Highlights

In plant applications, beneficial microbes will:

• Produce natural enzymes that release nutrients.
• Colonize in/on sloughed-off plant root cells and establishes a root strengthening bio-film that protects the roots as they grow, enhancing root and plant growth. This has a positive impact on nitrogen-fixing rhizobium, resulting in measured increased nitrogen fixation, more vigorous plants that produce larger plants and colas, more colas per plant, as well as improved tolerance to stresses, including dry growing conditions and temperature stresses.
• Maximize phosphorus and micronutrient cycling processes to release soil (or hydroponic dosed) phosphorous and micronutrients from bound forms, to maximize bud growth, increase yield, and enhance plant health. Increased levels of phosphorus will enhance cannabis crop yields and production.
• Bio-remediate the specific pollutants common in soils and irrigation water supply, including salt compounds that can foul crop irrigation feed lines.

Cannabis Growth Stages Overview
To understand the importance of microbes on plant function, we need to understand the basic cannabis growth cycle, categorized into three growth stages: early rooting stage, vegetative stage, and flowering stage. Vital plant processes during these stages are discussed below.

Early Rooting Stage (2-3 weeks): Germination (12 hours to 8 days) and seedling (2-3 weeks) occur at this stage. Here, the seeds sprout, and the radical, as well as the root system, emerges. In cannabis, warm, dark, and moist conditions initiate metabolic processes, such as hormonal pathways responsible for embryo expansion within the seed. Furthermore, the seed coat opens, and a small embryonic root (i.e., the radical) emerges and begins growing downward. After that, the radical is anchored, and two circular embryonic leaves (seed leaves) appear in search of light, subsequently discarding the seed shell remnants. This marks the beginning of the seedling stage. This is the period of greatest vulnerability in the life cycle, requiring limited soil moisture, moderate humidity, and medium-to-high light intensity. Thus, the depth and strength of the root system establish the plant’s growth. Alternatively said: the deeper and stronger the root system, the taller the plant will grow.

Vegetative Stage (1-2 months): In this stage, the plant needs a significant amount of light and nutrients, depending on the genetics of the plant. It continues to grow vertically and produce new leaves; consequently, the sex begins to be apparent. Concurrently, the root system expands downwards in search of more water and food. During this stage, the plant readily directs energy resources, such as potassium, phosphorous (improves the strength and resistance of the root system by interacting with ammonium ions), and nitrogen, primarily to the growth of leaves, stems, and roots. Potassium is critical for plant growth and serves several key roles in protein synthesis. Phosphate is essential for energy transfer, photosynthesis, the transformation of sugars and starches, nutrient movement within the plant, and plant reproduction. Furthermore, nitrogen gas, captured into plants through nitrogen fixation, nitrification, and assimilation, supports important cellular processes, including chlorophyll production and photosynthesis support. Photosynthesis is how plants utilize light energy to produce chemical energy (i.e., adenosine triphosphate, ATP) from carbon dioxide and water. The amount of time required for cannabis growth during this stage depends on the flower’s size, how many plants are intended to flower at once, and how big the strain gets in the “stretch” (i.e., initial 2 weeks of the flowering stage). It is worth noting that during this stage, fertilizers are high in nitrogen and potassium and are considered a complete micronutrient fertilizer. Moreover, the strength of the fertilizer is gradually increased as the plants grow.

Flowering Stage (6-12 weeks): Flowering indicates the start of a plant’s reproductive cycle. As mentioned above, the plant enters a state of “stretch” where more branches and nodes are produced as the structure for flowering grows. The plant starts to develop bracts/bracteoles where the branches meet the stem (nodes). During the early flowering stage, the sex is very apparent. For example, male cannabis plants produce little ball-like flowers clustered together called panicles. Then, the next phase consists of fruition (or fruiting), where non-pollinated females (i.e., feamales not fertilized by male or hermaphrodite plaints) begin producing colas that contain sticky white resin-containing glands (or trichomes) in a final attempt for pollination by windborne male pollen. The stalked trichomes produce resins that contain the largest amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) cannabidiol (CBD), and other CBD metabolites, which are the main psychoactive compounds found in cannabis. Cannabis growth is induced into flowering by decreasing its photoperiod to at least 10 hours of darkness per day. To initiate a flowering response, the number of hours of darkness must exceed a critical point. Generally, the more hours of darkness each day, the shorter the overall flowering period, nonetheless the lower the yield. Conversely, the fewer hours of darkness each day, the longer the overall flowering period and the higher the yield.

As you can see, a well-functioning root system is key to supporting all cannabis growth stages. The microbes in Green OMBT are synergistically recruited to the soil and roots to significantly mobilize essential nutrients for plant uptake and augment plant root structure.

Since our microbes are all-natural, non-genetically modified, and soil-based microorganisms, they thrive symbiotically with the desired beneficial microbes as they would in nature. Consequently, the Green OMBT product is safe to use in all soils and irrigation supply sources such as tanks, ponds and canals.

