Delivery of Bioactive Molecules in Protective Coatings or Surface Layers of Organically Enhanced Inorganic Fertilizers

Abstract

The invention is directed to fertilizers and manufacturing methods using organically enhanced inorganic fertilizer granules that incorporate a coating of one or more layers containing a bioactive agent in a carrier. The bioactive agent may be an herbicide, pesticide, plant growth regulator, microorganism, or beneficial element. Manufacture of conventional fertilizers involves stresses such as pH, heat, and pressure that are overcome by providing a protective carrier that facilitates and extends functional survival/effectiveness. Many carriers, such as liquefied dried milk, bind actively to the granule surface and contribute to the total carbon base. The release of the bioactive agent from the coating and or the surface of the fertilizer granule preferably results in a two-phased release, a first fast release and a second extended or slow-release into the soil metering the bioavailability of the bioactive agent for crop growth or protection, and/or for controlling unwanted vegetation or pests.

1 . A method of coating fertilizer granules comprising:
 providing fertilizer granules comprised of organic material containing charged organic molecules;   contacting a coating agent with a bioactive agent that possesses functional activity and/or viability forming a carrier;   contacting the fertilizer granules with the carrier, wherein the carrier chemically reacts with the charged organic molecules on the surfaces and/or interior portions of the fertilizer granules forming a coating of the carrier; and   drying the fertilizer granules forming dried and coated fertilizer granules.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the organic material comprises sulfate-based organic material, phosphate-based organic material, sulfate molecules, phosphate molecules, organic molecules, iron molecules, aluminum molecules or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the coating agent comprises a liquefied dry milk. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein coating agent is comprised of one or more of: agar agar, almond flour, amaranth flour, aquafaba, synthetic egg white, buckwheat flour, chickpea flour, cocoa flour, corn starch, cream, dry milk powder, egg white, gelatin, gluten, guan gum, lignosulfonate, liquid glucose, microcrystalline cellulose, nut butter, polyacrylamides, potato starch, povidone, poly vinylacetate, sorgum flour, soy flour, soy powder, spoiled milk, tapioca, teff flour, wheat flour, whey, or xanthum gum. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bioactive agent comprises one or more populations of microorganisms. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more populations of microorganisms beneficiate a target crop by replenishing depleted soil microflora, enhancing transfer of one or more nutrients to the target crop, and/or increasing growth or production of the target crop. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more populations of microorganisms metabolize a toxic chemical or compound, and/or perform soil bioremediation. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bioactive agent comprises an herbicide, a pesticide, a plant growth regulator, an enzyme, a natural product, a microbial agent, and/or a microorganism. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the bioactive agent is anionic, cationic, nonionic and/or lipophilic. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier is contacted with the fertilizer granules at a temperature that supports the functional activity and/or viability of the bioactive agent. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier is contacted to the fertilizer granules at a temperature that does not significantly reduce the functional activity and/or viability of the bioactive agent. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein contacting the fertilizer granules with the carrier is performed at from about 80° F. (27° C.) to about 100° F. (38° C.). 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the coating agent is contacted to the bioactive agent about simultaneously with contacting the fertilizer granules. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bioactive agent binds to the coating agent covalently and/or non-covalently. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bioactive agent binds to the charged organic molecules of the surfaces and/or interior portions of the fertilizer granules covalently and/or non-covalently. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a second coating agent is applied under or over the carrier coating. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the second coating agent comprises an oil-based agent, an alcohol-based agent, a wax, a polymer, a urethane, a polyurethane, crystalline or non-crystalline paraffin, tall oil, a calcium-containing compound, a sulfur-containing compound, a phosphate-containing compound, a silicon-containing compound, a metal-containing compound, ferrous or ferric iron, a salt of boron, magnesium, or manganese, a latex compound, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier coating diffuses within the outer 200 μm of the fertilizer granules. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier coating forms on cores of the fertilizer granules. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein contacting further includes a surfactant that facilitates adherence or spreading of the coating agent, the bioactive agent, and/or the carrier to the fertilizer granule. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier coating comprises from about 5 pounds to about 60 pounds per ton of dried fertilizer granules. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the carrier coating comprises from about 10 to about 40 pounds per ton of dried fertilizer granules. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dried and coated fertilizer granules comprise from about 95% to about 100% solids. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dried and coated fertilizer granules have a two-phase release nutrient profile. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the two-phase release nutrient profile comprises a first release of nutrients within two weeks following application to soil and a second release of nutrients at greater than two weeks following application to soil. 
     
     
         26 . Fertilizer granules comprising organic material that is coated with a carrier comprised of a coating agent and a bioactive agent. 
     
     
         27 . The granules of  claim 26 , wherein the organic material comprises sulfate-based and/or phosphate-based organic material. 
     
     
         28 . The granules of  claim 26 , wherein coating agent is comprised of one or more of: agar agar, almond flour, amaranth flour, aquafaba, synthetic egg white, buckwheat flour, chickpea flour, cocoa flour, corn starch, cream, liquefied or non-liquefied dry milk powder, egg white, gelatin, gluten, guan gum, lignosulfonate, liquid glucose, microcrystalline cellulose, nut butter, polyacrylamides, potato starch, povidone, poly vinylacetate, sorgum flour, soy flour, soy powder, spoiled milk, tapioca, teff flour, wheat flour, whey, or xanthum gum. 
     
     
         29 . The granules of  claim 26 , wherein the bioactive agent comprises one or more populations of microorganisms, an herbicide, a pesticide, a plant growth regulator, an enzyme, a natural product, and a microbial agent. 
     
     
         30 . The granules of  claim 26 , further comprising an amide-linked hydrocarbon compound or a paraffin wax. 
     
     
         31 . The granules of  claim 26 , wherein the bioactive agent permeates the outer 200 μm of the fertilizer granules. 
     
     
         32 . The granules of  claims 26 , wherein the coating agent and/or the bioactive agent is anionic, cationic, nonionic and/or lipophilic. 
     
     
         33 . Fertilizer granules comprising organic material that is coated with a carrier comprised of a coating agent and a bioactive agent, wherein the coating agent comprises a liquefied dry milk and the bioactive agent comprises a population of microorganisms. 
     
     
         34 . The granules of  claim 33 , wherein the organic material comprises biosolids. 
     
     
         35 . The granules of  claim 33 , wherein the population of microorganisms comprises a suspension of a species of  Pseudomonas, Nocardia, Mycobacterium, Aerobacter, Bacillus, Sacharomyces, Bacterium, Arthrobacter, Rhodococcus, Acinetobacter, Clostridium, Azotobacter, Fusarium, Flavobacterium, Corynebacterium, Achromobacter, Rhodotorula, Penicillium, Phycomyces, Aspergillus, Streptomyces griseus , genetically engineered microorganisms, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         36 . The granules of  claim 33 , which comprise from about 95% to about 100% solids. 
     
     
         37 . The granules of  claim 33 , wherein the coating agent and/or the bioactive agent chemically reacts with charged molecules on the surfaces and/or interior portions of the organic material.