Production of novel precision customized control release fertilizers

This invention in general relates to the field of agricultural sciences. In particular, this invention pertains to production of novel precision fertilizers. This invention also relates to a method of manufacturing precision, customized, control release fertilizers having applications in the field of agriculture.

The incorporation of nutrients in seed coatings provides a unique opportunity to supply each sown seed with an accurately controlled quantity of nutrient that may preferentially available to the sown species and less available to any neighboring weed species. Controlled release fertilizers are coated or encapsulated fertilizers and slow release fertilizers have a chemically reduced or low solubility, the latter being mainly derivatives of urea. An ideal synchronized fertilizer would release its nutrients according to the plant growth curve.

To correct the deficiencies in the plant nutrient application methods, requires development of precision fertilizer customized technology and therefore the objective of the present invention is to invent method of providing an accurately controlled quantity of nutrient and to develop precision fertilization customized technology with better specifications for individual crops and environments with a holistic approach to agricultural management for better economics.

Accordingly, the primary object of this invention is to invent novel precision customized control release fertilizers production.

Another objective of this invention is to develop a method of producing crop specific novel precision customized control release fertilizers to coat seeds or to treat the roots of seedlings at the time of sowing or for soil application or for foliar application.

Still another object of the invention is to provide necessary method for production of materials needed for accurate application of fertilizers.

To meet the above objects and others, the present invention provides novel precision control release fertilizers with accurate placement with controlled release nature with specificity, selectivity along with crop specific customized control release nutrition to achieve more viable agriculture and a method of producing such fertilizers.

The present invention provides a liquid formulation for use in treatment of roots of seedlings or for soil application or for foliar application, said liquid formulation comprising:

1. (i) a crop specific customized fertilizer and/or a normal fertilizer;
2. (ii) an agropolymer obtained according to the method defined in the description, below 20 micron size, said agropolymer comprising a carbohydrate and silica matrix, obtained from plant parts of an agricultural crop selected from the group consisting of Oryza sativa, Panicum miliaceum, Setaria italica, Cajanus cajan, Vigna mungo, Vigna radiata, Triticum sp., Ricinus communis, Helianthus annus, Gossypium sp., and Arachis sp, wherein said matrix is substantially devoid of proteins, tannins, and polyphenols, wherein said matrix further comprises metal-binding reactive sites; and
3. (iii) one or more functional transition metal silicates with or without nanostructure, said functional transition metal silicates being selected from the group comprising:
   1. a. Cupric silicates having silica to copper ratio in the range of 1:0.34 to 1:5.15;
   2. b. Zinc silicates having silica to zinc ratio in the range of 1:2 to 1:12;
   3. c. Silver silicates having silica to silver ratio in the range of 1:15 to 1:19.5;
   4. d. Manganese silicates having silica to manganese ratio in the range of 1:1 to 1:1.9; and
   5. e. Zirconium silicates having silica to zirconium ratio in the range of 1:0.77 to 1:2.9, and
4. (iv) one or more of binders, non-toxic adjuvant, fillers and stickers; and a desired amount of water,

Further provided is a fertilizer granule comprising:

1. (i) a crop specific customized fertilizer and/or a normal fertilizer;
2. (ii) an agropolymer obtained according to the method defined in the description, below 20 micron size, said agropolymer comprising a carbohydrate and silica matrix, obtained from plant parts of an agricultural crop selected from the group consisting of Oryza sativa, Panicum miliaceum, Setaria italica, Cajanus cajan, Vigna mungo, Vigna radiata, Triticum sp., Ricinus communis, Helianthus annus, Gossypium sp., and Arachis sp. wherein said matrix is substantially devoid of proteins, tannins, and polyphenols, wherein said matrix further comprises metal-binding reactive sites;
3. (iii) one or more functional transition metal silicates with or without nanostructure, said functional transition metal silicates being selected from the group comprising:
   1. a. Cupric silicates having silica to copper ratio in the range of 1:0.34 to 1:5.15;
   2. b. Zinc silicates having silica to zinc ratio in the range of 1:2 to 1:12;
   3. c. Silver silicates having silica to silver ratio in the range of 1:15 to 1:19.5;
   4. d. Manganese silicates having silica to manganese ratio in the range of 1:1 to 1:1.9; and
   5. e. Zirconium silicates having silica to zirconium ratio in the range of 1:0.77 to 1:2.9; and
4. (iv) one or more of binders, non-toxic adjuvant, fillers and stickers,

Also provided is an encapsulated seed comprising:

