NOVELTY - Treatment of agricultural waste involves introducing an alkane substrate to agricultural waste for stimulating growth of alkane-utilizing bacteria, and for partially digesting the agricultural waste.    USE - For producing plant growth enhancing material, useful in promoting plant growth (claimed), seed germination and growth, bulb growth, crop growth and crop production.    ADVANTAGE - The method and apparatus enables to treat agricultural waste more efficiently using the alkane substrate. The alkane treatment enables to reduce odor associated with agricultural waste. The method enables effective recovery of plant growth enhancing material from the partially digested agricultural waste. The method effectively improves soil properties such as soil structure, aeration, water holding capacity and permeability, and improves performance of herbicides, fungicides, pesticides and agricultural chemicals. The plant growth enhancing material improves resistance of plants with respect to pests, diseases, lethal bacteria and fungi, and improves the survival rate of plant resulting in increased production of plants, fruits, flowers, vegetables, legumes or grains. The material eliminates stress due to alkane-treated waste, such as cold, heat or drought.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are also included for the following:    (1) apparatus for treating agricultural waste, which is equipped with waste containment vessel (10), alkane substrate source, and alkane injector line (12) in flow communication with the waste containment vessel and alkane substrate source;    (2) production of plant growth enhancing material, which involves introducing an alkane substrate to agricultural waste for stimulating growth of alkane-utilizing bacteria and for digesting the agricultural waste partially, and recovering the plant growth enhancing material;    (3) plant growth enhancing material, comprising alkane-utilizing bacteria, preferably butane-utilizing bacteria and carrier material;    (4) treatment of soil for enhancing plant growth, which involves introducing alkane-utilizing bacteria to the soil; and    (5) enhancement of plant growth, which involves introducing the alkane-utilizing bacteria into a location adjacent to plant.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure shows the schematic diagram depicting the alkane treatment process and reuse of agricultural waste.    waste containment vessel (10)    alkane injector line (12)    oxygen-containing gas (13)    oxygen-containing gas injector line (14)    source of water (15)    water injector line (16)    outlet line (17)    field (19)    injection distribution network (20)