Title of Invention

'PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF WATER SOLUBLE BALANCED NUTRIENT PRODUCT FOR PLANTS"

Abstract

A process for the preparation of Water soluble balanced nutrient Food Product for plants wherein the Food Product contains primary nutrients Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K) in the nutrient ratio of 1-2-1, which process comprises the following steps : (i) Dissolving spray grade urea in pillor crystalline form containing a maximum of 0.3% biuret in commercial grade phosphoric acid of acid strength 85% (containing 62% P2 O5-), heating the mixture up to 80'' C while stirring, tne resulting clear solution is cooled to 406 C. (ii) Adding to the clear solution potassium chloride salt, stirring the mixture to have thorough mixing with urea-phosphorus acid solution and to individualize the salt particles. (iii) Cooling the mixture to about 20 C, adding laboratory grade micronutrients containg compounds namely Boron, Copper, Iron, Manganese, Molybdate and Zinc and Diatomite powder, an inert material in amount to give 2% of final product weight. (iv) The resulting mixture is set to cool until the viscosity thereof is such that settling out of undissolved solids is minimal and the mixture turns into a solid mass, completely soluble in water, being the desired water soluble balanced nutrient plant Food Product which has in 0.1% aqueous solution a pH of 6.8 and electrical conductivity of 0.875 dSm"' . Optionally in the step (ii), in addition to potassium chloride, laboratory grade ammonium sulphate is added to urea-phosphoric acid solution.

