EP4604711A1 - Molded seed agglomeration compositions and uses thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention features a composition including a.) two or more seeds; b.) a filler; and c.) a binder; wherein the composition is configured as a seed shape, capable of housing the two or more seeds of a).

Description

PATENT Attorney Docket No.: 50341-040WO2 CTL Docket No.: 10448-02-PC MOLDED SEED AGGLOMERATION COMPOSITIONS AND USES THEREOF BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to seed molding and planting technologies as well as methods for introducing biodiversity into an ecosystem. Agricultural intensification tends to reduce the diversity of non-crop plants in agroecosystems (Tscharntke et al.2005; Storkey & Neve 2018). Reduced non-crop diversity can reduce the benefits associated with a diverse community at both the field and landscape levels. The range of benefits that are associated with plant diversity is broad. For example, diverse communities of non-crop plants in crop fields may cause less crop yield loss than non-diverse communities, which tend to be dominated by a few highly competitive weed species (Storkey & Neve 2018). Diverse plant communities are also more likely to support natural enemies of crop pests (Landis et al.2005). In addition, non-crop plants on farms provide important resources for mobile organisms such as pollinators (Nicholls & Altieri 2013; Kovács- Hostyánszki et al.2017). Agroecosystems that support rare arable non-crop species contribute to the conservation of these species (Albrecht et al.2016). Thus, non-crop diversity often improves agricultural outcomes and minimizes the ecological consequences of habitat loss and fragmentation. Some strategies for increasing non-crop diversity involve reversing trends towards intensification. For example, a greater diversity of plant species can typically survive in cropping systems with lower chemical inputs and reduced tillage, relative to intensive “conventional” systems (Menalled et al.2001; Murphy et al.2006; Storkey & Neve 2018). However, not all farmers are able to adopt less intensive management practices. Strategies involving direct manipulation of non-crop diversity may be feasible for more farmers. One key strategy is the establishment of desirable non-crop plants along field margins or on marginal land not profitable for crop production. Depending on the species sown and landscape context, these vegetated strips may provide multiple benefits. These benefits can include the attraction and facilitation of beneficial insects or other organisms, reduction of nutrient loss and pollution, and/or decreased erosion (Haddaway et al.2018). In Europe and the U.S.A., the practice of establishing wildflower strips is supported by an extensive scientific literature and farmers who implement this practice are often eligible for financial compensation (Kleijn et al.2019). However, wildflower strips are sometimes perceived negatively by farmers (Kleijn et al.2019). Direct and opportunity costs associated with wildflower strip establishment may contribute to these negative perceptions. Additional challenges may include labor requirements, the difficulty of seeding large areas without specialized equipment, and slow growth of many wildflower species (Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation & USDA NRCS 2018). It is also important to control the species composition and location of wildflower strips so that wildflowers do not invade crop fields or compete with crops. Our methodologies and compositions described herein address these issues. PATENT Attorney Docket No.: 50341-040WO2 CTL Docket No.: 10448-02-PC SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one aspect, the invention, in general, relates to a composition including a.) two or more seeds; b.) a filler; and c.) a binder; wherein the composition is configured as a seed shape, capable of housing the two or more seeds of a). In some embodiments, the composition further includes d.) an additive. In some embodiments, the composition includes 3 or 5 or even 6 or more seeds. In some embodiments, the composition is in a configuration having dimensions of a crop plant seed shape (e.g., in the shape of a corn, soybean, cotton, peanut, sorghum, or wheat seed). In some embodiments, the two or more seeds are seeds of the same species, varieties, or cultivars. In some embodiments, the two or more seeds are a mixture of seeds of different species, varieties, or cultivars. In some embodiments, the two or more seeds are a(n) industrial or agricultural crop seed, including but not limited to ground cover, cover crop, forage crop, or fiber crop. In some embodiments, the seeds are vegetable seeds, fruit seeds, or tree seeds. In still other embodiments, the two or more seeds are ornamental seeds or wildflower seeds (e.g., milkweed seeds). In some embodiments, the configured composition has an approximate density of the seed on which its dimensions have been configured. In some embodiments, the filler is a solid particulate filler (e.g., diatomaceous earth, wood flour WF C120 GE, WF C120, wood flour, attapulgite, barium sulfate, calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, montmorillonite or pumice). In some embodiments, the binder is a solid particulate binder (e.g., maltodextrin or soy flour) or a liquid binder (e.g., polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, gum arabic, carboxymethyl cellulose, or methyl cellulose). In some embodiments, the additive is a solid particulate additive (e.g., vermicompost, talc, graphite, or calcium peroxide) or a liquid additive (e.g., an aqueous solution of lecithin, a gibberellin (GA3, GA4+7), one or more plant growth regulators, a colorant, an adjuvant, copper hydroxide, a biological, a biochemical or chemical seed treatments, a cross-linked potassium polyacrylate, a cross-linked polyacrylamide-based polymer and a starch-g-2-propenoic acid, or a polymer). In some embodiments, the composition includes maltodextrin, diatomaceous earth, wood flour C120 GE, and water. In some embodiments of any of the afore-mentioned, the composition includes a ratio of 20:40:40:100 of maltodextrin, diatomaceous earth, wood flour C120 GE, and water. In still other embodiments, the composition withstands compression of approximately 1.0 to 4.0 Kg, preferably 2.9. In another aspect, the invention features a method of producing a multi-seed composition, the method including configuring any of the afore-mentioned compositions into the shape of a seed. In some embodiments, the multi-seed composition is formulated to have a density of the seed into which its shape has been configured. PATENT Attorney Docket No.: 50341-040WO2 CTL Docket No.: 10448-02-PC In some embodiments, the multi-seed composition is configured into the shape of a corn, soybean, cotton, peanut, sorghum, or a wheat seed. In some embodiments, the two or more seeds of the multi-seed composition undergo a pre- treated process. In some embodiments, pretreatment includes dewinging a seed. In some embodiments, dewinging the seed facilitates loading multiple seeds into the multi-seed composition. In some embodiments, the pretreatment includes a method for breaking seed dormancy. In some embodiments, the pretreatment enhances germination rate. In some embodiments, the pretreatment improves germination. In still another aspect, the invention features a method of increasing ecological biodiversity, the method including planting the composition according to any one of aforementioned multi-seed compositions. In some embodiments. planting includes using a seed planter (e.g., a vacuum seeder or a drill seeder). In some embodiments, planting depth of the multi-seed composition is 2 to 5 cm (preferably in the range of 2 to 3 cm). In some embodiments, the multi-seed composition has a germination rate of at least 90% or greater (e.g., a germination rate of 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, or even 100%). The invention provides numerous advantages. For example, intensive agricultural crop production is typically associated with low biodiversity. Low biodiversity is associated with a deficit of ecosystem services, which may limit crop yield (e.g., low pollination of insect-pollinated crops) at the individual field level or exacerbate the landscape-level impacts of intensive agriculture. To increase biodiversity and enhance ecosystem services with minimal loss of crop production area, farmers can plant desirable non-crop species near crop fields. Adoption of this practice is limited by inefficiencies in existing establishment methods. The technology described herein may be used to establish native species in agroecosystems, providing both environmental and economic benefits. For example, MSZP containing native species like A. syriaca are intended to be sown with conventional crop planting equipment, making it easier for farmers to increase agroecosystem biodiversity. Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following Detailed Description and the Claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Copies of this patent or patent application with color drawings will be provided by the Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee. Figure 1 shows an overview of the development of Multi-Seed Zea Pellets (MSZP). Figure 1A shows Zea mays seeds (top row), intact Asclepias syriaca seeds (middle row), and dewinged A. syriaca seeds (bottom row) on a 1-mm grid. Figure 1B shows 3D-printed molds the size and shape of a Z. mays seed. Figure 1C shows Zea mays seeds (left) and MSZP containing A. syriaca seeds (right). Figure 1D and Figure 1E show emergence of multiple A. syriaca seedlings from a single MSZP. Figure 2 shows Asclepias syriaca emergence in planting depth experiment. Figure 2A and Figure 2C show percentage emergence. Figure 2B and Figure 2D show time between planting and emergence PATENT Attorney Docket No.: 50341-040WO2 CTL Docket No.: 10448-02-PC evaluated in (Fig.2A, Fig.2B) outdoor and (Fig.2C, Fig.2D) indoor runs of the same experiment. Free (non-molded) A. syriaca seeds and MSZP were planted at depths of 2, 3, 4, or 5 cm. Percentage emergence is defined as a percentage of the three seeds in an MSZP or free-seed cluster, e.g., 33% emergence would indicate that one of the three seeds emerged. All data are presented as mean ± 1 SE (n = 10). Within panels, columns labeled with the same letter are not significantly different according to Tukey’s HSD test. Figure 3 shows Asclepias syriaca seedlings in a planting density experiment. Figure 3A shows a representative pot in the F1 (one free seed) treatment on July 24, 2021. Figure 3B shows a representative pot in the MSZP3 (one Multi-Seed Zea Pellet containing three seeds) treatment on July 24, 2021. Figure 3C shows a representative pot in the F5 (five free seeds) treatment on July 24, 2021. Figure 3D shows a representative pot in the MSZP5 (one Multi-Seed Zea Pellet containing five seeds) treatment on July 24, 2021. Figure 3E shows a representative pot in the MSZP3 treatment on August 21, 2021. Figure 4 shows Asclepias syriaca height in a planting density experiment. Each pot contained a cluster of one, two, three, four, or five non-molded seeds (free seeds, F1–F5) or a MSZP containing three or five seeds (MSZP3, MSZP5). All data are presented as mean ± 1 SE (n = 8.1 ± 0.2). Figure 5 shows Asclepias syriaca biomass in planting density experiment. Each pot contained a cluster of one, two, three, four, or five non-molded seeds (free seeds, F1–F5) or a Multi-Seed Zea Pellet containing three or five seeds (MSZP3, MSZP5). Biomass data are presented as (Fig.5A, Fig.5B) total biomass per pot or (Fig.5C, Fig.5D) mean biomass per plant. Columns represent mean biomass by (Fig. 5A, Fig.5C) treatment or (Fig.5B, Fig.5D) the number of live plants at the end of the experiment. Black columns represent aboveground biomass and grey columns represent belowground biomass. Within panel and response variable (aboveground or belowground biomass), columns labeled with the same letter are not significantly different according to Tukey’s HSD test (n.s., not significant). All data are presented as mean ± 1 SE; (Fig.5A, Fig.5C) n = 6.9 ± 0.7; (Fig.5B, Fig.5D) n = 9.6 ± 2.5. Figure 6 shows Asclepias syriaca biomass in relative planting time experiment. Figure 6A shows Aboveground biomass and Figure 6B shows belowground biomass at harvest increased with plant age at harvest (days since emergence) but were not affected by the presence of Z. mays in the same pot. Lines represent linear regressions with 95% confidence intervals. DETAILED DESCRIPTION We describe herein seed molding methodologies useful for producing a composition having the size, shape and density of a seed which houses two or more seeds. Although exemplified herein with Zea mays seeds housing wildflower seeds of Asclepias syriaca, our seed molding methodology is readily adapted to create pellets with the size, shape, and density of relatively large crop seeds other than Z. mays seeds, such as G. max or Gossypium hirsutum L. (cotton) seeds. Furthermore, small non-crop seeds may also be molded into pellets with the dimensions of small crop seeds, such as Triticum aestivum L. (wheat) seeds, and planted with a grain drill. Our seed molding methodologies and resulting multi-seed compositions allow for planting with conventional planters (e.g., precision planters, grain drills) reducing labor and capital costs associated with establishing seeds of different species, varieties, and cultivars. PATENT Attorney Docket No.: 50341-040WO2 CTL Docket No.: 10448-02-PC A. Compositions A variety of materials are useful for producing multi-seed compositions according to the invention as described herein. In an embodiment relating to MSZP, selected seed coating binders, especially solid particulate binder, fillers materials and additives may be used. Solid particulate binders include maltodextrin and soy flour. Commercial liquid, seed treatment binders, SOL 053 and SOL 017 may also be used. Other binders include polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, gum arabic, carboxymethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose. Diatomaceous earth, and wood flour C 120 GE are useful as filler materials. Other filler materials include attapulgite, barium sulfate, calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, and montmorillonite as high-density materials. Pumice is a medium density filler, while perlite and vermicompost are low-density materials fillers, along with wood flour, wood flour C 120. Soy flour and vermicompost are useful as biostimulants as well as solid particulate fillers (see, for example, Amirkhani, Mayton, Netravali, and Taylor (2019)). Pelleting additives including talc, and graphite as fluency agents, and calcium peroxide as an oxygen source are also employed. Liquid materials may include lecithin as an anti-sticking agent (see, for example, Sikhao, Taylor, Marino, Catranis and Siri (2015)). Additional compounds applied with water include plant growth regulators such as gibberellins (GA3 and GA4+7), colorants, adjuvants, copper hydroxide a micronutrient and fungicide protectant, and biological, biochemical, and chemical compounds that function as pest management agents, biostimulants, inoculants and nutrients. A copper hydroxide seed treatment formulation protected seedlings from post-emergence damping-off may be employed as well (see, for example, Mayton, Amirkhani, Loos, Johnson, Fike, Johnson, Myers, Starr, Bergstrom, and Taylor (2022)). Hydrophilic polymers may also be applied as a seed coating additive to mitigate transient drought stress which include cross-linked potassium polyacrylate, cross-linked polyacrylamide-based polymer and Starch-g-2-Propenoic acid, potassium salt, polymer (see, for example, Amirkhani, Mayton, Loos and Taylor (2023)). Exemplary references describing formulating various agglomeration include Afzal, I.; Javed, T.; Amirkhani, M.; Taylor, A.G. Modern Seed Technology: Seed coating delivery systems for enhancing seed and crop performance. Agriculture 2020, 10, 526 and Mayton, H.; Amirkhani, M.; Loos, M.; Johnson, B.; Fike, J.; Johnson, C.; Myers, K.; Starr, J.; Bergstrom, G.C.; Taylor, A.2022. Evaluation of Industrial Hemp Seed Treatments for Management of Damping-Off for Enhanced Stand Establishment. Agriculture 2022, 12, 591. In a preferred embodiment, MSZP were composed of maltodextrin (dextrose equivalent 16.5– 19.5; Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO, U.S.A.), diatomaceous earth (Perma-Guard, Albuquerque, NM, U.S.A.), and wood flour (Lignocel natural wood fibers C 120 GE; J. Rettenmaier & Söhne (JRS), Rosenberg, Germany). Maltodextrin served as a dry binder powder and maltodextrin hydrates rapidly and pellet broke down quickly when soaked in water. Diatomaceous earth is an inert filler commonly used in seed pellet formulations. Wood flour C 120 GE was selected as low-density filler materials and was found to reduce cracking of the MSZP after drying. Maltodextrin, diatomaceous earth, and wood flour C 120 GE were thoroughly mixed in a ratio of 20%, 40%, and 40% by weight. Methods A 3D-mold was designed and made from Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) with a 3D-printer (see, for example, Fig.1B).3D-molds may also be manufactured from PETG (Polyethylene terephthalate glycol), nylon and PLA (poly lactic acid). In one working example, a large flat (LF) field corn seed PATENT Attorney Docket No.: 50341-040WO2 CTL Docket No.: 10448-02-PC dimension was the model seed for the 3D-mold containing 40 MSZP per tray. A maltodextrin, diatomaceous earth, and wood flour dry powder blend, as described above under “Compositions”, was added to the same amount of water (100%) to form a moist dough. For example, 20 g of Maltodextrin, 40 g of diatomaceous earth, and 40 g wood flour C 120 GE was mixed with 100 g water. From 3 to 5 milkweed seeds were per placed into each MSZP mold and then compressed by hand and each MSZP removed from the mold, placed in a forced air oven at 30 ˚C for 3 hours and then air dried overnight. Seed technology An exemplary seed used here was common milkweed and seeds were provided by a conservation seed company (Ernst, Meadville, PA). Common milkweed are not completely free flowing seed due to wings that are paper-thin appendages. A physical brushing method was used to remove the wings (referred to herein as “dewinging”) that resulted in a lower seed surface area, so multiple seeds could be housed within the MSZP mold. Specific steps were used for milkweed seed sizing and removal of the outer, wing-like portion of the pericarp. Seeds too large to pass through the #13.5 sieve (5.36 mm) were discarded, as large seeds were more difficult to fit into a MSZP mold. Seeds small enough to pass through the #10 sieve (3.97 mm) were discarded, as unusually small seeds generally have lower germinability. Dry seeds of intermediate size were gently processed with a hand deawner/debearder (Hoffman Manufacturing, Inc, Corvallis, OR, U.S.A.) to remove the wing-like portion of the pericarp. The dewinging process reduced the seed surface area by 47% to facilitate loading multiple seeds within one MSZP. The 100-seed weight of dewinged A. syriaca seeds was approximately 0.393 g, which was less than the 100-seed weight of intact A. syriaca seeds (0.422 g). After dewinging, seeds were again sieved and seeds too large to pass through the #10 sieve were discarded. Seeds that passed through the #10 sieve were retained for MSZP production. In addition, common milkweed has physiological dormancy and this dormancy was broken by a moist chilling treatment, termed stratification. We found that a 2-week period of moist chilling at 5 ˚C was typically required to break dormancy. The percent germination tested at alternating 15/25 ˚C with 10-hour night and 14-hour day after 2 weeks of stratification was 92%. Moreover, the seeds stratified to break dormancy were dried and dormancy was not reintroduced. Seed dormancy was also broken by imbibing seeds in different chemical solutions for 24 hours at 15 ˚C as is described below. The most effective compounds were gibberellins, in particular GA3 and GA4+7 with an optimal dosage of GA3 ranging from 250 ppm to 1,000 ppm. See Table A.

