New seed PODS for large-scale reforestation

Abstract

The present invention relates to new seed pods providing all the necessary properties for seeds to germinate during reforestation and plantation on bare soil, sometimes even limited in nutrients; as well as their method for manufacturing.

Description

[0001] NEW SEED PODS FOR LARGE-SCALE REFORESTATION

[0002] DESCRIPTION

[0003] Technical field of the invention

[0004] The present invention relates to seed pods providing all the necessary properties for seeds to germinate during reforestation and plantation on bare soil, sometimes even limited in nutrients; and a manufacturing process thereof.

[0005] In the description below, references in square brackets ([ ]) refer to the list of references at the end of the text.

[0006] State of the art

[0007] 1 .6 billion people - including around 70 million indigenous cultures - depend on forests for their livelihoods. They are farmers, seed collectors, traders, producers... However, every year, the planet loses 5 million hectares of forest (FAO, The state of the world's forests, 2022).

[0008] According to the United Nations (UN), 1 billion hectares must be reforested by 2030 (Ecosystem reforestation for People, Nature and Climate, 2021 ). At the current rate, only 5% of the target will be achieved.

[0009] Therefore, there is a need to develop a solution for large-scale ecological restoration of forest ecosystems, mainly concentrated in tropical and subtropical regions such as the Atlantic forest and the African equatorial forest, which were previously forested and have been deforested, thus becoming unproductive. It is also essential to promote plant species diversity during restoration projects, selecting planted species to maximize biodiversity and recreate the native ecosystem, mimicking the stages of forest ecological succession.

[0010] Description of the invention

[0011] The inventors have therefore developed a complete ecological reforestation system, ready to be deployed anywhere, to restore in particular tropical ecosystems. This is a unique combination of forest engineering, computer vision and drones in several stages, involving the dispersal of seed pods, after analyzing the area to be restored and planning the appropriate vegetation planting (species selection) for each part of the area, and followed by post-planting monitoring of restoration, biomass and biodiversity.

[0012] The seed pods used must be solid enough to be compatible with the dropping system of a drone and the constant clashing between pods in the storage box, and capable of being softened after hydration to not hinder germination after dropping. Thus the seed pods must provide water retention and nutrient availability, as well as a proper growing structure for the roots to develop. To this aim, the inventors have developed a quick-drying pod capable of swelling and absorbing moisture from the ground of from the first rain while keeping a good structure and good rooting texture, through the specific selection of the following different materials: bentonite clay, compost, starch, vermiculite, fibrous cellulose as water-retentive material, and optionally biochar. These seed pods can be coated using a binder (e.g. bentonite clay), biostimulants (e.g. biochar, Terra preta), insect repellents (e.g. diatomaceous earth, K-Othrine of Bayer) and other amendments, etc... that will help the seed germinates properly and rapidly.

[0013] An object of the present invention is therefore a degradable seed pod intended for dispersal from a vehicle (especially a drone), said seed pod comprising at least one seed of at least one species placed in the middle or on the surface of a soft and wet substrate / paste, said substrate comprising bentonite clay, compost, starch, vermiculite, filamentous cellulose substrate, mycorhize, and water.

[0014] According to a particular embodiment of the present invention, the seed pod comprises (in total weight): 0.1 -5%, preferably 0.5-1.5% of mycorhize; 1 -10%, preferably 3-5% of vermiculite; 1 -10, preferably 3-5% of filamentous cellulosic substrate; 5-40%, preferably 7-20% of bentonite clay; 5-40%, preferably 7-20% of compost; 15-50%, preferably 23-29% of starch, and water for 100%.

[0015] The relative quantity of each component depends on the terrain (type, topography), the number and type of seeds and / or the environmental conditions (climate, rainfall, seasonality) which will likely be encountered by the seeds during germination and early growth.

[0016] According to a particular embodiment of the present invention, the seed pod can be further coated by a mixture of bentonite clay, biochar and water, which may be added with biostimulants (e.g. Terra preta), insect repellents (e.g. diatomaceous earth, K-Othrine), etc... to protect the seed inside or on the soft and wet substrate from predators and / or pathogens until germination and early growth. Alternatively, the coating can be carried out with a powdered preparation of biochar and clay, which may be added with biostimulants (e.g. Terra preta), insect repellents (e.g. diatomaceous earth, K-Othrine), etc....

