Compositions for enhanced photosynthesis

Abstract

Disclosed is a fertilizer composition containing dolomite and either or both of fulvic acid and / or a combination of polyhalite and calcium carbonate. Methods for improving the biomass yield of a plant by using the fertilizer composition are also disclosed.

Description

DESCRIPTIONCOMPOSITIONS FOR ENHANCED PHOTOSYNTHESISCROSS-REFERENCED TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to and the benefit of European Application No. 24173663.6, filed May 1, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated into the present application by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONI. Field of the Disclosure

[0002] This disclosure generally concerns fertilizer compositions containing a photosynthesis booster. In particular embodiments, the disclosure concerns fertilizers containing dolomite and one or both of fulvic acid and / or a combination of polyhalite and calcium carbonate.II. Background

[0003] Soil nutrients, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and sulfur, as well as trace elements such as iron, zinc, copper, calcium, and magnesium, are useful for achieving thriving agriculture and increasing the growth of plants. Upon repeated planting cycles, the quantity of these nutrients in the soil may be depleted, resulting in inhibited plant growth and decreased production. To counter this effect, fertilizers have been developed to help replace the depleted vital nutrients. Single-nutrient fertilizers and multi-nutrient fertilizers, such as fertilizer blends, have been developed to meet the varied needs of crop production worldwide.

[0004] The world population is expected to grow to 9 billion by 2050, food production needs to be increased using a limited amount of arable land to meet the food demand. As a result, scientists are in a race against time to engineer crops with higher yields. Photosynthesis is the process by which plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide (CO2) to create oxygen and energy in the form of sugar. The improvement of photosynthetic efficiency appears to offer a major opportunity for achieving the sustainable yield increase required to meet future food demand.

[0005] The development of more efficient photosynthesis next to viable and climate- resilient cropping systems may improve both yields and crop nutritional value. Photosynthesis can be enhanced, for example, by increasing the concentration of CO2 within the plant or increasing the chlorophyll content. Enhancing photosynthesis can then in turn stimulate plantgrowth, increase biomass, and increase yield. More efficient photosynthesis also helps reduce the time required for crops to mature and reach maturity.

[0006] CO2 supplementation to plants can promote plant growth by providing the source of carbon for photosynthesis. Elevated CO2 levels in plants can enable more efficient photosynthesis. This increase in CO2 may also increase carboxylation yield and stomatai and mesophyll conductance. Ways to increase CO2 levels include pumping CO2 gas into greenhouses. Research has found that increase ambient CO2 level from 400 to 1000 ppm can increase photosynthesis by about 20-50% over ambient CO2 levels. Results of the study showed that in greenhouse grown vegetables crops at 1000 ppm CO2 at low light levels also increased fruit size, increased yield, and provided earlier maturity and reduced cropping time. However, the exact concentration of beneficial CO2 supplementation depends on the crop type, light intensity, temperature, stages of crop growth, and economics of the crop. 800-1,300 ppm CO2 is a generally ideal saturation point for supplementation. Excess CO2 concentration can cause the closure of stomata on the leaves, which can reduce the transpiration losses, in turn reducing the water stress in plants. Further, CO2 supplementation can require specialized equipment, cause the release of CO2 gas into the atmosphere, and can increase costs substantially.

[0007] More efficient, less expensive, and less environmentally impacting methods are needed to increase photosynthesis, plant growth, biomass, and yield and reduce the time required for crops to mature.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] A solution to at least some of the problems discussed above is disclosed herein, including improvement of the crop biomass by enhancing both CO2 levels as well as chlorophyll content of the plant. In some aspects, the solution includes generating a fertilizer composition by combining carbonate mineral ores, such as calcite or dolomite with fulvic acid and / or polyhalite. In some aspects, the component(s) build up in the soil as a reservoir of nutrients for release over time. In one aspect, a fertilizer composition may include i) dolomite; and ii) fulvic acid and / or a combination of polyhalite and calcium carbonate. In some aspects, the fertilizer composition may have fulvic acid, polyhalite, and / or calcium carbonate at least partially surround the dolomite. In some instances, the dolomite at least partially surrounds the fulvic acid, polyhalite, and / or calcium carbonate.

[0009] In some aspects, the fertilizer composition may further include a carrier, a stabilizer, and / or a dispersant. In some aspects, the carrier may include polysaccharide.

