Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C05—FERTILISERS; MANUFACTURE THEREOF
  • C05C—NITROGENOUS FERTILISERS
  • C05C9/00—Fertilisers containing urea or urea compounds
  • C05C9/005—Post-treatment
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C05—FERTILISERS; MANUFACTURE THEREOF
  • C05G—MIXTURES OF FERTILISERS COVERED INDIVIDUALLY BY DIFFERENT SUBCLASSES OF CLASS C05; MIXTURES OF ONE OR MORE FERTILISERS WITH MATERIALS NOT HAVING A SPECIFIC FERTILISING ACTIVITY, e.g. PESTICIDES, SOIL-CONDITIONERS, WETTING AGENTS; FERTILISERS CHARACTERISED BY THEIR FORM
  • C05G5/00—Fertilisers characterised by their form
  • C05G5/30—Layered or coated, e.g. dust-preventing coatings
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C05—FERTILISERS; MANUFACTURE THEREOF
  • C05B—PHOSPHATIC FERTILISERS
  • C05B1/00—Superphosphates, i.e. fertilisers produced by reacting rock or bone phosphates with sulfuric or phosphoric acid in such amounts and concentrations as to yield solid products directly
  • C05B1/02—Superphosphates
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C05—FERTILISERS; MANUFACTURE THEREOF
  • C05B—PHOSPHATIC FERTILISERS
  • C05B1/00—Superphosphates, i.e. fertilisers produced by reacting rock or bone phosphates with sulfuric or phosphoric acid in such amounts and concentrations as to yield solid products directly
  • C05B1/04—Double-superphosphate; Triple-superphosphate; Other fertilisers based essentially on monocalcium phosphate
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C05—FERTILISERS; MANUFACTURE THEREOF
  • C05B—PHOSPHATIC FERTILISERS
  • C05B9/00—Fertilisers based essentially on phosphates or double phosphates of magnesium
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C05—FERTILISERS; MANUFACTURE THEREOF
  • C05G—MIXTURES OF FERTILISERS COVERED INDIVIDUALLY BY DIFFERENT SUBCLASSES OF CLASS C05; MIXTURES OF ONE OR MORE FERTILISERS WITH MATERIALS NOT HAVING A SPECIFIC FERTILISING ACTIVITY, e.g. PESTICIDES, SOIL-CONDITIONERS, WETTING AGENTS; FERTILISERS CHARACTERISED BY THEIR FORM
  • C05G3/00—Mixtures of one or more fertilisers with additives not having a specially fertilising activity
  • C05G3/30—Anti-agglomerating additives; Anti-solidifying additives
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C05—FERTILISERS; MANUFACTURE THEREOF
  • C05G—MIXTURES OF FERTILISERS COVERED INDIVIDUALLY BY DIFFERENT SUBCLASSES OF CLASS C05; MIXTURES OF ONE OR MORE FERTILISERS WITH MATERIALS NOT HAVING A SPECIFIC FERTILISING ACTIVITY, e.g. PESTICIDES, SOIL-CONDITIONERS, WETTING AGENTS; FERTILISERS CHARACTERISED BY THEIR FORM
  • C05G3/00—Mixtures of one or more fertilisers with additives not having a specially fertilising activity
  • C05G3/40—Mixtures of one or more fertilisers with additives not having a specially fertilising activity for affecting fertiliser dosage or release rate; for affecting solubility
  • C05G3/44—Mixtures of one or more fertilisers with additives not having a specially fertilising activity for affecting fertiliser dosage or release rate; for affecting solubility for affecting solubility
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C05—FERTILISERS; MANUFACTURE THEREOF
  • C05G—MIXTURES OF FERTILISERS COVERED INDIVIDUALLY BY DIFFERENT SUBCLASSES OF CLASS C05; MIXTURES OF ONE OR MORE FERTILISERS WITH MATERIALS NOT HAVING A SPECIFIC FERTILISING ACTIVITY, e.g. PESTICIDES, SOIL-CONDITIONERS, WETTING AGENTS; FERTILISERS CHARACTERISED BY THEIR FORM
  • C05G5/00—Fertilisers characterised by their form
  • C05G5/30—Layered or coated, e.g. dust-preventing coatings
  • C05G5/35—Capsules, e.g. core-shell

Definitions

• the invention generally concerns a seaweed or seaweed extract coated fertilizer.
• a coated fertilizer can have improved physical and/or chemical properties that can be beneficial for the agricultural industry and contribute towards sustainability through better soil health.
• Soil nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and sulfur, as well as trace elements such as iron, zinc, copper, and magnesium, are useful for achieving fostering agriculture and growth of plants.
• the quantity of these nutrients in the soil may be depleted, resulting in inhibited plant growth and decreased production.
• fertilizers have been developed to help replace the depleted vital nutrients and to create the right balance of nutrients.
