AU2007200687A1 - A seagrass based nutrient product for plant biological growth stimulation and a method for preparing the same - Google Patents

Description

18/02 2007 16:02 FAX COLLISON CO IP AUST CANBERRA a009/042 56993 JOM:FKD P/00/009 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION FOR AN INVENTION ENTITLED Invention Title: A SEAGRASS BASED NUTRIENT PRODUCT FOR PLANT BIOLOGICAL GROWTH STIMULATION AND ANIMAL MINERAL SUPPLEMENT AND A METHOD FOR PREPARING THE SAME Name of Applicant: VAN SCHAIK'S BIO GRO PTY LTD Address for Service: COLLISON CO 117 King William Street, Adelaide, S.A. 5000 The invention is described in the following statement: COMS ID No: SBMI-06303220 Received by IP Australia: Time 16:41 Date 2007-02-19 19/02 2007 16:02 FAX COLLISON CO IP AUST CANBERRA I010/042 2 0 0This invention relates to improvements in and relating to nutritional products .C that can be applied to animals and plants to act as organic biological growth T stimulators. In particular this invention relates to a seagrass based nutrient product having as its nutrient base as a quantity of nutrients derived from the Posidonia australis seagrass family.

oc Seagrass is a marine plant which is often found in shallow brackish or marine o waters, and is capable of obtaining lengths of over 8 metres. Environmentally 0 seagrass contributes to coastal habitats both in keeping sea bed sediment in place and also acting as an important feed source for marine organisms such o 10 as the dugong and green turtles.

ci At the completion of the sea grass life cycle small roots normally break off and the plant begins to decompose normally in the confines of tidal estuaries and the like at sea.

Nonetheless, in some cases the dead sea grass plant rather than decomposing in the water, in certain locations across the globe is washed up onto the shore line where the seagrass accumulates in large masses.

As is to be expected large untreated masses of plants decomposing are not only unsightly along the shore line, but they also send out unpleasant odours and make access and use of the coastline more cumbersome for beach goers.

Due to cellular structure natural decomposition of sea grass is a very time consuming process. The rigid cell membranes that characterize the structure of the sea grass do not readily break down under general environmental conditions, and are not substantially susceptible to bacteria and the like due to the dryness of the product.

In order to overcome this problem of having the sea grass accumulating and depositing on various shore lines across the globe, the product is often collected in bulk and either dumped as land fill elsewhere, or in some instances allowed to continue to decompose so that the remaining partly COMS ID No: SBMI-06303220 Received by IP Australia: Time 16:41 Date 2007-02-19 19/02 2007 16:02 FAX COLLISON CO IP AUST CANBERRA lI011/042 3 0 o broken down material can be provided as a filler or the like for use with some soil enhancers.

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Nonetheless, such conventionally broken down seagrass provides for minimal N nutritional benefit if fed or applied to biological organisms and systems, as the nutritional quantity inherent within the sea grass is inaccessible to the biological organism, as the nutritional benefit is still confined within a rigid cell 00 Nstructure of the partially decomposed and rotted sea grass.

0 0Hence, at present sea grass allowed to decompose naturally provides little oresidual nutritional benefit if such broken down material is applied as feed or the like to other plant and animal based systems.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a sea grass based nutritional product that can be fed or applied to plants and animals to increase such plants biological growth mechanisms and enhance plant tolerance to salinity, drought, chilling and other environmental stresses, and act as a mineral supplement for animals.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a complete reading of this specification.

Accordingly, in one form of the invention there is provided a sea grass base nutrient product for plant biological growth stimulation and animal mineral supplement, characterized in having as a nutrient base a quantity of amino acids, minerals and growth promoting hormones that have been extracted from said sea grass for at least partial digestion or application with said plant or animal.

An advantage of such an arrangement is that rather than simply providing a nutritional product that includes as part of its ingredient decomposed or broken down sea grass, the product provided for in this invention incorporates not decomposed sea grass per se, but the amino acids, minerals and growth promoting hormones derivable from the sea grass if such material is extracted from the decomposing plant.

