Report from China

Mity-Gro™, a soil microorganism is a Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacterium, i.e. PGPR. It promotes the growth and development of plant roots and enhances their ability to absorb water and nutrients. Because of Mity-Gro’s ability to suppress a pathogenic bacterial invasion and become the dominant microorganism in the rhizosphere, these PGPRs increase a plants ability to resist diseases. Microorganisms are living organisms, which are necessary for the transformation of soil nutrients. The PGPRs directly participate in the transformation of soil material to energy. They also participate in the formation of decomposition of humus. Therefore, these microorganisms greatly improve the soil fertility. Because Mity-Gro™ makes the plants stronger and more resistant to diseases, yields increase via the combined effects mentioned above. In order to confirm Mity-Gro’s™ effectiveness, we have tested Mity-Gro™ on vegetables, flowers and plants.

Testing Summary of Mity-Gro™ on Vegetables.

Poy Wah Trading Company

From September to December 1996, Mity-Gro™ was applied to seven vegetable crops at Ju zi Fang Village in the Chao Yang district of Beijing City. The seven vegetables are muskmelon, greenhouse cucumber, tomato, strawberry, anise, Chinese cabbage and rape. In general, Mity-Gro™ promoted the growth of the tested seven vegetables and plants mentioned above. The most noted effects were: that treated plants ripened earlier(3-10 days), that yields increased between 12-30%, and that treated plants were stronger and more resistant to disease, especially on bokchoy, plus the incidence of "soft rot" disease was reduced by 15%.

Between August and October the weather was continuously cloudy and very foggy, This affected the vegetables growth due to lower temperature and lack of sunshine. All plants were weaker than normal under these weather conditions.

The data in the following tables were obtained from averaging the data on 30 plants (10 plants in each section with each test repeated 3 times.)

Mity-Gro™ applied on Muskmelon

A. Test Protocol:
Set up Mity-Gro™ treatment and control (non-treatment) in small areas (13.9 square meters), randomly repeat three times.

1. Method:
The three areas treated with Mity-Gro™ contained 42 square meters in total. All treatments consisted of, 63 ml of Mity-Gro™ solution diluted into 12,600 ml of water. The diluted solution was sprayed evenly around the base of the test plants. The first application was on September 17, and a second October 5.

2. Muskmelons are similar to the Japanese honeydew. Seedlings were selected on August 1, 1996, planted in the greenhouse on August 20, and uprooted on November 12. The total growth period was 134 days.

 3. Observation record:

4. Perimeters of our observations: Leaf color, size of stem, growth tendency, growth of melons, number of melons, number of matured melons (melons that can be harvested) and pathogen development.

B. Results and Analysis

1. Effects on plant growth: refer to table 1 and 2.

Table 1

Incident of Plant Diseases

Table 2

From table 1 and 2, combined with the field observation, it is concluded that there was no difference in the leaf colors and growth tendency of the muskmelons between the treated and control groups. However, the stem size of the treated was slightly increased, i.e. 0.08-0.09 cm larger than the controls. The degree of disease damage was also slightly reduced for the treated group. The incidence of disease and the disease index were both decreased 6-8% from the control group.

2. Effect on growth and production (refer to the following table)

*One china "Jin"= 500 grams.

As shown in the above table, the muskmelons treated with Mity-Gro™ grew faster, the number of matured melons increased 18% and total yield increased 21% compared with the control. Because of the continuously clouds and heavy fog between August and November, the temperature was lower and the sunshine was diminished. These factors affected the growth of the muskmelons. During the cold wave in the early November, the temperature inside greenhouse was 3 - 4 Celsius below zero. The Muskmelon plants were premature uprooted in order to avoid freezing the melons. Therefore, the yields can only be used as reference.

Mity-Gro™ applied on Green-House Cucumber

1. Test Protocol: Each test was repeated three times & comparisons made between the treated and the control groups. Each test area was 11 square meters. The treated areas were 33 square meters in total.

 50 ml of Mity-Gro™ was diluted into 10,000 ml of water each time, and the diluted Mity-Gro™ was sprayed evenly into the soil around the roots. Mity-Gro™ was initially sprayed on Sept. 17, again on Oct. 5, and a third spraying on Nov. 5.

