Antimicrobial compositions comprising one or more compound components generally recognized as safe for human consumption, and related methods of use, such compositions and methods as can be employed in a wide range of agricultural, industrial, building, pharmaceutical and/or personal care products and applications.

Methods for improving the ability of a population of biological agents to compete and survive in a field setting are provided. By improving the population of biological agents, the modified population of agents is able to grow, compete with other microbial strains and fungi, and provide protection for plants from pathogens. In particular, modified biological agents and modified populations of such agents that are herbicide tolerant or resistant are selected or engineered. In this manner, the protection from disease-causing agents is enhanced. Such modified populations of biological agents can be added to soils to prevent fungal pathogens and the diseases they cause promoting plant growth. Therefore, the present invention is useful for enhancing the competitiveness of modified biological agents particularly over other microbial agents which are not herbicide resistant. Compositions of the invention include selected or engineered herbicide resistant biological agents and modified populations of biocontrol agents. These modified biological agents can be used as an inoculant or as a seed coating for plants and seeds.

Methods for improving the ability of a population of biological agents to compete and survive in a field setting are provided. By improving the population of biological agents, the modified population of agents is able to grow, compete with other microbial strains and fungi, and provide protection for plants from pathogens. In particular, modified biological agents and modified populations of such agents that are herbicide tolerant or resistant are selected or engineered. In this manner, the protection from disease-causing agents is enhanced. Such modified populations of biological agents can be added to soils to prevent fungal pathogens and the diseases they cause promoting plant growth. Therefore, the present invention is useful for enhancing the competitiveness of modified biological agents particularly over other microbial agents which are not herbicide resistant. Compositions of the invention include selected or engineered herbicide resistant biological agents and modified populations of biocontrol agents. These modified biological agents can be used as an inoculant or as a seed coating for plants and seeds.

Compositions and methods for inhibiting and interrupting biofilm formation, and for destabilizing established biofilms are provided, the novel compositions including polymeric resins and monomeric non-polymerizable and polymerizable resins. More particularly, the compositions and methods enable the protection and removal of biofilms from surfaces in the context of medical, consumer, domestic, food service, environmental and industrial applications, where the effects constitute beneficial and desirable biofilm attenuating activity.

Compositions and methods for inhibiting and interrupting biofilm formation, and for destabilizing established biofilms are provided, the novel compositions including polymeric resins and monomeric non-polymerizable and polymerizable resins. More particularly, the compositions and methods enable the protection and removal of biofilms from surfaces in the context of medical, consumer, domestic, food service, environmental and industrial applications, where the effects constitute beneficial and desirable biofilm attenuating activity.

Disclosed herein is a fungicide, including a porous carbon material and a silver member adhered to the porous carbon material, wherein a value of a specific surface area based on a nitrogen BET, namely Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller method is equal to or larger than 10 m.sup.2/g, and a volume of a fine pore based on a BJH, namely Barrett, Joyner, and Halenda method and an MP, namely Micro Pore method is equal to or larger than 0.1 cm.sup.3/g.

Disclosed herein is a fungicide, including a porous carbon material and a silver member adhered to the porous carbon material, wherein a value of a specific surface area based on a nitrogen BET, namely Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller method is equal to or larger than 10 m.sup.2/g, and a volume of a fine pore based on a BJH, namely Barrett, Joyner, and Halenda method and an MP, namely Micro Pore method is equal to or larger than 0.1 cm.sup.3/g.

The present invention provides agents having efficacy against viruses, allergens, bacteria and odorants, materials including such agents, and methods for producing the agents. An agent according to an embodiment of the present invention includes titanium dioxide particles having low photocatalytic activity, and metal ions of at least one metal selected from gold, silver, platinum and copper that are adsorbed to the surface of the titanium dioxide particles. The agent may further include hydroxyapatite particles, and the metal ions may be adsorbed also to the surface of the hydroxyapatite. The metal ions may be at least partially present in the form of at least one of an oxide of the metal, a hydroxide of the metal, and the elemental metal.

The present invention provides agents having efficacy against viruses, allergens, bacteria and odorants, materials including such agents, and methods for producing the agents. An agent according to an embodiment of the present invention includes titanium dioxide particles having low photocatalytic activity, and metal ions of at least one metal selected from gold, silver, platinum and copper that are adsorbed to the surface of the titanium dioxide particles. The agent may further include hydroxyapatite particles, and the metal ions may be adsorbed also to the surface of the hydroxyapatite. The metal ions may be at least partially present in the form of at least one of an oxide of the metal, a hydroxide of the metal, and the elemental metal.

Systems and methods for application of active ingredients to plants such as cannabinoid-producing plants (e.g., plants in the genus Cannabis) are generally described. Certain aspects of this disclosure relate to systems for treating cannabinoid-producing plants (e.g., plants of the genus Cannabis such as those containing Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, or combinations thereof) involving fluidic communication between the plants and a source of a cyclopropene (e.g., in an enclosure). In some embodiments, cannabinoid-producing plants (e.g., plants of the genus Cannabis) are exposed to a cyclopropene (e.g., 1-methylcyclopropene in a gas phase). Some embodiments involve such exposure inducing potentially desirable phenomena with the plants, such as growth of male sex organs on female plants and/or enhancement of plant biomass.