PATENT Attorney Docket No.: 50341-040WO2 CTL Docket No.: 10448-02-PC Table A Chemical Treatments to break milkweed seed dormancy B. Methodology Changing the composition and proportion of binder, fillers, and other pelleting materials to produce MSZP will alter physical properties/characteristics. In this embodiment, we approximated (e.g., matched) the density (specific gravity) of the MSZP to the density of corn seeds. In this manner, MSZP could be blended, if needed in a bag of corn seed without settling of the MSZP. Next, we produced MSZP with desired physical characteristics for optimal seed germination and seedling performance. The MSZP typically has a mechanical strength to withstand compression, and the ability to remain intact after handling and planting. Further, MSZP needs to break down after being placed in a moist soil. The MSZP made from a protocol of maltodextrin, diatomaceous earth, and wood flour C 120 GE withstood compression of 2.90 Kg compared to 2.04 for a commercial hemp seed pellet or 1.21 for commercial onion seed pellet. A mechanical impact test was conducted by dropping MSZP, onion pellet and hemp pellet onto a steel plate from a height of 2 meters four times. There was minimal damage to the MSZP or onion pellet, while there was 60% damage to the coating of hemp pellets. Both field corn seed and MSZP were tested in laboratory mounted, Monosem (Kansas City, KS) precision, vacuum seeder as is described below. The planter with a 4.3 mm hole plate was demonstrated to efficiently drop either field corn or MSZP. MSZP are useful when breaking down after sowing in a moist soil. A soak test was conducted by placing MSZP in water and recording the time for the MSZP to breakdown. The MSZP composed of maltodextrin, diatomaceous earth, and wood flour C 120 GE disintegrated in less than one minute after soaking in water. Collectively, MSZP had better than or equal ability to withstand compression and impact compared to commercial seed pellets. Plantability of MSZP through a commercial vacuum seeder was comparable to field corn seeds. MSZP composed of maltodextrin, diatomaceous earth, and wood flour C 120 GE was tested as a delivery system of 3 dewinged and stratified milkweed seed in each MSZP in potted, greenhouse experiments. Percent emergence and time to emergence was similar for MSZP and non-pelleted (control) seeds. There was 97% probability of at least one seedling produced from a MSZP containing 3 common milkweed seeds sown at the 2 cm planting depth. The precision placement of seeds using a Monosem (vacuum) planter in the field was investigated with MSZP in comparison with a large flat, field corn. Singulation of MSZP was 100% compared to 98.8% for field corn indicating excellent singulation for both MSZP and corn. Less than 2% of the MSZP showed fractures as cracks, chips, or breakage after going through the planting mechanism. A field study included MSZP sown with a vacuum or finger pickup planting mechanism and sown at 1 or 2 cm (4 treatments). For comparison, raw seeds that were dewinged and stratified, and raw seeds control (2 treatments) were included for comparison. There were 3 milkweed seeds per MSZP, and 3 milkweed seeds sown for both Raw treatments that were planted by hand on the soil surface to simulate PATENT Attorney Docket No.: 50341-040WO2 CTL Docket No.: 10448-02-PC broadcast sowing. Seedling emergence was recorded at 14 and 29 days. At 14 days, the Raw seed control had the lowest stand, and the Raw dewinging + stratification (DW+S) treatment had 2.7-fold increase in stand compared to the Raw seed control. MSZP treatments had 4.5 to 7.9-fold increase in stand than the Raw seed control. MSZP treatments had 1.7 to 2.9-fold increase in stand compared to the Raw (DW+S) treatment. Collectively, dewinging and stratification enhanced plant stand after 14 days, while the greatest improvement was for all MSZP treatments. At 29 days, there was only a slight improvement in stand from DW+S compared to the Raw seed treatments. However, MSZP treatments had > 2-fold increase in stand compared to either Raw seed treatment. Therefore, MSZP treatments consistently had a much greater plant stand than either Raw seed treatment. See Table B.

PATENT Attorney Docket No.: 50341-040WO2 CTL Docket No.: 10448-02-PC P e ) ^{Z s} _{a S} ^m _S M e + _c r_c W ^h D _{0 8 6 3 2 r} t_i e ₍ ^{d s w} _{a a a 0 5 5 9 7} ^s _r o^r e R r_c ^r _e ^{. . e} _{t b 5 4} ^. ₆ ^. ₇ ^. ₂ n _e n _i v ^a _l ^r o ^p _{e f} w o _d e ^s _{s i g} ^e _p ^fi _t n ^r i_{l e} ^{t d} _e ⁸ ₃ ^{5 5 5 8 8 y} e ^. ₉ ^. ₇ ^. ₉ ^. _{3 8 t} ^a _r s ^t _S e ^m _{/ 4 3 5 6} ^. ₂ ^. ₀ o ^d _e + S ^w _t h ^e _d t_{i s} ^e w_{d g g} ^{e n n} _{h e i} i_t ^{t n} _p ^m _c ^m _c ^m _c ^m _c ^m _c ^m _c ³ ₂ w^w a ^{0 k} _e l ^e P _{d 1 2 1 2 0 0 2} l , _i D 6 m_r o y_{l e} w g ^t _s ^t _s ^{u e} _{r J} ^h a n _d i_t ^o m _r m _{r r p r p c} ^a _t R a _c n ^{d r} _e n _{h a} ^{t l} _e u u ^e _t u u ^e _t ^e o g u ^e u ^d _a ^d _{e a d} ⁿ _i ^h _{ti P} m _c ^{n a} _a ^l _c ^{n a} _a ^{k l} nⁱ _{c g} n ^k _c ^o _r ^o _r ^e _t ^a _t e V _{p V p F} ⁱ _p ⁱ _F ⁱ _p B B ⁿ _a n _s l ^o _c ^d _e + _p n o_i ⁾ _{e P} ^e _s t _{d S} ^r _e ^Z a ^{e r} _g + w_S ^d _{e a} ⁿ _i W Me p ^D _{( e P} h w e ^w n ^Z _c ^{k r} _e l D _d o _S ^a _{i P} ^e _i n M _E M d_{e P P P P} – ^fi - e ^{Z Z Z Z} _{t S S S S S} ^w _a ^a _r ^w • • • M M M M R ^t _{a S} R PATENT Attorney Docket No.: 50341-040WO2 CTL Docket No.: 10448-02-PC As is described further below, Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed) was selected as a model native species because Asclepias plants are the sole food source for Danaus plexippus (monarch butterfly) larvae. Stratified A. syriaca seeds were added to a mixture of binder (maltodextrin) and filler (diatomaceous earth and wood flour) materials in a 3D-printed mold with the dimensions of a Z. mays seed. The resulting Multi- Seed Zea Pellets (MSZP), shaped like Z. mays seeds, were tested against non-pelleted A. syriaca seeds in several indoor and outdoor pot experiments. Molding into MSZP did not affect percentage emergence or time to emergence from a 2 cm planting depth. Intraspecific competition among seedlings emerged from an MSZP did not differ from competition among seedlings emerged from a cluster of non-pelleted seeds. These findings demonstrate the usefulness of MSZP technology as a precise and efficient method for increasing agroecosystem biodiversity. RESULTS Germination and stratification Percentage germination of Asclepias syriaca was higher at 15/25 °C than 10/30 °C or 20/30 °C (Table 1). Percentage germination at 15/25 °C was 26% after 8 days, 44% after 14 days, and 46% after 21 days. Stratification increased percentage germination, which was slightly higher with stratification durations of 2 or 4 weeks compared to 1 week (Table 2). After 2 weeks of stratification at 5 °C, percentage germination at 15/25 °C was 87% after 7 days and 92% after 14 days. Preliminary studies showed that drying stratified seeds and germination in darkness did not affect percentage germination, compared to no drying and germination at 15/25 °C with 14 hr light (A Taylor and M Loos, unpublished data). Table 1. Percentage germination of Asclepias syriaca seeds by germination environment (mean ± 1 SE, n = 4). Day 8 Day 14 Day 21 10/30 C 8 ± 2 15 ± 3 16 ± 3 15/25 C 26 ± 7 44 ± 7 46 ± 8 20/30 C 10 ± 1 26 ± 3 27 ± 4

PATENT Attorney Docket No.: 50341-040WO2 CTL Docket No.: 10448-02-PC Table 2. Percentage germination of Asclepias syriaca seeds by stratification duration (mean ± 1 SE, n = 4). Day 7 Day 14 Control 25 ± 7 32 ± 7 1 week at 5 C 74 ± 6 84 ± 3 2 weeks at 5 C 87 ± 3 92 ± 2 4 weeks at 5 C 89 ± 5 92 ± 3 Planting depth experiment We define percentage emergence as a percentage of the three seeds in an MSZP or free-seed cluster, e.g., 33% emergence would indicate that one of the three seeds emerged. In the outdoor run of the planting depth experiment, percentage emergence was influenced by treatment (free seeds or seeds from MSZP; p = 0.002), planting depth (2, 3, 4, or 5 cm; p < 0.001), and the interaction between treatment and planting depth (p = 0.03). In the MSZP treatment, percentage emergence was 70% at 2 cm and decreased with increasing planting depth to 13% at 5 cm (Fig.2A). At least one seedling emerged from each MSZP planted at 2 cm; however, no seedlings emerged from 6 of the 10 MSZP planted at 5 cm. Percentage emergence of free seeds was less clearly dependent on planting depth and varied from 50 to 80%. Time to emergence was influenced by treatment (p < 0.001), planting depth (p < 0.001), and the interaction (p = 0.03). Time to emergence increased with increasing planting depth in the MSZP treatment but did not vary with planting depth in the free-seed treatment (Fig.2B). There was more variation in time to emergence among the three seeds per MSZP than among the three seeds per free-seed cluster (p = 0.02). In the indoor run of the planting depth experiment, percentage emergence was influenced by planting depth (p < 0.001) but not by treatment (p = 0.2) or the interaction (p = 0.6). The free-seed and MSZP treatments did not differ at any planting depth (Fig.2C). In the free-seed treatment, percentage emergence from 5 cm was lower than percentage emergence from 3 cm. No seedlings emerged from 5 cm in the MSZP treatment. Neither planting depth nor treatment affected time to emergence (Fig.2D). There was equal variation in time to emergence among the three seeds per MSZP and the three seeds per free-seed cluster (p = 0.8). Planting density experiment The planting density experiment compared seven treatments: free seeds planted in clusters of one, two, three, four, or five seeds; MSZP containing three seeds; and MSZP containing five seeds (Fig.3). Median percentage emergence varied from 60 to 100% across treatments (mean 60 to 84%; Table 3). Median and mean time to emergence were 13 or 14 days for all treatments (Table 3). Over the course of the 3-month experiment, disease and D. plexippus herbivory resulted in high mortality (Table 3). PATENT Attorney Docket No.: 50341-040WO2 CTL Docket No.: 10448-02-PC Table 3. Percentage emergence, time to emergence (days after planting), and mortality (percentage of emerged plants) in the planting density experiment (mean ± 1 SE, median). Each pot contained a cluster of one, two, three, four, or five non-molded (“free”) seeds or a Multi-Seed Zea Pellet (MSZP) containing three or five seeds. Percentage emergence is defined as a percentage of the seeds planted in a treatment, e.g., 50% emergence from a cluster of four free seeds would indicate that two seedlings emerged. n = 10. Propagule Seeds per pot Emergence Time to emergence Mortality Free One 70 ± 15, 100 13 ± 0, 13 14 ± 14, 0 Free Two 70 ± 13, 100 13 ± 0, 13 56 ± 18, 75 Free Three 60 ± 8, 67 13 ± 1, 13 30 ± 15, 0 Free Four 75 ± 11, 88 13 ± 0, 13 37 ± 16, 0 Free Five 84 ± 8, 90 13 ± 1, 13 43 ± 14, 33 MSZP Three 77 ± 7, 67 14 ± 1, 14 13 ± 10, 0 MSZP Five 62 ± 7, 60 14 ± 