Incorporation of biological agents in fertilizers

Abstract

A biological-laden dry fertilizer includes a dry fertilizer granule and a coating inoculated with a biological agent and applied to the dry fertilizer granule. The biological coating is a solution or suspension comprising water or oil and at least one biological agent, or an emulsion of an oil and a solution or suspension comprising water and at least one biological agent. The at least one biological agent is a biological chemical, plant extract, microbial agent, and/or a living organism.

1 . A biologically coated dry fertilizer comprising:
 a dry fertilizer granule; and   a biological coating applied to the dry fertilizer granule, the biological coating comprising a solution or suspension comprising water or oil and at least one biological agent, or an emulsion of an oil and a solution or suspension comprising water and at least one biological agent   wherein the at least one biological agent is a biological chemical, plant extract, microbial agent, and/or a living organism.   
     
     
         2 . The biological-laden dry fertilizer of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one biological agent is a bacteria selected from the group consisting of  Bacillus, Rhizobium, Azobacter, Azospirillum,  and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The biological-laden dry fertilizer of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one biological agent is a fungus selected from the group consisting of  Aspergillus , Mycorhizzae,  Beauveria, Metarhizium, and Trichoderma, Saccharomyces, Schizosaccharomyces, Sporobolomyces, Candida, Trichosporon, and Rhodosporidium,  and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The biological-laden dry fertilizer of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one biological agent is selected from the group consisting of metabolites, peptides, lipopetides, hormones, peptide hormones, siderophores, glycopepetides, humates, surfactants, vitamins, enzymes, amino acids, amino acid derivatives, nucleic acids, nucleic acid derivatives, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The biological-laden dry fertilizer of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one biological agent is applied to the fertilizer granule such that a final concentration of biological agent is of about 10 3  to about 10 12  CFU/g. 
     
     
         6 . The biological-laden dry fertilizer of  claim 1 , wherein the dry fertilizer granule comprises a phosphate material. 
     
     
         7 . The biological-laden dry fertilizer of  claim 1 , wherein the dry fertilizer granule comprises potash material. 
     
     
         8 . A method of making a biological-laden fertilizer, the method comprising:
 providing a plurality of granulated pellets comprising a fertilizer;   mixing the plurality of granulated pellets; and   spraying the plurality of granulated pellets with a biological coating comprising a solution or suspension comprising water or oil and at least one biological agent, or an emulsion of an oil and a solution or suspension comprising water and at least one biological agent,   wherein the at least one biological agent is a biological chemical, plant extract, microbial agent, and/or a living organism.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the oil is a dedusting oil. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one biological agent is selected from the group consisting of metabolites, peptides, lipopetides, hormones, peptide hormones, siderophores, glycopepetides, humates, surfactants, vitamins, enzymes, amino acids, amino acid derivatives, nucleic acids, nucleic acid derivatives, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one biological agent is a bacteria selected from the group consisting of  Bacillus, Rhizobium, Azobacter, Azospirillum,  and combinations thereof 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one biological agent is a fungus selected from the group consisting of  Aspergillus , Mycorhizzae,  Beauveria, Metarhizium , and  Trichoderma, Saccharomyces, Schizosaccharomyces, Sporobolomyces, Candida, Trichosporon, and Rhodosporidium,  and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the granulated fertilizer pellets comprise a phosphate material. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the granulated fertilizer pellets comprise a potash material. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the biological coating comprises an emulsion of oil and a solution of water and the biological agent, and wherein the process further comprises generating the emulsion with a high-speed shear mixer. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the process further comprises screening the size of the sprayed plurality of granulated fertilizer. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein spraying the plurality of granulated pellets occurs prior to screening. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein spraying the plurality of granulated pellets occurs after screening. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein providing a plurality of granulated fertilizer pellets comprises compaction. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein providing a plurality of granulated fertilizer pellets comprises granulation.