[0010] In some aspects, the fertilizer composition may contain 15 to 60 wt.% carbonate (CO3), 9 to 25 wt.% calcium (Ca), 1 to 10 wt.% magnesium (Mg), and 0.5 to 5 wt.% potassium (K). In certain aspects, the fertilizer composition may contain at least any one of, at most any one of, equal to any one of, or between any two of 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, or 60 wt.% carbonate (CO3). In certain aspects, the fertilizer composition may contain at least any one of, at most any one of, equal to any one of, or between any two of 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, or 25 wt.% calcium (Ca). In certain aspects, the fertilizer composition may contain at least any one of, at most any one of, equal to any one of, or between any two of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 wt.% magnesium (Mg). In certain aspects, the fertilizer composition may contain at least any one of, at most any one of, equal to any one of, or between any two of 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5, or 5 wt.% potassium (K). In certain aspects, the fertilizer composition may contain 20 wt.% to 70 wt.% or at least any one of, at most any one of, equal to any one of, or between any two of 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69 or 70 wt.% of dolomite.

[0011] In certain aspects, the composition may contain calcium carbonate at a weight ratio of 1: 10 to 3:2 calcium carbonate to dolomite. In certain aspects, the composition may contain polyhalite at a weight ratio of 1:5 to 2: 1 polyhalite to dolomite. In certain aspects, the composition may contain fulvic acid at a weight ratio of 1: 10,000 to 1:400 fulvic acid to dolomite. In certain aspects, the composition may contain calcium carbonate at a weight ratio of 1: 10 to 3:2, such as 1:10, 1:9, 1:8, 1:7, 1:6, 1:5, 1:4, 1:3, 1:2, 1: 1, or 3:2 calcium carbonate to dolomite. In certain aspects, the composition may contain polyhalite at a weight ratio of 1:5 to 2: 1, such as 1:5, 1:4, 1:3, 1:2, 1: 1, 3:2, or 2: 1 polyhalite to dolomite. In certain aspects, the composition may contain fulvic acid at a weight ratio of 1: 10,000 to 1:400, such as 1: 10,000, 1:9,500, 1:9,000, 1:8,500, 1:8,000, 1:7,500, 1:7,000, 1:6,500, 1:6,000, 1:5,500, 1:5,000, 1:4,500, or 1:4,000, 1:3,500, 1:3,000, 1:2,500, 1:2,000, 1: 1,500, 1: 1,000, 1:900, 1:800, 1:700, 1:600, 1:500, or 1:400 fulvic acid to dolomite.

[0012] In some aspects, the fertilizer composition may be homogenous. In some aspects, the fertilizer composition may comprise amorphous phases of fertilizer components. In some aspects, the fertilizer composition is a liquid. In some aspects, the fertilizer has a core and shell structure or a multiple core and shell structure.

[0013] In some aspects, the fertilizer composition may be a liquid. In some instances, the liquid fertilizer comprises 10 to 95 wt. % water, such as 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19,20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44,45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69,70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, or 95 wt. % water.

[0014] Certain aspects are directed to a method for improving the biomass yield of a plant, the method comprising applying the composition of any one of described fertilizer compositions herein to a soil wherein the plant is growing, to the plant, to a plant seed, to water for the plant, and / or to a fertilizer for the plant. In some aspects, the method improves photosynthesis by increasing the CO2 levels and / or enhancing the chlorophyll content of a plant. In some aspects, the composition is a liquid and the liquid composition is applied by spraying the composition.

[0015] Also disclosed are the following aspects 1 to 20 of the present invention.

[0016] Aspect 1 is a fertilizer composition comprising: i) dolomite; and ii) fulvic acid and / or a combination of polyhalite and calcium carbonate.

[0017] Aspect 2 is the fertilizer composition of aspect 1, comprising the fulvic acid.

[0018] Aspect 3 is the fertilizer composition of aspect 2, further comprising one or more of calcium carbonate and polyhalite.

[0019] Aspect 4 is the fertilizer composition of aspect 3, comprising the calcium carbonate and not the polyhalite.

[0020] Aspect 5 is the fertilizer composition of aspect 3, comprising the polyhalite and not the calcium carbonate.

[0021] Aspect 6 is the fertilizer composition of aspect 1, comprising the combination of polyhalite and calcium carbonate.

[0022] Aspect 7 is the fertilizer composition of aspect 6, not comprising the fulvic acid.

