Persistent, targeted, optimized, soil amendment composition and method
AssigneeAquasmart Enterprises, LLC
InventorsCalder Hendrickson, Todd Naff
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A material for optimizing and maintaining at least one of water, nutrients, biocides, and other protectant or growth supporting chemicals in natural soils by decreasing leaching, evaporation, and volatility through application of agglomerated granules (prills) formed of engineered hydrating particles, a binder, nutrients, and protectants to the soil. Typical application is by applying prills simultaneously with seeds when drilled, broadcast, or otherwise distributed.
Claims20
A composition combined as a soil amendment for improving plants for crop-growing comprising:
- first particles comprising a constituent containing at least one of nutrients selected to effect desirable growth of the plants corresponding to the crop, protectants selected to reduce effectiveness of pathogens attacking plants, and a water absorbent polymer comminuted to an effective diameter selected to control an application rate thereof;
- a binder coating the first particles to an extent effective to form prills having a prill diameter pre-selected to effectively distribute in soil at the application rate selected;
- the first particles, further sized to provide a ratio of surface area to volume matching the application rate, wherein the application rate is selected to correspond an amount of the constituent required to be effective and a pre-selected cost per unit area of the soil receiving the prills.
A method for amending soils for growing a crop of plants, the method comprising:
- providing first particles comprising at least one of
- a nutrient selected to effect desirable growth of the plants,
- a protectant selected to reduce effectiveness of pathogens attacking the plants, and
- a polymer, water absorbent and comminuted to an effective diameter selected to control a surface-to-volume ratio thereof effective to optimize application to soil at a rate significantly less than conventional applications of the polymer;
- and
- selecting a binder effective for coating the first particles to an extent effective to form prills having a prill diameter pre-selected to effectively distribute in soil.
A composition combined as a soil amendment comprising:
- first particles comprising nutrients selected to effect desirable growth of plants corresponding to a crop;
- second particles comprising protectants selected to reduce effectiveness of pathogens attacking the plant;
- third particles comprising a water absorbent polymer comminuted to an effective diameter less than 400 microns;
- a binder coating the first, second, and third particles to an extent effective to form prills having a prill diameter pre-selected to effectively distribute in soil;
- the third particles, further sized to provide a ratio of surface area to volume matching an application rate per unit area of soil treatment selected to correspond the amount of the first particles, second particles, and third particles, required to be effective and a pre-selected cost per unit area of the soil treatment relying on application of the prills.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.