Full Text

The present invention relates to a Water soluble balanced nutrient Food Product for plants and a process for the preparation thereof. The invented product is a complete plant food hereinafter referred to as 'PLANT-FD' in which the essential macro-micro elements come together in forms and quantities beneficial to a variety of food crops, ornamentals and flowering annuals in many conditions. Solubility in water tends to serve: the pressing needs of injecting it direct to drip system every time we irrigate or even on ppm basis. Foliar applications for instance in the wheat crop, when differentiation of spikelets takes place, would help expression of potential head size. Application when the grain filling commences will improve the flag leaf life important to pre-and post-anthesis photosynthesis. The assimilates so available will relocate to grains and prevent the number of grains per ear and individual grain weight to compensate for each other. This is significant in improving the total grain number per unit area —a potential means to reach the anticipated 10tons per hectare from a wheat genotype bioengineered in the 21st century, and to tap the untapped production reservoir available between potential and actual yields. Readily absorbable both by the leaves and the roots, instant continuing responses reflected in better root strength, large leaf area, high chlorophyll content, prolific flowering and grain/fruit, number and sizes culminate into unbelievable pjjsh in the yield curve up from 28 to 130 (464%), 50 to 111 (222%), 11 to 24 (218%), 4 to 11 (275%), and 1.3 to 7.7 (592%) metric tons per hectare of watermelon, tomatoes, lady's finger, winter maize and pomegranate respectively. Recuperative to soils not now in good health on account of heavy cropping and widespread use singly or in combination of N P K ever since the inception of green revolution, the product closest to the science and technology is available at a time when 'Grain care' and 'Land care' movements are to be launched throughout India. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION One billion people of the world's six billion live in India alone. If our population explosion is not halted, our number may soon exceed that of China. Food for such a population growth requires an increase in the production from 200 million tons in 2000 to about 300 million tons by the year 2020 - a factor of 150%. India has 2.4% of global land and 1% of global water resources. There is increasing evidence of decline in the growth rate of agricultural productivity and production in the 1990s. Green revolution fatigue, soil depletions, heavy cropping, and chronic use of N P K, either singly or in combination, together have largely contributed to this decrease in agricultural productivity. The stipulated rise in the food grain production needs vertical increase in yield that we cannot achieve from the use of plant varieties and agrochemicals of the green revolutioa Plant breeders therefore are to develop a genotype for instance of the wheat crop, a mainstay for food, to produce the top profitable yield at least of 10 tons per hectare. See Figure 1 that shows support of hi-tech nutrient management at the physiological optimum of relevance in "Green Revolution" areas, where a vast untapped production reservoir is available for use. It would therefore fulfill the pressing human needs as to more food (grain care), besides recovering the heavily depleted soils hungry in micronutrients (land care). INSURE AGAINST HIDDEN HUNGER (DiagramRemoved) - A blueprint to reach 10 tons per hectare required an 18000 grains per m2 and Harvest Index (HI) of 0.55 under Douch growing conditions. Since the number of grains per spike and grain size compensate for each other, 0.55 HI in the wheat crop is unachievable -a value higher than 0.43 reported in the 1920s has never been obtained. What is left to improve is the grain number per unit area. Differentiation of spikelets establishes potential head size. Pre-and post-anthesis photosynthesis keeps assimilates available for relocation to grains. Applications of PLANT-FD to wheat crop 20 to 25 days after planting when differentiation of spikelets takes place will help the expression of potential head size. Foliar applications at the grain filling stage to improve flag leaf life important to pre-and post-anthesis photosynthesis would keep assimilates available for relocation to grains. Potential head size and post-anthesis relocation of assimilates to grain resulting in normal grains nearly in all spikelets on a spike will together help increase the number of grain A balanced nutrient ration for plants is one in which all essential elements are in forms readily available to plants and in concentrations optimum for growth. Of 13 nutrient elements listed essential that plants obtain from the soil, calcium and magnesium are applied as lime in acid soils, rarely found in India. Sulphur is present in some commercial fertilizers. Very few chlorine deficiency symptoms have actually been observed/ conventionally. This leaves three fertilizer elements, N P K, and six micronutrients namely boron, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum and zinc that need to be managed. Their use tends to support and supplement one another, bringing about the economy and effectiveness of fertilizers, and producing a large normal crop growth. Invented product is a unique multi-nutrient plant food containing chemicals and their compositions. It is concentrated to have the advantage of holding afore-mentioned plant food ingredients in small amount with a view to minimize labour, transportation, and storage costs. The approach to integrate small amounts of micronutrients to N P K intended for general use is practical in view of evidences on record. Micronutrient needs on each field are impossible to determine. Absence of deficiency symptoms does not preclude hidden hunger. The soil applications of some