COMS ID No: SBMI-06303220 Received by IP Australia: Time 16:41 Date 2007-02-19 19/02 2007 16:03 FAX COLLISON 8 CO IP AUST CANBERRA l012/042 4

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o As introduced above biological plant systems are unable to access the nutrients, minerals and hormones contained in the sea grass as such material C) remains bound up within the molecular structure of the sea grass even in the decomposed state and animals can use this as a mineral supplement.

Advantageously, with this invention the sea grass base is processed such that the amino acids, minerals and hormones can be extracted first from the sea 00 \IO grass and then introduced into the nutrient product which is fed or applied to o the plant to stimulate biological growth and the like of such an organism.

Conventionally, sea grass was considered to contain inadequate quantities of O 10 amino acids, minerals and hormones to act as any substantial nutritional benefit if included with such plant biological growth stimulating products, but advantageously with this invention, by first extracting the amino acids, minerals and hormones from the decomposing sea grass and then applying such residual material to the product, provides for nutritional benefits to the plant and animal of which would not be derived by simply conventionally breaking down sea grass and including it in the product.

It is well documented that sea minerals, seaweed, seagrass, algae or plants from the sea enhance plant tolerance to salinity, drought, chilling and other environmental stresses. (Crough and Van Staden 1993, Fagbenro and Agboula 1993, Finnie and Von Staden 1985, Zhang and Schmidt 1999).

Zhang and Schmidt contend that the hormones found in high concentrations in sea extracts are concentrated in the plant's chloroplast and project the photosynthetic apparatus, photosysth when a plant is subjected to environmental stresses by scavenging excess reactive oxygen species.

Drought stress damages plants cells via excess accumulation of excess reactive oxygen species (Lawlor 1991, Price and Hendry 1991).

It is also well documented that seaweed, seagrass and algae contain organic compounds that generate auxin or cytokinin-like activity. When applied to plants particularly when in combination with humates, they increase antioxidant activity and improve plant quality.

COMS ID No: SBMI-06303220 Received by IP Australia: Time 16:41 Date 2007-02-19 19/02 2007 16:03 FAX COLLISON CO 1 IP AUST CANBERRA I013/042 o Preferably, the sea grass base nutrient product has the sea grass being of the Posidonia australis family. But not limited to Posidonia australis.

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In preference, the sea grass base nutritional product for plant biological Ogrowth stimulation and animal mineral supplement is characterized in having as a nutrient base a quantity of amino acid, minerals and hormones being extracted from the said sea grass or at least partial digestional application with 00 O said plant.

In preference, the sea grass base nutritional and mineral product wherein the oextraction of the amino acids, minerals and hormones from the sea grass to produce nutritional benefit includes mechanical, chemical and kinetic energy action to the decomposing sea grass which has been removed from the marine coastline.

In preference, the extraction of the amino acids, minerals and hormones from the sea grass to produce the nutritional additive to the nutrient and mineral product includes a mechanical action of introducing an already dried and partially decomposing sea grass plant into a mixing environment for mechanical action whereby the friction and rubbing of the mixing process against the material begins the process of the at least partial breakdown of the molecular structure of the sea grass to obtain access to the enclosed amino acids, mineral nutrients and hormones within said sea grass.

In preference, during this mechanical action of the mixing of the decomposing sea grass plant, water or other similar based neutral fluids are added to assist in the opening up of the sea grass decomposing cellular structure.

In preference, chemical action is carried out on the partially processed sea grass through the action of a sequestering agent, preferably EDTA di-sodium salt and/or the addition potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide.

Advantageously, the introduction of chemical action against the partially decomposing sea grass allows for further attack on the molecular structure of the marine plant with the sequestering agents and bases being able to get in and attack the cellular structure of the cells in order to free up and get access COMS ID No: SBMI-06303220 Received by IP Australia: Time 16:41 Date 2007-02-19 19102 2007 16'.03 FAX COLLISON CO IP AUST CANBERRA R014/042 6 oto the amino acids, minerals and hormones within the sea grass, to force such material to then provide for the nutrient additive in the sea grass nutrient Sproduct.