Secoes Green OMBT Product Contains the Following Constituents:
~60 species of bacteria. The bacteria strains included in the Green OMBT product thrive in all types of environmental conditions and include the following:

• Support nitrogen uptake by plants. Nitrogen is one of the essential elements required for plant growth. It is plentiful in the air, however, free nitrogen is not generally used by plants until it is converted into an ionic form through the process of nitrogen fixation, nitrification, and assimilation. Plants cannot make this conversion on their own. The best way to achieve nitrogen assimilation  is by adding the nitrogen-fixing bacteria in Secoes Green OMBT to your soil or soilless (hydroponic) system. Once the bacteria in the Green OMBT product are exposed to nutrients, atmospheric nitrogen (N2) is converted into more plant-usable(bioavailable) versions such as ammonia (NH3) or ammonium (NH4+).
• Maximize phosphorus and micronutrient cycling processes by releasing soil phosphorous and micronutrients (from bound forms) to maximize cola growth, crop yields, and enhance plant health. Moreover, increased levels of phosphorus will enhance cola yields.
• Increase the rate of root growth and root volume, resulting in increased plant absorption of oxygen, nutrients, and water. Bacteria will colonize in the soil, the root zone and on plant roots. When colonizing in/on sloughed-off plant root cells, bacteria will establish a root strengthening biofilm, offering protection to the roots as they grow; thus, enhancing root and plant growth. This positively impacts nitrogen-fixing rhizobium, resulting in measured increased nitrogen fixation, promotes more vigorous plant growth, produces larger plants, larger colas, and improved tolerance to stresses and resistance to disease. The increase  in nutrient uptake during these critical rooting and early vegetative stages increases the overall plant survival rate.
• Produce enzymes that accelerate a plant’s nutrients uptake. Bacteria feed on organic material sloughed (shed) from the roots, fallen leaves, and other organic material in the soil, to produce enzymes that accelerate nutrient uptake.
• Accelerate the decomposition of organic matter into bioavailable nutrients and increase the solubility of certain minerals.
• Help prevent mold and mildew formation on plant leaves associated with foliar spray nutrient applications.

The ~ 14  Archaea species in Secoes Green OMBT product significantly support  plant carbon and nitrogen cycles.  Archaea promote plant growth processes, including phosphorus solubilization, nitrogen fixation, siderophore production, and indole-3-acetic acid production. Archaea and fungi play an assential role in biogeochemical cycling and increase the bioavailability of essential nutrients, including N, P, K, Fe, and Zn, to plants via nutrient fixation, or solubilization.

The ~ 15 fungal species in Secoes’ Green OMBT product colonize plant roots with mycorrhizal fungi that extend the root system into the surrounding soil, resulting in improved nutrient and water uptake, disease resistance and optimal plant survival and growth.

The ~15 fungal species in Secoes’ Green OMBT product colonize plant roots with mycorrhizal fungi that extend the root system into the surrounding soil, resulting in improved nutrient and water uptake, disease resistance, and optimal plant survival and growth.

Fungi Plant Benefits:

• Enhance plant nutrient uptake and availability: mycorrhizal root systems increase the rate of water and mineral absorption of root surface area up to 1000 times greater.  Therefore, substantially improving the ability of the plants to utilize the soil resource. Mycorrhizal fungi can absorb and transfer all of the 15 major macronutrients and micronutrients necessary for plant growth. Mycorrhizal fungi release robust enzymes and other substances into the soil that render “tightly bound” nutrients (such as phosphorous and iron) into more accessible forms plants can uptake. This extraction process is crucial plant nutrition and explains why non-mycorrhizal plants require high levels of fertilizers to maintain their health.
• Enhance plant water uptake and storage:  Mycorrhizal fungi filaments are essential in water uptake and storage. In low-irrigated conditions, mycorrhizal plants are under far less drought stress compared to non-mycorrhizal plants. Additionally, mycorrhizal fungi-treated plants displayed improvements in plant vigor, color and leaf/needle retention.
• Suppress diseases-causing pathogens: Mycorrhizal fungi-treated roots have a mantle (a tight, interwoven sock-like covering of dense filaments) that acts as a physical barrier against the invasion of root diseases. In addition, mycorrhizal fungi attack pathogens and/or disease-causing organisms that enter the root zone. Additionally, mycorrhizal fungi excrete specific antibiotics that immobilize and kill certain pathogenic
• Improve soil structure: Mycorrhizal fungi filaments produce humic compounds(complex mixtures heterogeneous organic compounds) and extracellular polysaccharides (organic “glues”) that bind soils into aggregates and improve soil porosity (ability to absorb and hold moisture). Soil porosity and soil structure positively influence plant growth  by promoting aeration, water movement into soil, root growth, and root distribution. In sandy or compacted soils, the ability of mycorrhizal fungi to promote improved soil structure may be more important than seeking out nutrients. Soils in natural settings are full of beneficial soil organisms, including mycorrhizal fungi. However, research shows that many common agricultural practices can degrade the mycorrhiza-forming potential of soil. Tillage, fertilization, removal of topsoil, erosion, site preparation, invasion of non-native plants, and bare soils are examples of practices that can reduce or eliminate these beneficial soil fungi. Nursery-grown plants are often deficient in mycorrhizae fungi, requiring high levels of water and nutrients, and sterile soils to control soil-borne diseases. These conditions discourage the plant from producing an extensive root system required for successful transplantation. Such conditions result poorly adapted plants to the eventual out-planted window, which must be weaned from intensive care systems and begin to fend for themselves. Application of mycorrhizal inoculum during transplanting can encourage plant establishment, producing more efficient  plant nutrition   There are practical solutions to several  mycorrhizal deficiencies in man-made environments. Reintroducing mycorrhizal fungi in areas where they have been depleted can dramatically improve plant establishment and growth.

The ~5 species of algal (plant-like) protists in Secoes’ Green OMBT products are microorganisms that are important sources of food and oxygen for other microbes and expedite composting decomposition processes. Protists are specialized in their ability to absorb nutrients from non-living organic matter, such as dead organisms or their wastes. Saprobic protists have the essential function of returning inorganic nutrients to the soil and water. This process allows for new plant growth, which generates sustenance for other organisms along the food chain. Moreover, algal protists in soil increases the effectiveness of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) by enhancing their mobility.
As you can see, it’s all about the science of how our revolutionary new microbial formula transforms cannabis plants to maximize cola yields and medical markers.