The invention also extends to a method of producing the composition and to a method of treating soil and plants with the treatment composition.

BACKGROUND ART Those who are engaged in the agricultural industry will appreciate that one of the many problems encountered in cultivating crops and other plants is the presence of nematodes in soil.

These slender, unsegmented worms attack the roots of growing plants by penetrating the same and thus prohibiting proper root development, leading to poor plant development and reduced crop yields.

In an effort to prevent damages associated with nematodes, the soil and plants are treated with substances such as Aldicarb, EDB, methyl bromide and organic phosphates. These substances are extremely poisonous and have a negative impact on the surrounding environment in that it is poisonous to both animals and humans. Treatment with these substances is non-specific in that it not only kills the nematodes, but also terminates other useful insects and organisms higher up in the food chain such as birds and small mammals that eat these insects.

A further disadvantage of known substances is that treatment often needs to be repeated during a growth season. Treatment is generally conducted early in the growth season, but often- necessary follow-up treatments inevitably result in increased levels of these poisonous substances being present in produce that are destined for human or animal consumption.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel, environmentally friendly treatment composition suitable for treating crops, other plants and soil to terminate or at least minimise the presence of nematodes in the same.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a non-toxic and environmentally friendly treatment composition suitable for use in treating crops, other plants and soil to eliminate or at least minimise the presence of nematodes in the same, the treatment composition comprising a combination of soil microbes; and in the order of 50%-75% by volume of a first composition of amino acids and fulvic acids.

The treatment composition further may comprise a second composition including humic acids, molasses, water and fish emulsion or extract. Particularly, the treatment composition may comprise approximately 50%-25% by volume of the second composition added to approximately 50%-75% by volume of the first composition.

The treatment composition may have a pH of between 2.8 and 3.6, and preferably a pH of 3.2.

The soil microbes may be Bacillus Laterosporus, although the applicant anticipates that any soil microbes would be equally as effective.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of producing a non- toxic and environmentally friendly treatment composition suitable for use in treating crops, other plants and soil to terminate or at least minimise the presence of nematodes in the same, the method including the steps of multiplying a base culture of a soil microbe, for example Bacillus Laterosporus, in a suitable growth medium; preparing a first composition including amino acids and fulvic acids; preparing a second composition including amino acids, fulvic acids, humic

acids, molasses, water, manganese chelate and fish emulsion or extract; introducing the base culture into the second composition and allowing the base culture further to multiply until it reaches a concentration of approximately 5 million and above organisms per millilitre ; and introducing approximately 50%-25% by volume of the second composition to approximately 50%-75% by volume of the first composition so as to produce the treatment composition.

The method may include the steps of maintaining the treatment composition at approximately 23°C and the absence of UV light. It may include the further step of stirring the treatment composition at least once a day.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of treating crops, other plants and soil so as to eliminate or at least minimise the presence of nematodes in the same, the method comprising the steps of applying a treatment composition comprising a combination of soil microbes and organic acids and extracts either to the roots and/or foliage of the crops or plants by means of fogging or washing, and/or by ploughing the composition into the soil, and/or by introducing it to the crops, plants or the soil together with the irrigation water, in a concentration of approximately 40 litres per hectare to be treated.

The method may include the step of treating the crops, other plants and/or soil once at the beginning of the growth season, although subsequent treatments can be carried out without the risk of contamination of produce.

The treatment composition may comprise a combination of soil microbes; and in the order of 50%-75% by volume of a first composition of amino acids and fulvic acids. It further may comprise a second composition including humic acids, molasses, water, manganese chelate and fish emulsion or extract. Particularly, the treatment composition may comprise approximately 50%-25% by volume of the second composition added to approximately 50%- 75% by volume of the first composition.

SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Without limiting the scope thereof, the invention will now further be described by way of examples only.

The applicant prepared 1000 litres of a second composition as follows : No Component Volume er 1000 Base culture of 300 t Bacillus Laterosporus 2. Water 665 3 Humic acids 2 C 4. Fulvic acids 1 t 5. Fish extract 1. 5 t 6. Amino acids 1 1 7. Molasses 30 ! The second composition had a pH of between 3.8 and 4.

The second composition was left for a few days until the Bacillus Laterosporus had multiplied to a concentration of approximately 5 million organisms per millilitre. The applicant prepared a first composition of amino acids and fulvic acids and added approximately 25% by volume of the second composition to approximately 75% by volume of the first composition. The treatment composition so obtained had a pH of approximately 3.2.

The treatment composition was applied to the roots of potato, tobacco and chrysanthemums plants. More details of the potato and tobacco trials are set out hereunder. At the end of the growth season, the plants were removed from the soil and their roots were examined for nematode infection. In contrast to what has ever been achieved with conventional treatment methods, the treated plants showed no indication whatsoever of nematode infection.

Potatoes trial : Free State Province. South Africa The potatoes were planted on 4 December 2003. Three groups of potatoes were utilised in the trial : a first group of potatoes that had been treated with the treatment composition according to the invention (referred to in the graphs below as"MOS Nema"); a second group of potatoes that had been treated with a chemical namaticide (commercially distributed under the trade mark "Oxygran"); and a third control group of potatoes that had not been treated at all.

On 17 February 2004 a series of soil samples were taken from all three potato groups. The soil samples were sent for evaluation to the Agricultural Research Council-Nematology Unit in South Africa. The actual number of nematodes was counted in different soil samples of 250 cc each.

The trial results are illustrated in the graphs below. It is apparent that the counts for both Meliodygne SP and Pratylenchus (different nematodes) were the lowest in the potato group that were treated with the treatment composition of the invention (i. e. "MOS Nema").

Tobacco trial : Mpumaianaa Province. South Africa The research department of SA Golden Leaf, a tobacco marketing and extension company, conducted the trials. Various treatment combinations were tested over a period of time as part of an integrated pest management program. After the same period of time, the plants were removed and root evaluations were done. Various ratings were given according to the condition of the roots and nematode galls. All the trials were statistical trials and the average of at least three evaluations was used.

The results are illustrated in the graphs below. The following treatments were done: 1. Fumigation plus Vydate leaf spray; 2. Only MOS Nema, no chemical treatment; and 3. MOS Nema plus Vydate leaf spray.

From the graphs it follows that the best ratings were achieved with the MOS Nema treatments- even better than with conventional chemicai treatment. In particular the MOS Nema treatments resulted in the lowest rating for both the presence of nematode galls (i. e. the lower the rating, the less nematode galls) and in root development (i. e. the iower the rating, the better the root development).

The treatment in combination with the Vydate leaf spray also gave reasonably good results.

The leaf spray is less harmful to the environment than the fumigation treatment.

Without wishing to be bound by theory, the applicant believes that the composition attacks cell walls of the nematodes, thus eliminating the same. The combination of soil microbes and

organic acids and extracts should have a dual benefit of not only eliminating or reducing the presence of nematodes, thereby stimulating plant root development, but should also increase soil fertility and restore natural pH and biological balances in the soil, thus resulting in improved growth conditions for crops and other plants. Furthermore, the presence of organic acids acts as growth stimulants for plants. Since the composition is non-toxic there are no adverse side effects to humans or animals, even if plants are treated later during the growth season.

It will be appreciated that many variations in detail are possible without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the claims.