Nutrient complexing compositions

Abstract

The invention provides compositions, systems and methods for controlling loss of nutrients and other substances from planting sites.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for reducing or inhibiting loss of a desired compound or molecule from a planting site comprising incorporating a specific ion complexing agent (SICA) at the planting site, wherein said specific ion complexing agent forms a coordination complex with the desired compound or molecule and specifically and reversibly retains the desired compound or molecule thereby minimizing the loss of said compound or molecule to run-off, ground water, evaporation or windage. 
     
     
         2 . A method of increasing crop yield, the method comprising incorporating a specific ion complexing agent in planting media used for growing a crop, wherein said specific ion complexing agent forms a coordination complex with a desired compound or molecule and specifically and reversibly retains the desired compound or molecule. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the said specific ion complexing agent is applied in a range of about 1 milligram to about 1000 metric tons per acre of planting media. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the said specific ion complexing agent is applied in a range of about 1 gram to about 1 metric tons per acre of planting media. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said specific ion complexing agent releases the desired compound or molecule in response to a biochemical signal from a plant. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said biochemical signal is a proton. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said desired compound or molecule is an ion, nutrient, micronutrient, essential mineral, pesticide, herbicide, growth simulator, growth hormone, nitrification blocker, or any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said desired compound or molecule is nitrate, nitrite, ammonium, phosphate, sulfate, or any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the specific ion complexing agent has water of hydration. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the specific ion complexing agent is polymeric. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein specific ion complexing agent is linked with a substrate. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the specific ion complexing agent is covalently linked with the substrate via a linker. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the specific ion complexing agent is non-covalently with the solid-substrate. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the solid-substrate comprises at least one functional group for coupling with the specific ion complexing agent. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting clay, silica, aluminum silicates, metal oxides, carbohydrates, cellulose, starches, bio-solids, proteins, single cell protein (Procell), amino acids, fats, oils, greases, plant biomass, fibrous waste from pulp and paper mills, and any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the specific ion complexing agent is applied as a liquid, solid or gas. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the solid is in form of a particle. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the particle is spherical, rod, elliptical, cylindrical, or disc. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the particle has a size in range from about 1 nm to about 100,000 micrometers. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the specific ion complexing agent is selected from the group consisting of small organic molecules, inorganic metals, hydrophobic molecules that bind nonpolar pockets in biomolecules. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the specific ion complexing agent comprises a functional group selected from the group consisting of sulfonic, carboxylic, carboxylate, hydroxyl, halogen, carbonyl, haloformyl, carbonate, alkoxy, acetal, hemiacetal, ketal, hemiketal, amide, amine, primary amine, secondary amine, tertiary amine, quaternary amine, primary ketamine, secondary ketamine, primary aldimine, secondary aldimine, imide, azide, azo, nitrate, nitrile, isonitrile, cyanate, isocyanate, nitro, nitroso, sulfhydryl, sulfide, disulfide, sulfinyl, sulfonyl, sulfino, sulfo, isothiocyanate, carbonothioyl, phosphino, phosphono, phosphate, borono, boronate, borino, borinate, and any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the specific ion complexing agent comprises a functional group selected from the group consisting of amidine, acetamidine, benzamidine, guanidine, imine, amides, sulfonic and carboxylic group. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the specific ion complexing agent is formulated in a composition, wherein the composition further comprises a nutrient, micronutrient, essential mineral, pesticide, herbicide, growth simulator, or any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the specific ion complexing agent is complexed with said nutrient, micronutrient, essential mineral, pesticide, herbicide or growth simulator. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the specific ion complexing agent is formulated in a composition, wherein the composition further comprises planting media. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the specific ion complexing agent has an ion exchange capacity of at least 100 meq/100 grams. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the specific ion complexing agent has an anion exchange capacity of at least 150 meq/100 grams. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the specific ion complexing agent has a cation exchange capacity of at least 150 meq/100 grams. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the specific ion complexing agent has a selectivity coefficient of at least 1.5 for the desired compound or molecule. 
     
     
         31 . A composition comprising a specific ion complexing agent, wherein the specific ion complexing agent binds specifically and reversibly with a compound or molecule of interest to form a coordination complex. 
     
     
         32 . A planting media comprising a composition of  claim 31 .