FERTILIZER COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS
A composition of matter comprising a granular form contacted with a first component comprising an agriculturally acceptable complex mixture of organic material characterized by natural organic matter that is partially humified, where the first component is dispersed on at least a portion of the granular form, or mixed or admixed with the granular form. A method of improving plant health comprises the step of contacting a locus of a sown seed or plant with a granular form, a first component comprising an agriculturally acceptable mixture of partially humified natural organic matter, where, in the contacting step, the first component is initially or subsequently dispersed on at least a portion of granular form, or mixed or admixed with the granular form.
1 . A composition of matter comprising:
a granular form contacted with a first component comprising an agriculturally acceptable complex mixture of organic material characterized by natural organic matter that is partially humified.
2 . The composition of matter of claim 1 , wherein the first component is characterized by two or more of:
a. a mixture of condensed hydrocarbons, lignins, and tannins and/or condensed tannins;
b. an oxygen to carbon ratio for the dissolved organic matter of greater than about 0.5;
c. a total number of tannin compounds greater than about 200, the tannin compounds having a hydrogen to carbon ration of about 0.5 to about 1.4, and an aromaticity index of less than about 0.7 as measured by mass spectroscopy; or
d. a mass distribution of about 55-60% lignin compounds, 27-35% tannin compounds, and about 8-15% condensed hydrocarbon as measured by mass spectroscopy.
3 . The composition of matter of claim 1 , wherein the first component comprises a mixture of condensed hydrocarbons, lignins, and tannins and/or condensed tannins, characterized in that at least 10% of the total % of compounds of the composition are tannins and/or condensed tannins.
4 . The composition of matter of claim 1 , wherein the first component comprises a mixture of condensed hydrocarbons, lignins, and tannins and/or condensed tannins, wherein at least 20% of the total % of compounds of the composition are tannins and/or condensed tannins.
5 . The composition of matter of claim 1 , further comprising a second component, the second component is at least one agriculturally acceptable pesticide, micronutrient, macronutrient, growth regulator, and mixtures thereof.
6 . The composition of matter of claim 5 , wherein the pesticide is at least one herbicide, insecticide, fungicide, bactericide, anti-viral, and combinations thereof.
7 . The composition of matter of claim 1 , wherein the granular form comprises at least one of montmorillonite, attapulgite, aluminosilicate, urea, urea formaldehyde, methylene urea, isobutylene urea, sulfur-coated urea, and polymer-coated urea.
8 . The composition of matter of claim 1 , wherein the granular form is montmorillonite, attapulgite, or aluminosilicate.
9 . The composition of matter of claim 7 , wherein the granular form is polymer coated urea or sulfur-coated urea.
10 . The composition of matter of claim 1 , wherein release of the first component from the granular form is delayed.
11 . A method of improving plant health, the method comprising the step of:
contacting a locus of a sown seed or plant species with a granular form and a first component comprising an agriculturally acceptable mixture of partially humified natural organic matter;
wherein, in the contacting step, the first component is initially or subsequently dispersed on at least a portion of granular form, or mixed or admixed with the granular form.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the first component comprises two or more of:
(a) a mixture of condensed hydrocarbons, lignins, and tannins and/or condensed tannins;
(b) a an oxygen to carbon ratio for the dissolved organic matter of greater than about 0.5;
(c) a total number of tannin compounds greater than about 200, the tannin compounds having a hydrogen to carbon ration of about 0.5 to about 1.4, and an aromaticity index of less than about 0.7 as measured by mass spectroscopy; or
(d) a mass distribution of about 55-60% lignin compounds, 27-35% tannin compounds, and about 8-15% condensed hydrocarbon as measured by mass spectroscopy.
13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the first component comprises a mixture of condensed hydrocarbons, lignins, and tannins and/or condensed tannins, characterized in that at least 10% of the total % of compounds of the composition are tannins and/or condensed tannins.
14 . The method of claim 11 or 12 , wherein the first component comprises a mixture of condensed hydrocarbons, lignins, and tannins and/or condensed tannins, characterized in that at least 20% of the total % of compounds of the composition are tannins and/or condensed tannins.
15 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising contacting the locus with a second component wherein the second component is at least one of agriculturally acceptable pesticides, micronutrients, macronutrients, growth regulators, and mixtures thereof.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the pesticide is a herbicide, insecticide, fungicide, bactericide, anti-viral, or combinations thereof.
17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the granular form is coated with sulfur or a polymer.
18 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the granular form is urea coated with sulfur or a polymer.
19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the polymer or sulfur releasably contains the first component.
20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the granular form comprises the second component.
21 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising enhancing one or more of germination, emergence, root development, and nutrient uptake of the sown seed or plant species is provided compared to the locus of a sown seed or plant species not contacted with the granular form and the first component.
22 . The method of claim 21 , further comprising contacting the locus with a second component wherein the second component is selected from agriculturally acceptable pesticides, micronutrients, macronutrients, growth regulators, and mixtures thereof.
23 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the pesticide is at least one of a herbicide, insecticide, fungicide, bactericide, anti-viral, or combinations thereof.
24 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the granular form comprises a polymer-coated urea or a sulfur-coated urea.
25 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the polymer-coated urea or the sulfur-coated urea releasably contains the first component.
26 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the granular form further comprises the second component.
27 . The method of claim 25 , further comprising enhancing pesticidal activity of the pesticide; improving nutrient uptake of the plant or seed; or enhancing pesticidal activity of the pesticide and improving nutrient uptake of the plant or seed.
28 . A method for providing delayed release nutrition for a plant or seed species, the method comprising
contacting the locus or the foliar surface of a plant or a seed species with a granular form and a first component comprising an agriculturally acceptable mixture of partially humified natural organic matter, wherein, in the contacting step, the first component is initially or subsequently dispersed on at least a portion of granular form, or mixed or admixed with the granular form; and
wherein the release of an effective amount of the first component from the granular form is delayed for a predetermined time after the contacting step.
29 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the first component is characterized by two or more of:
a. a mixture of condensed hydrocarbons, lignins, and tannins and/or condensed tannins;
b. a an oxygen to carbon ratio for the dissolved organic matter of greater than about 0.5;
c. a total number of tannin compounds greater than about 200, the tannin compounds having a hydrogen to carbon ration of about 0.5 to about 1.4, and an aromaticity index of less than about 0.7 as measured by mass spectroscopy; or
d. a mass distribution of about 55-60% lignin compounds, 27-35% tannin compounds, and about 8-15% condensed hydrocarbon as measured by mass spectroscopy.
30 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the first component is characterized by comprising a mixture of condensed hydrocarbons, lignins, and tannins and/or condensed tannins, characterized in that at least 10% of the total % of compounds of the composition are tannins and/or condensed tannins.
31 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the first component is characterized by comprising a mixture of condensed hydrocarbons, lignins, and tannins and/or condensed tannins, characterized in that at least 20% of the total % of compounds of the composition are tannins and/or condensed tannins.
32 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the granular form has an acidic surface chemistry or a basic surface chemistry.
33 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the granular form has an acidic surface chemistry or a basic surface chemistry.
34 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising seed of a non-gramineous crop, a seed of a fruit or vegetable crop, or a genetically modified seed.
35 . The method of claim 28 , further comprising seed of a non-gramineous crop, a seed of a fruit or vegetable crop, or a genetically modified seed.
36 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the yield of a plant sown in predetermined size locus is increased compared to the same plant sown in the same predetermined size locus.
37 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the amount of chlorophyll of a plant species is increased compared to the same plant species not contacted with the first component.
38 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the effect of excess nitrogen on a plant is reduced compared to the same plant not contacted with the first component.