micronutrient salts are economically impractical. Inorganic ionic forms of metal elements (Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn) undergo chemical tie-up in the soil or fertilizer tank attached to drip system or sprinkler main, Fe2+ + 2 OH" = Fe(OH)2 (Soluble) . (Insoluble) Mn2 + 2 OH = Mn(OH)2 (Soluble) (Insoluble) Water soluble chelates of metallic elements included in this PLANT-FD will never ionize to any degree. The chelates retain the metallic cations in a water soluble form permitting their absorption by plants yet preventing their chemical tie-up in the soil and fertilizer tank. They are also required in small quantities to correct deficiency symptoms The PLANT-FD made in accordance with the invention is non-hygroscopic i.e. will not absorb much water from the atmosphere. It contains urea phosphate-a feature not present in any of the plant nutrients mixtures currently on the market. A PRESSING NEED On arid and semiarid lands, drip irrigation is by far the best technological advancement for making the most of precious water. Irrigation water is distributed to plants through a network of driplines with emitters. The orifice of the emitters may be very small, e.g. lOO.mu.m Water filters of screen sizes typically 100-150 mu.m is provided in a system. In spite of the small orifice, partially water soluble phosphate and potassium fertilizers, or even fertilizer suspensions of particle sizes 150-1000 mu.m clog the emitters, whereupon the plant will receive neither water nor fertilizer. In a drip system, irrigation water drips directly to the root system of the plant. Injection of invented plant food suitable in smaller, more frequent applications, or even on ppm basis will contain plant nutrients in the potential root zone. Faster uptake of nutrients therefrom will take place in mass flow (ions from dilute external solution entering the roots and carried upward under considerable ion concentration gradient in the transpiration stream) and by root interception. There is acceleration consequent to high root length density and over 90% of the total root mass is present in the plant food confinement zone (Fig.2). The distance nutrients traverse before entering into the root system will also reduce. (DiagramRemoved) Fig-2: Root weight density (g x 10'5 cm ~3) of winter maize, 1996-97 The applied P in all likelihood will remain readily available to plants on account of minimum applied P-soil contact, large total surface of phosphate ion, large P-root hair contact and only 25% wet surface area found, to come into contact with P. Cobs in maize mature on green leaves. The meshy young roots exerting heavy nutrient uptake thrust will help set conditions favourable for uptake of phosphate ion before the soil fixes it. A frequent light application too is advantageous in respect of potassium, considering the luxury consumption of (wasteful removal above the level needed for optimum yields) by crops and the fact that excess potassium is subject to fixation. The present invention provides a Water soluble balanced nutrient Food Product for plants wherein the Food Product contains primary nutrients total Nitrogen (N), available Phosphorous (P205) and water-soluble Potassium (K20) in the nutrient ratio of 1-2-1, which process comprises the following steps: (i) Dissolving 282 kg spray grade Urea in pill or crystalline form containing a maximum of 0.3% biuret in 451 kg commercial grade phosphoric acid of acid strength 85% (containing 62% P2O5), heating the mixture up to 80°C while stirring, the resulting clear solution is cooled to 40°C. (ii) Adding to the clear solution 220 kg of potassium chloride salt, stirring the mixture to have thorough mixing with Urea-phosphoric acid solution and to avoid clustering of the salt particles. (iii) Cooling the mixture to about 20°C, adding micronutrients namely Boron, Copper, Iron, Manganese, Molybdate and Zinc containing laboratory grade compounds, as herein described and Diatmite powder, in amount to give 2% of final product weight. (iv) The resulting mixture is set to cool until the viscosity thereof is such that settling out of uh-dissolved solids is minimal and the mixture turn's to a solid mass, completely soluble in water, being the desired Water-soluble balanced nutrient plant Food Product, 0.1% aqueous solution of which has a pH of 6.8 and electrical conductivity of 0.875 dSm"1 All percentages stated in this complete specification are percentages by weight According to an embodiment of the present invention in the step (ii) of the process, in addition to potassium, laboratory grade ammonium sulphate is added to the urea-phosphoric acid solution. The final product obtained is non-hygroscopic. When ammonium sulphate is not used, the final product obtained is hygroscopic and is required to be packed immediately before it absorbs moisture from the air. The micronutrients i.e. non-primary nutrients which are used in the process according to the present invention are Boron(B), Copper (Cu), Iron(Fe), Manganese(Mn), Molybdate(Mo) and Zinc(Zn). Sources of micronutrients are B from boric acid, Mo from ammonium molybdate and bivalent metallic cations in the form of chelates. Such cations and their sources are Cu2+ from copper ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), Fe2+ from iron EDTA, Mn2+ from manganese EDTA and Zn2+ from zinc EDTA. The final Food Product contains in addition Chlorine (Cl) from potassium chloride and Sulphur (S) from ammonium sulphate used to supply primary nutrients potassium and a part of total nitrogen. Preferably the Water soluble balanced nutrient Food Product for plants prepared according to the present invention contains 14 % total Nitrogen, 28 % available phosphorous pentoxide, 14% water soluble potassium oxide, 0.02% Boron, 0.20% Copper, 0.30% Iron, 0.10% Manganese, 0.0005% Molybdenum and 0.50% Zinc. The Food Product prepared according to the present invention is suitable for fertigation through drip