OAdvantageously, the use of sequestrants such as EDTA or potassium hydroxide avoids the use of too reactive hydroxide such as sodium hydroxide 7- which have the capabilities of not only destroying the cellulose and cell 00 O structure of the sea grass but going on to destroy the amino acids and 0 ohormones, which are required to act as the nutrients in the final based sea grass product.

Preferably, surfactants are also not a preferred chemical addition as their introduction potentially creates unwanted foaming and also can be introduced to the final residual material.

In preference, the sea grass based nutrient product for plant biological growth stimulation has the extraction of the amino acid minerals and hormones from the sea grass carried out at temperatures above 60°C but preferably at temperatures about It is expected that the mechanical and chemical treatment of already partially dried and decomposing sea grass is at temperatures about 70°C should solubilize much of the sea grass breaking open its molecular structure into simple single cells for access to the required amino acids, minerals and hormones.

Nonetheless, preferably in order to obtain higher solid contents of the amino acids, minerals and hormones, making the process potentially of greater commercial viability, kinetic energy action upon the extracted material introduced above can be further treated by decanting or centrifuge application, whereby the remaining minerals and amino acids and hormones not solubilized or made available for nutritional use are then finally separated or withdrawn from their enclosed molecular structure within the sea grass plant.

An advantage of such a sea grass based nutrient product of this invention is that while traditionally decomposed sea grass was pulverised to be either a COMS ID No: SBMI-06303220 Received by IP Australia: Time 16:41 Date 2007-02-19 13/02 2007 16:04 FAX COLLISON CO IP AUST CANBERRA 1a015/042 7 0 o filler or the like for some soil enhancing compositions, the fact remains that such sea grass material provided little or no real nutritional benefits to the C) product that it was contained in.

Advantageously, for this invention the sea grass base is significant to the nutritional product because it is the extraction from the sea grass plant 17-- allowing presence of amino acids, minerals and hormones from the sea grass 00 Ds0 to provide the nutritional benefit.

0 C Hence, the nutrient product though having an association with the sea grass Splant, in the end it is only really utilizing amino acids, minerals and hormones that were obtained from the extraction process.

Previously, it was considered commercially not viable to utilize sea grass in a nutrient base product because when applied to plants and the like there was no means in which the plant was quickly capable of breaking down the cell structure to free the required nutrients.

Advantageously, in this invention these nutrients are extracted from the sea grass base and therefore made available as direct additives with this nutrient base product.

Hence, extraction via mechanical and kinetic action upon sea grass can break down the cell structure of the sea grass to then provide for enough levels of amino acids, hormones and nutrients for a commercially viable nutrient addition that is then incorporated as a sea grass base into a nutritional product of plant biological growth stimulation.

In preference, the sea grass based nutritional product further includes addition of humic/fulvic acids.

In preference, the sea grass based nutritional product includes a biocide to preserve the integrity of the finished product.

Preferably, the biocide include low levels of sodium benzoate.

COMS ID No: SBMI-06303220 Received by IP Australia: Time 16:41 Date 2007-02-19 18/02 2007 16:04 FAX COLLISON CO IP AUST CANBERRA I016/042 8 0 o In a further form of the invention there is provided a method of producing a sea grass based nutritional and mineral product for plant biological growth Sstimulation and an animal mineral supplement, including the steps of: 1. Treating partially dried and decomposing sea grass through a sieving arrangement.

oO 2. Mixing of the sieved sea grass with water and the introduction to a

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Shigh shear low speed mixing apparatus, optionally a horizontal drum C mixer or a ribbon blender.

3. The ratio of water to sea grass product during mixing will contain a very low ratio to establish the necessary solid contents.

4. The addition of water should have said water at temperatures of and above and optionally the mixing equipment should also be heated.

A caustic or sequestering agent not limiting but including and/or sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide or EDTA are added, and said material is mixed over a period of at least one hour.

6. The resulting mixing product then is pH adjusted downwards within the range pH 3-10 with concentrated phosphoric or citric acids or other suitable mineral or organic acids including but not limited to nitric, hydrochloric, sulphuric or sulphamic acids.

