# US 12,757,843 B2 · Seedling, method for growing seedling, compost, and method for growing plant

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- Number: US 12,757,843 B2
- Document ID: US12757843B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/002,375
- Filed: 2021-10-25
- Published: 2023-08-24
- Granted: 2026-10-13
- Earliest claimed: 2020-11-12
- Assignees: Sunlit Seedlings Ltd.
- Applicants: Sunlit Seedlings Ltd.
- Inventors: Sota Ishikawa
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12757843B2

## CPC

- A01G 23/00: Forestry
- A01G 18/10: Mycorrhiza; Mycorrhizal associations
- A01H 17/00: Symbiotic or parasitic combinations including one or more new plants, e.g. mycorrhiza (lichens A01H15/00)
- A01N 63/30: Microbial fungi; Substances produced thereby or obtained therefrom
- A01G: HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING (picking of fruits, vegetables, hops or the like A01D46/00; propagating unicellular algae C12N1/12)
- A01H: NEW PLANTS OR {NON-TRANSGENIC} PROCESSES FOR OBTAINING THEM; PLANT REPRODUCTION BY TISSUE CULTURE TECHNIQUES
- A01N: PRESERVATION OF BODIES OF HUMANS OR ANIMALS OR PLANTS OR PARTS THEREOF (preservation of food or foodstuff A23); BIOCIDES, e.g. AS DISINFECTANTS, AS PESTICIDES OR AS HERBICIDES (preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes which kill or prevent the growth or proliferation of unwanted organisms A61K); PEST REPELLANTS OR ATTRACTANTS; PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS

## Abstract

A method for growing a seedling, the method includes specifying a growth-contributing fungus contributable to growth of a target plant to be grown artificially, isolating the growth-contributing fungus, culturing the isolated growth-contributing fungus to obtain an inoculum, growing the inoculum with a growth substrate to obtain a microorganism bed, and rooting and growing the target plant in compost including the microorganism bed. In the specifying a growth-contributing fungus contributable to growth of a target plant to be grown artificially, the growth-contributing fungus is an indigenous nonmycorrhizal filamentous fungus to inhabit a planting site in which the target plant is to be planted or a neighborhood of the planting site and to live in symbiosis with a plant without a mycorrhiza.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for growing a seedling, the method comprising:
collecting soil from a planting site in which a target plant to be grown artificially is to be planted or a neighborhood of the planting site;
performing an environmental DNA analysis of a soil microbiome contained in the collected soil, and specifying, based on a result of the environmental DNA analysis, a growth-contributing fungus contributable to growth of the target plant, the growth-contributing fungus being an indigenous nonmycorrhizal filamentous fungus that inhabits the planting site or the neighborhood of the planting site and lives in symbiosis with a plant without a mycorrhiza;
isolating the growth-contributing fungus from the collected soil;
culturing the isolated growth-contributing fungus to obtain an inoculum;
growing the inoculum with a growth substrate to obtain a microorganism bed; and
rooting and growing the target plant in compost including the microorganism bed.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein
the method further comprises rooting and growing the target plant in a container containing the compost, thereby obtaining a containerized tree seedling.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein
the seedling is a coniferous seedling for afforestation.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A seedling obtained with the method according to claim 1.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

A method for growing a plant, the method comprising:
planting and growing the seedling according to claim 4 in the planting site.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

A seedling obtained with the method according to claim 3.