Abstract: Disclosed are methods of enhancing plant growth, comprising a) treating plant seed with an effective amount of at least one phosphate solubilizing microorganism that may include a strain of the fungus Penicillium, and b) treating the seed or plant that germinates from the seed with an effective amount of at least one lipo chitooligosaccharide (LCO) and/or at least one chitoogliosaccharide (CO), wherein upon harvesting the plant exhibits at least one of increased plant yield measured in terms of bushels/acre, increased root number, increased root length, increased root mass, increased root volume and increased leaf area, compared to untreated plants or plants harvested from untreated seed.

Abstract: A fully-adjustable device that, when integrated into a backpack, etc., will allow the backpack to be both comfortably worn on the user's back and also hook to the rear rack of a bicycle in the manner of a pannier or saddlebag. By creating a device that allows quick and easy transition between carrying on-person and on-bicycle, while also providing the aesthetics and comfort-level of a typical backpack, the present invention combines the best features of the two carrying methods in a new and novel way.