Preferably the nutrient product prepared in accordance with the above method, can be produced with solids in the range of 2% 10% and furthermore by the additions of the appropriate levels of humic or fulvic acids, sodium or potassium humate and inorganic minerals in balanced quantities, to total solid levels of between 11% Advantageously, the alkaline modified sea grass is sufficiently decomposed to be able to be pumped through a high pressure pump and extraction can then be obtained by centrifusion or by filtration, although this is not the preferred method.

COMS ID No: SBMI1-06303220 Received by IP Australia: Time 16:41 Date 2007-02-19 19/02 2007 18:04 FAX COLLISON CO IP AUST CANBERRA Z017/042 9 0 o As the person skilled in the art would appreciate it would not be necessary p for a clear extraction to result, as all sea grass products contain high levels Sof insoluble components.

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Still further, advantageously by not adding the volume of water and chemicals to the dry sea grass at the required ratio to obtain high solid 7- extracts would not wet the sea grass sufficiently for extractional dispersion 00 IDof the chemicals.

c Preferably, using organic or inorganic fillers to increase the solid levels owhich would provide a finished product similar in mineral content to nutritional products that have as their base sea weed rather than sea grass with most of the alginates replaced with other organic or inorganic material.

Preferably, such organic or inorganic fillers would include fructose, dextrose monohydrate, humates, urea, phosphoric acid, potassium phosphate, copper sulphate, manganese sulphate and other suitable inorganic or organic fillers As the person skilled in the art will appreciate there are a variety of ways in which the nutritional benefits of sea grass can be extracted to provide access to the amino acids and nutrients. Nonetheless, the main focus of this invention is the inventive concept of considering sea grass as a base product for a nutritional and mineral product, by realising that if the molecular structure of the product is broken down access can be obtained to levels of amino acids and minerals which make a commercially viable nutrient and mineral product.

Rather than simply adding a decomposed or at least partially decomposed sea grass pulverised product to a nutrient product, this invention has realised a far better utilization of sea grass would be to extract amino acids and nutrients from the sea grass and provide this material as an additive for a nutrient and mineral product. Access to the nutritional and mineral beneficial parts of the decomposed sea grass is obtained through COMS ID No: SBMI-06303220 Received by IP Australia: Time 16:41 Date 2007-02-19 19/02 2007 16:04 FAX COLLISON CO IP AUST CANBERRA I018/042 O mechanical/chemical and optionally in the end for better commercial p recovery also kinetic energy attack on the sea grass plant.

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0 0 0 ci COMS ID No: SBMI-06303220 Received by IP Australia: Time 16:41 Date 2007-02-19

Claims (11)

1. A sea grass base nutrient and mineral product for plant biological O growth stimulation and animal mineral supplement, characterized in having as a nutrient base a quantity of amino acids, minerals and growth promoting hormones that have been extracted from said sea grass for at least partial 0 digestion or application with said plant or animal. S2. The sea grass base nutrient and mineral product of claim 1 wherein the sea grass is of the Posidonia australis family. S3. The sea grass base nutrient and mineral product of claim 2 is characterized in having as a nutrient base a quantity of amino acid, minerals and hormones being extracted from the said sea grass or at least partial digestional application with said plant or animal.

4. The sea grass base nutrient and mineral product of claim 3 wherein the extraction of the amino acids, minerals and hormones from the sea grass to produce nutritional benefit and mineral supplementing includes mechanical, chemical and kinetic energy action to the decomposing sea grass which has been removed from the marine coastline. The sea grass base nutrient and mineral product of claim 4 wherein the extraction of the amino acids, minerals and hormones from the sea grass to produce the nutritional additive to the nutrient and mineral product includes a mechanical action of introducing an already dried and partially decomposing sea grass plant into a mixing environment for mechanical action whereby the friction and rubbing of the mixing process against the material begins the process of the at least partial breakdown of the molecular structure of the sea grass to obtain access to the enclosed amino acids, mineral nutrients and hormones within said sea grass.

