A neem based composition for coating nitrogenous fertiliser

Abstract

A neem based composition for coating nitrogenous fertilizer. The composition comprises 2-10 percent by weight neem extract, 10-60 percent by weight neem oil, 10-25 percent by weight binder and 25-50 percent by weight organic solvent. Also a method of making the composition by mixing the ingredients, a method of coating a nitrogenous fertilizer by mixing it with 0.5 to 1.0 percent by weight of the neem based composition and nitrogenous fertilizer coated with 0.5 to 1.0 percent by weight of the neem based composition.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION [0001] This invention relates to a neem based composition for coating nitrogenous fertilizer. [0002] This invention also relates to a method of making the neem based composition, method of coating nitrogenous fertilizer with the composition and nitrogenous fertilizer coated with the composition. PRIOR ART [0003] Urea is the major nitrogenous fertilizer being used on crops worldover. Immediately on application to soil, urea undergoes chemical / biochemical transformations through hydrolysis and nitrification. Hydrolysis takes place in the presence of water and enzyme called urease and results in the breakdown of amide form of nitrogen into ammoniacal nitrogen or ammonium carbonate. The resultant ammoniacal nitrogen undergoes further transformation ie nitrification in the presence of oxygen and soil bacteria (Nitrosomonas sps. and Nitrobacter sps.) to give nitrite and nitrate forms of nitrogen. Hydrolysis and nitrification of urea fertilizer are to a large extent comp...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The invention provides a neem-based composition for coating nitrogenous fertilizer that reduces denitrification and leaching losses, and increases the efficiency of use of the fertilizer by crops and yield of crops. The method involves coating the fertilizer with the neem-based composition and reducing denitrification and leaching losses. The coated fertilizer also increases the efficiency of use by crops and yield of crops. Additionally, the invention provides a method for coating urea or urea prills with the neem-based composition to reduce denitrification and leaching losses, and increase the efficiency of use by crops and yield of crops."

Problems solved by technology

Nitrates are highly water soluble and when formed in large quantities in excess of the limited quantities required by the crops at early stages of their growth due to rapid hydrolysis and nitrification of urea, they are liable to be leached down the soil profile beyond the active root zone of crops.

This reduces use efficiency of urea fertilizer by crops.

This leads to development of nitrogen deficiency and poor crop yields.

Besides the economic losses on account of poor crop yields, losses of fertilizer nitrogen mainly in the form of leaching of nitrates and emission of nitrous oxide, being a green house gas, pose serious environmental hazards.

This is mainly because higher nitrate content in drinking water eventually may lead to blood cancer (Methaemoglobinae mia) in new born babies.