[0023] Aspect 8 is the fertilizer composition of aspect 1, comprising fulvic acid, polyhalite, and calcium carbonate.

[0024] Aspect 9 is the fertilizer composition of any one of aspects 1 to 8, wherein the fulvic acid and / or a combination of polyhalite and calcium carbonate at least partially surrounds the dolomite.

[0025] Aspect 10 is the fertilizer composition of any one of aspects 1 to 9, wherein the fertilizer further comprises water.

[0026] Aspect 11 is the fertilizer composition of any one of aspects 1 to 10, further comprising: an additional fertilizer; a carrier; a stabilizer; and / or a dispersant.

[0027] Aspect 12 is the fertilizer composition of aspect 11, wherein the carrier comprises a polysaccharide.

[0028] Aspect 13 is the fertilizer composition of any one of aspects 1 to 12, wherein the composition comprises 15 to 60 wt.% carbonate (CO3), 9 to 25 wt.% calcium (Ca), 1 to 10 wt.% magnesium (Mg), and 0.5 to 5 wt.% potassium (K).

[0029] Aspect 14 is the fertilizer composition of any one of aspects 1 to 13, wherein the composition comprises 20 wt.% to 70 wt.% of dolomite.

[0030] Aspect 15 is the fertilizer composition of any one of aspects 1 to 14, wherein the composition comprises calcium carbonate at a weight ratio of 1: 10 to 3:2 calcium carbonate to dolomite, polyhalite at a weight ratio of 1:5 to 2: 1 polyhalite to dolomite, and / or fulvic acid at a weight ratio of 1: 10,000 to 1:400 fulvic acid to dolomite.

[0031] Aspect 16 is the fertilizer composition of any one of aspects 1 to 15, wherein the fertilizer is homogenous and / or comprises amorphous phases of fertilizer components.

[0032] Aspect 17 is the fertilizer composition of any one of aspects 1 to 15, wherein the fertilizer composition is a liquid.

[0033] Aspect 18 is a method for improving the biomass yield of a plant, the method comprising applying the composition of any one of aspects 1 to 17 to a soil wherein the plant is growing, to the plant, to a plant seed, to water for the plant, and / or to a fertilizer for the plant.

[0034] Aspect 19 is the method of aspect 18, wherein applying the composition improves photosynthesis through increasing the CO2 levels and / or enhancing the chlorophyll content of a plant.

[0035] Aspect 20 is the method of any one of aspects 18 to 19, wherein the composition is a liquid and applied by spraying the composition.

[0036] The term “fertilizer” is defined as a material applied to soils or to plant tissues to supply one or more plant nutrients essential or beneficial to the growth of plants and / or stimulants or enhancers to increase or enhance plant growth.

[0037] The term “granule” can include a solid material. A granule can have a variety of different shapes, non-limiting examples of which include a spherical, a puck, an oval, a rod, an oblong, or a random shape.

[0038] The term “particle” can include a solid material less than a millimeter in its largest dimension.

[0039] The terms “particulate” or “powder” can include a plurality of particles.

[0040] The terms “slow-release” and “slow release” fertilizers are fertilizer that release all of their plant nutrients over a period of weeks or more, instead of within a week or within hours.

[0041] The terms “about” or “approximately” as used herein are defined as being close to as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. In one non-limiting embodiment, the terms are defined to be within 10%, preferably within 5%, more preferably within 1%, and most preferably within 0.5%.

[0042] The terms “wt. %,” “vol.%,” or “mol.%” refers to a weight, volume, or molar percentage of a component, respectively, based on the total weight, the total volume of material, or total moles, that includes the component. In a non-limiting example, 10 grams of component in 100 grams of the material is 10 wt. % of component.

[0043] The use of the word “a” or “an” when used in conjunction with the term “comprising” may mean “one,” but it is also consistent with the meaning of “one or more,” “at least one,” and “one or more than one.”

[0044] The phrase “and / or” means “and” or “or”. To illustrate, A, B, and / or C includes: A alone, B alone, C alone, a combination of A and B, a combination of A and C, a combination of B and C, or a combination of A, B, and C. In other words, “and / or” operates as an inclusive or.

[0045] The words “comprising” (and any form of comprising, such as “comprise” and “comprises”), “having” (and any form of having, such as “have” and “has”), “including” (and any form of including, such as “includes” and “include”) or “containing” (and any form of containing, such as “contains” and “contain”) are inclusive or open-ended and do not exclude additional, unrecited elements or method steps.