2. Cucumber Stages: Plants were seeded in the greenhouse on Sept. 1, 1996. Harvested between November 6 and December 20. The total growth period was 110 days.

3. Observation Periods: The 1st observation—was taken of the day of application. Subsequent observation were then recorded every 15 days after each application. Another observation was scheduled monthly. There were Five observation in total.

Range of observations: Height of plants, leaf color, number of leaves, size of the largest leaf (the longest and widest per plant) number of cucumbers, number of matured cucumbers, weight per cucumber, diseases.

4. Results and Analysis: (1) Effects on plant Growth:

Table 1

Note: Three sections containing 10 plants each were used to collect this data. Plant averages are recorded in this data.

The combined data in table1 along with the field observations demonstrate that the treated plants have deeper colored leaves, the number of leaves per plant increased 1 - 2 leaves. The height and spread of the treated plants also increased. The degree of disease damage was reduced. This Indicates that Mity-Gro™ promotes the growth of cucumbers and their seedlings. Mity-Gro™ also increased the resistance of the cucumber to disease, therefore, the seedlings were stronger than the control, the degree of damage was reduced, as well as the chance of developing a disease.

(2) Effects of growth and production

Table 2

Combined data in table 2 and the field observations--It was demonstrated that Mity-Gro™ greatly enhanced the number of cucumber and also the number of matured cucumbers per plant, 42.9% and 100%, respectively. The growth of cucumbers was faster than the control. The cucumber’s time to maturity time was greatly advanced, about 10 days earlier. The estimated total yield increase was about 30-40%, according to number of cucumbers per plant, weight per cucumber and the growth of seedling in the field.

 Mity-Gro™ applied on Tomatoes

A. Test Protocol:

1. Method and treatment:

Tests were repeat three times. Each test area was 16.3 square meters. The three treated areas were 50 square meters in total. Each time, 75 ml of Mity-Gro™ was diluted into 15,000 ml of water. The resulting solution was evenly sprayed onto the space around the plant root areas. It was first sprayed on Sept. 17, followed by the 2nd spray on Oct. 5.

2. Tomato Tested: Two kinds of Israel tomatoes were tested. One was a cherry tomato, tests were repeated once. The other was a standard tomato, tests were repeated twice. The tomato seedlings without soil were planted in a green house transferred from a farm in Israel on Sept. 6, 1996. They were first blooming in early October, first fruiting in late October. However, they were premature uprooted due to pesticide damage.

 3. Observations:

Observations: leaf color, stem size, spreading of plant, blooming ratio, fruiting ratio, fruit size.

B. Results and Analysis:

1. Effects on plant growth:

Table 1 unit: cm

Combine the field observation and the above table, the treated tomatoes have deep-colored leaves, thicker stems and a larger spread. This indicates that Mity-Gro™ can promote tomato plant growth.

2. Effects on growth and production:

Table 2

Note: The data above is the average of both kinds of tomatoes.

From the above table, it can be seen that the treated tomato were advanced in blooming and fruiting, about 3-6 days earlier. The flower blooming ratio, fruiting ratio, and number of fruit per plant were also higher than the untreated tomato, about 15%, 22%, and 0.9 fruits, respectively. From the above data, it can be predicted that the Mity-Gro™ treated tomatoes possibly have earlier harvests and better yields. Unfortunately, they were uprooted premature due to pesticide damage and further observations can not be made.

Mity-Gro™ applied on foliage vegetables

A. Test Protocol:

1. Treatment and samples: Target samples were Chinese cabbage (harvested in 70 days) Rape and Anise, and three kinds of vegetables. The Chinese cabbage & Rape tests were repeated three times, whereas the Anise test was duplicated. Individual test areas: Chinese cabbage 2.64 square meters, rape 10.7 square meters, anise 20.1 square meters. Mity-Gro™ was first sprayed on the three vegetables on Sept. 20, second time was on Oct. 5.