• Seaweeds and seaweed extracts are rich in micronutrients and natural growth hormones, including cytokinins, auxins, and gibberellins.
• seaweeds and seaweed extracts are applied to plants or soils as liquids, such as by foliar spray or powder spreading, multiple times during the crop cycle (US 6,893,479; Csizinszky, Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 1994; 107:139-142).
• Seaweeds and seaweed extracts can include other fertilizers as well (US 8,197,572, WO 2016022582). Both application methods are labor and cost intensive and can be a burden to farmers. Also, liquid fertilizers can be difficult and costly to transport.
• a solution has been discovered to at least some of the aforementioned problems associated with currently available fertilizers.
• the solution is premised on the development of a coated fertilizer having a seaweed or seaweed extract coating and a fertilizer core containing a urea-based fertilizer or an inorganic fertilizer containing one or more of nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium.
• the coated fertilizer has desirable physical, chemical, and plant growth properties and can be produced, transported, and applied in a less complex, less costly, and more convenient manner when compared with the currently available fertilizers.
• the coated fertilizer can contain high concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, or a combination thereof and can contain additional nutrients and micronutrients over what is provided from the fertilizer core, seaweed, or seaweed extract alone, with minimum or no change in the base nutrient content of the core. These nutrients can be provided in a single application by using the coated fertilizers described herein. Not to be bound by theory, it is believed that the natural bio-polymers in the seaweed and/or seaweed extract contribute to slowing the rapid degradation or dissolution of the fertilizer core, while also providing a better water holding capacity.
• the coated fertilizers disclosed herein can provide better soil/rhizosphere health, better crop yield, better root development, and better uptake of soil-bound nutrients.
• a coated fertilizer in one aspect of the present invention, can contain a fertilizer core containing a urea-based fertilizer, and/or an inorganic fertilizer containing one or more of nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium, or a combination thereof and the coated fertilizer can contain a coating containing seaweed and/or seaweed extract.
• the core can contain at least 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, or 99 wt.% based on the total weight of the core, including all ranges and subranges there between, of the urea-based fertilizer, the inorganic fertilizer, or the combination thereof. At least a portion of the core’s surface can be in direct contact with the coating.
• the coating can be a dried or dry coating. In some instances, the coating does not contain gypsum or water insoluble polymer(s) other than native water insoluble polymers present in the seaweed or seaweed extract. In some instances, the coating does not contain enzyme inhibitors other than native enzyme inhibitors present in the seaweed or extract thereof.
• the urea-based fertilizer is urea and/or the inorganic fertilizer is a fertilizer providing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK), diammonium phosphate (DAP), monoammonium phosphate (MAP), single superphosphate (SSP), triple super phosphate (TSP), or a combination thereof.
• the core can consist of the urea-based fertilizer or the inorganic fertilizer.
• the core can consist of urea, NPK, DAP, monoammonium phosphate, SSP, TSP, or a combination thereof.
• the seaweed or seaweed extract is or is from Kappaphycus alvarezii, Ascophyllum Nodosum, Ecklonia maxima, Durvillea potatorum, Macrocystis pyrifera, Sargassum spp., and/or Laminaria digitate.
• the seaweed or seaweed extract is or is from Kappaphycus alvarezii and/or Ascophyllum Nodosum.
• the seaweed extract can be extracted by use of any solvent.
• the solvent is an aqueous or organic solvent.
• the solvent is water.
• the coating optionally contains one or more of water, one or more solubilizing agent(s), one or more binder(s), and/or one or more anticaking agent(s).
• the coated fertilizer optionally contains one or more additional coatings.
• the additional coatings can, in some instances, contain one or more seaweed or seaweed extract, one or more binder(s) and/or one or more anticaking agent(s).
• the water contained in the coating can be less than 5% by weight of the coating.
• Such a coating with reduced water or moisture content can be considered a dried or dry coating.
• the water content is 4 wt. %, 3 wt. %, 2 wt. %, 1 wt.
• the solubilizing agent can be Na 2 C0 3 , NaOH, KOH, Ca(OH) 2 , Mg(OH) 2 , and/or K 2 C0 3 .
• the binder can be triple super phosphate (TSP), guar gum, waxes such as paraffin wax, oils such as linseed oils and paraffin oils, flours and starches such as bleached wheat flour, gelatins, and/or polymers.
• the anticaking agent can be any anticaking agent known, such as surfactants, amines, liquid carriers such as oil and/or water, and/or a URESOFT® product supplied by Kao Chemicals, such as URESOFT®-l25, or any combination thereof.
• anticaking agent known, such as surfactants, amines, liquid carriers such as oil and/or water, and/or a URESOFT® product supplied by Kao Chemicals, such as URESOFT®-l25, or any combination thereof.
• the coating is not dispersed throughout the fertilizer core.
• the coating forms a shell at least partially coating the core.
