Processes and compositions are disclosed that enhance crop production, increase plant defensive processes and/or decrease the level of plant pathogens. The compositions comprise a microbial composition and liquid fertilizer, preferably a liquid fertilizer that contains at least soluble nitrogen. The composition can be applied immediately to soil, foliage, seeds or seedlings. Alternatively, the composition may be activated by incubation for up to about seven days to form an activated composition. The incubation conditions influence the properties of the consortium after incubation. In one embodiment, the compositions comprise one or more lactic acid producing bacteria, one or more nitrogen fixing bacteria, and liquid fertilizer comprising soluble nitrogen. In preferred embodiments, there are multiple genera and/or species of lactic acid bacteria and nitrogen fixing bacteria. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the composition comprises HYTa in liquid fertilizer.