[0017] According to a particular embodiment of the present invention, the coating comprises (in total weight): 25-55%, preferably 36-44% of bentonite clay, 2-20%, preferably 3-10% of biochar, and water for 100%. The relative quantity of each component depends on the terrain (type, topography), the number and type of seeds and / or the environmental conditions (climate, rainfall, seasonality) which will likely be encountered by the seeds during germination and early growth.

[0018] According to a particular embodiment of the present invention, said at least one seed is a seed which dormancy has been lifted or a germinated seed ( / .e. two cotyledons have appeared). Indeed, it often happens that a seedling does not interest certain predators, unlike the seed, especially if the seed is placed on the outer side of the pod.

[0019] According to a particular embodiment of the present invention, the seed pod is usually round, but many other shapes can be used (e.g. cones, cubes, pellets, etc... ) to better fit on-site problematics, such as slopes. According to a particular embodiment of the present invention, the seed pods have a size of about 8 to 50 mm, preferably from about 10 to 25 mm, more preferably of about 15 mm. The seed pods must be able to provide plantation of a full ecosystem hence the presence of small and big seeds. The seed pods must be of different sizes and shapes to provide all types of seeds.

[0020] Another object of the present invention is a method of manufacturing seed pods of the present invention, comprising: a) mixing the filamentous cellulose substrate with water to obtain a first substrate with a soft and wet cotton consistency, b) adding one by one the other ingredients from the group consisting of bentonite clay, compost, starch, vermiculite, mycorhizes; c) adding water to obtain a second substrate with a soft and wet paste consistency; d) compressing and shaping the second substrate into pods; e) drying the seed pods; and wherein at least one seed of at least one species is located in the middle or on the surface of the pods.

[0021] According to a particular embodiment of the present invention, after step e), the method further comprises: f) coating the seed pods with a mixture of biochar, bentonite clay, water and optionally biostimulants (e.g. Terra preta), insect repellents (e.g. diatomaceous earth, K-Othrine de Bayer), etc... ; and g) drying the coated seed pods. It is noted that the at least one seed of at least one species is located under the coating. Alternatively the coating can be carried out, after step e), with a powdered preparation of biochar and clay, which may be added with biostimulants (e.g. Terra preta), insect repellents (e.g. diatomaceous earth, K-Othrine), etc... .

[0022] Another object of the present invention is the use of seed pods of the invention for large-scale reforestation.

[0023] By using seed pods of the present invention, the survival rate of seeds was increased up to 80% (tests in laboratory), thus requiring far fewer seeds, which is important in today's context of scarcity. The Inventors thus enables to restore a greater number of hectares of degraded forest.

[0024] Brief description of the figures

[0025] Figure 1 represents the “sponge test” with pod 17 (right) and pod 17d with coating (left).

[0026] Figure 2 represents the germination test with (A) the pod 17 and Crotalaria spectabilis (B) the pod 17d and Crotalaria spectabilis, and (C) seed of Crotalaria spectabilis (control).

[0027] EXAMPLES

[0028] EXAMPLE 1 : PRODUCTION OF SEED PODS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION Analyze and selection of materials for production of seed pods

[0029] Different materials were analyzed, and each material was chosen for what it provided to the seed and / or to the pod’s overall structure. Indeed the seed pods must contain all necessary nutrients, soil and amendments to allow the seed for germination and beginning growth, as well as having a sufficient structure and solidity to withstand the dropping system and storage without hindering germination and early growth.

[0030] Biochar

[0031] Biochar, is charred remains formed when plant material is heated in an oxygen-free environment. This process is called "pyrolysis" (https: / / biocharfarms.org / about_biochar / ).

[0032] Biochar can be created from a wide array of organic materials, by-products and waste. Those materials are called feedstocks and can be com stover or rice husks (usually thrown away or burned outside for the latter [1]), but also cardboard or lawn debris.