• the coating can coat at least 50 %, 70 %, or 90%, or more of the surface of the core.
• the coating decreases the dissolution in water of the core as compared to the core without the coating. Not to be bound by theory, this may be done through the ability of the coating to absorb water and moisture and reducing the amount of water over a period of time coming into contact with the core. Therefore, and without wishing to be bound by theory, the seaweed and/or seaweed extract containing coating can impart controlled or slowed or delayed release properties to the coated fertilizers of the present invention.
• the coating has a mean average thickness of 2 to 70 micrometers (pm), or any range therein.
• the coated fertilizer can contain or exclude additional ingredients.
• the additional ingredients included or excluded can be a preservative, insecticide, fungicide, fragrance, micronutrient, fertilizer, plant growth agent, nutrient, secondary nutrient, trace element, plant protection agent, filler, etc., or a combination thereof.
• the coating does not contain an additional ingredient (e.g., consists of seaweed and/or seaweed extract).
• the coated fertilizer of the present invention can contain the above referenced additional ingredients therein at any concentration, ratio, percent by weight, percent by volume, etc.
• the coating is 0.001 wt. % to 10 wt. %, 0.001 wt. % to 9 wt. %, 0.001 wt. % to 8 wt. %, 0.001 wt. % to 7 wt. %, 0.001 wt. % to 6 wt. %, 0.01 wt. % to 10 wt. %, 0.1 wt. % to 10 wt. %, 0.5 wt. % to 10 wt. %, 0.5 wt.
• % to 9 wt. % 0.5 wt. % to 8 wt. %, 0.5 wt. % to 7 wt. %, 0.5 wt. % to 6 wt. %, 1 wt. % to 6 wt. %, or any range therein, of the coated fertilizer based on the total weight of the coated fertilizer.
• the coated fertilizer of the present invention can be included with other fertilizers in a fertilizer composition.
• the coated fertilizer is contained in a blended fertilizer or a compounded fertilizer.
• a blended fertilizer composition of the present invention can be formulated into a quick release fertilizer.
• the blended fertilizer composition can be formulated into a slow-release fertilizer.
• the blended fertilizer composition is formulated into a specialty fertilizer.
• the method can include contacting the core disclosed herein with a coating composition under conditions sufficient to form a coated fertilizer, wherein the coating composition contains seaweed, seaweed extract, or a combination thereof. Contacting the core with the coating composition can be achieved in part by spraying a liquid comprising the coating composition onto the core.
• the method can include a step of drying the coating composition in contact with the core.
• the method can include a step of heating the coating composition and/or the core before contacting the core with the coating composition.
• the coated fertilizer produced can be any of the coated fertilizers of the invention disclosed herein.
• the coating composition can produce the coating disclosed herein on the core disclosed herein when dried.
• the coating composition of the present invention can contain the components therein at any concentration, ratio, percent by weight, percent by volume, etc.
• the coating composition contains seaweed and/or seaweed extract at 1 wt. %, 2 wt. %, 3 wt. %, 4 wt. %, 5 wt. %, 6 wt. %, 7 wt. %, 8 wt. %, 9 wt. %, 10 wt. %, 11 wt. %, 12 wt. %, 13 wt. %, 14 wt. %, 15 wt. %, 20 wt. %, 25 wt. %, 30 wt.
• a method of producing a fertilizer blend is disclosed.
• the method can include combining the coated fertilizer disclosed herein with one or more additional fertilizer(s), secondary nutrient(s), trace element(s), plant protection agent(s), and/or filler(s).
• a method of fertilizing can include applying the coated fertilizer disclosed herein to at least one of a soil, an organism, a crop, a liquid carrier, a liquid solvent, or a combination thereof.
• Application of the coated fertilizer can promote plant growth and/or plant health.
• fertilizer is defined as a material applied to soils or to plant tissues to supply one or more plant nutrients essential or beneficial to the growth of plants and/or stimulants or enhancers to increase or enhance plant growth.
• fertilizers include materials having one or more of urea, ammonium nitrate, calcium ammonium nitrate, one or more superphosphates, binary NP fertilizers, binary NK fertilizers, binary PK fertilizers, NPK fertilizers, molybdenum, zinc, copper, boron, cobalt, and/or iron.
• fertilizers include agents that enhance plant growth and/or enhance the ability for a plant to receive the benefit of a fertilizer, such as, but not limited to bio stimulants, urease inhibitors, and nitrification inhibitors.
• the fertilizer is urea, such as urea granules.
• the terms“about,”“approximately,” and“substantially” are defined as being close to, as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. In one non-limiting instance, the terms are defined to be within 10%, preferably, within 5%, more preferably, within 1%, and most preferably, within 0.5%.
• the terms“wt. %,”“vol. %,” or“mol. %” refers to a weight, volume, or molar percentage of a component, respectively, based on the total weight, the total volume, or the total moles of material that includes the component. In a non-limiting example, 10 grams of a component in 100 grams of the material that includes the component is 10 wt. % of component.