B. Results and Analysis:

1. Chinese cabbage

(1). The treated three areas were 8 square meters in total. Each time, 12 ml of Mity-Gro™ was diluted with 2,400 ml of water. It was then sprayed evenly onto the soil around the plant root areas.

(2). The Chinese cabbage growing process.

Selected samples were harvested in 70 days that were cultured at Beijing’s vegetable center. They were planted in the field on August 23, shielded at the end of October to avoid freezing, uprooted on November 12.

(3). Observations:

Observations based on: Leave color, stem height, spreading, yield, and disease development.

(4). Results and Analysis:

(1) Growth and Disease development.

Table 1

(2) Yields: Measured on Nov. 12

Table 2

*One Chinese "mu"=0.165 acre

*One Chinese "Jin"= 500 grams

By combining the field observation and the above tables (table 1 and 2), we can see that Mity-Gro™ promotes the growth of Chinese cabbage, with increased height, width of the plant, darker leaf colors, and it promotes the photosynthesis of the plant. Mity-Gro™ also enhances the disease-resistance, especially for soft rot disease. It increases the yields at least by 20%. The net yield of the vegetables per "mu" increased about 1359 "Jin".

2. Rape

(1). The three areas consist of 33 square meters in total. Each time, 50 ml of Mity-Gro™ was diluted with 10,000 ml of water, it was then evenly sprayed onto the soil around the plant root areas.

(2). Rape Test Protocol:

The field was seeded on Sept. 17, 1996, and the plants were shielded at the end of October to avoid freezing and uprooted on Nov. 18.

 (3). Observations:

Observations were based on: Stem size, leave color, leave thickness, root wet weight and yields.

(4). Results and analysis

1. Effects on seedling growth. (1) No effects before Oct. 22. (2) There is a slight effect after Oct. 22, i.e. darker colored leaves and slightly thicker leaves in the treated rape (detail in next table).

Table 3

Note: * means treated compared to control

(3) Yield Results:

Table 4

*One Chinese "mu"=0.165 acre

*One Chinese "Jin"= 500 grams

By combining the field observations and the above tables (table 3 and 4), it is demonstrated that Mity-Gro™ darkens and slightly thickens the leaves of rape plants.

Above ground wet weight per plant increases 44.4%. Mity-Gro™ treated rape yield per mu increased about 1257 Jin*. Yield actually 32.2% compared to the control. Mity-Gro™ has a very profound effect on the growth of rape.

3. Anise

(1). Two test areas are 40 square meters in total. Each time, 60 ml of Mity-Gro™ was diluted with 12,000 ml of water, it was then evenly sprayed onto the soil.

(2). Anise test protocol: Treat soil with Mity-Gro™ then seed. Seeding was done on Sept. 20, 1996 in the greenhouse, harvested on November 6^th -9^th, the whole process took 60 days.

(3). Observation:

(4). Results and Analysis:

(1) Effects on seedling

Oct. 22:

 Nov. 9

(2) yield findings

From the field observation and the tables above, we can see that Mity-Gro™ treated anise grew faster than the control. That Mity-Gro™ treated anise had darker color leaves, stronger growth, better grouping order, faster growing, stronger roots, and increased yield. It clearly increased the yield by 12.96%.

Mity-Gro™ applied to flowers.

A. Test Protocol.

1. 20 pots were selected for each kind of flowers. 10 pots for treatment, 10 pots for control.

1. The amount of Mity-Gro™ used was calculated based on the size of the pots. It was applied

weekly at a fixed time.

3. Observations: At a fixed time, each pot was observed and the results tallied. Total statistics

3. of each observation were used as final statistics because of the season-flower differential.

B. Results and Analysis:

1. Flower: "Xiao Li " flower = "litter beauty" flower (Treated with Mity-Gro™)

2. Flower: "Xiao Li " flower = "litter beauty" flower (control-not treated with Mity-Gro™)

2. Flowers: Grassy or straw Cottonrose Hibiscus = Grassy or straw lotus

(Treated with Mity-Gro™)

4. Flower: Grassy or straw Cottonrose Hibiscus = Grassy or straw Lotus (control-untreated).

(5) Flower: Japanese little chrysanthemum observations on #1, #6, #7, #9, #10 pots.