[0033] It is a black, fine-grained, porous, lightweight and stable form of carbon. Biochar has been used as a soil amendment due to its carbon content provided to the plants, in addition to its many solidity, insulation and strength properties [2], In terms of soil, Biochar reduces soil bulk density by 3 to 31 %, increases porosity by 14 to 64% and can limit penetration resistance of roots. It also increases wet aggregate stability up to 226% and soil consistency. Finally, it was shown to increase available water up to 130%.

[0034] Bentonite clay

[0035] Bentonite clay is a "very soft plastic clay consisting predominantly of montmorillonite, a fine particle-sized hydrous aluminum silicate" (https: / / www.imerys.com / minerals / bentonite). Some properties include swelling, water absorption, viscosity and thixotropy (time-dependent viscosity) (https: / / www.imerys.com / minerals / bentonite; https: / / arijco.com / bentonite- specification / ). Clay is commonly known as being waterproof after water absorption and used to improve soil stability.

[0036] Two bentonite clay are known: the first one being sodium bentonite, absorbing and swelling in water. The second is calcium or non-swelling type (https: / / arijco.com / bentonite-specification / ). Sodium bentonite is the chosen material as it is the most water-absorbant. According to Mi Junzhen [3], bentonite clay applied to a semi-arid region increased the field water-holding capacity and plant available water significantly.

[0037] The clay acts mainly as a binder for the rest of the substrate in addition to retaining some water. Clay solidifies when dried and re-hydrate slowly but stays compact. When solid, the clay hinders germination by acting as a too-hard barrier for the plant to pierce. The clay can harden the pod as much as a marble while hydrated. It becomes a dense squash-able paste.

[0038] Coconut coir

[0039] Coconut coir is vastly used in gardening as a growing substrate. It is used to replace peat since it is less damaging to gather for the environment. Coconut coir or coco coir is a renewable and biodegradable resource and a by-product from the coconut industry while peat is a fossil organic matter.

[0040] Coconut coir is able to rapidly absorb a high quantity of water and increase in size, providing two benefits: a large and airy growing medium and water absorption. As shown in the many sold coco pellets, the coir can take on many forms with the proper compression. However, too much compression would impact seed germination. In addition, the coconut industry is highly water polluting and, if used in plantation, needs to be of high quality and, depending on the provenance, properly washed (high salt content).

[0041] Coconut coir is a growing medium that creates super light pods, airy and porous, which absorbs a lot of moisture when watered. By itself, the material does not keep its structure when watered. It breaks down into small pieces but never pastes. It mixes itself very well with other binders, but the fibers create a very fibrous and too-textured pod, which could impact the transport and dropping.

[0042] Starch

[0043] Starch is a highly available resource in the form of a volatile and light white powder. It is a polysaccharide from the food-processing industry and is mainly used in this sector but also in pharmaceutical and paper due to its numerous properties. Starch is made from different food such as corn (the most produced), tapioca, wheat, potatoes and others. It is mainly comprised of two molecules, amylopectin (75-80%) and amylose (20-25%) (https: / / www.biologyonline.com / dictionary / starch). Amylopectin being more soluble than amylose and in higher content means an easier manipulation during the pods’ preparation.

[0044] An example of starch properties from the Chinese chestnut ranges from swelling power to solubility (in warm water), gelatinization, retrogradation (reaction of realignment), syneresis (extraction of a liquid from a gel) and rheological behavior (deformation and flow) [4], Finally, three types of starch exist, consisting of native, hydrolyzed and modified (derived from native). The first provides binding, moisture control and thickening; the second is used for organic acid or sweeteners and the third is for the development of new and interesting applications: carriers in drug delivery which can be reused as seed pods since starch bioplastic degrades rapidly in water [5] or biofilm and encapsulation of oleoresins (semi-solid oils) [6],

[0045] Starch acts as a binder between materials during production but weakens the end product. The pods broke easily from a small dropping height. There was no significant difference in results between the types of starch used (potato, corn, arrow-root).

