Methods and systems are provided for generating and utilizing a bacterial composition that comprises at least one genetically engineered bacterial strain that fixes atmospheric nitrogen in an agricultural system that has been fertilized with more than 20 lbs of Nitrogen per acre.

Disclosed are methods related to culturing anaerobic bacteria in a microaerobic environment. The method comprises culturing in a microaerobic environment an anaerobic bacteria with an aerobic microorganism. The microaerobic environment may not require gas pre-treatment to remove trace O.sub.2. Also disclosed are methods related to producing a product, syngas fermentation, and gas valorization. The method comprises culturing in a microaerobic environment an anaerobic bacteria with an aerobic microorganism.

This disclosure describes a genetically-modified diazotrophic microbe and methods that involve the genetically-modified diazotrophic microbe. Generally, the diazotrophic microbe is modified to excrete a nitrogen-containing compound in an amount greater than a comparable control diazotrophic microbe. The genetically-modified diazotrophic microbe can be co-cultured with a non-diazotroph and increase the growth of the non-diazotroph.

Methods, compositions, systems and kits relating to processing of cassava bagasse into bacterial feedstock, such as bacterial feedstock suitable for nanocellulose production, are disclosed. Cassava bagasse may be contacted with an acid catalyst or an enzymatic catalyst to produce a hydrolysate, which can be used to form a pre-fermentation medium. Incubation of the pre-fermentation medium with a first population of microorganisms yields a supernatant enriched in reducing sugars, which may be used to form a culture medium which can be used to support growth of a second population of microorganisms to form the nanocellulose.

The invention relates to a nano-biohybrid organism (or nanorg) comprising one of at least seven different core-shell quantum dots (QDs) or gold nanoparticle clusters, with excitations ranging from ultraviolet to near-infrared energies, couple with targeted enzyme sites in bacteria. When illuminated by light, these QDs drive the renewable production of biofuel molecules and chemicals using carbon-dioxide (CO.sub.2), water, and nitrogen (from air) as substrates. Nanorgs catalyze light-induced air-water-CO.sub.2 reduction with a high turnover number (TON) of approximately 10.sup.6-10.sup.8 (mols of product per mol of cells) to biofuels such as isopropanol (IPA), butane diol, gasoline additives, gasoline substitutes, 2,3-butanediol (BDO), C11-C15 methyl ketones (MKs), and hydrogen (H2); Sand chemicals such as formic acid (FA), ammonia (NH.sub.3), ethylene (C.sub.2H.sub.4), and degradable bioplastics, e.g. polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB). These nanorg cells function as nano-microbial factories powered by light.

A process and system are disclosed for increasing the rate of degradation of biopolymers in a solid waste depository, such as a landfill. A microorganism product, which can be an encapsulated product, is combined with the waste materials. The product contains one or more microorganisms that are designed to secrete an enzyme that degrades the biopolymer, which can be a polyhydroxybutyrate polymer. The microorganism can naturally secrete the enzyme or can be genetically modified to secrete the enzyme. The microorganisms or bacteria incorporated into the product are particularly selected in order to thrive in a particular environmental condition where the solid waste is located.

A genetically modified bacterium for excreting fixed nitrogen (in the form of ammonia) is disclosed. The bacterium can be made by deleting at least a portion of the nifL gene of a diazotrophic γ-proteobacterium, and inserting a promoter sequence into the diazotrophic γ-proteobacterium genome that is placed and oriented to direct transcription of the rnf1 gene complex. The resulting genetically modified bacterium excretes ammonia constitutively and at a greater rate than the wild type bacterium, and can be used to make biofertilizers to stimulate plant growth. The biofertilizers may contain a culture of the bacteria, or a co-culture of the bacteria and a mycorrhizal fungus.

The present invention is directed to methods and compositions for increasing a growth characteristic of a plant, increasing nutrient use efficiency of a plant, or improving a plant's ability to overcome biotic or abiotic stress comprising applying a composition comprising a fungal mycelia extract comprising piperidine and/or an analogue thereof (e.g., 6-oxopiperidine-2-carboxylic acid) and/or a salt thereof (e.g., 6-oxopiperidine-2-carboxylate), or any combination thereof to a plant, plant part, or to a propagation material of the plant.

Methods and systems are provided for generating and utilizing a bacterial composition that comprises at least one genetically engineered bacterial strain that fixes atmospheric nitrogen in an agricultural system that has been fertilized with more than 20 lbs of Nitrogen per acre.

The subject invention provides environmentally-friendly systems for the management of crops, soil, water and livestock. More specifically, the invention provides for a holistic approach using microbe-based and/or biosurfactant-based soil treatment compositions to address the various pain points experienced by growers and livestock producers, including those involving soil and water management.