[0046] The compositions and methods for their use can “comprise,” “consist essentially of,” or “consist of’ any of the ingredients or steps disclosed throughout the specification. Compositions and methods “consisting essentially of’ any of the ingredients or steps disclosed limits the scope of the claim to the specified materials or steps which do not materially affect the basic and novel characteristic of the claimed invention.

[0047] It is contemplated that any embodiment discussed in this specification can be implemented with respect to any method or composition of the invention, and vice versa. Furthermore, compositions of the invention can be used to achieve methods of the invention.

[0048] Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and the specific examples, while indicating specific embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0049] The following drawings form part of the present specification and are included to further demonstrate certain aspects of the present invention. The invention may be better understood by reference to one or more of these drawings in combination with the detailed description of specific embodiments presented herein.

[0050] FIG. 1 : a biomass (root and stem) improvements study on maize plants using the fertilizer composition according to one example of the present invention.

[0051] FIG. 2 : a biomass improvements study on maize plants (open field trails) using the nanoparticle fertilizer composition according to one example of the present invention.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0052] Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide benefits over existing fertilizers, including enhancing photosynthesis of plants utilizing the fertilizer composition. Certain aspects provided herein allow for the fertilizer to increase the CO2 levels within the plant. In some instances, the fertilizer composition slowly releases nutrients into the soil over a period of time, such as throughout a growing cycle for a plant. This capability can enhance the chlorophyll content which can increase the photosynthesis of the plant. In some embodiments, the fertilizer composition comprises dolomite, and one or both of fulvic acid and / or a combination of polyhalite and calcium carbonate, which may be one composition and / or multiple. In some instances, the composition may be a liquid and applied by spraying the composition. In some instances, the fertilizer is a solid. In some embodiments, the fertilizer may include a carrier, a stabilizer, and / or a dispersant.I. Fertilizer Compositions

[0053] Certain embodiments herein concern a fertilizer composition comprising a combination of one or more of: carbonate compounds, such dolomite CaMgf Ch)?) and / or, calcite (CaCCh), fulvic acid and polyhalite (K2Ca2Mg(SO4)4-2H2O). In some aspects, the fertilizer composition may be a mixture that is a homogeneous mixture. In some aspects, the fertilizer composition may be a multiphase complex. In some aspects, the fertilizer composition may be a liquid. In some aspects, the fertilizer comprises amorphous phases made of components of the fertilizer. In certain aspects, the fertilizer composition further comprises a binder or an additional binder.

[0054] In one aspect, a fertilizer composition may include i) dolomite and ii) fulvic acid and / or a combination of polyhalite and calcium carbonate. In some aspects, the fertilizer composition may include dolomite and fulvic acid. In some aspects, the fertilizer composition contains dolomite, fulvic and one or more of calcium carbonate and polyhalite. In some aspects, the fertilizer composition may include the calcium carbonate and not the polyhalite. In some aspects, the fertilizer composition may include the polyhalite and not the calcium carbonate. In some aspects, the fertilizer composition comprises a combination of dolomite, fulvic acid, polyhalite, and calcium carbonate. In some aspects, the fertilizer composition may not include the fulvic acid. In some aspects, the fertilizer composition may include dolomite, polyhalite, and calcium carbonate. In some aspects, the fertilizer composition may have dolomite at least partially surround fulvic acid, polyhalite, and / or calcium carbonate. In some aspects, the fertilizer composition may have fulvic acid, polyhalite, and / or calcium carbonate at least partially surround the dolomite. In some aspects, the fertilizer composition may further include water. In some aspects, the fertilizer composition may further comprise an additional fertilizer. In some aspects, the fertilizer composition may further include urea, diammonium phosphate, and / or a nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium fertilizer. In some aspects, the fertilizer composition may further include additional structuring agents, conditioning agents, etc. In some aspects, the fertilizer composition may include a carrier, a stabilizer, and / or a dispersant. In some aspects, the carrier may include a polysaccharide, a carbon source such as bio char or carbon black, etc.

