Chemistry: fertilizers – Processes and products – Organic material-containing
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-16
2001-06-05
Langel, Wayne (Department: 1754)
Chemistry: fertilizers
Processes and products
Organic material-containing
C071S029000, C071S030000, C071S032000, C071S034000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06241795
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to fertilizers for use in stimulating the health and growth of plants.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Fertilizers are added to the soil or foliage of crops to supply elements needed for plant nutrition. Typically, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) are the principal components of such fertilizers.
Fertilizer formulations and methods are the subject of on-going research, in order to improve the growth stimulating and stress tolerance effect on the plants. Additionally, there are on-going efforts to reduce the amount of fertilizer required for application to plants, in order to avoid leaching of nitrogen and phosphate into the groundwater.
Thus, there is a need for new methods of fertilizer application that supply nutrients in a readily available form and which can be applied as a foliar product.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a fertilizer which is readily water-soluble and particularly well adapted for foliar application.
In one aspect, the invention provides a dry concentrated fertilizer containing a nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium compounds, micronutrients, and a growth enhancing mixture containing at least two or more components selected from among growth promoters, vitamins, amino acids, carbohydrates, polysaccharides, and adjuvants.
In another aspect, the invention provides a method of preparing a dry, water-soluble, fertilizer useful for foliar application. This method involves adding about 5% to about 10%, by weight, of a growth enhancing mixture to a base fertilizer mix comprising nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium compounds. The growth enhancing mixture contains at least two components selected from among growth promoters, vitamins; amino acids, carbohydrates, polysaccharides, and adjuvants.
In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a method of promoting crop production. This method involves placing concentrated fertilizer as described herein into a multiplicity spray tank and dissolving or diluting the fertilizer with water for application to crops.
Still other aspects and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the detailed description of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a fertilizer which improves the effectiveness of various nutrient inputs and enhances the plant's ability to convert the input to a growth response. The invention further provides a method of adding various materials to a fertilizer to form a mixture that can be added to water when sprayed on the growing crops, thereby stimulating the crop growth response greater than conventional fertilizers. This method of the invention incorporates liquid and dry materials to a base fertilizer mix, as described below, in a manner which promotes solubility and the ability of the plant to better utilize the nutrients present in the fertilizer. In one desirable embodiment, the present invention provides a method for adding liquid to dry components to produce a dry fertilizer mix. Advantageously, the dry fertilizer mix of the invention is capable of handling more liquids than known dry fertilizers before experiencing the effects of hygroscopicity, i.e., clumping. In another embodiment, the invention provides a liquid fertilizer mix having significant advantages in growth enhancing and stress tolerance as compared to conventional fertilizers.
A. Composition of Fertilizer
Suitably, the present invention provides a novel mixture of growth enhancing components together with conventionally recognized macro nutrients (i.e., N, P, and K compounds), secondary nutrients (e.g., calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sulfur (S)), and micro nutrients (e.g., boron (B), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and the like) where applicable. Suitable sources of these macro, secondary and micro nutrients will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art.
The growth enhancing mixture of the invention contains one or more vitamins and/or adjuvants and at least one other component selected from among growth promoters, amino acids, and carbohydrates, including, e.g., polysaccharides. Generally, the growth enhancing mixture comprises 5% to 10%, by weight, and more preferably, about 8%, by weight, of the dry concentrated fertilizer, with the remainder being composed of a mixture of macro, secondary, and micro nutrients. Advantageously, the precise amounts of each of the components of the growth enhancing mixture may be adjusted as needed or desired, taking into consideration the crops in to which they are to be applied, the soil type and conditions, among other factors. Preferably, at least one component from each of the above categories is included in the mixture.
Generally, vitamins are present in an amount of about 0.01% to about 10%, by weight, about 0.01% to 5%, and about 0.01% to about 3%, by weight of the total dry fertilizer composition. Suitable vitamins are readily selected from among niacin, d-Biotin, riboflavin, ascorbic acid, thiamine mononitrate, thiamine hygrochloride, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, derivatives of these vitamins, and mixtures thereof. These vitamins are preferably obtained in dry form as a pre-mixed package. Alternatively, the vitamins may be supplied individually or as other mixtures, which may be obtained from a variety of other sources. These sources include, without limitation, sources which are conventionally associated with sale of vitamins suitable for human consumption and/or formulation into human vitamins.
Growth promoters are present in an amount of about 0.0001 to about 1%, about 0.0001% to about 0.5%, and about 0.0001 to about 0.3%, by weight based on the total weight of the dry fertilizer composition. Desirably, these growth promoters and/or precursors thereof may be selected from among cytokinins, purines, gibberellins (including, without limitation, gibberellic acid), auxins, and mixtures thereof. Particularly suitable cytokinins include, without limitation, kinetin, zeatin, and the like. These growth promoters and precursors may be derived from natural sources or synthetic sources. These compounds are available commercially from a variety of sources.
Amino acids are present in an amount of about 0.01% to about 10%, by weight, about 0.01% to about 5%, and about 0.01 to about 3%, by weight of the total dry fertilizer composition. Useful amino acids include alanine, arginine, aspartic acid, betaines, choline, cysteine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, valine, mixtures thereof, derivatives and metabolites of these amino acids, and mixtures thereof.
The growth promoters and amino acids may be obtained individually or as mixtures from a variety of sources which are known in the art. In a particularly desirable embodiment, the growth promoters and amino acids are supplied by seaweed extracts, which may be purchased from commercial sources.
Suitable carbohydrates and polysaccharides are selected from among alginic acid, mannitol, laminarin, succinic acid, sorbitol, fructose, sucrose, dextrose, lactose, derivatives thereof, and mixtures thereof. In one preferred embodiment, the polysaccharides are composed of a mixture of fructose and sucrose, most preferably, which are obtained in dry form. Suitably, the mixture may contain approximately equivalent amounts of the fructose and sucrose. Alternatively, the mixture may contain 55-90% fructose, with the remainder being sucrose. Still other mixtures may be readily selected. These carbohydrates and polysacchardes are present in a total amount of about 0.01% to about 10%, about 0.01 to about 5%, and about 0.01 to about 3%, by weight of the total dry fertilizer composition.
Adjuvants useful in the dry fertilizer of the invention include alcohol ether sulfates, alcohol sulfates, alkylaryl ether sulfates, alkylaryl sulfonates, carboxylated nonionics, naphthalene, sulfonates, phosphate esters, sulfonic acids, sulfosuccinates, terpenes, alcohol ethers, alkoxylated alkylphenol resins, alkox
Svec Charles H.
Vidyarthi Akshay
Howson and Howson
Langel Wayne
Miller Chemical and Fertilizer Corporation
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