• compositions and process of the present invention can“comprise,”“consist essentially of,” or “consist of’ particular ingredients, components, compositions, etc., disclosed throughout the specification.
• a basic and novel characteristic of the coated fertilizer of the present invention is that the coated fertilizer contains a fertilizer core coated by a seaweed and/or seaweed extract.
• the seaweed or seaweed extract coating can be dried onto the core and have 5 wt. % or less of water.
• FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram depicting an exemplary method of producing a non-limiting embodiment of a coated fertilizer of the present invention.
• FIG. 2 is a non-limiting representation of a cross-section of a fertilizer core coated by a seaweed and/or seaweed extract containing coating of the present invention.
• FIGS. 3A-3B are SEM images of surface views of (FIG. 3A) Urea and (FIG. 3B) BS-07 granules.
• FIGS. 4A-4D are SEM images of cross sectional view of (FIG. 4A) urea, (FIG. 4B) BS-01, (FIG. 4C) BS-03, and (FIG. 4D) BS-07 granules.
• FIG. 5 shows water solubility of urea, BS-01, BS-02, and BS-03 (respectively bottles from left to right) at 0 min. (A), 5 min. (B), 15 min. (C), and 25 min. (D).
• the coated fertilizer of the present invention provides an elegant solution to problems associated with currently available fertilizers and seaweed or seaweed containing fertilizers.
• the coated fertilizer of the present invention has desirable physical, chemical, and/or plant growth properties and can be produced, transported, and applied in a less complex, less costly, and more convenient manner when compared to known fertilizers.
• the seaweed and/or seaweed extract coatings are less complex and less expensive and can avoid loss of the nutrients found in the seaweed and/or seaweed extract.
• the fertilizer can contain high concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, or a combination thereof and can contain additional nutrients and micronutrients over what is provided from the fertilizer core, seaweed, or seaweed extract alone, with minimum or no change in the base nutrient content of the core.
• These nutrients can be provided in a single application by using the coated fertilizers described herein.
• the natural bio-polymers in the seaweed and/or seaweed extract can also contribute to slowing the rapid degradation or dissolution of the fertilizer core, while also providing a better water holding capacity.
• the coated fertilizers disclosed herein can provide better soil/rhizo sphere health, better crop yield, better root development, and better uptake of soil-bound nutrients.
• the seaweed or seaweed containing coating functions in the presence of chemical fertilizers and can introduce an optimal balance of organic/inorganic components with less carbon footprint.
• the coated fertilizer of the present invention can include a fertilizer core containing a urea-based fertilizer or an inorganic fertilizer containing one or more of nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium, or a combination thereof.
• the fertilizer of the core can be synthetically made.
• the urea-based fertilizer can be urea, a salt thereof, or an adduct thereof.
• the inorganic fertilizer can contain two or three of nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium.
• Non-limiting examples of inorganic fertilizers include nitrogen and phosphorus (NP) fertilizers, nitrogen and potassium (NK) fertilizers, phosphorus and potassium (PK) fertilizers, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) fertilizer, diammonium phosphate (DAP), monoammonium phosphate (MAP), single superphosphate (SSP), triple super phosphate (TSP), or a combination thereof.
• the core can be a solid or semi solid at the time of coating the core or after coating the core, such as after drying the coated fertilizer. [0037] In some embodiments, the core can contain at least 50 wt. % or more, based on the total weight of the core, of the urea-based fertilizer, the inorganic fertilizer, or the combination thereof.
• the core can contain at least 55 wt. %, 60 wt. %, 65 wt. %, 70 wt. %, 75 wt. %, 80 wt. %, 85 wt. %, 90 wt. %, 95 wt. %, 100 wt. %, or any concentration therein based on the total weight of the core.
• the seaweed or seaweed extract used in the coating is not included within the core matrix; rather, the seaweed or seaweed extract is contained only on the surface of the core and/or may only partially penetrate the core’s surface.
• a benefit of this is that the water absorption properties of the seaweed or seaweed extract can reduce the amount of water coming into contact with the core over a period of time, thereby creating a slowed or delayed release of nutrients from the core.
• the core can be preserved during storage due to the seaweed or seaweed extract coating’s ability to absorb moisture present in the storage environment.
• the dissolution profile of the core can be prolonged during fertilization applications due to the seaweed or seaweed extract coating’s ability to absorb moisture or water present during application of the coated fertilizer onto/into soil or plants.
• the seaweed or seaweed extract in the coating of the coated fertilizer is or is from any seaweed.
• seaweed include Kappaphycus alvarezii, Ascophyllum Nodosum, Ecklonia maxima, Durvillea potatorum, Macrocystis pyrifera, Sargassum spp., and/or Laminaria digitate.
