Chemistry: fertilizers – Processes and products – Bacterial
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-01
2002-05-14
Langel, Wayne (Department: 1754)
Chemistry: fertilizers
Processes and products
Bacterial
C071S017000, C071S027000, C071S029000, C071S064030
Reexamination Certificate
active
06387145
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
For some time now it has been a widespread practice to distribute fertilizers during sowing or transplanting of various agricultural cultivations in order to provide young plants with nutritional substances during a delicate and important stage of their growth. Such distribution may be performed either along the sowing or transplanting row or in more or less wide bands along these rows and may be carried out using both conventional granular fertilizers and liquid or fluid fertilizers.
Manuring effected during sowing and transplanting has numerous advantages such as a better absorption of the nutritional substances present in sowing or transplanting beds which are essentially moist and at relatively low temperatures; the possibility of distributing smaller total quantities of fertilizers, because applied locally, therefore resulting in lower costs and a reduced risk of environmental pollution; the improved growth of the root system of the plants owing to specific and localized manuring; the reduced competition of weeds which, during sowing or transplanting, generally are not yet fully developed also because they are often controlled using suitable weed-killers.
Localized manuring during sowing or transplanting also has, however, a few drawbacks of a technical nature which cannot be always easily solved and which may be summarized as follows:
a) Slowing down of the sowing or transplanting operations due to the need to replenish the corresponding equipment with fertilizer which is applied in relatively large doses (100-150 kg/ha), said slowing down generally not being acceptable for farms or contractors who must take advantage of well-defined days during a calendar which is often subject to risk on account of the seasonal trends and rainfall.
b) Increased weight of the sowing or transplanting machines due to the additional weight of the said quantity of fertilizers. This increase in weight causes overloading of the sowing machines and the transplanting equipment, with serious drawbacks for the sowing or transplanting beds, in particular at the end of winter or on clayed ground and slopes, when it becomes difficult—if not impossible—to locally apply the fertilizers at the right depth and in the optimum quantities, with various irregular doses which adversely affect the simultaneous and uniform growth of the cultivations.
c) In the case where liquid or fluid fertilizers are used, the problem of correct dosing of reduced quantities thereof, which is sometimes accompanied by blockages of the nozzles, in particular when operating at low temperatures, with a consequent increase in the viscosity of the products.
d) The difficulty also exists, for certain crops at least, of locally applying some types of nitrogenous fertilizers (for example those with a high ammonia nitrogen content) which could result in the risk of plant poisoning.
e) Finally, the possibility exists of increasing the appearance of some micro-deficiencies (such as zinc) due to antagonism (for example if phosphorus alone is applied locally).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It has now been unexpectedly discovered that it is possible to prepare a fertilizer composition for use during sowing and transplanting, which possesses numerous applicational advantages, considerably limiting the impact of the above-mentioned drawbacks.
It has been noted the fact that, in the case of the most widely used granulated fertilizer compositions, suitable for local application, in the past exclusively, granules with a diameter greater than 2.0 mm were used and it has been surprisingly found that brilliant results may be obtained by preparing new fertilizer formulations in the form of granules with much smaller dimensions, ranging between 0.1 and 1.5 mm, based on the synergic association of a selected organic fraction with a mineral fraction.
A particularly suitable organic fraction consists of an organic nitrogenous component able to supply organic nitrogen in a form which can be readily assimilated by the cultivations. More specifically two highly effective organic nitrogenous components, which can be used individually or in combination, have been located and selected, the first being an organic nitrogenous substance of natural origin and the second being a synthesis slow-release organic nitrogenous substance.
Advantageously, in the composition according to the invention, the two organic nitrogenous components are present in the following predefined ratios, for example 50:50, 25:75; 75:25.
It has also been determined that granules with an average diameter comprised between 0.3 and 1.2 mm, more preferably between 0.5 and 1 mm, are particularly suitable for local application operations during sowing or transplanting.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a fertilizer composition in the form of granules for local application during sowing or transplanting of agricultural crops, in which said granules have an average particle size ranging between 0.1 and 1.5 mm, is provided, said composition comprising an organic nitrogenous substance of natural origin, a synthesis slow-release organic nitrogenous substance and a phosphate or phospho-nitrogen compound.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention a fertilizer composition in the form of granules, for local application during sowing or transplanting of agricultural crops, in which said granules have an average particle size ranging between 0.1 and 1.5 mm, is provided, comprising an association of an organic nitrogenous component with a humic derivative and a phosphate or phospho-nitrogen compound.
Organic nitrogenous substances of natural origin which are particularly suitable are chosen from the group comprising dried blood, meat meal, hydrolyzed animal epithelium, crustacean chitin, chrysalis meal, horn and hoof meal and wildfowl feathers and mixtures thereof, among these degreased and dried animal blood being preferred.
Animal blood, degreased and dried, is advantageously produced using the technique of “spray drying” performed at high temperatures and pressures, but for short durations and with large volumes of air, so as to obtain a product with a nitrogen content higher than 13%, a moisture content of less than 7% and a water solubility greater than 85%.
Within the scope of the present invention, the term spray drying is understood as a technique, the main characteristic of which is the surface area per unit of weight generated by atomization of the liquid matrix used. For example, atomizing the droplets to 100 &mgr; produces an exchange surface of more than 27,000 m
2
/kg. When, on the other hand, the liquid matrix is atomized to 20 &mgr;, the exchange surface increases to 130,000 m
2
/kg. The size of the dried particles may be controlled by the liquid atomization method and by a type of inlet chamber for the hot droplets. By proceeding in a suitable manner, it is possible to obtain particles with a particle size and vapour surrounding the individual droplets avoiding exceeding saturation temperature. Until the particle becomes completely dry, the evaporation continues and the temperature of the solid matter does not approach the exit temperature of the drier. In this way, heat-sensitive products may be easily dried, without damage, in short periods of time (3-5 seconds).
Advantageously the slow-release synthesis organic nitrogenous substance is a compound based on urea condensed with aldehyde, preferably an aldehyde with 1 to 6 C atoms. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, said aldehyde is formaldehyde.
The phosphate and phospho-nitrogen compounds of mineral origin for use in microgranular fertilizers according to the invention may all be compounds containing more or less soluble phosphoric anhydride, such as for example ammonium or potassium phosphates, ammonium polyphosphates, urea/phosphoric acid adducts, superphosphates, ground or partially soluble natural phosphorites, calcium and aluminium phosphate, thermal phosphates or dephosphorylation waste. The phospho-nitrogen compound
Bargiacchi Enrica
Miele Sergio
Agroqualita' S.r.l.
Josif Albert
Langel Wayne
Modiano Guido
O'Byrne Daniel
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