[0055] The fertilizer, which may be a fertilizer granule, a particulate, and / or a liquid, can contain a mixture containing calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and potassium (K) as present as carbonates and / or sulfates. The ratio of elements present in the fertilizer may be tailored to specific applications. In some aspects, the fertilizer composition may contain 15 to 60 wt.% carbonate (CO3), 9 to 25 wt.% calcium (Ca), 1 to 10 wt.% magnesium (Mg), and 0.5 to 5 wt.%potassium (K) based on the total weight of the mixture and / or fertilizer. In certain aspects, the fertilizer composition may contain at least any one of, at most any one of, equal to any one of, or between any two of 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, or 60 wt.% carbonate (CO3), at least any one of, at most any one of, equal to any one of, or between any two of 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, or 25 wt.% calcium (Ca), at least any one of, at most any one of, equal to any one of, or between any two of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 wt.% magnesium (Mg), and / or at least any one of, at most any one of, equal to any one of, or between any two of 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5, or 5 wt.% potassium (K) based on the total weight of the mixture and / or fertilizer. In certain aspects, the fertilizer composition may contain 20 wt.% to 70 wt.% or at least any one of, at most any one of, equal to any one of, or between any two of 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69 or 70 wt.% of dolomite based on the total weight of the mixture and / or fertilizer.

[0056] In certain aspects, the composition may further contain calcium carbonate at a weight ratio of 1: 10 to 3:2 calcium carbonate to dolomite, polyhalite at a weight ratio of 1:5 to 2: 1 polyhalite to dolomite, and / or fulvic acid at a weight ratio of 1: 10,000 to 1:400 fulvic acid to dolomite. In certain aspects, the composition may further contain calcium carbonate at a weight ratio of 1: 10 to 3:2, such as 1: 10, 1:9, 1:8, 1:7, 1:6, 1:5, 1:4, 1:3, 1:2, 1: 1, or 3:2 calcium carbonate to dolomite. In certain aspects, the composition may further contain polyhalite at a weight ratio of 1:5 to 2: 1, such as 1:5, 1:4, 1:3, 1:2, 1: 1, 3:2, or 2: 1 polyhalite to dolomite. In certain aspects, the composition may further contain fulvic acid at a weight ratio of 1: 10,000 to 1:400, such as 1: 10,000, 1:9,500, 1:9,000, 1:8,500, 1:8,000, 1:7,500, 1:7,000, 1:6,500, 1:6,000, 1:5,500, 1:5,000, 1:4,500, or 1:4,000, 1:3,500, 1:3,000, 1:2,500, 1:2,000, 1: 1,500, 1: 1,000, 1:900, 1:800, 1:700, 1:600, 1:500, or 1:400 fulvic acid to dolomite.

[0057] In some instances, a binder includes a phosphate, a polyphosphate, a biodegradable polymer, a clay, an evaporite mineral, or a wax, or a combination thereof. Suitable waxes include, but are not limited to, vegetable waxes, high melt waxes, ethylene bis(stearamide) wax, paraffin waxes, polyethylene based waxes, and olefin waxes. Suitable phosphates include, but are not limited to, diammonium phosphate, and monoammonium phosphate. Suitable polyphosphates include, but are not limited to, ammonium polyphosphate. Suitable biodegradable polymers include, but are not limited to, polyacrylamide, polyacrylic acid, polyacrylonitrile, biodegradable polylactic acid and other biodegradable polymeric materialsuch as polylactic acid, poly (3 -hydroxypropionic acid), polyvinyl alcohol, poly e-caprolactone, poly L-lactide, poly butylene succinate, and biodegradable starch based polymers. Clays may include kaolinites, montmorillonite- smectites, illites, chlorites, vermiculites, talcs, and pyrophyllites. Evaporite minerals may include carnallite, kainite, langbeinite, and polyhalite. The binder can include plaster of Paris, flour, starch, gluten, kaolin, polyhalite, colloidal silica, or combinations thereof. Suitable flours include, but are not limited to, rice flour, wheat flour, and bleached wheat flour. Suitable starches include, but are not limited to, dextrin modified starches.

[0058] The Ca, Mg, K, CO3, N, P, and / or S can be present as and / or sourced as a water soluble compound or a water insoluble compound. In some instances, the Ca, Mg, K, CO3, N, P, and / or S can be present as a salt. In some aspects, the Ca, Mg, K, CO3, N, P, and / or S can be present as a water soluble salt. In some instances, the Ca and CO3 salt can be CaCCh. In some instances, the Ca, Mg, K, and S can be K2Ca2Mg(SO4)4. The Ca, Mg, K, CO3, and / or S salt can be in a non-hydrate and / or one or more hydrate forms. In some aspects, K, Ca, Mg, and S can be present as a respective metal sulfate salt from the polyhalite(K2Ca2Mg(SO4)4-2H2O.). In some instances, the Ca, Mg, and CO3 can be CaMg(COs)2. In some aspects, Ca, Mg, and CO3 can be present as a respective metal carbonate salt from the dolomite (CaMg(COs)2). In certain aspects, the calcium carbonate is sourced from or is comprised in calcite.