[0046] Compost

[0047] Since one of the pod’s needs was to provide nutrients to the seed. It was decided to add compost or soil to the pod in order to provide natural nutrients and minerals. Bought compost usually includes multiple properties such as bulk density, moisture content, water retention, porosity, pH, electric conductivity, total organic carbon, total organic matter, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, total potassium, C / N ratio and a dry weight [7],

[0048] The compost acts as our main growing medium in the pod and our main structure. Compost does not have enough binding properties by itself. Therefore, a binder is needed. It contains nutrients for germination and some water-retention properties. It is heavier than coconut coir but does not have the disadvantages of having too many and too long fibers if it is sieved.

[0049] Alginate

[0050] Alginate is a natural carbohydrate extracted from seaweeds. They are used in powder form, which, when mixed with water, produces a biodegradable hydrogel. The hydrogel can be used as a water-retention material, hydrogel beads were used to slowly release fertilizers and improve soil water retention capacity.

[0051] In addition, it was shown that the alginate carriers could serve as a standalone soil amendment for water availability.

[0052] Alginate was used as a water-retention / binder agent. When mixed with water, the alginate jellifies. The first trials showed that it helps make the pods harder but less dense. By preparing it before the mixing, it jellifies better but needs to be mixed rapidly with the substrate, or it creates a white jelly that will never mix properly with the other materials. However, it rehydrates properly when dried.

[0053] Vermiculite

[0054] Vermiculite is a group of hydrated, laminar magnesium-aluminum-iron silicate minerals resembling mica [8], It is lightweight and improves soil aeration and water retention. It is usually used in horticulture, mixed with other materials such as compost. It was also found by Kremenetskaya et al 2019 [9] that vermiculite can interact with acid solution and reduce acidity in agricultural lands and rehabilitate mining soils.

[0055] Vermiculite is a product of the mining industry. Even though it is not a scarce supply, it requires intense mining (since demand rose) and will eventually lower in availability (https: / / citizensustainable.com / vermiculite-sustainable / ). Vermiculite is a well-known product. It provided the expected results of structure and a coarser growing medium. Which is much needed for root growth and breathability.

[0056] Filamentous cellulose substrate - average fiber length 1200 um (Arbocel® FT 400)

[0057] The fibrous cellulose (FT 400) acts as a growing medium and waterretention material. Cellulose absorbed a lot of water and expanded in size. The texture, when dried, does not seem proper for germination. It creates small pockets of solidified cotton but appears to be a good texture for rooting when wet. The pods were still wet after 24h.

[0058] Large cellulose - main particle range from 205-600um (Arbocel® C 400)

[0059] Large cellulose particles (C 400) are very similar to wood chips. It is good for increasing the solidity of the seedpods, making them resistant to falling and transport. However, it is more difficult to mix and creates the pods by hand without enough pressure and compaction. It leaks when watered, but the pod keeps its overall structure.

[0060] Finer cellulose - main particle range from 70-150 um (Arbocel® C 100)

[0061] Finer cellulose particles (C 100) are a good alternative to the previous shape. It provides solidity to the pod but less structure. As a powder, it is easier to mix and shape into pods.

[0062] Production of seed pods

[0063] In a first trial, it was examined how the materials interact with each other and how they can be used together to make suitable seed pods.

[0064] Different mixes and coatings were produced using materials listed above and tested to examine the expected properties of the resulting seed pods, namely:

[0065] - structure: the seed pod must hold itself and resist simple pressure with the fingers;

[0066] - density: the seed pod inside must be dense and compact to hold enough growing medium in a minimum volume. The density will change re-hydration;

[0067] - texture: the seed pod must have a non-smooth texture that will hold onto the soil when dropped;

[0068] - hardness (fall test): the seed pod must be able to keep its full structure after being dropped on hard ground (lab floor) from 1 m to 2.50m high;

[0069] - re-hydration: the seed pod must rehydrate itself properly after water is poured on it, or it must rehydrate itself by absorbing water from a sponge. The water should penetrate the seed pod as much as possible and retain it;

[0070] - texture after rehydration: the seed pod should keep its structure but be malleable for the seed to grow; - germination potential: the overall impression that the seed pod has a good germination potential based on the previous properties;

[0071] - coating potential: the overall impression that the pod could benefit from a solid coating;

[0072] Each property was graded on a scale of 1 (bad response for expected use) to 5 (high potential).

