Chemistry: molecular biology and microbiology – Micro-organism – per se ; compositions thereof; proces of...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-05
2003-11-18
Lankford, Jr., Leon B. (Department: 1651)
Chemistry: molecular biology and microbiology
Micro-organism, per se ; compositions thereof; proces of...
C435S252100, C435S262000, C435S262500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06649397
ABSTRACT:
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to microbe cultures, a process for producing the same, and utilization thereof. More particularly, the invention relates to microbe cultures containing anaerobic and aerobic microbes, which cannot hitherto live in symbiosis with each other, living in symbiosis with each other, and enzymes, which are metabolites of these microbes, the process for producing the same, carriers and absorbing materials containing the active ingredients of the culture and their applications to agricultural and environmental fields.
2. Background Arts
In recent years, applications of microbes to agricultural and environmental fields have received considerable attention from ecological viewpoint.
Attempts have been made to apply soil improving materials based on microbe technologies to soil which has become exhausted due to the use of a large amount of agricultural chemicals, and dormant soil in crop rotation.
For example, Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 4-42355 discloses that a mixture obtained by injecting root nodule bacteria and Azotobacter or photosynthetic bacteria and Thiobacillus to a culture comprising an aqueous sterile plant solution having sucrose or maltose added thereto, cultivating the bacteria at approximately 25 C., and mixing the culture with a separately prepared culture composed of nitrifying bacteria, yeast, thermophiles,
Bacillus subtilis,
and bacteria belonging to Pseudomonas has the ability to accelerate thermal maturing, to increase the effects of fertilizer, to make remaining chemicals harmless, and to suppress insects causing damage to crops.
However, the conventional method is disadvantageous in that the soil to which it can be applied is restricted to soil stained by chemicals or dormant soil in crop rotation, and yeast which can be used is also restricted to that from rice bran. In addition, it takes a very long period of time to return the soil to normal soil.
Recently, the environment is increasingly being destroyed due to desertification or acidic rains, and such phenomena have become worldwide problems.
In order to plant such an exhausted area with trees, an effort has been made to plant trees by placing a high water absorbing polymer as a base material, and applying water to the base material in order to grow trees. However, the high water absorbing polymer is expensive and plants to be applied are restricted. In addition, the soil which has been desertified is never returned to the original soil.
Similarly, man-made destruction of the environment such as that due to slash and burn farming and haphazard deforestation creates serious problems in terms of plant environment. No process has yet been found in which the soil whose crumb structure has been lost due to the man-made destruction of environment can be returned to the original state.
Moreover, there is a need to utilize soils containing salt such as a sandy beach, sandy soils such as residing around rivers, etc. as soils where desired crops can be planted, but there is no technique at present.
In addition to agriculture, gardening such as cultivating dwarf trees, gardening as a pastime, etc has become popularized. Ornamental plants, vegetables, herbs and other plants are cultivated not only by breeders but also household. In cultivating these plants, generally a solid medium for cultivating plants is incorporated into a container such as a flowerpot, a planter, and then seeds or tubers are embedded into the medium or young plants are transplanted.
However, the solid medium which has hitherto been utilized in the cultivation of such plants contains a considerable amount of insects carrying disease germs and eggs thereof, fungi, etc., which have an adverse influence upon the plants to be cultivated. Specifically, due to the eggs of insects, the insects themselves, or pathogenic bacteria, such as lead scald, powdery mildews, root knots, root rot, brown canker, rust and the like, plants often are infected from the solid medium such as soil. Depending upon the origin of the medium, the medium often contains agricultural chemicals and some other harmful substances. Moreover, insects etc. are oviposited into the medium or onto a plant during the cultivation of the plant, and the bred insects sometimes adversely affect the plant.
In order to eliminate such insects, mildews etc. existing on or into the solid medium, agricultural chemicals are conventionally applied to the medium. However, if the crumb structure inherent to the soil should be lost when the insects and harmful microorganisms are eliminated by the spraying of agricultural chemicals, this makes the soil inappropriate for the cultivation of plants. Particularly, in the case of the cultivation of plants in a container, excess water flows out when a plant in a container is watered; the agricultural chemicals unduly remain in the water which flows out. Further, in the case of the cultivation of edible plants, the agricultural chemicals cause an adverse effect to the human body.
When the plants are cultivated, solid or liquid fertilizers are incorporated into the medium. These fertilizers are mainly chemically synthesized fertilizers and thus, the medium in which chemical fertilizers are incorporated is greatly different from the original medium for cultivating the plants. In this case, the period of fertilization and the amount of fertilizer to be applied should be strictly controlled.
Similar to the cultivation of plants, solid media such as sawdust or decayed wood are used for cultivating mushrooms, and such medium also contains Eumycetes, insects, and their eggs.
Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 4-42355 discloses the admixture of microorganisms with the medium or plants themselves. According to this publication, a mixture obtained by injecting root nodule bacteria and Azotobacter or photosynthetic bacteria and Thiobacillus to a culture comprising an aqueous sterile plant solution having sucrose or maltose added thereto, cultivating the bacteria at approximately 25 C., and mixing the culture with a separately prepared culture composed of nitrifying bacteria, yeast, thermophiles,
Bacillus subtilis,
and bacteria belonging to Pseudomonas has the ability to accelerate thermal maturing, to increase in effects of fertilizer, to make remaining chemicals harmless, and to suppress insects causing damage to crops.
However, in the application of such a group of bacteria there are disadvantages in that it takes a very long period of time to take the effect after the application of these bacteria, and that the effect is last only a short time. Also, the group of bacteria cannot be applied to a plant cultivated in a container.
Also, the solid medium after the cultivation of an annual plant or the solid medium after plants have been harvested cannot be utilized again if these bacteria are used.
Moreover, these bacteria do not have an effect to activate any withering plant.
Meanwhile, various processes for taking measures to cope with bad smells based on the functions of bacteria have been known.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-277684 discloses a process for deodorizing a bad smelling gas utilizing bacteria.
Also, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Nos. 51-129865, 53-58375, and 60-34799 disclose processes for decoloring and deodorizing sewage disposal, excreta, etc.
However, these processes are disadvantageous in requiring at least two stages, due to the use of different kinds of bacteria, i.e., anaerobic and aerobic bacteria.
In recent years, processes for treating waste water, for improving soils, etc. and insecticides utilizing Effective Microbes called EM which have living anaerobic bacteria and aerobic bacteria together with each other, mainly containing lactobacilli have been developed. However, substantially aerobic bacteria and facultative bacteria are used in EM and, thus the synergism of both bacteria is little. In the use of EM, fermentation material call EM material should be utilized and making the application of EM is
Arent Fox Kintner Plotkin & Kahn
Lankford , Jr. Leon B.
Orient Green Co., Ltd.
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