[0059] Moisture content of the dried fertilizer can be less than 1 wt. %, such as 0.1 wt. % to 0.9 wt. %, or any one of or between any two of 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, or 1 wt. %, or any range thereof, based on the weight of the fertilizer granule and / or particulate. As a non-limiting example, the moisture content can be measured by drying the sample at 50° C for 25 min and measuring the amount of mass lost by the fertilizer after being dried.

[0060] The fertilizer can be of any suitable shape. Non-limiting shapes include a particulate, spherical, cuboidal, cylindrical, puck shape, oval, and oblong shapes. In some aspects, the fertilizer granule can be of cylindrical shape with a circular, elliptical, ovular, triangular, square, rectangular, pentagonal, or hexagonal cross section, although cylindrical shaped core having a cross-section of other shapes can also be made. In some aspects, the fertilizer granule at its widest dimension can be 0.5 mm to 6 mm, or 0.5 mm to 5 mm, preferably 1 mm to 4 mm, or at least any one of, at most any one of, equal to any one of, or between any two of 0.5 mm, 1 mm, 1.5 mm, 2 mm, 2.5 mm, 3 mm, 3.5 mm, 4 mm, 4.5 mm, 5 mm, 5.5 mm, and 6 mm. In some particular aspects, the fertilizer granule can have a substantially spherical shape with an average diameter 0.5 mm to 6 mm, or 0.5 mm to 5 mm, preferably 1 mm to 4mm, or at least any one of, at most any one of, equal to any one of, or between any two of 0.5 mm, 1 mm, 1.5 mm, 2 mm, 2.5 mm, 3 mm, 3.5 mm, 4 mm, 4.5 mm, 5 mm, 5.5 mm, and 6 mm.

[0061] The fertilizer can be water and / or soil dispersible. In some aspects, a fertilizer particulate can disintegrate into water and / or be suspended in water. In some aspects, a fertilizer granule having a size of 2 mm to 4 mm prior to adding to water, can disintegrate into particles having sizes less than 1 mm, less than 0.9 mm, less than 0.8 mm, less than 0.7 mm, less than 0.6 mm, less than 0.5 mm, less than 0.4 mm, or less than 0.3 mm, within 1 minute of adding the granule to water at a pH 7, under stirring at a rate 90 rpm to 110 rpm, at an ambient temperature. In some instances, a fertilizer granule having a size of 2 mm to 4 mm prior to adding to water, does not disintegrate into only particles having sizes less than 1 mm, less than 0.9 mm, less than 0.8 mm, less than 0.7 mm, less than 0.6 mm, less than 0.5 mm, less than 0.4 mm, or less than 0.3 mm, before 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, 25 minutes, 30 minutes, 35 minutes, 40 minutes, 45 minutes, 50 minutes, 55 minutes, 60 minutes, 2 hours, 3 hours, 4 hours, 5 hours, 6 hours, 7 hours, 8 hours, 9 hours, 10 hours, or greater than 10 hours of adding the granule to water at a pH 7, under stirring at a rate 90 rpm to 110 rpm, at an ambient temperature.

[0062] The mixture can have a compositional make-up that is substantially homogeneous. In some instances, a compositional make-up for a 1 mm x 1 mm x 1 mm cube at any position of the mixture can be similar (within ± 20 %, or ± 10 %, or ± 5 %, or ± 3 %, ± 2 %, or ± 1 %, or ± 0.5 %) to that of a 1 mm x 1 mm x 1 mm cube at any other position of the mixture.