[0073] The humidity is also noted by hand after 24h / 48h and if the seed pods have dried under the sun or shade. Indeed seeds need water to germinate. If the plantation is done before raining season, there will be little rain. Therefore the seed pod must retain the water used during production inside the pod for the seed to use. If the plantation is done during raining season, the pod must absorb water and keep it.

[0074] Some pods were difficult to produce by hand as the hands did not compress enough from all sides. However, this problem could be solved using a pod machine. All pods were well re-hydrated when given plenty of water (corresponding to heavy rain conditions from the field).

[0075] Pod composition

[0076] Each material provided interesting properties that can be used in the seed pods of the present invention. Starch was noted as a binder during preparation and a weakening agent when dried. The presence of starch could counteract the too-hard clay, as shown as problematic during laboratory tests and drier weather. Weakening the seed pod after drying means a better chance of breaking the pod by the seed’s roots.

[0077] The fibrous cellulose showed unusual properties when watered, which provided better water retention since the pods took time to dry. Adding this material means longer drying time on the field, forcing the operational team to prepare the pods a long time in advance, but it provides better water retention and thus germination and survival after every rain.

[0078] The C 400 and C 100 were not kept as usable for the seed pod’s making since they only provided solidity, already provided by the clay, and did not seem to have a noticeable effect on water absorption or retention. Nevertheless, those two materials could be used in future pods with different needs.

[0079] Finally, alginate and coco coir were not retained, alginate being too difficult to mix and not showing any benefit in water retention, and coco coir being too fibrous for producing proper seed pods.

[0080] The final seed pod retained (pod 17) comprises the materials A listed in Table 1 according to the manufacturing process below. It was highly graded in all tests and provided interesting water retention capacity.

[0081]

[0082] Table 1 : Materials quantities for 200g of soft and wet paste

[0083] 1 ) Put 6-10 g of cellulose in a metal mixing bowl. Add 30-50 mL of water and mix softly with a spoon up to reach a soft and wet cotton consistency. Mix gently the cellulose to not break the fibers.

[0084] 2) Put the rest of the dry materials from Table 1 , one by one. Mix softly until homogeneous in between each material addition.

[0085] 3) Add 50-70 mL of water little by little, mix until it is homogeneous and of soft and wet paste consistency.

[0086] More or less water can be used depending on the water and environment.

[0087] The paste must be malleable and hold together when compacted.

[0088] All water must be absorbed. There should not be any dripping waler from the paste.

[0089] 4) Shape the pods by hand (or with a machine), compressing and rolling the mix into a small ball shape.

[0090] If there is too much water from the pods, dry them in the sun or on a towel to absorb excess water.

[0091] 5) Wait for the pods (pod 17) to dry so that they do not stick to each other (24- 48h).

[0092] The seed(s) can be added at any time during the mixing (preferably in step 3), when shaping the pods and / or after drying.

[0093] Pod coating

[0094] During the preparation, moving the seed pods in coatings mixes was found to be difficult as some dry pods would melt when absorbing moisture from the liquid. The wrapping stayed stuck on the bottom and not on the pod. In the petri dish for drying, the pods got stuck and part of the wrapping stayed in the dish. Meaning the pods covered with a partial wrapping are not fully operational. Drying on a metal rack could be useful, or drying in the cement mixer. Clay-only wrappings appeared to be unsuitable, cracking when dried and were not sturdy enough. However, cracks are suitable for helping water penetration.

[0095] Biochar makes a good coating but needs a binder such as clay in order to stick on the pods. It appears as if it helps solidify the pods into sturdy pods but does not make them unbreakable. Biochar dries very quickly after being wet and seems to have a good potential of letting water penetrate the pod. In addition, the biochar leaked around the pod when watered.

[0096] Large cellulose (C 400) gives high solidity to the pods, but it was difficult to wrap the pods in this material. It provided a low density of coating and leaked when watered, removing the pod’s protection.

[0097] Fine cellulose (C 100) gives high solidity to the pods. It is much easier to wrap the pods with, provides a highly dense coating and has fewer cracks.