irrigation, sprinkler irrigation in open fields and microsprinklers in green houses. Suitable additionally to feed nursery plants, ornamentals, flowering annuals and indoor plants. In addition to 14% by weight of nitrogen, 28% by weight of phosphorus, 14% by weight of potassium, the invented Food Product contains micronutrients within the range from 0.0005% to 0.50% by weight of the total mass of the Food Product. In accordance with the invention the plant-nutrient containing substance in the composition is based on at least one of the cations NH/, K+ or on at least one of the anions H2PO4", C1 andSO42~. According to the invention, one or more plant-nutrient containing raw materials used are spray grade urea, phosphoric acid, ammonium sulphate and potassium chloride. A balanced nutrient Food Product for plants according to the invention additionally contains micronutrients containing substances like boric acid, ammonium molybdate and metallic cations Cu2+, Fe2+, Mn2+, and Zn2+ in the form of chelates-readily available to plants and economical to correct deficiency symptoms. The plant Food Product in accordance with_tbe,,invention contains plant-nutrient, containing substance that do not chemically react with each other ..Urea is not free to dissociate. "Potassium chloride is stable. EDTA-complexes (chelates) with divalent metal" ions are also stable in basic or slightly acidic reaction. Substances in the end product rather interact in such a manner as their coordinated actions produces unexpected and amazing responses in the economically significant food crops, ornamentals and flowering annuals. Plant Food Product prepared is used in foliar applications and/or in water irrigation systems (drip and sprinkler) is typically diluted to a concentration of 0.1% (1000 ppm) to 0.2% (2000 ppm) in sprays on the leaves). A 0.1% solution has a pH of 6.8 and electrical conductivity (EC) of 0.875 dSm"1 ' similar to pH (7.0) and EC ( The invented Food Product ensures vertical increase in productivity important to reach 300 million tons of foods India would need to feed her growing population by the year 2020. Hi-tech nutrient management if offers would also help tap the untapped production reservoir 'now' available between potential and actual yields. The present invention further relates to productivity and production improvement over 31.9 million hectares of dry areas by a switch over to modern drip irrigation to which this 'complete' plant food is well adapted. The modern irrigation system basically designed to provide a dripline near each row and an emitter near each plant irrigates each plant close to its roots. Injected to irrigation water either on ppm basis or when we irrigate the crop plant remains in the potential root zone, safe from volatilization and leaching loses. Better root-water-nutrient interaction as a result of a high root length density favours faster uptake of nutrients inclusive of reversion-prone P and K. Large utilization efficiencies (yield with, minus yield without a nutrient divided by amount applied) at 77, 58 and 34 kg of grain per unit of pkn in the plant food applied to winter maize support this fact. This and many morphological and physiological effects help moving the yield curve of the fruit, grain and vegetable crops up to the levels achieved never before. Invented Food Product is eco-friendly which is evident from a wonderland garden its use brings about. The water soluble balanced nutrient product for plants prepared according to the present invention is not a mere admixture but due to synergestic effect has properties different from the sum total of the properties of its ingredients. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention is described below in greater details with the help of accompanying examples. The percentages given in the examples are percentages by weight. EXAMPLE 1 Basing on extensive field and pot-culture studies, a chemical combination of primary nutrients in terms of total N-available P2O5 - water soluble K2O in grade 14-28-14 was prepared from one or more plant-nutrient containing substances. Those are spray grade urea, phosphoric acid, ammonium sulphate, and potassium chloride. The relative percentages of N, P2O5 K2O are in ratio of 1-2-1. The N to P2O5 ratio closely similar to that commonly used diammonium phosphate (DAP). Manufacture the product in these steps. Dissolve-282kg urea in 451 kg phosphoric acid (containing 62% P2O5) while heating and stirring Ureabegins to dissolve as the temperature reaches 70° C, and is completely dissolved as the temperature rises to 80° C. The urea-phosphoric acid solution is then cooled to 40° C while stirring during the cooling process. Add mixture of 220kg potassium chloride and 47 kg ammonium sulphate to the adduct solution and stir to ensure thorough mixing. There after, add the mixture of micronutrients salts consisting of 1.2 kg boric acid, 9 g ammonium molybdate, 26.7 kg copper chelate, 25.0 kg iron chelate, 8.3 kg manganese chelate, and 41.7 kg zinc chelate as soon as the above mixture is cooled to 20° C. Diatomite is added to the mixture as anticaking agent. Agitate during the cooling step to ensure thorough mixing of all these materials. Cool until the mixture becomes viscus (so as to avoid settling out of undissolved solids), and forms a solid completely soluble in water. Int he N P K mix intended for general, micronutrients are within the range from 0.0005% to 0.5%One gets chlorine from potassium chloride and sulphar from ammonium sulphanteThus one gets a water soluble balanced nutrient ration suited to a wide range of plant needs and soil conditions. It is an all-purpose product. Feasible applications involve all economically significant food crops, garden-home garden flowering annuals, evergreens and ornamentals, house plants, hedges, edges, potted plants, and creepers. The said product can be applied to the plant canopy or into the root system direct through the drip irrigation. EXAMPLE 