Encapsulation for microbial seed treatment stabilization
AssigneeBattelle Memorial Institute
InventorsAnthony D. Duong, Ramanathan S. Lalgudi, Jane P. Fife, Craig M. Bartling, Katarzyna Kucharzyk
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Abstract
An agricultural composition comprises living microorganisms encapsulated in polymer gel microbeads which are applied onto seeds. In another embodiment, an agricultural composition comprises living microorganisms encapsulated in polymer gel macroheads for planting with seeds in soil. In another embodiment, an agricultural composition comprises living microorganisms immobilized in a polymer gel matrix that is coated on a seed.
Claims18
An agricultural seed composition comprising living microorganisms encapsulated in spherical alginate microbeads with diameters of less than 100 μm which are applied onto seeds;
- wherein the spherical alginate microbeads have been crosslinked with calcium ions at the interface of the microbeads in an emulsion comprising the alginate microbeads in water dispersed in a continuous oil phase;
- and wherein the living microorganisms comprise (1) Bradyrhizobium japonicum, Pseudomonas fluorescens or Penicillium bilaiae in the unencapsulated form, loses 8% or more of its activity at times between 2 and 8 weeks at ambient conditions when deposited on the seeds;
- and wherein the encapsulated Bradyrhizobium japonicum Pseudomonas fluorescens or Penicillium bilaiae is stable as measured by less than one order of magnitude change in viability for at least 8 weeks.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.