[0063] In some aspects, the fertilizer granule, particulate, and / or liquid can contain an homogeneous mixture. The homogeneous mixture can have compositions as described above. In some instances, the homogenous mixture can have an optional coating on the outer surface of the homogenous mixture. In some instances, the polyhalite, dolomite, or calcium carbonate can act as a binder in the fertilizer. In some instances the polyhalite, dolomite, or calcium carbonate is the only binder in the fertilizer. In some instances, the binder forms an amorphous phase, a continuous phase, and / or encapsulates other ingredients in the fertilizer. In some instances, the fertilizer comprises fulvic acid, polyhalite, and / or calcium carbonate at least partially surrounded by the dolomite. In some instances, the fertilizer comprises a matrix of dolomite that at least partially binds and / or encapsulates and / or surrounds at least a portion of the fulvic acid, polyhalite, and / or calcium carbonate. In some instances, the fertilizer comprises fulvic acid, dolomite, and / or calcium carbonate at least partially surrounded by the polyhalite. In some instances, the fertilizer comprises a matrix of polyhalite that at least partially binds and / or encapsulates and / or surrounds at least a portion of the fulvic acid, dolomite, and / orcalcium carbonate. In some instances, the fertilizer comprises fulvic acid, dolomite, and / or polyhalite at least partially surrounded by the calcium carbonate. In some instances, the fertilizer comprises a matrix of calcium carbonate that at least partially binds and / or encapsulates and / or surrounds at least a portion of the fulvic acid, dolomite, and / or polyhalite.

[0064] In some instances, the fertilizer comprises particles of dolomite, fulvic acid, polyhalite, and / or calcium carbonate. In some aspects, the fertilizer is a multiphase complex. In some aspects, the fertilizer comprises amorphous phases made of components of the fertilizer. In some aspects, the fertilizer composition may be a liquid. In some instances, the liquid contains 10 to 98 wt.% water, such as 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 96, 97, or 98 wt.% water.

[0065] In some instances, the fertilizer is a liquid fertilizer or is capable of forming a liquid fertilizer by dissolving in a solvent such as water. In some aspects, a liquid fertilizer is produced by dissolving the fertilizer in water. In some instances, the liquid fertilizer is capable of being applied to a plant or to a soil, such as in a foliar spray or as a fertigation fertilizer.

[0066] In some aspects, additional fertilizer substances can be included or excluded in the fertilizer. If included, additional fertilizers can be chosen based on the particular needs of certain types of soil, climate, or other growing conditions to maximize the efficacy of the fertilizer in enhancing plant growth and crop yield. Additional additives may also be included or excluded in the fertilizer. Non-limiting examples of additives that can be included or excluded from the fertilizer of the present invention include additional nitrogen nutrients, additional phosphorus nutrients, additional potassium nutrients, additional micronutrients, and / or additional secondary nutrients. The micronutrient can be copper, iron, chloride, manganese, molybdenum, or nickel, or any combination thereof. The nitrogen nutrient can be urea, ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, diammonium phosphate, monoammonium phosphate, urea-formaldehyde, ammonium chloride, and potassium nitrate. In some aspects, the additional secondary nutrients may include lime and / or superphosphate. In some instances, the additional fertilizer substances and / or the additional additives are contained in the optional coating of the fertilizer.

[0067] In some instances, the fertilizer composition may contain inhibitors, pH buffers, organic material, microorganisms, enzymes, micronutrients, primary nutrients, insecticides, herbicides, or fungicides, etc. or combinations thereof.

[0068] In some instances, the inhibitors include nitrification inhibitors and / or urease inhibitors. Suitable nitrification inhibitors include, but are not limited to, 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP), dicyandiamide (DCD), thiourea (TU), 2-chloro-6-(trichloromethyl)-pyridine (Nitrapyrin), 5-ethoxy-3-trichloromethyl-l,2,4-thiadiazol, which is sold under the tradename Terrazole®, by OHP Inc., USA, 2-amino 4-chloro 6-methyl pyrimidine (AM), 2- mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT), or 2-sulfanilamidothiazole (ST), and any combination thereof. In one aspect, a nitrification inhibitor can comprise DMPP, DCD, TU, nitrapyrin, 5-ethoxy-3- trichloromethyl-l,2,4-thiadiazol, AM, MBT, or ST, or a combination thereof. In some instances, the urease inhibitor may include, but are not limited to, triamide, such as N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBTPT) and N-(n-propyl) thiophosphoric triamide. In some embodiments, a fertilizer composition can comprise NBTPT, DMPP, TU, DCD, PPDA, nitrapyrin, 5-ethoxy-3-trichloromethyl-l,2,4-thiadiazol, AM, MBT, ST, or a combination thereof.

