Seed coating for bypassing the ruminant digestive tract

Abstract

Pasture grass and legume seeds are protected with an outer coating of insoluble fatty acid salts. The coated seeds are fed to ruminants and bypass their digestive tract. When the coated seeds exit the digestive tract in the manure, they provide ranchers a no-till broadcast technique to easily reseed or improve pasture forage. Legume seeds are preferably coated twice, first with Rhizobia and then with the insoluble fatty acid salts. The Rhizobia coating will improve the legume rate of growth. Alternatively, discreet particles of Rhizobia can be coated with insoluble fatty acid salts and fed to the ruminants along with coated legume seeds.

1 . A coated whole seed substantially resistant to digestion in a ruminant digestive tract yet capable of germination upon passing through the ruminant's digestive tract comprising: 
 a whole seed capable of germination; and    a protective coating covering the seed comprising a water-insoluble fatty acid salt, wherein the fatty acid salt has been applied at conditions which do not substantially interfere with the seed's ability to germinate.    
     
     
         2 . The coated whole seed of  claim 1  wherein the whole seed is a legume seed selected from the group consisting of clover seeds, alfalfa seeds, pea seeds, lucerne seeds, soybean seeds, and vetch seeds.  
     
     
         3 . The coated whole seed of  claim 1  wherein the whole seed is a grass seed.  
     
     
         4 . The coated whole seed of  claim 1  further comprising a nitrogen-fixing coating comprising microbes.  
     
     
         5 . The coated whole seed of  claim 4  wherein the nitrogen-fixing coating is applied under the protective coating.  
     
     
         6 . The coated whole seed of  claim 4  wherein the microbes are  Rhizobia  selected from the group consisting of  Rhizobium trifolii, Rhizobium meliloti, Rhizobium leguminosarum, Rhizobium japonicum,  and recombinant  Rhizobia.    
     
     
         7 . The coated whole seed of  claim 4  wherein the microbes are  Mycorhiza.    
     
     
         8 . A coated microbe particle substantially resistant to digestion in a ruminant digestive tract comprising: 
 a particle comprising one or more microbes; and    a protective coating covering the particle comprising a water-insoluble fatty acid salt.    
     
     
         9 . The coated microbe particle of  claim 8  wherein the microbe is  Rhizobia  selected from the group consisting of  Rhizobium trifolii, Rhizobium meliloti, Rhizobium leguminosarum, Rhizobium japonicum,  and recombinant  Rhizobia.    
     
     
         10 . The coated microbe particle of  claim 9  wherein the microbe is  Mycorhiza.    
     
     
         11  A method of coating whole seeds to make them resistant to digestion in a ruminant digestive tract yet capable of germination upon passing through the ruminant's digestive tract, the method comprising: 
 providing a water-insoluble fatty acid salt;    dissolving the fatty acid salt in a solvent to form a mixture;    applying the mixture to the seeds;    evaporating the solvent from the seeds under conditions which do not substantially interfere with the seeds' ability to germinate.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the whole seeds are legume seeds selected from the group consisting of clover seeds, alfalfa seeds, pea seeds, lucerne seeds, soybean seeds, and vetch seeds.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the whole seeds are grass seeds.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising precoating the seeds with microbes before applying the mixture.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the microbes comprise  Rhizobia  selected from the group consisting of  Rhizobium trifolii, Rhizobium meliloti, Rhizobium leguminosarum, Rhizobium japonicum,  and recombinant  Rhizobia.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the microbes comprise  Mycorhiza.    
     
     
         17 . A method of coating whole seeds to make them resistant to digestion in a ruminant digestive tract yet capable of germination upon passing through the ruminant's digestive tract, the method comprising: 
 applying an adhesive to the seeds; and    applying a water-insoluble fatty acid salt powder over the adhesive.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the whole seeds are legume seeds selected from the group consisting of clover seeds, alfalfa seeds, pea seeds, lucerne seeds, soybean seeds, and vetch seeds.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the whole seeds are grass seeds.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising precoating the seeds with microbes before applying the adhesive.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the microbes comprise  Rhizobia  selected from the group consisting of  Rhizobium trifolii, Rhizobium meliloti, Rhizobium leguminosarum, Rhizobium japonicum,  and recombinant  Rhizobia.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the microbes comprise  Mycorhiza.