A method is disclosed of in-situ retention and buffering of an amount of water in soil to support the growth of an agricultural crop. The method comprises the step of adding an effective amount of a hydrogel material as a water retention agent during planting of seed in the soil. The hydrogel material including an insoluble, cross-linked carboxymethyl cellulose. Once penetration of water into the soil is allowed after the planting of seed, a proportion of the water which penetrates the soil is absorbed by the hydrogel material and, over time, the absorbed water is released by diffusion into the soil to support the growth of the agricultural crop. Also disclosed is the hydrogel material which comprises said carboxymethyl cellulose which has been cross-linked with a cross-linking polymer from the group consisting of: an amine monomer; an amide monomer; and an amine-amide co-polymer.

A method is disclosed of in-situ retention and buffering of an amount of water in soil to support the growth of an agricultural crop. The method comprises the step of adding an effective amount of a hydrogel material as a water retention agent during planting of seed in the soil. The hydrogel material including an insoluble, cross-linked carboxymethyl cellulose. Once penetration of water into the soil is allowed after the planting of seed, a proportion of the water which penetrates the soil is absorbed by the hydrogel material and, over time, the absorbed water is released by diffusion into the soil to support the growth of the agricultural crop. Also disclosed is the hydrogel material which comprises said carboxymethyl cellulose which has been cross-linked with a cross-linking polymer from the group consisting of: an amine monomer; an amide monomer; and an amine-amide co-polymer.

The present invention relates to the use of foaming additives in liquid, paste or powder form, to condition soil excavated with a tunnel boring machine. Said additives can be classified as readily biodegradable and are characterised by a lower ecotoxicological impact than commercial products.

The present invention relates to the use of foaming additives in liquid, paste or powder form, to condition soil excavated with a tunnel boring machine. Said additives can be classified as readily biodegradable and are characterised by a lower ecotoxicological impact than commercial products.

The present invention is a plant growth promoter containing one or more seed shell components of plant selected from Palmae Elaeis, Leguminosae Faboideae, Juglandaceae, Rosaceae Prunus, and Oleeae.

The present invention is a plant growth promoter containing one or more seed shell components of plant selected from Palmae Elaeis, Leguminosae Faboideae, Juglandaceae, Rosaceae Prunus, and Oleeae.

Compositions for dust suppression, methods for forming the compositions, and methods for using the compositions are provided. In one embodiment, the composition includes a non-sulfonated lignin and an alkylene glycol alkyl ether solvent. The compositions may be applied to an exposed surface of a substrate.

A method for making a growing medium includes a step of combining tree bark and/or wood components together to form an initial composition; heating the initial composition to a temperature greater than about 149° C. under steam in a pressurized vessel; processing the initial composition through a refiner with a plurality of opposing disks to obtain the fibrous growing medium, the refiner separating fibers from each other; wherein the growing medium has total porosity of 88 volume % or more.

The present disclosure provides methods of decreasing a crop residue of a plant, enhancing the availability of a nutrient in a crop residue of a plant, increasing soil organic matter (SOM) with a crop residue of a plant, and reducing erosion with a crop residue of a plant by applying a composition comprising a culture of microalgae to the crop residue.

The present invention is a plant growth promoter containing one or more seed shell components of plant selected from Palmae Elaeis, Leguminosae Faboideae, Juglandaceae, Rosaceae Prunus, and Oleeae.