2 The plant food prepared in Example 1 was used as a drip irrigation fertilizer in the production system of economically significant fruit, vegetable, and grain crops. The results are summarized in Tables 1 to 5. As the data reveal injection of plant food to irrigation water in a drip system in the watermelon, tomatoes, lady's finger, winter maize, and pomegranate crops resulted in production levels of 130, 111, 24, 11, and 7.7 metric tons per hectare respectively. Such yield levels have never been obtained before. A better root growth, large leaf area, high chlorophyll content, prolific grain/fruit set without decrease in individual weights, and high nutrient utilization efficiencies were some other dramatic effects. EXAMPLE 3 Plant food use in a manner similar to that in Example 2, improved the yield and grain quality of winter maize simultaneously. High grain protein, iron, and carbohydrates (see Table 6)-important for growth especially of children - along with a high calcium and magnesium vital for bone and dental health, are indices to superior produce quality. EXAMPLE 4 The plant food prepared in Example 1 was applied using a watering can to the plant canopies of roses and of flowering annuals namely candytuft, phlox, marigold, and chrysanthemum. Prolific flowering, unimaginably large flower, superior flower quality of consumers' appeal, bloom on a rose in shade that bloomed never till end of April in conventional management. Besides plant resistance to powdery mildew are outstanding features of PLANT-FD nourished roses. A single candytuft seedling could spread and blossom so much is simply amazing. Prolific bloom on chrysanthemum and phlox, and resistance in phlox to leaf miner that PLANT-FD nourishment brought about are noteworthy (See Table 7 ). Eleven-centimeter floral diameter of marigold and 15 cm mat of rose offers premium grade flowers for sale and/or for export to neighbouring countries of booming oil economy. The product therefore has tremendous potential in the commercial flowers industry. The Present invention is further illustrated by the Data given in the following Tables. A. TABLES 1. Orchard (i) Pomegranate Table 1 : Flower (Apr to Oct' 98) and fruit number per plant, individual weight, and total yield in prebearing age of Nov. 1997 planted pomegranate. (Table Removed) 2. Vegetables (i) Lady's Finger Table 2 : Fruit number per plant, fruit wt. (g), and yield (ton per ha) of lady's finger Navbharat 11. Planted mid-March 1998 and 10 Feb. 1999. Pesticide never used. (Table Removed) *Yield reported. ICAR Hand Book of Agriculture 1997, pp. 1102-1103 (ii) Tomatoes Table 3 : Fruit number per plant, av. fruit wt. (g), and yield (ton per ha) from 10th December 1997 planted Indo-American Fi-hybrid tomato "Rashmi". (Table Removed) 3. Trailing Fruit Crop (i) Watermelon Table 4 : Yield of watermelons vr. Sugar Baby, 1998 (Table Removed) 4. Field Crops (i) Winter maize (post-monsoon-prefrost period) responsive to water-nutrients High yield forthcoming from rise in sink capacity- length, diameter and weight of cob, and shelling percentage, grain number and grain weight (Table 5). (Table Removed) Table 6 : PLANT-FD-Induced Quality Upgrade in Winter maize,variety Ganga 5. (Table Removed) 5. Home garden (i) PLANT-FD and Roses Table 7 : Number of blooms, flower no. per bush, inches floral diameter, 1997-98 (Table Removed) *Mostly in shade. No bloom till end of April in conventional management Floral diameters of medium to large flowers of a variety of cultivars vary from 5 cm to 11 cm (Randhawa and Mukhopadhyay, 1986). Our smallest flower is equal to the largest one reported, whilst the largest one is of 15 cm diameter demonstrating commercial importance. I CLAIM: 1. A process for the preparation of Water-soluble balanced nutrient Food Product for plants wherein the Food Product contains primary nutrients total Nitrogen (N), available Phosphorous (P205) and water-soluble Potassium (K20) in the nutrient ratio of 1-2-1, which process comprises the following steps: (i) Dissolving 282 kg spray grade Urea in pill or crystalline form containing a maximum of 0.3% biuret in 451 kg commercial grade phosphoric acid of acid strength 85% (containing 62% P2O5), heating the mixture up to 80°C while stirring, the resulting clear solution is cooled to 40°C. (ii) Adding to the clear solution 220 kg of potassium chloride salt, stirring the mixture to have thorough mixing with Urea-phosphoric acid solution and to avoid clustering of the salt particles. (iii) Cooling the mixture to about 20°C, adding micronutrients namely Boron, Copper, Iron, Manganese, Molybdate and Zinc containing laboratory grade compounds, as herein described and Diatmite powder, in amount to give 2% of final product weight. (iv) The resulting mixture is set to cool until the viscosity thereof is such that settling out of uh-dissolved solids is minimal and the mixture turn's to a solid mass, completely soluble in water, being the desired Water-soluble balanced nutrient plant Food Product, 0.1% aqueous solution of which has a pH of 6.8 and electrical conductivity of 0.875 dSm"1. 2. The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein in the step (ii), in addition to potassium chloride, 47 kg laboratory grade ammonium sulpahte is added to the urea-phosphoric acid solution. 3. The process as claimed in claims 1 and 2 wherein the final product contains in addition to primary nutrients 0.02 % Boron, 0.20 % Copper, 0.30% Iron, 0.10 % Manganese. 0.0005 % Molybdenum and 0.50 % Zinc 4. The process for the preparation of water-soluble balanced nutrient Food Product for plants substantially as herein described and illustrated in the Examples herein.

Documents:

448-del-2001-abstract.pdf

448-del-2001-claims.pdf

448-del-2001-correspondence-others.pdf

448-del-2001-correspondence-po.pdf

448-del-2001-description (complete).pdf

448-del-2001-form-1.pdf

448-del-2001-form-18.pdf

448-del-2001-form-2.pdf

448-del-2001-pa.pdf