1, 13 19 ± 11, 0 Treatment did not significantly affect percentage emergence (p = 0.3), time to emergence (p = 0.2), within-cluster variation in time to emergence (p = 0.7), or percentage mortality (p = 0.3). Danaus plexippus larvae were observed in all seven treatments (Fig.3E; Table 4). The number of observed larvae varied by date (p = 0.02) but not by treatment (p = 0.2). By the end of the experiment, most pots containing live plants showed some evidence of herbivory. Herbivory level varied across treatments (p = 0.02) but there was no evidence that planting seeds as MSZP either increased or decreased herbivory (Table 5). Table 4. Danaus plexippus larvae observed in the planting density experiment. Each pot contained a cluster of one, two, three, four, or five non-molded (“free”) seeds or a Multi-Seed Zea Pellet (MSZP) containing three or five seeds. Data represent the total number of larvae observed across all 10 pots in each treatment. At the end of the experiment, 48 of the 70 pots contained living plants. F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 MSZP3 MSZP5 Total August 18 0 0 1 0 0 1 2 4 August 25 1 0 0 4 0 2 4 11 September 2 0 1 5 4 3 5 3 21 September 9–13 1 2 1 0 1 2 1 8 Total 2 3 7 8 4 10 10 PATENT Attorney Docket No.: 50341-040WO2 CTL Docket No.: 10448-02-PC Table 5. Evidence of Danaus plexippus herbivory in the planting density experiment. Each pot contained a cluster of one, two, three, four, or five non-molded (“free”) seeds or a Multi-Seed Zea Pellet (MSZP) containing three or five seeds. Data represent the number of pots in each category on September 9–13. Percentage herbivory represents the percentage of pots with living plants that showed either low or high levels of defoliation. n = 10. F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 MSZP3 MSZP5 Total No living plants 4 6 3 4 3 1 1 22 No evidence of herbivory 3 1 0 3 6 2 3 18 Low herbivory damage 1 3 7 1 0 4 3 19 High herbivory damage 2 0 0 2 1 3 3 11 Percentage herbivory 0.5 0.75 1 0.5 0.14 0.78 0.67 Mean plant height increased with date (Fig.4). In addition to date (p < 0.001), plant height was affected by treatment (p < 0.001) and the interaction between treatment and date (p < 0.001). Height increased more quickly in pots with one free seed or an MSZP containing three seeds, relative to pots with four or five free seeds. Within-pot variation in height increased at the same rate in treatments with three or five free seeds compared to treatments with MSZP. Differences in mean height between treatments were not significant within dates, except that plants were taller in the treatment with one free seed, relative to the treatment with five free seeds, on August 25 (p = 0.04). Biomass measurements revealed no effect of treatment on aboveground or belowground biomass per pot (Fig.5A). The number of live plants per pot at harvest did not affect aboveground biomass per pot (p = 0.08) but did affect belowground biomass per pot (p = 0.003; Fig.5B). Belowground biomass per pot was lower in pots that contained one live plant at harvest, relative to pots that contained two, three, or five live plants. Aboveground biomass per plant was not affected by treatment (p = 0.07; Fig.5C) but was affected by the number of live plants at harvest (p < 0.001; Fig.5D). Aboveground biomass per plant was lower in pots that contained one or two live plants at harvest relative to pots that contained three or four live plants. Neither treatment nor the number of live plants at harvest affected within-pot variation in aboveground biomass. Belowground biomass per plant varied with treatment (p = 0.01) and the number of live plants per pot at harvest (p < 0.001). Relative planting time experiment Percentage emergence of Z. mays was 98% and percentage emergence of A. syriaca was 62%. Percentage emergence of A. syriaca did not vary with planting time treatment (2 weeks before Zea mays, simultaneous with Z. mays, 2 weeks after Z. mays, or A. syriaca monoculture). Mean time to emergence was 5 days in Z. mays (median: 5) and 15 days in A. syriaca (median: 14). In A. syriaca, there was a large range PATENT Attorney Docket No.: 50341-040WO2 CTL Docket No.: 10448-02-PC in time to emergence (the final seedling emerged at 45 days after planting) but time to emergence did not vary with treatment. Only one Z. mays plant and two A. syriaca plants died over the course of the experiment. Aboveground Z. mays biomass was 16.4 ± 0.9 g and belowground Z. mays biomass was 4.4 ± 0.4 g. Neither aboveground Z. mays biomass nor belowground Z. mays biomass was affected by treatment. Aboveground A. syriaca biomass was 0.17 ± 0.03 g and belowground A. syriaca biomass was 0.07 ± 0.02 g. Both aboveground A. syriaca biomass and belowground A. syriaca biomass were affected by treatment (p < 0.001). However, neither aboveground A. syriaca biomass nor belowground A. syriaca biomass was affected by the difference between simultaneous-planting and A. syriaca-monoculture treatments. Similarly, A. syriaca aboveground and belowground biomass increased with age at harvest (p < 0.001) but were not affected by the presence of Z. mays or the interaction (Fig.6). Mean plant height increased with date (Fig.4). In addition to date (p < 0.001), plant height was affected by treatment (p < 0.001) and the interaction between treatment and date (p < 0.001). Height increased more quickly in pots with one free seed or an MSZP containing three seeds, relative to pots with four or five free seeds. Within-pot variation in height increased at the same rate in treatments with three or five free seeds compared to treatments with MSZP. Differences in mean height between treatments were not significant within dates, except that plants were taller in the treatment with one free seed, relative to the treatment with five free seeds, on August 25 (p = 0.04). Biomass measurements revealed no effect of treatment on aboveground or belowground biomass per pot (Fig.5A). The number of live plants per pot at harvest did not affect aboveground biomass per pot (p = 0.08) but did affect belowground biomass per pot (p = 0.003; Fig.5B). Belowground biomass per pot was lower in pots that contained one live plant at harvest, relative to pots that contained two, three, or five live plants. Aboveground biomass per plant was not affected by treatment (p = 0.07; Fig.5C) but was affected by the number of live plants at harvest (p < 0.001; Fig.5D). Aboveground biomass per plant was lower in pots that contained one or two live plants at harvest relative to pots that contained three or four live plants. Neither treatment nor the number of live plants at harvest affected within-pot variation in aboveground biomass. Belowground biomass per plant varied with treatment (p = 0.01) and the number of live plants per pot at harvest (p < 0.001). Planting depth experiment We define percentage emergence as a percentage of the three seeds in an MSZP or free-seed cluster, e.g., 33% emergence would indicate that one of the three seeds emerged. In the outdoor run of the planting depth experiment, percentage emergence was influenced by treatment (free seeds or seeds from MSZP; p = 0.002), planting depth (2, 3, 4, or 5 cm; p < 0.001), and the interaction between treatment and planting depth (p = 0.03). In the MSZP treatment, percentage emergence was 70% at 2 cm and decreased with increasing planting depth to 13% at 5 cm (Fig.2A). At least one seedling emerged from each MSZP planted at 2 cm; however, no seedlings emerged from 6 of the 10 MSZP planted at 5 cm. Percentage emergence of free seeds was less clearly dependent on planting depth and varied from 50 to 80%. Time to emergence was influenced by treatment (p < 0.001), planting depth (p < 0.001), and the interaction (p = 0.03). Time to emergence increased with increasing planting depth in the MSZP treatment but did not vary PATENT Attorney Docket No.: 50341-040WO2 CTL Docket No.: 10448-02-PC with planting depth in the free-seed treatment (Fig.2B). There was more variation in time to emergence among the three seeds per MSZP than among the three seeds per free-seed cluster (p = 0.02). In the indoor run of the planting depth experiment, percentage emergence was influenced by planting depth (p < 0.001) but not by treatment (p = 0.2) or the interaction (p = 0.6). The free-seed and MSZP treatments did not differ at any planting depth (Fig.2C). In the free-seed treatment, percentage emergence from 5 cm was lower than percentage emergence from 3 cm. No seedlings emerged from 5 cm in the MSZP treatment. Neither planting depth nor treatment affected time to emergence (Fig.2D). There was equal variation in time to emergence among the three seeds per MSZP and the three seeds per free-seed cluster (p = 0.8). Planting density experiment The planting density experiment compared seven treatments: free seeds planted in clusters of one, two, three, four, or five seeds; MSZP containing three seeds; and MSZP containing five seeds (Fig.3). Median percentage emergence varied from 60 to 100% across treatments (mean 60 to 84%; Table 3). Median and mean time to emergence were 13 or 14 days for all treatments (Table 3). Over the course of the 3-month experiment, disease and D. plexippus herbivory resulted in high mortality (Table 3). Treatment did not significantly affect percentage emergence (p = 0.3), time to emergence (p = 0.2), within-cluster variation in time to emergence (p = 0.7), or percentage mortality (p = 0.3). Danaus plexippus larvae were observed in all seven treatments (Fig.3E; Table 4). The number of observed larvae varied by date (p = 0.02) but not by treatment (p = 0.2). By the end of the experiment, most pots containing live plants showed some evidence of herbivory. Herbivory level varied across treatments (p = 0.02) but there was no evidence that planting seeds as MSZP either increased or decreased herbivory (Table 5). Mean plant height increased with date (Fig.4). In addition to date (p < 0.001), plant height was affected by treatment (p < 0.001) and the interaction between treatment and date (p < 0.001). Height increased more quickly in pots with one free seed or an MSZP containing three seeds, relative to pots with four or five free seeds. Within-pot variation in height increased at the same rate in treatments with three or five free seeds compared to treatments with MSZP. Differences in mean height between treatments were not significant within dates, except that plants were taller in the treatment with one free seed, relative to the treatment with five free seeds, on August 25 (p = 0.04). Biomass measurements revealed no effect of treatment on aboveground or belowground biomass per pot (Fig.5A). The number of live plants per pot at harvest did not affect aboveground biomass per pot (p = 0.08) but did affect belowground biomass per pot (p = 0.003; Fig.5B). Belowground biomass per pot was lower in pots that contained one live plant at harvest, relative to pots that contained two, three, or five live plants. Aboveground