levels of dioxins and other potentially hazardous byproducts of pyrolysis; and (xvi) pH. Treatment can modify and preferably increase hydrophilicity/decrease hydrophobicity, remove dioxins from the raw biochar, modify electrical conductivity and/or surface charge, modify cation exchange capacity and modify anion exchange capacity, among other things.

A process of biodegradation of hydrocarbons using a plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) consortium mixed with the oily sludge, The PGPR consortium is created by inoculating a nutrient broth with pure culture of isolated bacterial strains of Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas putida and Exiguobacterium at Optical Density 1 at 660 nm and bacterial density of 10.sup.6 cells/ml, and incubating the inoculated nutrient broth in a shaker incubator for forty-eight to seventy-two hours at 150 rpm.

A method for capturing material extracted from biochar, the method comprising the steps of: (i) providing a biochar; (ii) contacting the biochar with a treating liquid, where the treating liquid causes the removal of solids from the pores and surface of the biochar, thereby creating a resulting solution comprised of the treating liquid and removed solids; and (iii) collecting the resulting solution.

A cross-linked, water absorbent polymer is mixed with desirable additives and coated to prevent water absorption to create a blend that is added to water injection systems for turf and soil maintenance. The coating is rinsed off the water absorbent polymer resulting in expansion of the polymer into a gel-like substance. The water absorbent polymer has the ability to retain water and nutrients in the soil preventing nutrient runoff and reducing watering frequency. Injection of the water absorbent polymer directly into soil reduces waste and reduces hazard caused by slippery material left on soil surfaces. The method and system for mixing and injection into soil is disclosed.

Improved, micronutrient-supplemented polymeric seed coatings are provided which include at least one polyanionic polymer in combination with respective amounts of Zn, Mn, and Cu micronutrients. Preferably, the coatings comprise polyanionic polymers having a backbone comprising dicarboxylic repeat units with Zn, Mn, and Cu bound to the backbone. The most preferred polymers contain maleic and itaconic repeat units, optionally with sulfonate repeat units. The invention also provides a method of treating seeds using the coatings, and coated seed products.

Improved, micronutrient-supplemented polymeric seed coatings are provided which include at least one polyanionic polymer in combination with respective amounts of Zn, Mn, and Cu micronutrients. Preferably, the coatings comprise polyanionic polymers having a backbone comprising dicarboxylic repeat units with Zn, Mn, and Cu bound to the backbone. The most preferred polymers contain maleic and itaconic repeat units, optionally with sulfonate repeat units. The invention also provides a method of treating seeds using the coatings, and coated seed products.

A Plant Iron Supplement System and method of implementing same, serving as a soil conditioner for the benefit of treating Iron Deficiencies in plants, containing Magnetite (Fe.sub.3O.sub.4) and a Beneficial Carrier material.

The present invention relates to a method for applying biochar to turf and landscape to allow the turf and landscape to be effectively maintained under reduced water and/or reduced fertilizer applications.

The present invention relates to a method for applying biochar to turf and landscape to allow the turf and landscape to be effectively maintained under reduced water and/or reduced fertilizer applications.