Foam formulations and apparatus for delivery

A method for treating seeds in furrow with a foamed formulation comprising the steps of:

• mixing a liquid agricultural formulation and a compressed gas in a mixing chamber, wherein the liquid agricultural formulation comprises at least one agriculturally active ingredient, one or more foaming agents in a total of about 5% to about 30% by weight, and one or more foam stabilizers in a total of about 1% to about 15% by weight;
• passing the mixture through at least one conduit associated with an outlet to generate a foamed formulation;
• and
• directly applying the foamed formulation to seeds before, during or after planting the seeds in furrow, at a rate of 1 gallon per acre or less of the liquid agricultural formulation.

A crop-protective method for controlling weed growth, pest growth, fungal growth, or providing a beneficial crop treatment, and combinations thereof in a crop growing environment, comprising the steps of:

• a) treating crop seeds before, during or after planting the seeds in a furrow with a foamable liquid agricultural formulation comprising up to about 45% by weight of water, one or more agriculturally active ingredients selected from the group consisting of insecticides, pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, fertilizers, plant growth regulators, plant growth promoters and combinations of two or more thereof;
• one or more foaming agents in a total of about 5% to about 30% by weight, one or more foam stabilizers in a total of about 1% to about 15% by weight, and a gas;
• thereby providing a beneficial agricultural effect to the treated crop seeds;
• and
• b) subsequently treating the growing crop with one or more crop treatments selected from herbicides, pesticides, insecticides, fungicides, fertilizers, plant growth regulators, plant growth promoters and combinations of two or more thereof, as needed depending on the crop treatment required to control unwanted growth of weeds, pests, fungi and combinations thereof without significantly damaging the crop seed or crop plant;
• wherein the volume of the foam generated by the formulation is reduced by 25% after about 45 minutes or greater.

A system for dispensing a liquid agricultural formulation, comprising:

• a foam mixing chamber configured to receive a foamable formulation and a compressed fluid, the foamable formulation including a carrier and a chemical formulation including an agriculturally active ingredient, at least one foaming agent, and at least one foam stabilizer;
• a foaming medium positioned within the foam mixing chamber such that the compressed fluid drives the foamable formulation through the foaming medium to a foam outlet;
• and
• at least one conduit associated with the foam outlet, the conduit configured to deliver foam created in the foam mixing chamber to a delivery nozzle.