6. The sea grass base nutrient and mineral product of claim 5 wherein the mechanical action of the mixing of the decomposing sea grass plant, water or COMS ID No: SBMI-06303220 Received by IP Australia: Time 16:41 Date 2007-02-19 19/02 2007 16:05 FAX COLLISON CO IP AUST CANBERRA I020/042 12 o other similar based neutral fluids are added to assist in the opening up of the oC sea grass decomposing cellular structure. C)

7. The sea grass base nutrient and mineral product of claim 6 wherein chemical action is carried out on the partially processed sea grass through the action of a sequestering agent. 0 0

8. The sea grass base nutrient and mineral product of claim 7 wherein the sequestering agent is EDTA di-sodium salt and/or the addition potassium C hydroxide or sodium hydroxide. o

9. The sea grass base nutrient and mineral product of claim 8 wherein the extraction of the amino acid minerals and hormones from the sea grass are carried out at temperatures above 60°C but preferably at temperatures about The sea grass base nutrient and mineral product of claim 9 wherein to obtain higher solid contents of the amino acids, minerals and hormones, making the process potentially of greater commercial viability, kinetic energy action upon the extracted material introduced above can be further treated by decanting or centrifuge application, whereby the remaining minerals and amino acids and hormones not solubilized or made available for nutritional use are then finally separated or withdrawn from their enclosed molecular structure within the sea grass plant.

11. The sea grass base nutrient and mineral product of claim 10 wherein the product further includes addition of humic/fulvic acids.

12. The sea grass base nutrient and mineral product of claim 11 wherein a biocide is added to the product to preserve the integrity of the finished product.

13. The sea grass base nutrient and mineral product of claim 12 wherein the biocide include low levels of sodium benzoate. COMS ID No: SBMI-06303220 Received by IP Australia: Time 16:41 Date 2007-02-19 19/02 2007 16:05 FAX COLLISON CO 1 IP AUST CANBERRA I021/042 13 0 O 14. A method of producing a sea grass based nutritional and mineral product for plant biological growth stimulation and an animal mineral T supplement, including the steps of: 7. Treating partially dried and decomposing sea grass through a sieving arrangement. oo 8. Mixing of the sieved sea grass with water and the introduction to a high shear low speed mixing apparatus, optionally a horizontal drum C mixer or a ribbon blender. S9. The ratio of water to sea grass product during mixing will contain a very low ratio to establish the necessary solid contents. The addition of water should have said water at temperatures of and above and optionally the mixing equipment should also be heated. 11. A caustic or sequestering agent not limiting but including and/or sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide or EDTA are added, and said material is mixed over a period of at least one hour. 12. The resulting mixing product then is pH adjusted downwards within the range pH 3-10 with concentrated phosphoric or citric acids or other suitable mineral or organic acids including but not limited to nitric, hydrochloric, sulphuric or sulphamic acids. The method of producing a sea grass based nutritional and mineral product for plant biological growth stimulation and an animal mineral supplement as in claim 14 wherein solids in the range of 2% and furthermore by the additions of the appropriate levels of humic or fulvic acids, sodium or potassium humate and inorganic minerals in balanced quantities, to total solid levels of between 11%

16. The method of producing a sea grass based nutritional and mineral product for plant biological growth stimulation and an animal mineral supplement as in claim 15 wherein organic or inorganic fillers are COMS ID No: SBMI-06303220 Received by IP Australia: Time 16:41 Date 2007-02-19 19/02 2007 16'.05 FAX COLLISON CO IP AUST CANBERRA l022/042 14 r'- 0 0 used to increase the solid levels which would provide a finished product Q similar in mineral content to nutritional products that have as their base sea weed rather than sea grass with most of the alginates replaced with O other organic or inorganic material.

17. The method of producing a sea grass based nutritional and mineral product for plant biological growth stimulation and an animal 00 Smineral supplement as in claim 16 wherein such organic or inorganic fillers o would include fructose, dextrose monohydrate, humates, urea, phosphoric Sacid, potassium phosphate, copper sulphate, manganese sulphate and other suitable inorganic or organic fillers. ci COMS ID No: SBMI-06303220 Received by IP Australia: Time 16:41 Date 2007-02-19