1. (i) a seed;
2. (ii) a crop specific customized fertilizer and/or a normal fertilizer;
3. (iii) an agropolymer obtained according to the method defined in the description, below 20 micron size, said agropolymer comprising a carbohydrate and silica matrix, obtained from plant parts of an agricultural crop selected from the group consisting of Oryza sativa, Panicum miliaceum, Setaria italica, Cajanus cajan, Vigna mungo, Vigna radiata, Triticum sp., Ricinus communis, Helianthus annus, Gossypium sp., and Arachis sp, wherein said matrix is substantially devoid of proteins, tannins, and polyphenols, wherein said matrix further comprises metal-binding reactive sites; and
4. (iv) amorphous silica; and
5. (v) one or more functional transition metal silicates with or without nanostructure, said functional transition metal silicates being selected from the group comprising:
   1. a. Cupric silicates having silica to copper ratio in the range of 1:0.34 to 1:5.15;
   2. b. Zinc silicates having silica to zinc ratio in the range of 1:2 to 1:12;
   3. c. Silver silicates having silica to silver ratio in the range of 1:15 to 1:19.5;
   4. d. Manganese silicates having silica to manganese ratio in the range of 1:1 to 1:1.9; and
   5. e. Zirconium silicates having silica to zirconium ratio in the range of 1:0.77 to 1:2.9,

Now this invention will be described in detail so as to illustrate and explain various salient features of the invention.

One embodiment of the invention is to provide novel precision fertilizers production.

Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a method of production of desired novel precision control release fertilizers preferably in liquid form to treat seeds or seedlings before plantation or for soil application or for foliar application.

The invention also involves production of materials suitable for encapsulation of crop specific customizer control release fertilizers on seeds/seeds coats.

The present invention preferably relates to a novel precision customized control release fertilizers such as seed encapsulation nutrients, liquid formulation treatment for roots of seedlings before transplantation or for soil or for foliar application and fertilizer granules or tablets for effective enhancement of yield of crops with precision fertilizer crop specific customized plant nutrition management, said fertilizer comprising a crop specific customized fertilizer and/or a normal fertilizer along with the liquid coating or seed coating material as defined in US Patent No 6958232 and amorphous silica for structuring material layers with required congregation along with intact holding of the materials on coated seed along with addition of functional transition metal silicates (WO2004/101435 dated 15th May, 2003) with or without nanostructured. US6958232 describes a method of producing agropolymers from a plant material such as seed coats, husks or hulls of the agricultural crops (seed coats or hulls from Oryza sativa,

Panicum miliaceum, Setaria italica, Cajanus cajan, Vigna mungo, Vigna radiata, Triticum sp., Ricinus communis, Helianthus annus, Gossypium sp., and Arachis sp.), said method comprising the following steps:- a. powdering said plant parts; b. micronizing said plant parts to a desired particle size; c. treating said micronized plant parts with either an alkaline treatment, a hydrogen peroxide treatment, or a combination of an alkaline treatment and a hydrogen peroxide treatment; d. further treating said plant parts with repeated washings of either water or an acid solution, said washings with water or acid solution serving to remove alkaline and/or hydrogen peroxide residue; e. further treating said plant parts with an acid solution, said acid solution serving to remove metals bound to said treated plant parts; f. neutralizing said plant parts by removing remaining acid residue through water washings or through the addition of a diluted alkaline solution; and g. drying the resulting agropolymer derived from said plant parts.

WO2004/101435 describes novel functional transition metal silicates (FTMS) selected from cupric silicate, silver silicate, manganese silicate, zinc silicate and zirconium silicate, said metal silicates being obtained by mixing a salt solution of a transition metal with a soluble alkaline silicate solution under desired pH, temperature and silicate to metal ratio. Said FTMSs may be effective as decontaminants, disinfectants, detoxificants, protectants, or microbicides, and are capable of being immobilized on suitable materials or incorporated into resins and/or coated with resins on suitable materials.

In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a method of producing material for encapsulation of crop specific customized control release fertilizers on seed coats and said method comprising of following steps:

1. 1. mixing of agropolymer (US Patent No 6958232) with crop specific customized control release fertilizer and/or with normal fertilizers along with liquid coat or seed coat material;
2. 2. gentle addition of seeds in a mixture with the above material;
3. 3. addition of water to the mixture of seeds and other materials; and
4. 4. addition of amorphous silica for structuring material layers with required congregation along with intact holding of the materials on coated seed along with addition of functional transition metal silicates (PCT/IB2003/002011 dated 15th May, 2003) to above substances with or without nanostructured.