• the seaweed or seaweed extract is or is from Kappaphycus alvarezii and/or Ascophyllum Nodosum.
• the extracts described herein can be extracts made through extraction methods known in the art and combinations thereof.
• extraction methods include the use of liquid-liquid extraction, solid phase extraction, aqueous extraction, ethyl acetate, alcohol, acetone, oil, supercritical carbon dioxide, heat, pressure, pressure drop extraction, ultrasonic extraction, etc.
• Extracts can be a liquid, solid, dried liquid, re suspended solid, etc.
• the seaweed extract can be extracted by use of any solvent.
• the solvent is an aqueous or organic solvent.
• the solvent is water.
• the extracting solvent can be an alcohol (e.g., methanol, ethanol, propanol, butanol, etc.) or a polyol (e.g., ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, butylene glycol, etc.).
• the solvent can be a mixture of water and alcohol (e.g., aqueous- alcohol extracts), a mixture of water and polyol (e.g., aqueous -polyol extracts), a mixture of alcohol and polyols (e.g., alcohol-polyol extracts), or a mixture of water, alcohol, and polyol (e.g., aqueous-alcohol-polyol extracts), etc.
• the coating can be prepared by obtaining a desired seaweed plant or a specific seaweed part of the plant and crushing or macerating the plant. The crushed or macerated plant can then be applied to the surface of the fertilizer core.
• the coated fertilizer core can be dried at ambient temperatures (e.g., 15 °C to 35 °C) or with heat.
• the coating can contain or exclude additional ingredients.
• the coating optionally contains one or more of water, one or more solubilizing agent(s), one or more binders, and/or one or more anticaking agents.
• the water contained in the coating can be less than 5% by weight of the coating and be considered a dried or dry coating. In some instances, the water content is less than 4 wt. %, 3 wt. %, 2 wt. %, or 1 wt. % of the weight of the coating.
• solubilizing agents include sodium carbonate (Na 2 C0 3 ), sodium hydroxide (NaOH), potassium hydroxide (KOH), calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH) 2 ), magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH) 2 ), and/or potassium carbonate (K 2 C0 3 ).
• Non-limiting examples of binders include triple super phosphate (TSP), waxes such as paraffin wax, oils such as linseed oils and paraffin oils, flours and starches such as bleached wheat flour, gelatins, polymers, gaur gum, calcium lignosulfonate, plaster of paris, cellulose, gluten, colloidal silica, kaolin, bentonite, polyethylene glycol (PEG), polycaprolactone, low molecular weight polyvinyl acetate, 60 wt.% urea solution, polyacrylamide, polyacrylic acid, polyacrylonitrile, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), biodegradable polylactic acid, and other biodegradable polymeric material such as polylactic acid, poly(3-hydroxypropionic acid), polyvinyl alcohol, poly e-caprolactone, poly(L-lactide), polybutylene succinate, and biodegradable starch based polymers.
• TSP triple super phosphate
• waxes such
• Non-limiting examples of anticaking agents include surfactants, amines, liquid carriers such as oil and/or water, and/or a URESOFT® product supplied by Kao Chemicals (Kao Corporation, Japan), such as URESOFT®-l25.
• the coating can include or exclude a preservative, insecticide, fungicide, fragrance, micronutrient, fertilizer, plant growth agent, nutrient, secondary nutrient, trace element, plant protection agent, filler, etc., or combination thereof. In some instances, the coating does not contain any additional ingredient. In some instances, the coating does not contain gypsum or water insoluble polymer(s) other than native water insoluble polymers present in the seaweed or seaweed extract.
• micronutrients include magnesium, calcium, zinc, molybdenum, boron, manganese, sulfur, iron, copper, molybdenum, zinc oxide (ZnO), boric oxide (B 2 0 3 ), triple superphosphate (TSP), and/or magnesium oxide (MgO).
• the micronutrients may be present in the form of inorganic salts.
• plant protection agents include, but are not limited to, insecticides, fungicides, growth regulators, nitrification inhibitors, and any mixtures thereof.
• fillers include, but are not limited to, clay, peat, etc.
• compositions of the present invention can include any amount of the ingredients discussed in this specification.
• the compositions can also include any number of combinations of additional ingredients described throughout this specification.
• concentrations of the any ingredient within the compositions can vary.
• the compositions can comprise, consisting essentially of, or consist of, in their final form, for example, at least about 0.0001%, 0.0010%, 0.0020%, 0.0030%, 0.0040%, 0.0050%, 0.0060%, 0.0070%, 0.0080%, 0.0090%, 0.0100%, 0.0200%, 0.0300%, 0.0400%, 0.0500%, 0.0600%, 0.0700%, 0.0800%, 0.0900%, 0.1000%, 0.2000%, 0.3000%, 0.4000%, 0.5000%, 0.6000%, 0.7000%, 0.8000%, 0.9000%, 1.0%, 2.0%, 3.0%, 4.0%, 5.0%, 6.0%, 7.0%, 8.0%, 9.0%, 10%
• the coated fertilizer of the present invention can contain a coating in any amount, volume, thickness, coverage of the fertilizer core surface, etc.
