Biosurfactant compositions and methods for providing plant nutrients

Abstract

A method for providing nutrients to a plant can include providing a nutrient composition and administering the nutrient composition to the plant or to soil or water having the plant so as to provide the plant nutrient to the plant. The nutrient composition can include: at least one biosurfactant penetrant selected from the group consisting of glycolipids, lipopeptides, flavolipids, lipoproteins, and combinations thereof; and a plant nutrient chelated or complexed with the at least one biosurfactant, the plant nutrient being selected from the group consisting of elicitors, plant-growth regulators, fertilizers, minerals, plant-stress reducing agents, and combinations thereof, wherein the nutrient composition is configured to penetrate into the plant. A method for retaining moisture in a cultivated plant is also disclosed. A method for treating a seed is also disclosed.

1 . A method for providing nutrients to a plant, the method comprising:
 providing a nutrient composition comprising:
 at least one biosurfactant penetrant selected from the group consisting of glycolipids, lipopeptides, flavolipids, lipoproteins, and combinations thereof; and 
 a plant nutrient chelated or complexed with the at least one biosurfactant, the plant nutrient being selected from the group consisting of elicitors, plant-growth regulators, fertilizers, minerals, plant-stress reducing agents, and combinations thereof, wherein the nutrient composition is configured to penetrate into the plant; and 
   administering the nutrient composition to the plant or to soil or water having the plant so as to provide the plant nutrient to the plant.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , the nutrient composition further comprising at least one of a permeation enhancer selected from the group consisting of alcohols; polyols; acyclic polyols; alkyl methyl sulfoxides; esters; ketones; sodium lauryl sulfate; quaternary ammonium salts; lecithins; cephalins; alkylbetamines; alkanoic acids; lactam compounds; alkanols; dimethyl acetamide; dimethyl formamide; N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide; tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol; dialkylamino acetates; pyrrolidones; sorbitan; and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , the nutrient composition further comprising a solubility controlling agent selected from the group consisting of slow release cross-linked swellable gel, slow release cross-linked swellable polyacrylamide gel, wax, chitin, chitosan, C12-C20 fatty acid, myristic acid, stearic acid, palmitic acid, C12-C20 alcohol, lauryl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, myristyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, amphiphilic esters of fatty acids, glycerol, monoester C12-C20 fatty acids, glyceryl monolaurate, glyceryl monopalmitate, glycerol esters of fatty acids, polyethylene monostearate, polypropylenemonopalmitate glycols, C12-C20 amines, lauryl amine, mystyl amine, stearyl amine, amide C12-C20 fatty acids, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plant nutrient is a mineral or fertilizer. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising complexing the biosurfactant penetrant with the plant nutrient. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising chelating the biosurfactant penetrant with the plant nutrient. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , comprising applying the nutrient composition so as to release the biosurfactant penetrant to the plant. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the rate of release has zero-order kinetics. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising obtaining the biosurfactant penetrant from a microbe selected from the group of:  Pseudomonas  species;  Flavobacterium  species;  Candida  species;  Rhodococcus  species; or  Arthrobacter  species. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the biosurfactant penetrant includes a rhamnolipid and/or flavolipid. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plant has a nutrient deficiency. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the plant nutrient includes a metal that is chelated with the biosurfactant penetrant. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising homogeneously distributing the plant nutrient through the plant. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the nutrient composition includes adjuvants, surfactants, emulsifying agents, sticker, buffering agents, organic acids, amino acids, pH adjusting agents, fillers, plasticizers, lubricants, glidants, colorants, pigments, preservatives, stabilizers, ultra-violet light resistant agents, salts thereof, and/or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the buffering agent in the nutrient composition includes acetate, arginine, aspartate, citrate, tartarate, malate, lactic acid, oxalate, malonate, glucoheptonate, pyruvate, galactarate, glucarate, gluconate, tartronate, glutamate, glycine, lysine, glutamine, methionine, cysteine, phosphoric acid, phosphorous acid, salts thereof, derivatives thereof, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising reducing effects of environmental stress to the plant with the nutrient composition 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising increasing the cation exchange capacity of soil having the plant with the nutrient composition. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising applying the nutrient composition as a solid or powder. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising applying the nutrient composition as a liquid. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising applying the nutrient composition as a fermentation broth having the biosurfactant penetrant and plant nutrient. 
     
     
         21 . A method for retaining moisture in a cultivated plant, the method comprising:
 providing a nutrient composition comprising:
 at least one biosurfactant penetrant selected from the group consisting of glycolipids, lipopeptides, favolipids, lipoproteins, and combinations thereof; and 
 a plant nutrient chelated or complexed with the at least one biosurfactant, the plant nutrient being selected from the group consisting of elicitors, plant-growth regulators, fertilizers, minerals, plant-stress reducing agents, preservative, and combinations thereof wherein the nutrient composition is configured to penetrate into the plant; and 
   administering the nutrient composition to the cultivated plant or cultivated portion of the plant.   
     
     
         22 . A method for treating a seed, the method comprising:
 providing a nutrient composition comprising:
 at least one biosurfactant penetrant selected from the group consisting of glycolipids, lipopeptides, favolipids, lipoproteins, and combinations thereof; and 
 a plant nutrient chelated or complexed with the at least one biosurfactant, the plant nutrient being selected from the group consisting of elicitors, plant-growth regulators, fertilizers, minerals, plant-stress reducing agents, seed treatment agent, preservative, and combinations thereof, wherein the nutrient composition is configured to penetrate into the plant; and 
   administering the nutrient composition to the seed.