Abstract: Provided are a composting accelerator which comprises a mixture obtained by mixing (A) an organic matter having an arabinoxylan content of 10 wt. % or greater and (B) heat-resistant bacteria for assimilating an organic material, and optionally a humic acid and has a pH adjusted within a range of from 6.0 to 8.5; a composting accelerator comprising a mixture obtained by mixing the above-described organic matter (A) and calcium silicate (C) at a weight ratio ranging from 50:50 to 95:5; and a process for producing an organic fertilizer by using each of the above-described composting accelerators.

Abstract: The present invention provides a composting accelerator for a plant-derived material, which accelerator comprises wheat bran and/or low-grade flour powder and an organic waste matter and/or organic fertilizer, and optionally a specific composting assistant; and a compost producing process comprising adding, to a plant-derived material, wheat bran and/or low-grade flour powder and an organic waste matter and/or organic fertilizer and optionally a specific fertilization assistant and carrying out composting.

Abstract: A novel Pseudomonas fluorescens is disclosed which has an antagonist property against pathogenic fungi of the genera Pythium, Rhizoctonia, Sclerotinia and Gaeumannomyces and which has a DNA that forms a PCR product band at about 800 bp when replicated and amplified by PCR using a primer DNA having the base sequence of 5'-GGCAACTGCACAAGCGCCA (SEQ ID NO: 1) and a primer DNA having the base sequence of 5'-GCCAATCACGCCCTCAAGCT (SEQ ID NO: 2) and then electrophoresed on agarose gel. This microorganism can also promote the growth of plants. A material for controlling pathogenic fungi of plants, particularly, lawn grass, a plant growth promoting material and a compost comprising the microorganism are also disclosed.