biomass per plant was not affected by treatment (p = 0.07; Fig.5C) but was affected by the number of live plants at harvest (p < 0.001; Fig.5D). Aboveground biomass per plant was lower in pots that contained one or two live plants at harvest relative to pots that contained three or four live plants. Neither treatment nor the number of live plants at harvest affected within-pot variation in aboveground biomass. Belowground biomass per plant varied with treatment (p = 0.01) and the number of live plants per pot at harvest (p < 0.001). PATENT Attorney Docket No.: 50341-040WO2 CTL Docket No.: 10448-02-PC Relative planting time experiment Percentage emergence of Z. mays was 98% and percentage emergence of A. syriaca was 62%. Percentage emergence of A. syriaca did not vary with planting time treatment (2 weeks before Zea mays, simultaneous with Z. mays, 2 weeks after Z. mays, or A. syriaca monoculture). Mean time to emergence was 5 days in Z. mays (median: 5) and 15 days in A. syriaca (median: 14). In A. syriaca, there was a large range in time to emergence (the final seedling emerged at 45 days after planting) but time to emergence did not vary with treatment. Only one Z. mays plant and two A. syriaca plants died over the course of the experiment. Aboveground Z. mays biomass was 16.4 ± 0.9 g and belowground Z. mays biomass was 4.4 ± 0.4 g. Neither aboveground Z. mays biomass nor belowground Z. mays biomass was affected by treatment. Aboveground A. syriaca biomass was 0.17 ± 0.03 g and belowground A. syriaca biomass was 0.07 ± 0.02 g. Both aboveground A. syriaca biomass and belowground A. syriaca biomass were affected by treatment (p < 0.001). However, neither aboveground A. syriaca biomass nor belowground A. syriaca biomass was affected by the difference between simultaneous-planting and A. syriaca-monoculture treatments. Similarly, A. syriaca aboveground and belowground biomass increased with age at harvest (p < 0.001) but were not affected by the presence of Z. mays or the interaction (Fig.6). Summary The seed coating methods (e.g., seed pelleting and agglomeration) described herein are useful in both agricultural and restoration contexts. In restoration contexts, seed agglomeration has the potential to help address challenges including poor distribution of native seeds and poor establishment. Incompatibilities between native seed morphology and seeding equipment are a common issue for restoration practitioners. Farmers seeking to establish wildflower strips adjacent to cropland face some of the same challenges. Using Asclepias syriaca as a model native species, we have developed a seed molding method to create MSZP shaped like Zea mays seeds. Planting these MSZP with a Z. mays planter would likely reduce labor and capital costs associated with the establishment of wildflower strips in agroecosystems. Notably, this method obviates the need for specialized equipment to plant small and irregularly shaped wildflower seeds. The laboratory experiments on germination conditions and stratification duration established the baseline germinability of our seed lot and ensured that greenhouse and outdoor experiments reflected the true germination potential of these seeds. We observed 92% germination when seeds were stratified for at least 2 weeks at 5 °C, then germinated at 15/25 °C. After 12 weeks of stratification, percentage germination was generally high (up to 100%) under alternating temperature regimes of 10/20, 15/25, or 15/30 °C but lower at 6/15 °C. Seed pelleting or agglomeration may reduce germination and emergence in species that require light for germination. The three greenhouse and outdoor experiments demonstrated good A. syriaca emergence and early growth under a variety of conditions, including different planting depths, planting densities, and planting times relative to Z. mays. In all experiments, seedlings successfully emerged from MSZP and reached the soil surface. Thus, the overarching goal of this research (to demonstrate the potential of MSZP as a seed- delivery technology for A. syriaca) was achieved. Each experiment also provided more specific information about the strengths and limitations of this technology, as well as some insights into A. syriaca biology. PATENT Attorney Docket No.: 50341-040WO2 CTL Docket No.: 10448-02-PC In the outdoor run of the planting depth experiment, molding into MSZP did not affect percentage emergence or time to emergence from a planting depth of 2 cm. Among seeds from MSZP, increasing planting depth reduced percentage emergence and increased time to emergence. This trend could indicate that seedlings expended some energy in emerging from the MSZP, which was then unavailable for pre- emergent growth. In the indoor run of the planting depth experiment, molding into MSZP did not affect percentage emergence or time to emergence from any planting depth. Unlike pots in the outdoor trial, pots in the indoor trial were watered on a regular schedule and not exposed to heavy rain or high temperatures. If these differences reduced soil surface hardness in the indoor trial relative to the outdoor trial, they might help explain the lack of an MSZP effect in the indoor trial. More generally, the planting depth experiment demonstrated A. syriaca emergence from all tested planting depths, although the 5 cm depth appeared to be suboptimal. Emergence from 5 cm was 0–63% of emergence from 2 cm, depending on treatment (free seeds or MSZP) and experimental context (outdoor or indoor). The results of our planting depth experiment indicate that A. syriaca emergence from a typical Z. mays planting depth (4–6 cm; Cornell University n.d.) would be lower than emergence from shallower depths. This conclusion is relevant to the design of a system in which MSZP containing A. syriaca seeds would be planted using a Z. mays planter. In the planting density experiment, emergence was not affected by the number of seeds planted or by molding into MSZP. Unlike percentage emergence, A. syriaca height and biomass were affected by treatment in the planting density experiment. However, there was no indication that molding into MSZP affected seedling growth. Variation in growth was best explained by the number of plants growing together (i.e., as an effect of intraspecific competition). For example, aboveground biomass per pot did not vary with the number of live plants at harvest, but aboveground biomass per plant was generally lower in pots containing more live plants at harvest. Neither aboveground biomass nor belowground biomass differed between treatments with MSZP containing three or five seeds and treatments with clusters of three or five free seeds. From a practical standpoint, our results indicate that there is little advantage to creating MSZP containing five or more A. syriaca seeds. Under favorable growing conditions, MSZP containing three seeds are likely to produce at least one emerged seedling and achieve good biomass production. Danaus plexippus larvae and defoliated A. syriaca plants were observed in each treatment of the planting density experiment. There was no indication that planting A. syriaca seeds as MSZP reduced oviposition or defoliation rates. These results cannot be interpreted as a formal test of D. plexippus preference because the D. plexippus data were limited and collected from a single array of pots. Similarly, our results do not represent a test of D. plexippus performance because data on larval development were not collected and no larvae reached maturity. It is likely that most larvae were lost to predation, although other outcomes such as disease, parasitism, or departure from the natal plant may also have occurred. A few larvae were still present on the plants when the experiment ended. In the relative planting time experiment, A. syriaca did not reduce Z. mays growth regardless of planting time. Zea mays emerged more quickly than A. syriaca and subsequently grew much more quickly. PATENT Attorney Docket No.: 50341-040WO2 CTL Docket No.: 10448-02-PC Consequently, even the A. syriaca clusters planted prior to Z. mays planting did not have a measurable impact on Z. mays growth. The relative planting time experiment did not demonstrate a competitive effect of Z. mays on A. syriaca. High nutrient, water, and light availability were likely responsible for the absence of a competitive effect. Our experiments provide proof of concept for a seed molding method that creates MSZP shaped like Z. mays seeds. If the MSZP crumble within the planter, it is possible to increase their three-dimensional strength by changing the pellet composition or applying more compressive force during molding. Agglomeration may facilitate the even distribution of morphologically diverse seeds, which could include wildflower seeds, cover crop seeds, or any other ecologically desirable seeds. This technology also enables a low density of non-crop seeds to be planted among crop seeds. We also note that our seed molding method could be adapted to create pellets with the size, shape, and density of relatively large crop seeds other than Z. mays seeds, such as G. max or Gossypium hirsutum L. (cotton) seeds. Small non-crop seeds might also be molded into pellets with the dimensions of small crop seeds, such as Triticum aestivum L. (wheat) seeds, and planted with a grain drill. Given appropriate non-crop species and seeding rates, this precise method of increasing agroecosystem biodiversity could provide ecosystem services with little risk to crop yield. The above-described results were obtained using the following Materials and Methods. Materials and Methods Seed germination and stratification Seeds of an Asclepias syriaca ecotype from Vermont, U.S.A. were provided by Ernst Conservation Seeds (Meadville, PA, U.S.A.). Two preliminary experiments demonstrated that this ecotype would work well (data not shown). First, a germination experiment was conducted on an ecotype from Pennsylvania, U.S.A., also obtained from Ernst Conservation Seeds, alongside the Vermont ecotype. Second, an outdoor pot experiment was conducted to measure the emergence and early growth of the Vermont and Pennsylvania ecotypes as well as three populations collected near Ithaca, NY, U.S.A. In both these preliminary experiments, the Vermont ecotype performed at least as well as other ecotypes or populations, so we used only the Vermont ecotype for further research. A laboratory experiment tested the effects of germination environment on percentage germination. Three germination environments were tested: 10/30 °C with an 8-hr photoperiod, 15/25 °C with a 14-hr photoperiod, and 20/30 °C with an 8-hr photoperiod. Each treatment was maintained in a laboratory germination chamber. For each treatment, four replicate plastic boxes (10 cm by 10 cm) each containing 25 non-stratified seeds on moistened blue blotter paper (Anchor Paper Co, Saint Paul, MN, U.S.A.) were placed in the germination chamber and checked at 8 days, 14 days, and 21 days. A separate experiment tested