[0098] Coco coir is light but broke too easily during the fall test. It did absorb a lot of water before making the pod too weak. Therefore, it appears good for water retention. However, the coarse fibrous texture makes it difficult to use as a coating.

[0099] A combination of biochar, clay and fine cellulose seems to have good results. It provides a very hard pod that dries quickly after watering and keeps the inside of the pod humid. Clay should be used as a binder, while charcoal seems to be the quick-drying component. Finally, fine cellulose is the key to high sturdiness in the pod’s coating.

[0100] The coating experiment provided new information on the different materials. Coco coir is not suitable as a coating and seems to be better as an inside substrate than an outside coating. Biochar appears to be the best material for a coating since it absorbs the water quite quickly after the 48h drying. The clay seemed to be enough to provide binding to the biochar without hindering germination since the coating is only a fine layer. Fine cellulose seemed like the best material for coating hardiness. However, such a strong barrier could prevent the germination and roots from breaking through. Therefore it was not retained in the final pod’s coating.

[0101] In conclusion, the final pod’s coating retained comprises the materials B listed in Table 1 according to the manufacturing process below.

[0102] 6) Prepare the seed pods coating:

[0103] - Mix 3-10 g of Biochar with 40 g of bentonite clay.

[0104] - Add 45-65 mL of water little by little until a liquid state. The liquid is stick enough to stay on the finger / spoon when touched.

[0105] 7 ) Coat the seed pods by moving them around the preparation. Remove them when they are fully coated and leave the coated seed pods (pods 17d) to dry (24- 48h).

[0106] Alternatively, the coating can be carried out with a powdered preparation of biochar and clay in the same proportions (minus the water).

[0107] Remake the coating preparation as many as needed to wrap all seed pods. The seed(s) remain(s) localized under the coating.

[0108] As an alternative, for example in case of cubic pods, a hole can be made in the coating to insert the seeds in or on the pods, which is then filled with coating or similar.

[0109] Test pod 17 and Pod 17d

[0110] A “sponge test” (mimicking humid soil) was carried out on pod 17 and pod 17d to analyze the pod’s capacity to absorb water from the ground. The pods were left on a wet but not dripping sponge and looked at 10’, 30’ and 60’ later (Figure 1 ). It was observed how the pod absorbed the water and how long until the pod was fully wet.

[0111] The pod absorbed the water quite quickly as soon as in contact with the sponge and was fully wet (but not dripping) after 30 minutes. This confirmed the pod’s water retention capacity.

[0112] The experiments done in search of a new seed pod have concluded with the making of pod 17d, using fibrous cellulose as one of the main components. The fibrous cellulose is expected to retain water for the seed as soon as the rain comes. Once the seed germinates, the pod will provide nutrients and water slowly as it starts decomposing. Furthermore, fibrous cellulose appears as a well- textured substrate for rooting and germination when wet. However, it becomes the opposite when dried. For this matter, adding vermiculite is very important since it will help the root breathe through the cellulose. As a result, the combination of cellulose and vermiculite makes the pods lighter, so that the total weight of the seed pods is lighter for the drone. What’s more, vermiculite allows the seed pods to breathe, so it does not suffocate the seed (unlike clay, which tends to be too hard and compact when dry). Putting cellulose in the seed pods also gives them a certain elasticity and structure, and enables them to absorb water quickly.

[0113] The pod coating is promising, but to understand the issues that could arise from it, it is necessary to test the pod with the seed’s germination.

[0114] Preliminary germination test with pod 17 and pod 17d and Crotalaria spectabilis

[0115] The first tests are running using Crotalaria spectabilis as control species, as it is a fast-growing, high germination rate seed.

[0116] A first pot test of comparative germination was carried out using the following parameters: pod 17 and C. spectabilis (A), pod 17d and C. spectabilis (B), and a bare control (seed of C. spectabilis) (C) under the same culture conditions (i.e. pod substrate, greenhouse temperature and humidity, watering (quantity and frequency), day / night duration). The coated and uncoated parameters will determine the effect of the coating on germination and growth. The results of the germination test, 10 days after the start of the experiment, are shown in Figures 2A-C: 6 seedlings in case A and 5 seedlings in case B compared to 3 seedlings in case C.

