Chemical composition for seed treatment
A liquid composition the treatment of seeds of leguminous crops is disclosed. The liquid composition comprises phosphorus, molybdenum, cobalt and a solvent, wherein cobalt is present as vitamin B12 and the composition has a pH between 6.0 and 7.5, and wherein the composition comprises monoethanolamine. A method of preparing seeds of leguminous crops is also disclosed, comprising the steps of coating the seeds with the liquid composition, coating the seeds with a composition comprising a rhizobia inoculant, and drying the seeds coated with both compositions.
1. A liquid composition comprising a source of molybdenum, a source of phosphorus selected from the group of orthophosphoric acid and polyphosphoric acids, vitamin B12, monoethanolamine and a solvent, wherein the composition has a pH between 6.0 and 7.5, and wherein the composition comprises from 10 to 250 g/L of molybdenum, from 50 to 250 g/L of phosphorus, expressed as P 2 O 5 , and from 1 to 20 weight % of monoethanolamine, and
wherein the monoethanolamine is added to the composition as molecular monoethanolamine.
2. The liquid composition according to claim 1 , wherein the solvent is essentially water.
3. The liquid composition according to claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises sodium molybdate as the source of molybdenum.
4. The liquid composition according to claim 1 , wherein vitamin B12 is present as one or more of cobalamin, cyanocobalamin, hydroxocobalamin, methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin.
5. The liquid composition according to claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises orthophosphoric acid, and wherein the weight ratio of monoethanolamine to orthophosphoric acid ranges from 1:5 to 1:1.
6. Liquid composition according to claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) or any one of its salts.
7. Liquid composition according to claim 1 , wherein the concentration of vitamin B12 ranges from about 125 mg/l to 500 mg/l.
8. Liquid composition according to claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises an anti-freeze agent.
9. Liquid composition according to claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises a biostatic agent.
10. A method of preparing a liquid composition, comprising the steps of
a) providing a source of phosphorus selected from the group of orthophosphoric acid and polyphosphoric acids, a source of molybdenum, a source of vitamin B12, and monoethanolamine;
b) mixing the source of phosphorus, the source of molybdenum, and the source of vitamin B12 with a solvent; and
c) adding an amount of monoethanolamine such that the pH is between 6.0 and 7.5;
wherein the resulting composition comprises from 10 to 250 g/L of molybdenum, from 50 to 250 g/L of phosphorus, expressed as P 2 O 5 , and from 1 to 20 weight % of monoethanolamine, and
wherein the monoethanolamine is added to the composition as molecular monoethanolamine.
11. A method of preparing seeds of leguminous crops comprising the steps of:
a) coating the seeds with the liquid composition as defined in claim 1 ;
b) coating the seeds with a composition comprising a rhizobia inoculant;
c) drying the seeds coated with both compositions.
12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein in step a), the liquid composition is applied to the seeds at a rate from about 0.5 l per tonne to about 5 l per tonne.
13. A method for improving germination of the seeds of leguminous crops, comprising applying a liquid composition as defined in claim 1 to the seeds.
14. The liquid composition according to claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises from about 50 to about 200 g/l of phosphorus, expressed as P 2 O 5 .
15. The liquid composition according to claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises from about 50 to about 200 g/l of molybdenum.
16. The liquid composition according to claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises orthophosphoric acid, and wherein the weight ratio of monoethanolamine to orthophosphoric acid ranges from 1:3 to 1:1.
17. The liquid composition according to claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises tetrasodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate.
18. The liquid composition according to claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises a biostatic agent selected from the group of sodium propionate and lactic acid.