Dried chlorella based compositions and methods for plants

Abstract

Compositions suitable for application to plants and seeds comprising dried Chlorella cells are disclosed. Methods of preparing and applying compositions of dried Chlorella cells to plants and seeds to enhance at least one characteristic of a plant are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A composition for application to a plant, seedling, seed, or solid growth medium, said composition comprising 0.1-1% solids by weight of dried  Chlorella  cells to enhance at least one plant characteristic,
 wherein the dried  Chlorella  cells are pasteurized and the at least one plant characteristic is seedling size, plant fresh weight, plant dry weight, leaf production, leaf formation, leaf size, leaf area index, root length, or root mass.   
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the  Chlorella  cells are intact cells, lysed cells, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of: non- Chlorella  microalgae cells, microalgae extracts, macroalgae, macroalgae extracts, liquid fertilizers, granular fertilizers, mineral complexes, fungi, bacteria, nematodes, protozoa, digestate solids, ethanolamine, borax, boric acid, humic acid, nitrogen and nitrogen derivatives, phosphorus rock, pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, enzymes, and plant fiber. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the solid growth medium comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of: soil, potting mix, compost, and inert hydroponic material. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the  Chlorella  cells are dried by at least one method selected from the group consisting of: freeze drying, spray drying, drum drying, crossflow air drying, solar drying, thin film convection oven drying, vacuum shelf drying, pulse combustion drying, flash drying, furnace drying, belt conveyor drying, and refractance window drying. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the  Chlorella  cells are cultured in mixotrophic conditions, wherein the mixotrophic conditions comprise culturing  Chlorella  cells in a suitable culture medium for a culture length of 7-14 days, at a temperature between 20 and 30° C., at a pH between 6.5 and 8.5, and a dissolved oxygen concentration between 0.1 and 4 mg/L. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the  Chlorella  cells are cultured in non-axenic mixotrophic conditions and are cultured with acetic acid or acetate as the organic carbon source. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the plant is a member of a plant family selected from: Solanaceae, Fabaceae (Leguminosae), Poaceae, Roasaceae, Vitaceae, Brassicaeae (Cruciferae), Caricaceae, Malvaceae, Sapindaceae, Anacardiaceae, Rutaceae, Moraceae, Convolvulaceae, Lamiaceae, Verbenaceae, Pedaliaceae, Asteraceae (Compositae), Apiaceae (Umbelliferae), Araliaceae, Oleaceae, Ericaceae, Actinidaceae, Cactaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Polygonaceae, Theaceae, Lecythidaceae, Rubiaceae, Paveraceae, Illiciaceae, Grossulariaceae, Myrtaceae, Juglandaceae, Bertulaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Asparagaceae (Liliaceae), Alliaceae (Liliceae), Bromeliaceae, Zingieraceae, Muscaceae, Areaceae, Dioscoreaceae, Myristicaceae, Annonaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Lauraceae, Peperaceae, and Proteaceae. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of: nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, silicon, sulfur, iron, manganese, zinc, copper, boron, molybdenum, chlorine, sodium, aluminum, vanadium, nickel, cerium, dysprosium, erbium, europium, gadolinium, holmium, lanthanum, lutetium, neodymium, praseodymium, promethium, samarium, scandium, terbium, thulium, ytterbium, and yttrium. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the dried  Chlorella  cells comprise 1-8% moisture on a wet basis. 
     
     
         11 . A composition for application to a plant, seedling, seed, or solid growth medium, said composition comprising 1-5% solids by weight of dried  Chlorella  cells, wherein:
 the dried  Chlorella  cells are pasteurized;   the presence of the dried  Chlorella  cells in the composition enhances at least one plant characteristic of the plant compared to a composition lacking the dried  Chlorella  cells; and   the at least one plant characteristic is seedling size, plant fresh weight, plant dry weight, leaf production, leaf formation, leaf size, leaf area index, root length, or root mass.   
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 11 , wherein the composition comprises 3-5% solids by weight of dried  Chlorella  cells. 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 11 , wherein the  Chlorella  cells are intact cells, lysed cells, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 11 , further comprising at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of: non- Chlorella  microalgae cells, microalgae extracts, macroalgae, macroalgae extracts, liquid fertilizers, granular fertilizers, mineral complexes, fungi, bacteria, nematodes, protozoa, digestate solids, ethanolamine, borax, boric acid, humic acid, nitrogen and nitrogen derivatives, phosphorus rock, pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, enzymes, aid plant fiber. 
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 11 , wherein the solid growth medium comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of soil, potting mix, compost, and inert hydroponic material. 
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 11 , wherein the  Chlorella  cells are dried by at least one method selected from the group consisting of: freeze drying, spray drying, drum drying, crossflow air drying, solar drying, thin film convection oven drying, vacuum shelf drying, pulse combustion drying, flash drying, furnace drying, belt conveyor drying, and refractance window drying. 
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 11 , wherein the  Chlorella  cells are cultured in mixotrophic conditions, wherein the mixotrophic conditions comprise culturing  Chlorella  cells in a suitable culture medium for a culture length of 7-14 days, at a temperature between 20 and 30° C., at a pH between 6.5 and 8.5, and a dissolved oxygen concentration between 0.1 and 4 mg/L. 
     
     
         18 . The composition of  claim 11 , wherein the  Chlorella  cells are cultured in non-axenic mixotrophic conditions and are cultured with acetic acid or acetate as the organic carbon source. 
     
     
         19 . The composition of  claim 11 , wherein the plant is a member of a plant family selected from: Solanaceae, Fabaceae (Leguminosae), Poaceae, Roasaceae, Vitaceae, Brassicaeae (Cruciferae), Caricaceae, Malvaceae, Sapindaceae, Anacardiaceae, Rutaceae, Moraceae, Convolvulaceae, Lamiaceae, Verbenaceae, Pedaliaceae, Asteraceae (Compositae), Apiaceae (Umbelliferae), Araliaceae, Oleaceae, Ericaceae, Actinidaceae, Cactaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Polygonaceae, Theaceae, Lecythidaceae, Rubiaceae, Paveraceae, Illiciaceae, Grossulariaceae, Myrtaceae, Juglandaceae, Bertulaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Asparagaceae (Liliaceae), Alliaceae (Liliceae), Bromeliaceae, Zingieraceae, Muscaceae, Areaceae, Dioscoreaceae, Myristicaceae, Annonaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Lauraceae, Peperaceae, and Proteaceae. 
     
     
         20 . The composition of  claim 11 , further comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of: nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, silicon, sulfur, iron, manganese, zinc, copper, boron, molybdenum, chlorine, sodium, aluminum, vanadium, nickel, cerium, dysprosium, erbium, europium, gadolinium, holmium, lanthanum, lutetium, neodymium, praseodymium, promethium, samarium, scandium, terbium, thulium, ytterbium, and yttrium.