Methods of increasing irrigation water and fertilizer delivery to soil using formic acid and formate salts, making a formate salt from carbon dioxide, and generating a carbon credit

Abstract

A method of increasing delivery of irrigation water and optionally a fertilizer to a predetermined depth in soil containing agricultural crops is disclosed. The method includes introducing formic acid to irrigation water to form a formate-enhanced irrigation water having a formate concentration of from about 10 ppm to about 10,000 ppm, and distributing the formate-enhanced irrigation water to the soil in an amount sufficient to (i) increase a flow rate of the irrigation water through the soil, (ii) reduce a compaction of the soil, and/or (iii) reduce a calcium concentration in the soil. Methods of making a formate salt from carbon dioxide, a hydrogen source and an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, or ammonia source and generating carbon credits are also disclosed.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.