• the coating is 0.001 wt. % to 10 wt. %, 0.001 wt. % to 9 wt. %, 0.001 wt. % to 8 wt. %, 0.001 wt. % to 7 wt. %, 0.001 wt. % to 6 wt. %, 0.01 wt. % to 10 wt. %, 0.1 wt. % to 10 wt. %, 0.5 wt. % to 10 wt.
• the coated fertilizer based on the total weight of the coated fertilizer, or any range therein.
• at least a portion of the fertilizer core’s surface can be in direct contact with the coating.
• the coating is not dispersed throughout the fertilizer core.
• the coating forms a shell at least partially coating the core.
• the coating can coat at least 55 %, 60 %, 65 %, 70 %, 75 %, 80 %, 85 %, 90 %, 95 %, or 100 % or more of the surface of the core.
• the core can be coated by the coating so that dissolution of water into the core is decreased as compared to the core without the coating.
• the coating has a mean average thickness of 2 to 70 pm, 2 to 20 pm, 20 to 50 pm, or 10 to 40 pm, or any range or thickness therein.
• the coated fertilizer of the present invention can be included with other fertilizers in a fertilizer composition.
• the coated fertilizer is contained in a blended fertilizer composition or a compounded fertilizer. Additional fertilizers can be chosen based on the particular needs of certain types of soil, climate, or other growing conditions to maximize the efficacy of the blended composition in enhancing plant growth and crop yield.
• the coated fertilizers herein can be blended with other fertilizer at any concentration. In some instances, the desired concentration is sufficient to meet the required nutrient or micronutrient content in the blend.
• a blended fertilizer composition of the present invention can be formulated into a quick release fertilizer.
• the blended fertilizer composition can be formulated into a slow-release fertilizer.
• the blended fertilizer composition is formulated into a specialty fertilizer.
• a non-limiting method (100) of making a coated fertilizer can include obtaining a fertilizer core, seaweed and/or seaweed extract, and optionally additives (101).
• the seaweed and/or seaweed extract and optional additives are mixed (102) to form a coating composition.
• One or more of the ingredients mixed can be heated during mixing or pre-heated before mixing. In some instances, the ingredients are heated to room temperature or up to 90 °C or more. If additional ingredients are included, the additional ingredients can be added at any time in the production of the coated fertilizer and/or can be added after the coated fertilizer is formed.
• Mixing can be performed by processes such as stirring, vortexing, homogenizing, shaking, pouring, etc.
• the method (100) can include coating the fertilizer core with the seaweed, seaweed extract, and/or coating composition (103).
• the seaweed, seaweed extract, or coating composition can be applied to the core by a variety of methods, such as spraying, pouring, mixing, blending, etc.
• a fluid bed sprayer or coater, a liquid spray mixer, a rotating drum or pan, spray coating at discharge point, a paddle mixer, etc. can be used.
• the equipment and methods used in the Examples can be used.
• the seaweed, seaweed extract, and/or coating composition is dried on the fertilizer core to form a dry coating on the fertilizer core (104).
• the coated fertilizer can be dried by any means known, including exposure to ambient air, heated sweep gas, unheated sweep gas, heat, etc.
• the core coated can then be coated with a second, third, fourth, or more layers of seaweed, seaweed extract, and/or coating composition before or after the first coating dries on the core (not shown).
• the amount of time used to apply the coating can be an amount sufficient to ensure that a substantially even layer is formed on the core and/or formed on the subsequent layer.
• the application times can include 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 30 minutes, 1, hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, 4 hours, 5 hours, or more or any range therein (e.g., 5 minutes to 5 hours, 5 minutes to 1 hour, etc.).
• the ingredients are heated to room temperature or up to 90 °C or more.
• the method (100) can include optionally combining additional fertilizers with the coated fertilizer to form a blended or compounded fertilizer (105).
• Combining can be performed by any type of blending or mixing apparatus generally available in the art (e.g., WJ-700, WJ-900, or WJ-1000 Mixing Machines from Whirlston Machinery (Zhengzhou, China). Once combined, the fertilizer blend can be stored for future use or sale.
• the produced coated fertilizer (200) can include a fertilizer core (201) and a seaweed or seaweed extract coating (202).
• the coating (202) is on the outer surface of the core (201) and is not present or distributed throughout the core’s (201) matrix/intemal volume.
• seaweed or seaweed extract is not present in the core’s (201) matrix and is only present in the outer coating.
• seaweed solids or seaweed extract solids are not present in the core’s (201) matrix and is only present in the outer coating.