The crops specific customized control release fertilizer has been selected from the ones described in the applicant's co-pending U.S. Provisional Application numbered 60/865,985 or US 8375629 (contents of which is incorporated herein as reference), and Indian Patent Application No. 2020/CHE/2006 or WO2008/053339 contents of which is incorporated herein as reference).

The normal or conventional fertilizers may be selected from superphosphates or diammonium phosphates and other conventionally known phosphatic fertilizers.

The amount of amourphous silica can be in the range of 10 to 50 % wt./vol., of the mixture, preferably the amount may be in the range of 10 to 25% wt./vol. The quantum of agropolymer or amourphous silica is depending upon the size of the seeds. If the size of the seeds is bigger, then the quantum of the agropolymer and amourphous silica can be lesser when compared with requirement of agropolymer and amourphous silica in case of smaller sized seeds.

The agropolymer comprises a carbohydrate and silica matrix obtained from an agricultural crop selected from the group consisting of Oryza sativa, Panicum miliaceum, Setaria italica, Cajanus cajan, Vigna mungo, Vigna radiata, Triticum sp., Ricinus communis, Helianthus annus, Gossypium sp., and Arachis sp, said carbohydrate and silica matrix being substantially devoid of proteins, tannins and polyphenols, said matrix further comprising metal binding reactive sites.

The functional transition material silicate single or mixture with multiple combinations characterized in that the said transition metal silicate is selected from the group comprising:

1. a. Cupric silicates having silica to copper ratio in the range of 1:0:34 to 1:5:15;
2. b. Zinc silicates having silica to zinc ratio in the range of 1:2 to 1:12;
3. c. Silver silicates having silica to silver ratio in the range of 1:15 to 1:19.5;
4. d. Manganese silicates having silica to manganese ratio in the range of 1:1 to 1:1.9 and
5. e. Zirconium silicates having silica to zirconium ratio in the range of 1:0.77 to 1:2.9, the said transition metal silicates (WO 2004/101435 dated 15th May, 2003) are prepared by the process comprising the steps of:
   1. (i) adding a transitional metal salt solution to a soluble alkali silicate solution to form a mixture;
   2. (ii) forming a precipitate of a transitional metal silicate, and
   3. (iii) washing and drying the precipitate thus formed to obtain the transitional metal silicate,
   in said step (i), the ratio between the transitional metal salt solution to the alkali silicate solution is varied, the temperature at which the solutions are mixed is varied between 20° to 90°C, and the pH value of the medium is varied between about 2 to about 11.

In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides method of producing crop specific customized control release fertilizers suitable for treating roots of the seedlings before plantation or for soil application or for foliar application, said method comprising the following steps:

1. (i) addition of binders, non-toxic adjuvant, stickers along with controlled release crop specific customized fertilizers and or with normal fertilizers;
2. (ii) adding agro polymers below 20 micron size to above substances;
3. (iii) addition of functional transition metal silicates (WO 2004/101435 dated 15th May, 2003) to above substances with or without nanostructured; and
4. (iv) formulating in liquid form with desired amount of water.

The binder, adjuvant, fillers, stickers may be selected from carboxy methyl cellulose, polyvinyl alcohol, starches and cellulose. The binder, adjuvant, fillers and stickers can be selected from those that are commercially available. The quantum of said binder, adjuvant, fillers, stickers may be in the range of 5 to 15% wt., preferably 10 to 30 % wt., and most preferably in the range of 10 to 25% wt.,

The functional transitional metal silicate may be in the range of 0.1 to 25% wt., preferably 1 to 10% wt. The functional transitional metal silicate can preferably be a mixture of cupric silicate, zinc silicate and iron silicate.

In another embodiment, present invention describes manufacturing of crop specific customized control release fertilizer granules or tablets with controlled release nature of nutrients based on time optimized for plant uptake, the said method comprising the following steps:

1. (i) addition of binders, non-toxic adjuvant, stickers along with crop specific controlled release customized fertilizers or with normal fertilizers:
2. (ii) adding agropolymers (US Patent No 6958232) below 20 micron size to above substances;
3. (iii) addition of functional transition /metal silicates (WO 2004/101435 dated 15th May, 2003) above substances with or without nanostructured; and
4. (iv) granulating or tableting with required size and shape.

In yet another embodiment, addition of functional transition metal silicates (WO 2004/101435 dated 15th May, 2003) with or without nanostructured, with the novel precision customized control release fertilizers imparts plant protection activity also by controlling microbes such as fungus, bacteria and viruses along with urease inhibition suitable for slow release of urea.

In one more embodiment, the microbes are selected from the group comprising of bacteria, fungus, virus and combinations thereof.

