Seed coatings, coating compositions and methods for use

Abstract

A seed or seedling is coated with underivatized guar, cationic hydroxypropyl guar, polyacrylamide, poly(methacrylic acid), poly(acrylic acid), polyacrylate, poly(ethylene glycol), polyethyleneoxide, poly(vinyl alcohol), polyglycerol, polytetrahydrofuran, polyamide, hydroxypropyl guar, carboxymethyl guar, carboxymethylhydroxypropyl guar, underivatized starch, cationic starch, corn starch, wheat starch, rice starch, potato starch, tapioca, waxy maize, sorghum, waxy sarghum, sago, dextrin, chitin, chitosan, xanthan gum, carageenan gum, gum karaya, gum arabic, pectin, cellulose, hydroxycellulose, hydroxyalkyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, carboxymethylhydroxyethyl cellulose, or hydroxypropyl cellulose, the coated seed or seedling having a shelf-life at room temperature in ambient conditions in an unsealed container to at least two months.

1 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . A coated seed composition comprising a seed or seedling selected from the group consisting of rice, corn, wheat, barley, oats, soybean, sunflower, alfalfa, sorghum, rapeseed, sugar beet, tomato, bean, carrot, tobacco and flower seeds, the seed or seedling coated with a dry coating composition coating all or part of the seed or seedling, the coating composition comprising underivatized guar;
 wherein the seed or seedling has a shelf-life at room temperature in ambient conditions in an unsealed container without added salts or adjuvants of at least two months.   
     
     
         26 . The composition of  claim 25  further comprising a binder. 
     
     
         27 . The composition of  claim 26 , wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of molasses, granulated sugar, alginates, karaya gum, jaguar gum, tragacanth gum, polysaccharide gum, mucilage and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         28 . The composition of  claim 26 , wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of gelatin, polyvinyl acetates, copolymers of polyvinyl acetate monomer with another monomer, polyvinyl alcohols, copolymers of polyvinyl alcohol monomer with another monomer, celluloses selected from the group consisting of ethylcelluloses and methylcelluloses, hydroxypropylcelluloses, hydroxymethyl celluloses, and hydroxymethylpropyl-celluloses, polyvinylpyrolidones, dextrins, polysaccharides, fats, oils, proteins, gum arabics, shellacs, vinylidene chloride, vinylidene chloride copolymers, calcium lignosulfonates, copolymers of acrylic monomers with another monomer, underivatized starch, derivatized starch, cationic starch, polyvinylacrylates, zeins, carboxymethylcellulose, chitosan, polyethylene oxide, acrylimide polymers and copolymers of acrylimide monomer with another monomer, polyhydroxyethyl acrylate, methylacrylimide monomers, ethylcellulose, polychloroprene, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         29 . The composition of  claim 25  further comprising at least one active ingredient. 
     
     
         30 . The composition of  claim 29 , wherein the at least one active ingredient is selected from the group consisting of herbicides, plant growth regulators, crop dessicants, fungicides, bacteriocides, bacteriostats, insecticides, insect repellants, adjuvants, surfactants, fertilizers and any mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         31 . The composition of  claim 25 , wherein the coating composition is a layer on all or part of the seed or seedling. 
     
     
         32 . The composition of  claim 25  further comprising at least one filler. 
     
     
         33 . The composition of  claim 32 , wherein the at least one filler is selected from the group consisting of wood flours, clays, activated carbon, carbohydrates, sugars, dextrins, maltodextrins, diatomaceous earth, cereal flours, wheat flour, oat flour, barley flour, calcium carbonate, calcium bentonite, kaolin, china clay, talc, perlite, mica, vermiculite, silicas, quartz powder, montmorillonite and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         34 . The composition of  claim 25 , wherein the at least one seed or seedling is an agglomeration of two or more seeds. 
     
     
         35 . A coated seed composition comprising:
 an agglomeration of from between 2 to 100 seeds or seedlings; and   at least one layer selected from the group consisting of a film-forming layer, a layer of a filler, a layer of a binding agent, a layer of a wetting agent, a layer of an anti-bacteria agent, a layer of an active ingredient and any combination thereof;   wherein the layer comprises underivatized guar and the seed or seedling has a shelf-life at room temperature in ambient conditions in an unsealed container without added salts or adjuvants of at least two months.   
     
     
         36 . The coated seed composition of  claim 35 , wherein the at least one layer further comprises derivatized guar, polyacrylamide, poly(methacrylic acid), poly(acrylic acid), polyacrylate, poly(ethylene glycol), phosphonate-end capped polymers, polyethyleneoxide, poly(vinyl alcohol), polyglycerol, polytetrahydrofuran, polyimide, cationic hydroxypropyl guar, hydroxypropyl guar, cationic carboxymethyl guar, carboxymethylhydroxypropyl guar, starch, derivatized starch, cationic starch, corn starch, wheat starch, rice starch, potato starch, tapioca, waxy maize, sorghum, waxy sarghum, sago, dextrin, chitin, chitosan, alginate compositions, xanthan gum, carageenan gum, gum karaya, gum arabic, pectin, cellulose, hydroxycellulose, hydroxyalkyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, carboxymethylhydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, a derivative of any of the foregoing and a combination of any of the foregoing. 
     
     
         37 . The coated seed composition of  claim 35 , wherein the active ingredient is selected from the group consisting of herbicides, plant growth regulators, crop dessicants, fungicides, bacteriocides, bacteriostats, insecticides, insect repellants, triazine herbicides, sulfonylurea herbicides, uracils, urea herbicides, acetanilide herbicides, organophosphonate herbicides, glyphosate salts, glyphosate esters, nitrilo oxime fungicides, imidazole fungicides, triazole fungicides, sulfenamide fungicides, dithio-carbamate fungicides, chloronated aromatic, dichloro aniline fungicides, carbamate insecticides, organo thiophosphate insecticides, perchlorinated organic insecticides, methoxychlor, miticides, propynyl sulfite, triazapentadiene miticides, chlorinated aromatic miticides, tetradifan, dinitrophenol miticides, binapacryl, adjuvants, surfactants, fertilizers, and any mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         38 . A method for making a coated seed or seedling composition comprising:
 contacting at least one seed or seedling with a coating composition comprising underivatized guar to form a coated seed or seedling, wherein the coated seed or seedling has a coating of the coating composition on all or part of the seed or seedling, and wherein the coated seed or seedling has a shelf-life at room temperature in ambient conditions in an unsealed container without added salts or adjuvants of at least two months.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38  further comprising forming an agglomeration of two or more of the seeds or seedlings by applying an agglomeration agent to the two or more seeds or seedlings. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the agglomeration comprises less than 100 seeds or seedlings. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the agglomeration comprises less than 25 seeds or seedlings. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the agglomeration comprises less than 10 seeds. 
     
     
         43 . A method of extending shelf life of rice, corn, wheat, barley, oats, soybean, sunflower, alfalfa, sorghum, rapeseed, sugar beet, tomato, bean, carrot, tobacco and flower seeds or seedlings to at least two months at room temperature in ambient conditions in an unsealed container without added salts or adjuvants comprising coating the seeds or seedlings with a dry composition comprising underivatized guar.