the effect of stratification duration (0, 1, 2, or 4 weeks at 5 °C in darkness). As in the germination experiment, four replicates of 25 seeds were subjected to each stratification duration. Following stratification, seeds were germinated at 15/25 °C with a 14-hr photoperiod and checked at 7 and 14 days. PATENT Attorney Docket No.: 50341-040WO2 CTL Docket No.: 10448-02-PC MSZP development Asclepias syriaca seeds were pelleted into MSZP with the dimensions of Z. mays seeds (Fig.1). To fit multiple A. syriaca seeds into a single MSZP, seeds were sorted by size and the outer, wing-like portion of the pericarp was removed. Seeds too large to pass through the #13.5 sieve (5.36 mm) were discarded because large seeds would be harder to fit into MSZP. Seeds small enough to pass through the #10 sieve (3.97 mm) were discarded because unusually small seeds might have lower germinability. Dry seeds of intermediate size were gently processed with a hand deawner/debearder (Hoffman Manufacturing, Inc, Corvallis, OR, U.S.A.) to remove the wing-like portion of the pericarp (Fig.1A). This dewinging did not injure the seeds. The 100-seed weight of dewinged A. syriaca seeds was approximately 0.393 g, which was less than the 100-seed weight of intact A. syriaca seeds (0.422 g). Zea mays seeds are much larger (100-seed weight of 28.6 g). After dewinging, seeds were again sieved and seeds too large to pass through the #10 sieve were discarded. Seeds that passed through the #10 sieve were stratified for 2 weeks at 5 °C. MSZP were composed of maltodextrin (dextrose equivalent 16.5–19.5; Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO, U.S.A.), diatomaceous earth (Perma-Guard, Albuquerque, NM, U.S.A.), and wood flour (Lignocel natural wood fibers C 120 GE; J. Rettenmaier & Söhne (JRS), Rosenberg, Germany). Maltodextrin served as a dry binder powder, whereas diatomaceous earth and wood flour were selected as low-density filler materials to produce a density similar to Z. mays seed. Maltodextrin, diatomaceous earth, and wood flour were thoroughly mixed in a ratio of 20%, 40%, and 40% by weight, then combined with water to form a dough. The dough was pressed into custom 3D-printed molds the size and shape of Zea mays seeds (Fig. 1B). Molds were printed at Cornell University from Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS). While the dough was in molds, dewinged and stratified A. syriaca seeds were inserted into the center of each MSZP. Three A. syriaca seeds were inserted into most MSZP; the planting density experiment also tested MSZP containing five seeds. After seeds were inserted, MSZP were removed from the molds and dried in a drying oven at 30 °C for 3 hr. The densities of Z. mays seeds and MSZP were determined with a float/sink method in solutions of hexane and chloroform (Taylor et al.1982). The densities of Z. mays seeds, MSZP pellets without A. syriaca seeds, and MSZP containing three A. syriaca seeds were all in the same range of 1.25 ± 0.05 g/cc. Greenhouse and outdoor experiments Three greenhouse and outdoor experiments were conducted. The first experiment tested the effects of planting depth and pelleting into MSZP on A. syriaca emergence. This experiment was conducted in outdoor pots in Ithaca, NY, U.S.A. (42.448 N, 76.460 W) and replicated in the greenhouse. The second experiment tested the effects of planting density and pelleting into MSZP on A. syriaca emergence and early growth. This experiment was conducted in outdoor pots in Ithaca, NY, U.S.A. The third experiment tested the effects of A. syriaca planting time, relative to Z. mays planting time, on early growth. This experiment was conducted in the greenhouse. For the outdoor experiments, monthly mean average temperature was 19.6 °C in June, 20.1 °C in July, 21.5 °C in August, and 16.8 °C in September (Northeast Regional Climate Center 2022). Total precipitation was 11.2 cm in June, 16.1 cm in July, 15.8 cm in August, and 13.3 cm in September (Northeast Regional Climate Center 2022). The duration of daylight was 15:05 on June 1, 15:14 on July 1, 14:27 on August 1, and 13:08 on September 1 (U.S. Naval Observatory 2022). PATENT Attorney Docket No.: 50341-040WO2 CTL Docket No.: 10448-02-PC The first run of the planting depth experiment was conducted in outdoor pots. On August 4, 2021, 40 2.8 L pots were filled with a 3:1 by volume mixture of field soil from Mount Pleasant, NY (Mardin channery silt loam) and Cornell Soil Mix (peat, vermiculite, and perlite in a 2:2:1 ratio by volume amended with calcium, lime, and 10-5-10 NPK), respectively. After pots were filled with soil, they were watered daily to promote soil settling until seeds were planted on August 14. On August 14, one MSZP containing three A. syriaca seeds and three additional “free” seeds (i.e., seeds not molded into an MSZP) were planted into each pot. Both the MSZP seeds and the free seeds had been dewinged and stratified (2 weeks at 5 C). The free seeds were also coated with a red colorant (seed colorant TSC-180786; Standard Colors, Inc., High Point, NC, U.S.A.), which did not impede germination in a preliminary experiment. In each pot, the three free seeds were planted in a cluster (in contact with each other, to mimic the clustering of the three seeds within each MSZP). This cluster of free seeds was planted 8 cm from the MSZP planted in the same pot. Within each pot, a single planting depth was used for all A. syriaca seeds (i.e., the free seeds were planted at this depth and the MSZP was planted so that its center reached this depth). Pots were assigned to planting depths of 2, 3, 4, and 5 cm according to a completely randomized design (10 pots per treatment, for a total of 40 pots). Pots were checked for emergence daily until September 26, 2021, at which point the emergence period had ended. Pots were rearranged on August 25 and September 8 and pot orientations were changed on August 26 and September 13. Due to sunny, dry conditions resulting in a hard, cracked soil surface, pots were watered to field capacity on August 23, 25, 26, 30, 31; and September 20. Otherwise, pots were rain- fed. No fertilizer was applied because the starter fertilizer in the Cornell Soil Mix was considered sufficient for this short-term study. The second run of the planting depth experiment was conducted under greenhouse conditions (20– 26 °C day, 18–23 °C night, 15-hr photoperiod in addition to natural light). The materials and experimental design used were similar to the first run of the experiment with the following exceptions: (1) no red colorant was applied to the free seeds, (2) the MSZP in each pot was separated from the cluster of free seeds by a distance of 6 cm, and (3) circles of lightweight no-see-um mesh, cut to pot diameter, were buried in pots at the depth of planting. These mesh circles were intended to ensure that seeds did not fall below the depth of planting during watering. The mesh circles were buried at the intended planting depth (2, 3, 4, or 5 cm) on the day that soil was potted (November 8, 2021). On the day of planting (November 13), we checked that mesh circles were at the proper depth in each pot and added soil if necessary, before planting. From initial potting to the end of the experiment, pots were watered three times per week (the watering rate was adjusted as needed to maintain moderate surface soil moisture) and rearranged biweekly. Pots were checked daily for emergence until the experiment was terminated on December 11, 2021. Emergence dates were not recorded for three seedlings, so these seedlings were excluded from the time-to-emergence analysis. The planting density experiment was conducted outdoors. The pot size and soil were identical to the first run of the planting depth experiment above. Soil was potted and seeds were planted on June 16, 2021. The experiment was set up as a completely randomized design with seven treatments and 10 replicates, for a total of 70 pots. In the five free seed treatments, we planted seeds at densities of one, two, three, four, or five seeds per pot. The free seeds were planted in a cluster in the center of the pot at 2 cm. In the remaining two treatments, we planted MSZP containing three or five seeds. One MSZP was planted in the center of the pot PATENT Attorney Docket No.: 50341-040WO2 CTL Docket No.: 10448-02-PC at 2 cm (center of the MSZP). In addition to the 70 treatment pots, we included 10 control pots (soil only) to check for possible A. syriaca contamination in the soil. No A. syriaca plants were observed in the control pots. However, three A. syriaca plants in the 70 treatment pots were identified as contaminants because they emerged at the side of the pot rather than in the seedling cluster in the center of the pot. We did not include these contaminants in the data set presented here. We checked each pot for emergence or mortality daily until the experiment was terminated (September 9–13, 2021). At emergence, we marked each seedling with a colored rubber band to distinguish it from other plants in the same cluster. Each week, we measured the height of each plant (soil surface to growing point). The only defoliating herbivorous insects observed on the plants were larvae of D. plexippus. These larvae (including those on the soil surface or apparently dead) were counted weekly from August 18, when they were first observed, until the end of the experiment. Larval counts represent conservative estimates. In addition to rainfall, pots were watered on June 16, 24, 26; July 5, 25; and August 4, 5, 13, 16, 23, 25, 30, 31. Pots were fertilized once on August 5 (4.93 mL per pot, Shake’n Feed All Purpose Plant Food 12-4-8; Scotts Miracle-Gro, Marysville, Ohio, U.S.A.). Pots were rearranged on June 30; July 14, 28; and August 11, 25. At the end of the experiment, each pot with living plants was assessed twice for evidence of defoliation (presumably by D. plexippus). In each assessment, the degree of defoliation was described qualitatively. These descriptions were later used to sort pots into “no herbivory”, “low herbivory”, and “high herbivory” categories. If the two assessments for a pot disagreed, the pot was sorted into the category indicating more severe damage. The aboveground biomass of each plant was placed in an individual bag, dried (58–60 °C, 4 days), and weighed. It was not possible to separate the root systems of plants occupying the same pot, so belowground biomass was washed, dried, and weighed as a total for each pot. In our final experiment, we tested the effect of relative planting time on competition between A. syriaca and Z. mays under greenhouse conditions (20–26 °C day, 18–23 °C night, 15-hr photoperiod in addition to natural light). This experiment was set up as a randomized complete block design with six blocks of 10 pots, for a total of 60 pots. Pots were 9.7 ± 0.1 L and filled with Cornell Soil Mix. Each block contained two pots each of the following five treatments: 1) one MSZP planted 2 weeks prior to one Z. mays seed (“early planting”), 