• the coated fertilizer can be produced in a batch or continuous process. In some instances, the coated fertilizer is produced on an industrial scale. In some instances, the coated fertilizer is produced at 1 kg/hour, or less, up to 10,000 kg/hour, or more.
• the coated fertilizer of the present invention can be used as a fertilizer.
• the coated fertilizer can be used alone, in a combined fertilizer blends, or with additional separate fertilizers.
• the coated fertilizer can be used in a method of fertilizing. The method can include applying a fertilizer composition to at least one of a soil, an organism, a liquid carrier, a liquid solvent, or a combination thereof.
• Non-limiting examples of plants that can benefit from the fertilizer of the present invention include vines, trees, shrubs, stalked plants, ferns, etc.
• the plants may include orchard crops, ornamental plants, food crops, timber, and harvested plants.
• the plants may include Gymnosperms, Angiosperms, and/or Pteridophytes.
• HMI Human Machine Interface
• Algeafert Meal was ground to ⁇ 500 micron particle size and suspended in 1% K2CO3 aqueous solution. Not to be bound by theory, it is believed that the K2CO3 solution aided in dissolution of the Algeafert Meal material by making a potassium salt of carboxyl/hydroxyl functionality of many of the Algeafert Meal constituents like amino acids, polysaccharides, etc.
• the seaweed and/or seaweed extract containing coating material was continuously stirred and pumped through a peristatic pump.
• the peristatic pump contained two heads connected by piping to two spray nozzles that were located at the bottom portion of the fluid bed granulator. The rate of pumping varied depending on the need.
• a filter cage assembly (five filters) located at the top served as a filter to avoid flow of any bigger particles/granules. The entire process continued until the coating material was dispersed onto the fertilizer cores.
• Drying After coating was completed, the drying mode was turned on to dry the product by increasing the air volume to 400 m 3 /hr and the air temperature was increased to 80 °C. Periodic sampling was done from the sample port to check for moisture content.
• Discharge After product drying, the inlet air flow and temperature was reduced to 100 m 3 /hr and 30 °C. The product was collected by opening the charging port and discharging the coated fertilizer by increasing fluidizing air to 250 m 3 /hr.
• Coated fertilizers of Example 1 and uncoated urea granules (control) were evaluated for surface and cross-sectional morphology, nutrient content, moisture content, attrition, crush strength, bulk density, and dissolution of urea. All of the physical property measurements were performed using standard protocols (e.g., from fertilizer manuals) and described briefly in the following sections. Nutrient content values are shown in Table 2. Physical properties such as crush strength, attrition, moisture content and bulk density were measured for all the formulations with urea used as a standard. Values are shown in Table 3.
• FIG. 3 Representative SEM images of surface view of urea and formulation (Form.) BS- 07 granules are shown in FIG. 3 to show the uniformity of coating. In comparison to urea surface, BS-07 granule showed much rougher surface. Smoother surfaces were observed with liquid seaweed extract coated granules (data not shown here).
• FIG. 4 Representative SEM images of cross sectional areas of urea, BS-01, BS-03, and BS-07 granules are shown in FIG. 4.
• the objective of this study was to understand the thickness of the coating on the surface of urea granules. A layer of the coating was clearly seen in the images. Thickness was measured using image analysis software by visually looking at the coated layer in the images and measuring the thickness by dragging a cursor between points of interst. The software calculates the thickness based on number of pixels between the points of interest.
• FIG. 4B contains a line marking the distance between points of interest used to measure distances in that figure. Morphological difference were also observed between standard granular urea and the coated urea BS samples.
• the thickness of the coating for BS-01 and BS-03 were found to be around 20 to 50 pm and 10 to 40 pm, respectively.
• the coating thickness for BS-07 was found to be smaller, in the range of 2 to 20 pm. Not to be bound by theory, the differences were attributed to liquids in the coating solution piercing through the granules and crystalizing. The pierced solidified coated material inside the urea granule can interfere with measuring the coating thickness. Theoretical calculations were also performed to correlate coating thickness with percentage coating and found that 1% solid loading would lead to -13 micron thickness.
• Nutrient Content Analysis of the nitrogen content of the coated fertilizers was performed. Briefly, nitrogen content analysis was performed using automated CHN analyzer (Elementar, Germany, model; Vario Cube) with a standard method by analyzing about 5 mg of powdered sample. All the formulations showed acceptable nitrogen content (>44.9 molar %). See Table 2. Additional plant beneficial micronutrients were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS). See Table 2. Some of the considerably substantial quantities observed in these analyses are in bold in Table 2. From the data, it was determined that the coated fertilizers kept a desirable high nitrogen content and provided other micronutrients that can increase plant growth and/or production. BS-04 was not tested; however, the coating contained three times more seaweed extract than BS-01. Thus, it was expected that the coating of BS-04 would contribute three times as much of the measured nutrients as the coating of BS-01.