In yet another embodiment, novel precision customized control release fertilizers the microbes are selected from the group comprising of bacteria, fungus, virus and combinations thereof and the bacteria is coliform bacteria, Gram positive bacteria, Gram negative bacteria or combinations thereof.

In one more embodiment, wherein the novel precision customized control release fertilizers also control plant pathogen and used as pesticides and/or fertilizers.

Now, the invention will be described in the following description. The nature of the invention and the manner in which the invention is to be carried out is described in detail here below.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure (1) relates to various steps involved in the manufacturing process of materials for crop specific customized nutrient encapsulation on seeds.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure (2) relates to various steps involved in the manufacturing of liquid formulation for treating roots of seedlings before transplantation.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure (3) relates to various steps involved in the manufacturing of crop specific customized fertilizer granules or tablets.

Now, the applicant provides following specific description by way of examples and illustrations of the invention.

Agropolymer (US Patent No 6958232) was added to controlled release crop specific customized fertilizer and/or with normal fertilizers along with plant seeds at a ratio of 1 :50 : 10 to 1 :300 : 50 (w/w/w); gentle addition of seeds was done in a mixture such as planetary mixture below 200 rpm. Water was added to optimize the mixing, and adhesion of the materials on seed. Amorphous silica was added to structure material layers with required congregation along with intact holding of the materials on coated seeds along with addition of functional transition metal silicates (WO 2004/101435 dated 15th May, 2003) to above substances with or without nanostructured. The nano-structured FTMS are described in the Applicant's co-pending Indian Patent Application No. 2113/CHE/2006, contents of which is incorporated herein as reference.

The coating of the seeds can be performed by two methods. The first method comprising coating the seeds with amorphous silica and thereafter coating with functional transitional metal silicates (FTMS), which coated seeds is further coated with customized crops specific customized control release fertilizer. The second method comprising mixing aluminum silicate, FTMS and customized control release fertilizer to prepare a mixture and finally adding the seeds in the mixture and gently stirring the entire mixture to obtain uniform coating on the seeds and finally drying the coated seeds.

The thickness of coating may be in the range of 0.1 mm to 0.5 cm. However, the coating should not be of such thickness so as to prevent the germination of the seeds. A skilled person in the art should not have any problem in arriving at the required thickness.

In the mixture of amorphous silica, FTMS and customized control release fertilizer, the amount of amorphous silica is in the range of 5 to 50% wt, the amount of FTMS is in the range of 0.1 to 20% wt and the amount of customized control release fertilizer is in the range of 5 to 50% wt.

Now the applicant provides following specific description for manufacturing of liquid formulation for treating roots of seedlings before transplantation or for soil application or for foliar application. Binders, non-toxic adjuvants, stickers along with controlled release fertilizers and or with normal fertilizers were added to agropolymers (US Patent No 6958232). Agropolymers (US Patent No 6958232) were micronized below 20 micron size before addition to above substances. Later, functional transition metal silicates (WO 2004/101435 dated 15th May, 2003) with or without were added such as cupric silicate, zinc silicate etc. to the above substances. The ratio of fertilizer [controlled release crop specific customized fertilizer and or with normal fertilizers] to agropolymers (US Patent No 6958232) to transition metal silicates (WO 2004/101435 dated 15th May, 2003) to other substances [binders etc.,] varied from 100 : 5 : 1 : 05 to 100 : 20 : 10.

Now the applicant provides following specific description for manufacturing of fertilizer granules or tablets for treating roots of seedlings. Binders, non-toxic adjuvants, stickers along with controlled release fertilizers and or with normal fertilizers were added to agropolymers (US Patent No 6958232) Agropolymers (US Patent No 6958232) were micronized below 20 micron size before addition to above substances. Later, functional transition metal silicates (WO 2004/101435 dated 15th May, 2003) with or without nanostructured were added such as cupric silicate, zinc silicate etc. to the above substances. The ratio of fertilizers [controlled release crop specific customized fertilizer and or with normal fertilizers] to agropolymer. (US Patent No 6958232) to transition metal silicates (WO 2004/101435 dated 15th May, 2003) to other substances [binders etc] varied 100: 5 : 1:.05 to 100:20 : 20:10. Fertilizer granules or tablets with required size and shape were manufactured.

Present invention explains production of novel precision fertilizers suitable for more viable agriculture. The various field trials, pot culture studies and field experimentation studies conducted on crops such as rice, cotton, chilies, ground nut and maize show significant enhancement in the yield when compared with the conventional fertilizers. The enhancement in the yield is to the extent of 10 to 25% when compared with the conventional fertilizers.