[0117] List of references

[0118]

[0001] Milan Naskar, Debtosh Kundu, and Moni Chatterjee. Coral-like hydroxy sodalite particles from rice husk ash as silica source. Materials Letters - MATER LETT, 65:3408-3410, 12, 2011.

[0119] [2] Pawel Sikora, Pawel Wolihski, Mehdi Chougan, Szymon Madraszewski, Wojciech W^grzyhski, Bartlomiej K. Papis, Karol Federowicz, Seyed Hamidreza Ghaffar, and Dietmar Stephan. A systematic experimental study on biochar- cementitious composites: Towards carbon sequestration. Industrial Crops and Products, 184:115103, 2022.

[0120] [3] Junzhen Mi, E. Gregorich, Shengtao Xu, Neil Mclaughlin, and Jinghui Liu. Effect of bentonite as a soil amendment on field water-holding capacity, and millet photosynthesis and grain quality. Scientific Reports, 10, 10, 2020.

[0121] [4] Chang Liu, Shujun Wang, Xuedong Chang, and Shuo Wang. Structural and functional properties of starches from Chinese chestnuts. Food Hydrocolloids, 43:568-576, 2015.

[0122] [5] Tukur Daiyabu Abdulkadir, Wan Ishak Wan Ismail, Muhamad Saufi Mohd Kassim, and Siti Bejo. Suitability of capsule as a paddy coating material for the system of rice intensification (sri). Jurnal Teknologi, 78, 01 2016.

[0123] [6] Khalid Bashir. Physicochemical, structural and functional properties of native and irradiated starch: a review. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 56, 01 2019.

[0124] [7] Elsayed Khater. Some physical and chemical properties of compost. International Journal of Waste Resources, 5, 01 2015.

[0125] [8] Arnold O. Tanner. Mineral resource of the month: vermiculite. American Geological Institute, 59:63, 2014.

[0126] [9] S Alekseeva I Mosendz I Kremenetskaya, S Tereshchenko and I Mikhailova M Slukovskaya, L Ivanova. Vermiculite-lizardite ameliorants from mining waste. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 368(1 ):012027, 2019.

Claims

CLAIMS1 ) Degradable seed pod comprising at least one seed of at least one species placed in the middle or on the surface of a soft and wet substrate / paste, said substrate comprising bentonite clay, compost, starch, vermiculite, filamentous cellulose substrate, mycorhize, and water.2) Degradable seed pod according to claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises (in total weight): 0.1 -5% of mycorhize; 1 -10% of vermiculite; 1-10% of filamentous cellulosic substrate; 5-40% of bentonite clay; 5-40% of compost; 15- 50% of starch, and water for 100%.3 ) Degradable seed pod according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is further coated with a mixture of bentonite clay, biochar and water, and optionally with biostimulants and / or insect repellents.4) Degradable seed pod according to claim 3, characterized in that the coating comprises (in total weight): 25-55% of bentonite clay, 2-20% of biochar, and water for 100%.5 ) Degradable seed pod according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said at least one seed is a seed which dormancy has been lifted or a germinated seed.6) Degradable seed pod according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it has a spherical or cubic shape.7 ) Degradable seed pod according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it has a size of about 8 to 50 mm, preferably from about 10 to 25 mm, more preferably of about 15 mm.8) Method of manufacturing a seed pod as defined in any of claims 1 to 7, said method comprising: a) mixing the filamentous cellulose substrate with water to obtain a first substrate with a soft and wet cotton consistency, b ) adding one by one the other ingredients from the group consisting of bentonite clay, compost, starch, vermiculite, and mycorhizes; c) adding water to obtain a second substrate with a soft and wet paste consistency; d) compressing and shaping the second substrate into pods; e) drying the seed pods; and wherein at least one seed of at least one species is located in the middle or on the surface of the pods.9) Method according to claim 8, characterized in that, after step e), said method further comprises: f) coating the seed pods with a mixture of biochar, bentonite clay, water and optionally biostimulants, insect repellents; and g) drying the coated seed pods.10) Use of a seed pod as defined in any of claims 1 to 7, for large-scale reforestation.

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