• ICPMS inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry
• Crush Strength was measured using a Chatillon CS225 crush strength analyzer (Ametek, USA). Briefly, twenty coated urea granules from each formulation ranging in size from 2 to 4 mm were tested for crush strength. Each granule was placed on a platform (immobile phase) and the load cell (mobile phase) was adjusted to move downward at a speed of 10 mm/min. The load cell applied force on the granule until a sharp initial crack on granule surface was formed. The maximum load applied to make the initial crack was recorded as the crushing strength. The average crush strength of the twenty granules tested for each formula was considered the crush strength of the formula. See Table 3.
• Attrition is an indication of good adhesion of coating material on the fertilizer core. The analysis was performed using Copley, FRV 2000 model (Copley Scientific, UK). Briefly, a 100 cm 3 portion of sieved granules ranging in size of 2 to 4 mm was weighed (Wl) and placed into a test drum along with 100 g of stainless steel balls (50 Nos). The drum was closed and rotated for 10 min at 30 rpm.
• Moisture Analysis Moisture content in the formulations were measured using Mettler Toledo halogen moisture analyzer, model HB43-S. Briefly, percentage of water in a sample (moisture content or MC) in weight percent was measured by comparing the weight of the sample prior to drying in the assay with the weight of the sample after being dried to a constant weight:
• MC percentage of moisture in the sample
• A is weight of sample before drying in assay
• B is constant weight of sample after drying.
• Bulk Density was determined by measuring the weight of 100 ml of sieved coated urea granules having a size range of 2 to 4 mm. Bulk density was calculated by dividing the weight of the sample by the volume of the sample as follows:
• Dissolution of Urea Dissolution of the coated urea core was tested to determine if the coated urea granules dissolve slower. Briefly, water and 2 grams of each urea, BS-01, BS-02, and BS-03 granules were added in a vial and shook at 150 RPM in a mechanical shaker. Photographs were taken at 0, 5, 15, and 25 min of shaking. See FIG. 5, 0 min. was considered as immediately after adding water but before shaking. This test indicates if the coated fertilizers tested were able to reduce the dissolution of the urea core in comparison to uncoated fertilizers. The dissolution of these test samples is expected to be much faster in this test than in typical use as a fertilizer.
• binders were added to the coating to more effectively bind the seaweed extract to the fertilizer coat.
• Table 5 provides non-limiting examples of coated fertizers with a core of urea.
• Water based binders can have little to no impact on the soil and are often less expensive than oil based binders. Water based binders generally add larger volumes to the coating than oil based binders.
• Oil-based binders i.e., paraffin oil, linseed oil, etc.
• Oil based binders can reduce the volume of the coating solution on the fertilizer in comparison to typical water based binders. Oil based binders can also avoid introduction of water to the fertilizer core and reduce water penetration into the core. Oil based binders can also help provide compatibility between hydrocarbons in the coating and the fertilizer core. Oil based binders and oil can also reduce or eliminate the need to dry the coating and require less energy input for production.
• Binder by acidic reaction such as ones using TSP or SSP to react with urea, can absorb moisture from surrounding atmosphere and form a sticky or gooey surface. This surface can act as a binder for seaweed or seaweed extract(s). These binders can be applied without the need for liquid spraying of the binder and without the need to actively add water to the coating.
• Binders generally increased the binding of materials to the core and reduced weight loss due to abrasion over formulations that used no binder. However, some embodiments unexpectedly had substantially less loss of material in the abrasion tests, such as PC-5 that used paraffin oil as a binder.
• This experiment was designed to compare the performance of treatment of plants with urea fertilizer coated with seaweed and/or seaweed extract to urea alone or seaweed and/or seaweed extract alone under greenhouse conditions when applied to cucumber crops.
• Selected coated fertilizer of Example 1 along with control samples of uncoated urea or seaweed extracts were evaluated for agronomic performance by different application methods.
• Fertigation Treatment No 1, 4 and 12.
• the respective fertilizer was dissolved in 800 ml ⁇ treatment of irrigation water and applied to the soil directly after transplanting.
• the fertigation treatment was repeated weekly.
• urea fertilizer coated with seaweed and/or seaweed extract either as fertigation or broadcasting showed higher cucumber yield in comparison with urea control treatment.
• the broadcasting treatment got higher yield in all urea fertilizer coated with seaweed and/or seaweed extract (1, 2, 4, and 5) by 4.8%, 4.8%, 3.4%, and 0.1%, respectively.
• Both fertigation treatments 1 and 4 yield increased by 1% and 1.5% respectively in comparison with urea control.
• the standard application method farmer’s method
• concentration AlgeaFert Meal 2% and 4%) showed negative response lower than control in both products 4 and 5.

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• 2019
  • 2019-08-23 EP EP19780368.7A patent/EP3844133B1/en active Active
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