2) one MSZP planted simultaneously with one Z. mays seed (“simultaneous planting”), 3) one MSZP planted 2 weeks later than one Z. mays seed (“late planting”), 4) two MSZP (“A. syriaca monoculture”), or 5) two Z. mays seeds (“Z. mays monoculture”). Each MSZP contained three A. syriaca seeds. MSZP and Z. mays seeds were planted at a depth of 2 cm (base of the MSZP or seed), 8 cm apart from the other MSZP or Z. mays seed in the same pot. Soil was potted and MSZP in the early planting treatment were planted on October 13, 2021. MSZP in the simultaneous planting treatment, MSZP in the A. syriaca monoculture treatment, and all Z. mays seeds were planted on October 27. MSZP in the late planting treatment were planted on November 10. Pots were checked for emergence or mortality daily. Asclepias syriaca seedlings were marked with colored bands to distinguish multiple plants emerged from the same MSZP. Water was added whenever the top few centimeters of soil appeared dry. Pots were rearranged within blocks biweekly. On November 15, an insecticide (Safari; Valent U.S.A., Walnut Creek, CA, U.S.A.) was sprayed at the recommended rate to control aphids in the greenhouse room. The experiment was terminated on December 11–12, 2021. PATENT Attorney Docket No.: 50341-040WO2 CTL Docket No.: 10448-02-PC Individual live plants were later dried and weighed (aboveground and belowground biomass separated, 58– 60 °C for 41 days). Two samples (one aboveground A. syriaca and one belowground Z. mays) were lost during this process so are not included in the biomass data set. In the Z. mays monoculture, the root systems of the two Z. mays plants could not be separated so were washed, dried, and weighed together. The combined root biomass was divided between the two Z. mays plants by assuming that both plants had the same root-to-shoot ratio; therefore, the plant with greater aboveground biomass would also have greater belowground biomass. Statistical analysis Data analysis was performed in R (4.1.0, R Core Team 2021). Unless otherwise noted, measures of error are standard error (SE), seedling cluster was treated as the experimental unit to avoid pseudo- replication (i.e., response variables represent the mean of seedlings in the cluster rather than individual seedlings), and α = 0.05. For parametric analyses, residual plots, the Shapiro-Wilk test of normality, and Levene’s test for homogeneity of variance were used to check normality and homoskedasticity of residuals. For the planting depth experiment, data were analyzed by linear models testing the effects of treatment (free seeds or seeds from MSZP), planting depth (2, 3, 4, or 5 cm), and their interaction on percentage emergence or time to emergence. The outdoor and indoor runs of the experiment were analyzed separately. An inverse transformation was applied to time to emergence in the outdoor run. Untransformed responses were graphed as mean ± 1 SE and transformed responses were graphed as back-transformed estimates ± 1 SE obtained by the delta method (package “emmeans”). Multiple comparison of means was performed with Tukey’s HSD test (package “emmeans”). In addition, the non-parametric Wilcoxon signed rank test (paired by pot) was used to test whether treatment affected within-cluster variation in time to emergence (i.e., SE of the three seeds per MSZP or free-seed cluster). In the planting density experiment, the effects of treatment (cluster of one to five free seeds, MSZP containing three seeds, or MSZP containing five seeds) on percentage emergence, time to emergence, within-cluster variation in time to emergence, and percentage mortality were evaluated with the non-parametric Kruskal- Wallis rank sum test. A linear model was used to test the effects of treatment and date (as factor: August 18, August 25, September 2, or September 9–13) on the total number of observed D. plexippus larvae across all replicates. A chi square test was used to test for an association between treatment and A. syriaca defoliation level (none, low, or high; pots without living plants were excluded). For the height analysis, each plant was included in the per-pot mean for all dates on which the plant had passed the cotyledon stage and had not died. Linear models tested the effects of date, treatment, and their interaction on the square root of per-pot mean height or the cubic root of within-pot height SE. Tukey’s HSD test was used to determine which slopes differed (“emtrends” in package “emmeans”). Treatment effects on mean height within dates were evaluated by ANOVA followed by Tukey’s HSD test. Untransformed height data were graphed. Biomass data from the planting density experiment were analyzed with linear models testing how treatment affected per-pot biomass, how the number of live plants at harvest (as a factor) affected per-pot biomass, how treatment affected per-plant biomass, and how the number of live plants at harvest affected per-plant biomass. Aboveground and belowground biomass data were analyzed separately. Square-root transformations were applied to the per-plant models for aboveground and belowground biomass by PATENT Attorney Docket No.: 50341-040WO2 CTL Docket No.: 10448-02-PC treatment and belowground biomass by number of live plants. A logarithmic transformation was applied to the per-plant model for aboveground biomass by number of live plants. Untransformed responses were graphed as mean ± 1 SE and transformed responses were graphed as back-transformed estimates ± 1 SE obtained by the delta method. Multiple comparison of means was performed with Tukey’s HSD test. Additional linear models were used to test whether treatment or the number of live plants at harvest affected the square root of the within-pot SE of aboveground biomass. In the relative planting time experiment, data on percentage emergence and time to emergence in A. syriaca and biomass in both species were analyzed with linear mixed models in which treatment was a fixed effect and block was a random effect. Aboveground biomass and belowground biomass were analyzed separately. An inverse transformation was applied to time to emergence, Z. mays aboveground biomass was squared, a square-root transformation was applied to A. syriaca aboveground biomass, and a cubic-root transformation was applied to A. syriaca belowground biomass. Similar models for aboveground A. syriaca biomass (square-root transformation) and belowground A. syriaca biomass (logarithmic transformation) compared the simultaneous-planting and A. syriaca-monoculture treatments. Asclepias syriaca biomass was also analyzed on a per-plant basis with linear mixed models containing the fixed effects of age at harvest, Z. mays presence (“no” in the A. syriaca monoculture and one pot in which Z. mays did not emerge, “yes” otherwise), and their interaction in addition to the random effect of pot nested within block. For these models, a square-root transformation was applied to aboveground biomass and a cubic-root transformation was applied to belowground biomass. Data were graphed on the transformed scales with 95% confidence intervals and the y-axes were relabeled to the original scales. Literature referenced Afzal I, Javed T, Amirkhani M, Taylor AG (2020) Modern seed technology: seed coating delivery systems for enhancing seed and crop performance. Agriculture 10:526 Albrecht H, Cambecèdes J, Lang M, Wagner M (2016) Management options for the conservation of rare arable plants in Europe. Botany Letters 163:389–415 Amirkhani, A. Mayton H, Loos M, Taylor A (2023) Development of Superabsorbent Polymer (SAP) Seed Coating Technology to Enhance Germination and Stand Establishment in Red Clover Cover Crop Agronomy 13(2), 438; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13020438 Cornell University (n.d.) Corn planting techniques. CALS Field Crops https://cals.cornell.edu/field- crops/corn/planting-techniques (accessed 29 April 2022)_ Haddaway NR, Brown C, Eales J, Eggers S, Josefsson J, Kronvang B, Randall NP, Uusi-Kämppä J (2018) The multifunctional roles of vegetated strips around and within agricultural fields. Environmental Evidence 7:14 Kleijn D, Bommarco R, Fijen TPM, Garibaldi LA, Potts SG, van der Putten WH (2019) Ecological intensification: bridging the gap between science and practice. Trends in Ecology & Evolution 34:154–166 Kovács-Hostyánszki A, Espíndola A, Vanbergen AJ, Settele J, Kremen C, Dicks LV (2017) Ecological intensification to mitigate impacts of conventional intensive land use on pollinators and pollination. Ecology Letters 20:673–689 PATENT Attorney Docket No.: 50341-040WO2 CTL Docket No.: 10448-02-PC Landis DA, Menalled FD, Costamagna AC, Wilkinson TK (2005) Manipulating plant resources to enhance beneficial arthropods in agricultural landscapes. Weed Science 53:902–908 Mayton, H.; Amirkhani, M.; Loos, M.; Johnson, B.; Fike, J.; Johnson, C.; Myers, K.; Starr, J.; Bergstrom, G.C.; Taylor, A.2022. Evaluation of Industrial Hemp Seed Treatments for Management of Damping-Off for Enhanced Stand Establishment. Agriculture 2022, 12, 591 Menalled FD, Gross KL, Hammond M (2001) Weed aboveground and seedbank community responses to agricultural management systems. Ecological Applications 11:1586–1601 Murphy SD, Clements DR, Belaoussoff S, Kevan PG, Swanton CJ (2006) Promotion of weed species diversity and reduction of weed seedbanks with conservation tillage and crop rotation. Weed Science 54:69– 77 Nicholls CI, Altieri MA (2013) Plant biodiversity enhances bees and other insect pollinators in agroecosystems. A review. Agronomy for Sustainable Development 33:257–274 Northeast Regional Climate Center (2022) CLIMOD 2 http://climod2.nrcc.cornell.edu/ (accessed 5 May 2022) R Core Team (2021) R: a language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria. Sikhao P, Taylor AG, Marino ET, Catranis CM, Siri B (2015) Development of seed agglomeration technology using lettuce and tomato as model vegetable crop seeds. Scientia Horticulturae 184:85–92 Storkey J, Neve P (2018) What good is weed diversity? Weed Research 58:239–243 Taylor AG, McCarthy AM, Chirco EM (1982) Density separation of seeds with hexane and chloroform. Journal of Seed Technology 7:78–83 Tscharntke T, Klein AM, Kruess A, Steffan-Dewenter I, Thies C (2005) Landscape perspectives on agricultural intensification and biodiversity – ecosystem service management. Ecology Letters 8:857–874 U.S. Naval Observatory (2022) Duration of Daylight/Darkness Table for One Year. https://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/ (accessed 7 June 2022) Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, USDA NRCS (2018) Planting for pollinators and beneficial insects: New York wildflower habitat establishment guide. Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Portland, OR, USA C. Other Embodiments Other embodiments are within the following numbered paragraph. 1. A composition comprising a.) two or more non-crop seeds; b.) a filler; and c.) a binder. 2. The composition of paragraph 1, comprising d.) an additive. 