Chemistry: fertilizers – Processes and products – Bacterial
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-04
2001-05-08
Lilling, Herbert J. (Department: 1651)
Chemistry: fertilizers
Processes and products
Bacterial
C071S007000, C047S001400, C047S048500, C435S170000, C435S177000, C504S117000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06228136
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the reclamation of land, and more particularly relates to methods and apparatus for making and disseminating cyanobacterial inoculants for the reclamation of arid lands and the like.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Arid lands are subjected to environmental extremes that can lead to permanent damage of their top soil layer. High winds, high temperature and very low water content permit the rapid granulation of topsoil, leading to its rapid erosion. In some areas, military or recreational vehicle traffic causes additional erosion. The remaining subsurface offers little to flora and fauna for life support. Methods that can prevent soil erosion and lead to the growth of a soil chemistry supportive of multiple life-forms are highly desirable.
In the agricultural field, the use of algae as a fertilizer has been proposed. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,879,232 and 4,950,601 to MacDonald et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,921,803 to Nohr, each of which is incorporated herein by reference, disclose the use of heterocystous blue-green algae as a fertilizer which fixes nitrogen.
The use of algae to provide a cover crop and to improve soil aggregation has also been proposed. U.S. Pat. No. 4,774,186 to Schaefer Jr. et al., which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses an aqueous suspension comprising water, algae and a carrier which is sprayed on soil. The carrier comprises water dispersible particulates such as fine grain clay, lactose, whey, guar gum, gum arabic, agar or maltodextrin. The algae and the carrier are initially combined to form a dry, flowable mixture. The mixture is then added to water at or near the site of application to form a suspension, which is sprayed onto a field using, e.g., a conventional irrigation system.
A prior attempt at producing cyanobacterial inoculants has focused on the agglomeration of the bacteria into small pellets. These pellets are produced via the filtration of algal blooms grown in bulk within cylindrical tanks of water, with broad spectrum light focused on the tanks. Using such growth methods, the establishment of a sufficiently large quantity of microcoleus in the batch reactor tank has been found to take several weeks to months. This approach is not a viable candidate for large scale, economical production of the cyanobacteria. The process of bulk bacterial growth in water cylinders, while a standard of industry for many bacterial processes, is most likely not natural for the pioneer algae species of the present invention. In arid soil conditions, the cyanobacteria grow in a certain ratio of water, sunlight and air, where there is very little water. The water tank approach has been found to be incompatible with this preferred growth mode. This prior attempt at the pelletization process has also been found to be limiting in the ability to produce viable organisms in an arid environment. Due to the fibrous nature of microcoleus, they may not have the ability to extricate themselves from a fiber agglomerate. As a result, the yield efficiency of actual regrowth from dormancy has been found to be quite low. In addition, the pellet process requires the use of a grinder to break up the pellets prior to dissemination. As a result, the cyanobacteria suffers a high mortality in the mechanical crushing that takes place in the grinder, which severely reduces the efficiency of the pellets.
Despite the above-noted efforts, a need still exists for an effective and cost efficient method of reclaiming land using cyanobacterial inoculants.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One aspect of the present invention provides an economical method of applying dormant cyanobacterial inoculants to the surface of disturbed land such as arid soil. The method preferably utilizes live, naturally occurring, filamentous, terrestrial cyanobacteria such as Microcoleus vaginatus. The inoculant preferably has a viable shelf life of at least one year. Furthermore, the application of the inoculant preferably does not require water, and may use a dissemination apparatus such as broadcasting equipment, rangeland drilling equipment, aircraft dispersion equipment or the like.
An object of the present invention is to provide a method of reclaiming soil. The method includes the steps of inoculating a substrate material with cyanobacteria, and disseminating the inoculated substrate material on soil, whereby at least a portion of the cyanobacteria act to bind particles of the soil together.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of inoculating a substrate material with soil-binding cyanobacteria. The method includes the steps of growing cyanobacteria in a thin-film growth medium, and inoculating a substrate material with the cyanobacteria.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a material for reclaiming soil. The material comprises a substrate material, and cyanobacteria inoculated on the substrate material.
These and other objects of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description.
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Johansen Jeffrey R.
Orr Michael J.
Riley Michael A.
Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott , LLC
Engineering Technology, Incorporated
Lilling Herbert J.
Towner Alan G.
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