Composition and method for breaking down crop residue and adding nutrients to soil
A composition and method for application on plant stubble and plant residue left on a field after harvest where in the composition comprises an alkyl polyglycoside, a betaine-based surfactant or a high fructose corn syrup as a surfactant in a range of approximately 10 to 45 percent by weight; a buffer in sufficient concentration to effect a pH in a range of approximately 0.01-5.0 percent when the composition is in a solution; a suspending agent in a range of approximately 0.01-5.0 percent by weight; a fulvic acid in a range of approximately 0.5 to 1.5 percent by weight: and a Bacillus bacteria spore blend suitable for breaking down the plant stubble and plant residue left in the field.
1. An aqueous solution for application on plant stubble and plant residue left on a field after harvest, the aqueous solution comprising a first composition and water; wherein:
the first composition comprises:
10 to 45 wt % of a surfactant comprising an alkyl polyglycoside, a betaine-based surfactant, or a high fructose corn syrup based on the total weight of the first composition;
a buffer comprising at least one functional group with a pKa value of −2.5 to 5, and wherein the buffer is present in an amount sufficient to maintain a pH of the aqueous solution from 0 to 5;
0.01 to 5.0 wt % of a suspending agent based on the total weight of the first composition;
a total of 0.5 to 1.5 wt % of fulvic acid and/or potassium fulvate based on the total weight of the first composition;
a Bacillus bacteria spore blend of different species of Bacillus spores suitable for breaking down the plant stubble and plant residue; and
the Bacillus bacteria spore blend comprises spores of Bacillus coagulans, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus pumilis, Bacillus megaterium , and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens each present at at least 3×10 7 CFUs per gram of the first composition.
2. The aqueous solution of claim 1 , wherein the alkyl polyglycoside comprises alkyl polyglucoside.
3. The aqueous solution of claim 2 , wherein the first composition comprises 35 wt % of the alkyl polyglucoside.
4. The aqueous solution of claim 1 , wherein the first composition comprises 10 to 35 wt % of the high fructose corn syrup.
5. The aqueous solution of claim 1 , wherein the buffer comprises is an organic acid buffer comprising citric acid, lactic acid, or formic acid.
6. The aqueous solution of claim 1 , wherein the suspending agent comprises:
an anionic agent comprising xanthan gum, guar gum, acrylate copolymers, alkali swellable emulsion or maleic anhydride decadiene crosspolymer;
a nonionic agent comprising hydrophobically modified polyurethane, hydrophobically modified polyethers, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose, methylcellulose, microfibrillated cellulose, or chemically modified cellulose;
an inorganic suspending agent comprising attapulgite or fumed silica;
a lignin sulfonate;
a naphthalenesulfonate formaldehyde condensate;
a EO-PO-EO block copolymer;
an EO-PO block copolymer;
tristyrylphenol ethoxylate;
a phosphate ester;
a acrylic graft copolymer;
a styrene acrylic copolymer;
or a combination of any two or more thereof.
7. The aqueous solution of claim 1 , wherein the first composition comprises 5.0 wt % of the suspending agent.
8. The aqueous solution of claim 1 , wherein the first composition comprises the potassium fulvate.
9. The aqueous solution of claim 8 , wherein the first composition comprises 1.00 wt % of the potassium fulvate.
10. A method for reducing plant stubble and plant residue left on a field after harvest and increasing nutrients in the soil from the breakdown of the plant stubble and plant residue, the method comprising:
applying an aqueous solution to the plant stubble and plant residue;
wherein:
the aqueous solution comprises a first composition and water;
the first composition comprises:
10 to 45 wt % of a surfactant comprising an alkyl polyglycoside, a betaine-based surfactant, or a high fructose corn syrup based on the total weight of the first composition;
a buffer comprising at least one functional group with a pKa value of −2.5 to 5, and wherein the buffer is present in an amount sufficient to maintain a pH of the aqueous composition from 0.01 to 5.0;
0.01 to 5.0 wt % of a suspending agent based on the total weight of the first composition;
a total of 0.5 to 1.5 wt % of fulvic acid and/or potassium fulvate based on the total weight of the first composition;
a Bacillus bacteria spore blend of different species of Bacillus spores suitable for breaking down the plant stubble and plant residue; and
the Bacillus bacteria spore blend comprises spores of Bacillus coagulans, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus pumilis, Bacillus megaterium , and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens each present at at least 3×10 7 CFUs per gram of the first composition.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the alkyl polyglycoside comprises alkyl polyglucoside.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first composition comprises 35 wt % of the alkyl polyglucoside.
13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first composition comprises 10 to 35 wt % high fructose corn syrup.
14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the buffer comprises an organic acid buffer comprising citric acid, lactic acid, acetic acid, or formic acid.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first composition comprises 5 wt % of the organic acid buffer.
16. The aqueous solution of claim 10 , wherein the suspending agent comprises:
an anionic agent comprising xanthan gum, guar gum, acrylate copolymers, alkali swellable emulsion or maleic anhydride decadiene crosspolymer;
a nonionic agent comprising hydrophobically modified polyurethane, hydrophobically modified polyethers, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose, methylcellulose, microfibrillated cellulose, or chemically modified cellulose;
an inorganic suspending agent comprising attapulgite or fumed silica;
a lignin sulfonate;
a naphthalenesulfonate formaldehyde condensate;
a EO-PO-EO block copolymer;
an EO-PO block copolymer;
tristyrylphenol ethoxylate;
a phosphate ester;
a acrylic graft copolymer;
a styrene acrylic copolymer;
or a combination of any two or more thereof.
17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first composition comprises 5.0 wt % of the suspending agent.
18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first composition comprises the potassium fulvate.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the first composition comprises 1.00 wt % of the potassium fulvate.