SEED COATINGS, COATING COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR USE

1 . A seed coating composition comprising:

at least one seed; and

at least one layer coating all or part of the seed, the layer selected from the group consisting of guar, derivatized guar, cationic hydroxypropyl guar, polyacrylamide, poly(methacrylic acid), poly(acrylic acid), polyacrylate, poly(ethylene glycol), phosphonate-end capped polymers, polyethyleneoxide, poly(vinyl alcohol), polyglycerol, polytetrahydrofuran, polyamide, hydroxypropyl guar, carboxymethyl guar, carboxymethylhydroxypropyl guar, starch, derivatized starch, cationic starch, corn starch, wheat starch, rice starch, potato starch, tapioca, waxy maize, sorghum, waxy sarghum, sago, dextrin, chitin, chitosan, alginate compositions, xanthan gum, carageenan gum, gum karaya, gum arabic, pectin, cellulose, hydroxycellulose, hydroxyalkyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, carboxymethylhydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, a derivative of any of the foregoing and a combination of any of the foregoing.

2 . The seed coating composition of claim 1 further comprising a binder.

3 . The seed coating composition of claim 2 wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of molasses, granulated sugar, alginates, karaya gum, jaguar gum, tragacanth gum, polysaccharide gum, mucilage and any combination thereof.

4 . The seed coating composition of claim 2 wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of gelatin, polyvinyl acetates, polyvinyl acetate copolymers, polyvinyl alcohols, polyvinyl alcohol copolymers, celluloses (including ethylcelluloses and methylcelluloses, hydroxypropylcelluloses, hydroxymethyl celluloses, hydroxymethylpropyl-celluloses), polyvinylpyrolidones, dextrins, malto-dextrins, polysaccharides, fats, oils, proteins, gum arabics, shellacs, vinylidene chloride, vinylidene chloride copolymers, calcium lignosulfonates, acrylic copolymers, starches, derivatized starch, cationic starch, polyvinylacrylates, zeins, carboxymethylcellulose, chitosan, polyethylene oxide, acrylimide polymers and copolymers, polyhydroxyethyl acrylate, methylacrylimide monomers, alginate, ethylcellulose, polychloroprene, syrups and any combination thereof.

5 . The seed coating composition of claim 1 further comprising at least one active ingredient.

6 . The seed coating composition of claim 5 wherein the at least one active ingredient is selected from the group consisting of herbicides, plant growth regulators, crop dessicants, fungicides, bacteriocides, bacteriostats, insecticides, insect repellants, triazine herbicides, sulfonylurea herbicides, uracils, urea herbicides, acetanilide herbicides, organophosphonate herbicides, glyphosate salts, glyphosate esters, nitrilo oxime fungicides, imidazole fungicides, triazole fungicides, sulfenamide fungicides, dithio-carbamate fungicides, chloronated aromatic, dichloro aniline fungicides, carbamate insecticides, organo thiophosphate insecticides; perchlorinated organic insecticides, methoxychlor, miticides, propynyl sulfite, triazapentadiene miticides, chlorinated aromatic miticides, tetradifan, dinitrophenol miticides, binapacryl, adjuvants, surfactants, fertilizers and any mixtures thereof.

7 . The seed coating composition of claim 1 wherein the layer comprises guar or a guar derivative.

8 . The seed coating composition of claim 7 wherein the guar derivative is carboxymethyl guar, hydroxyethyl guar, hydroxypropyl guar, carboxymethylhydroxypropyl guar, cationic guar, cationic hydroxypropyl guar, hydrophobically modified guar, hydrophobically modified carboxymethyl guar, hydrophobically modified hydroxyethyl guar, hydrophobically modified hydroxypropyl guar, cationic hydrophobically modified hydroxypropyl guar, hydrophobically modified carboxymethylhydroxypropyl guar, hydrophobically modified cationic guar, and any combination thereof.

9 . The seed coating composition of claim 1 further comprising at least one filler.