3. The composition of paragraph 1, comprising non-crop seeds which are the same. 4. The composition of paragraph 1, comprising a mixture of non-crop seeds. 5. The composition of paragraph 1, wherein the non-crop seeds are wildflower seeds. PATENT Attorney Docket No.: 50341-040WO2 CTL Docket No.: 10448-02-PC 6. The composition of paragraph 5, wherein the wildflower seeds are milkweed seeds. 7. The composition of paragraph 1, which is in a configuration of a crop plant seed. 8. The composition of paragraph 7, wherein the crop plant seed is corn, cotton, soybean, sorghum, or wheat. 9. The composition of paragraph 8, wherein the configured seed has the approximate density of the crop plant seed. 10. The composition of paragraph 1, wherein the filler is diatomaceous earth, calcium carbonate, pumice, perlite, wood milled, wood flour WF C120 or wood flour WF C120 GE. 11. The composition of paragraph 1, wherein the binder is maltodextrin or soy flour. 12. The composition of paragraph 2, wherein the additive is lecithin, talc and graphite, mica, or barium sulphate. 13. The composition of paragraph 1, comprising maltodextrin, diatomaceous earth, wood flour C120 GE, and water. 14. The composition of paragraph 13, comprising a ratio of 20:40:40:100 of maltodextrin, diatomaceous earth, wood flour C120 GE, and water. 15. The composition of any one of paragraphs 7-14, wherein the composition withstands compression of approximately 1.2 Kg. 16. A method of producing a multi-seed composition, the method comprising configuring the composition of paragraph 1 into a shape of a crop seed. 17. The method of paragraph 16, wherein the crop seed is corn, cotton, soybean, sorghum, or wheat. 18. The method of paragraph 17, wherein the multi-seed composition is formulated to have the density of a crop seed. 19. The method of paragraph 17, wherein the multi-seed composition withstands compression of approximately 1.2 Kg. 20. A method of increasing biodiversity, the method comprising planting in a crop field the composition according to any one of paragraphs 7-15. 21. The method of paragraph 20, wherein the composition is planted using a seed planter. Still other embodiments may involve using a large-scale molding/extrusion process for producing MSZP with seeds on a commercial basis. Further, a 3D-template producing MSZP may have its mold edges rounded (e.g., with a fingernail file) to increase flow by (e.g., by 10%, 15%, 20%, 30%, or even 35% or greater). A multi-seed forming process utilizing rounded edges will improve flowability of seeds in a commercial planter. Our methodologies were focused on MSZP technology for milkweed seed as Asclepias plant species is the sole food source for the monarch butterfly to complete development from an egg to the adult. MSZP technology is readily adapted for delivering multiple seeds of other non-crop species provided, for example, the other non-crop species has seed size smaller than corn. Selections of non-crop, wildflower seeds that provide nectar and/or pollen for beneficial insects could be delivered using MSZP to further enhanced PATENT Attorney Docket No.: 50341-040WO2 CTL Docket No.: 10448-02-PC biodiversity. Other non-crop selections include ornamental seeds. The advantage is to be able to package multiple ornamental seeds in the same MSZP, of the same or different varieties along with choice of species. Development of MSZP technology was based on the size and shape of a large flat (LF) field corn seed. MSZP technology could be adapted in the shape, size, and densities of other major crop seed including soybean and cotton. For small-seeded, non-crop seeds, a template of a small grain such as wheat would be developed. Seed sizes, shapes, and densities are known in the art. Seed densities, for example, are described in Asadzadeh, A. H. (2014). Some physical properties of cotton seed at different moisture contents. J. ICAE.15 (2): 205-214, Chang, C. S. (1988). Measuring density and porosity of grain kernels using a gas pycnometer. Cereal Chemistry, Vol 65 (1):13-15, Gojiya, D. K., et al. Studies on Physical Properties of Peanut Seed. Acta Scientific Agriculture 4.3 (2020): 01-05, and Isik, E. (2007). Some Engineering Properties of Soybean Grains. American Journal of Food Technology, 2: 115-125. DOI: 10.3923/ajft.2007.115.125. Accordingly, a multi-seed composition may be based on a variety of seeds (e.g., corn, soybean, cotton, peanut, sorghum, or wheat seeds) in view of their respective shapes and densities. Once a particular seed shape is selected and the multi-seed composition produced to house/package its cargo seeds within the configured shape, the composition is then delivered to a locus such as a field. Still further, if desired, seed technology practices could be employed to break dormancy of seed species according to standard methods known in the art. Physical methods, for example, could be employed based on the morphology of the seed species and the desired objective to adapt any seed to MSZP technology. D. Uses In one example, farmers could use MSZP technology with their current planting equipment eliminating the need to purchase or rent specialized planters for fluffy, non-free flowing seeds. Conservation agencies and groups could utilize MSZP technology in their programs. Since existing planters are used, there is the potential of wide-scale use of MSZP technology over thousands of acres. Exemplary compositions and molding methods described herein allow for a non-crop species to be planted with a conventional Zea mays (corn) planter as described herein. Other seed planters may be employed in view of the seed type used to generate a multi-seed composition as described herein. All references referred to herein are hereby incorporated by reference including U.S. provisional application Serial No.63/417,140 filed October 18, 2022.

Claims

PATENT Attorney Docket No.: 50341-040WO2 CTL Docket No.: 10448-02-PC CLAIMS What is claimed is: 1. A composition comprising a.) two or more seeds; b.) a filler; and c.) a binder; wherein the composition is configured as a seed shape, capable of housing the two or more seeds of a). 2. The composition of claim 1, comprising d.) an additive. 3. The composition of claim 1, which is in a configuration having dimensions of a crop plant seed shape. 4. The composition of claim 3, wherein the crop plant seed is in the shape of a corn, soybean, cotton, peanut, sorghum, or wheat seed. 5. The composition of claim 1, comprising seeds of the same species, varieties, or cultivars. 6. The composition of claim 1, comprising a mixture of seeds of different species, varieties, or cultivars. 7. The composition of claim 1, wherein the seeds are a(n) industrial or agricultural crop seed, including but not limited to ground cover, cover crop, forage crop, or fiber crop. 8. The composition of claim 1, wherein the seeds are vegetable seeds. 9. The composition of claim 1, wherein the seeds are fruit seeds. 10. The composition of claim 1, wherein the seeds are tree seeds. 11. The composition of claim 1, wherein the seeds are ornamental seeds. 12. The composition of claim 1, wherein the seeds are wildflower seeds. 13. The composition of claim 12, wherein the wildflower seeds are milkweed seeds. 14. The composition of claim 1, wherein the configured composition has an approximate density of the seed on which its dimensions have been configured. 15. The composition of claim 1, wherein the filler is a solid particulate filler. PATENT Attorney Docket No.: 50341-040WO2 CTL Docket No.: 10448-02-PC 16. The composition of claim 15, wherein the solid particulate filler is diatomaceous earth, wood flour WF C120 GE, WF C120, wood flour, attapulgite, barium sulfate, calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, montmorillonite or pumice. 17. The composition of claim 1, wherein the binder is a solid particulate binder or a liquid binder. 18. The composition of claim 17, wherein the solid particulate binder is maltodextrin or soy flour. 19. The composition of claim 17, wherein the liquid binder is polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, gum arabic, carboxymethyl cellulose, or methyl cellulose. 20. The composition of claim 2, wherein the additive is a solid particulate additive or a liquid additive. 21. The composition of claim 20, wherein the solid particulate additive is vermicompost, talc, graphite, or calcium peroxide. 22. The composition of claim 20, wherein the liquid additive is an aqueous solution of lecithin, a gibberellin (GA3, GA4+7), one or more plant growth regulators, a colorant, an adjuvant, copper hydroxide, a biological, a biochemical or chemical seed treatments, a cross-linked potassium polyacrylate, a cross- linked polyacrylamide-based polymer and a starch-g-2-propenoic acid, or a polymer. 23. The composition of claim 1, comprising maltodextrin, diatomaceous earth, wood flour C120 GE, and water. 24. The composition of claim 1-23, comprising a ratio of 20:40:40:100 of maltodextrin, diatomaceous earth, wood flour C120 GE, and water. 25. The composition of any one of claims 1-24, wherein the composition withstands compression of approximately 1.0 to 4.0 Kg, preferably 2.9 Kg. 26. A method of producing a multi-seed composition, the method comprising configuring the composition of claims 1-25 into the shape of a seed. 27. The method of claim 26, wherein the multi-seed composition is formulated to have a density of the seed into which its shape has been configured. 28. The method of claim 26, wherein the multi-seed composition is configured into the shape of a corn, soybean, cotton, peanut, sorghum, or a wheat seed. 29. The method of claim 26, wherein the multi-seed composition withstands compression of approximately 2.9 Kg. PATENT Attorney Docket No.: 50341-040WO2 CTL Docket No.: 10448-02-PC 30. The method of claim 26, wherein the two or more seeds of the multi-seed composition undergo a pre- treated process. 31. The method of claim 30, wherein pretreatment comprises dewinging a seed. 32. The method of claim 31, wherein dewinging the seed facilitates loading multiple seeds into the multi- seed composition. 33. The method of claim 31, wherein the pretreatment comprises a method for breaking seed dormancy. 34. The method of claim 31, wherein the pretreatment enhances germination rate. 35. The method of claim 31, wherein the pretreatment improves germination. 36. The method of claim 33, wherein the pretreatment comprises dewinging the two or more seeds. 37. A method of increasing ecological biodiversity, the method comprising planting the composition according to any one of claims 1-25. 38. The method of claim 37, wherein planting comprises using a seed planter. 39. The method of claim 38, wherein seed planting comprises using a vacuum seeder. 40. The method of claim 26, wherein planting depth of the multi-seed composition is 2 to 5 cm. 41. The method of claim 40, wherein the planting depth of the multi-seed composition is preferably in the range of 2 to 3 cm.