10 . The seed coating composition of claim 9 wherein the at least one filler is selected from the group consisting of wood flours, clays, activated carbon, carbohydrates, sugars, dextrins, maltodextrins, diatomaceous earth, cereal flours, wheat flour, oat flour, barley flour, fine-grain inorganic solids, calcium carbonate, calcium bentonite, kaolin, china clay, talc, perlite, mica, vermiculite, silicas, quartz powder, montmorillonite and mixtures thereof.

11 . The seed coating composition of claim 1 wherein the at least one seed is an agglomeration of two or more seeds

12 . A seed coating composition comprising:

an agglomeration of from between 2 seeds to 100 seeds; and

at least one layer selected from the group consisting of a film-forming layer, a layer of a filler, a layer of a binding agent, a layer of a wetting agent, a layer of an anti-bacteria agent, a layer of an active ingredient and any combination thereof.

13 . The seed coating composition of claim 12 wherein the at least one layer is selected from the group consisting of guar, derivatized guar, polyacrylamide, poly(methacrylic acid), poly(acrylic acid), polyacrylate, poly(ethylene glycol), phosphonate-end capped polymers, polyethyleneoxide, poly(vinyl alcohol), polyglycerol, polytetrahydrofuran, polyamide, cationic hydroxypropyl guar, hydroxypropyl guar, cationic carboxymethyl guar, carboxymethylhydroxypropyl guar, starch, derivatized starch, cationic starch, corn starch, wheat starch, rice starch, potato starch, tapioca, waxy maize, sorghum, waxy sarghum, sago, dextrin, chitin, chitosan, alginate compositions, xanthan gum, carageenan gum, gum karaya, gum arabic, pectin, cellulose, hydroxycellulose, hydroxyalkyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, carboxymethylhydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, a derivative of any of the foregoing and a combination of any of the foregoing.

14 . A method for preparing a seed coating composition comprising the steps of:

providing at least one seed;

providing at least one guar or guar derivative; and

contacting the guar or guar derivative to the seed to coat all or a portion of the seed.

15 . The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of forming an agglomeration of two or more seeds by applying an agglomeration agent to two or more seeds.

16 . The method of claim 15 wherein the agglomeration contains less than 100 seeds.

17 . The method of claim 15 wherein the agglomeration contains less than 25 seeds.

18 . The method of claim 15 wherein the agglomeration contains less than 10 seeds.

19 . A coating composition comprising:

at least one active ingredient selected from the group consisting of herbicides, plant growth regulators, crop dessicants, fungicides, bacteriocides, bacteriostats, insecticides, insect repellants, triazine herbicides, sulfonylurea herbicides, uracils, urea herbicides, acetanilide herbicides, organophosphonate herbicides, glyphosate salts, glyphosate esters, nitrilo oxime fungicides, imidazole fungicides, triazole fungicides, sulfenamide fungicides, dithio-carbamate fungicides, chloronated aromatic, dichloro aniline fungicides, carbamate insecticides, organo thiophosphate insecticides, perchlorinated organic insecticides, methoxychlor, miticides, propynyl sulfite, triazapentadiene miticides, chlorinated aromatic miticides, tetradifan, dinitrophenol miticides, binapacryl, adjuvants, surfactants, fertilizers, and any mixtures thereof; and

at least one layer coating all or part of the active ingredient, the layer selected from the group consisting of guar, derivatized guar, cationic hydroxypropyl guar, polyacrylamide, poly(methacrylic acid), poly(acrylic acid), polyacrylate, poly(ethylene glycol), phosphonate-end capped polymers, polyethyleneoxide, poly(vinyl alcohol), polyglycerol, polytetrahydrofuran, polyamide, hydroxypropyl guar, carboxymethyl guar, carboxymethylhydroxypropyl guar, starch, derivatized starch, cationic starch, corn starch, wheat starch, rice starch, potato starch, tapioca, waxy maize, sorghum, waxy sarghum, sago, dextrin, chitin, chitosan, alginate compositions, xanthan gum, carageenan gum, gum karaya, gum arabic, pectin, cellulose, hydroxycellulose, hydroxyalkyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, carboxymethylhydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, a derivative of any of the foregoing and any combination of the foregoing.