[0069] In some instances, the pH buffers include MgO, KH2PO4, NaHCCU chalk powder, aluminum, magnesium hydroxide, aluminum hydroxide / magnesium hydroxide co-precipitate, aluminum hydroxide / sodium bicarbonate co-precipitate, calcium acetate, calcium bicarbonate, calcium borate, calcium carbonate, calcium bicarbonate, calcium citrate, calcium gluconate, calcium hydroxide, dibasic sodium phosphate, dipotassium hydrogen phosphate, dipotassium phosphate, disodium hydrogen phosphate, magnesium acetate, magnesium borate, magnesium bicarbonate, magnesium carbonate, magnesium hydroxide, magnesium lactate, magnesium oxide, magnesium phosphate, magnesium silicate, magnesium succinate, magnesium tartrate, potassium acetate, potassium carbonate, potassium bicarbonate, potassium borate, potassium citrate, potassium metaphosphate, potassium phthalate, potassium phosphate, potassium polyphosphate, potassium pyrophosphate, potassium succinate, potassium tartrate, sodium acetate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium borate, sodium carbonate, sodium citrate, sodium gluconate, sodium hydrogen phosphate, sodium hydroxide, sodium lactate, sodium phthalate, sodium phosphate, sodium polyphosphate, sodium pyrophosphate, sodium tartrate, sodium tripolyphosphate, synthetic hydrotalcite, tetrapotassium pyrophosphate, tetrasodium pyrophosphate, tripotassium phosphate, trisodium phosphate, and trometamol, and combinations thereof.

[0070] The fertilizer described herein can be comprised in a composition useful for application to a plant by a spray or useful for application to a soil. The fertilizer described herein can also be included in a blended composition comprising other fertilizers. The other fertilizer can be urea, monoammonium phosphate (MAP), diammonium phosphate (DAP), muriate of potash (MOP), monopotassium phosphate (MKP), triple super phosphate (TSP), rock phosphate, single super phosphate (SSP), ammonium sulfate, and the like.

[0071] A fertilizer formed into a granule can have desirable physical properties such as desired levels of abrasion resistance, granule strength, pelletizability, hygroscopicity, granule shape, and size distribution. In some aspects, The fertilizer granule can have a crush strength above 1.5 kgf, such as above 1.8 kgf, such as 2 kgf to 6 kgf, or at least any one of, equal to any one of, or between any two of 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5, 5, 5.5, and 6 kgf. Bulk density of the fertilizer granules can be 1 g / cc to 1.2 g / cc, or at least any one of, at most any one of, equal to any one of, or between any two of 1, 1.02, 1.04, 1.06, 1.08, 1.1, 1.12, 1.14, 1.16, 1.18, and 1.2 g / cc. In some aspects, 10 mg or more, such as 10 mg to 40 mg, or at least any one of, at most any one of, equal to any one of, or between any two of 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, and 40 mg of the fertilizer granule can dissolve in 1 ml of water at a pH 7, under stirring at a rate 90 to 110 rpm, and at an ambient temperature, within 5 minutes of adding 100 mg of the fertilizer granules to the water or only after 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, 40 minutes, 50 minutes, 60 minutes, 2 hours, 4 hours, 6 hours, 8 hours, 10 hours, 15 hours, or 24 hours of adding 100 mg of the fertilizer granules to the water. In some aspects, the fertilizer granule is capable of losing less than 0.13 wt. %, such as 0.02 % to 0.12 wt. %, or at most any one of, equal to any one of, or between any two of 0.02, 0.03, 0.04, 0.05, 0.06, 0.07, 0.08, 0.09, 0.1, 0.11, and 0.12 wt. % in an attrition loss test. Attrition loss can be measured using the following attrition loss test.

[0072] Attrition loss test: A plurality of sieved fertilizer granules with individual size 2 to 4 mm, and a total volume 100 cm3is weighed (Wl) and is placed into the test drum along with the 50 stainless steel balls having a total weight of 100 gm. The drum is closed and rotated for 10 min at 30 rpm. Then, the steel balls are separated from the sample and the material is screened over 2 mm sieve using a sieve shaker. The total weight of the granules over 2 mm are then re-weighed (W2). Results are calculated in terms of % weight loss using the formula: ,,T. . . , . . weight of sample remained on 2 mm sieve ((JV2))Weight loss due to attrition (wt. %) = — - — . . , . , — — - — — — - — - X 100° intial weight of the sample (Wl)II. Method of Making a Fertilizer

[0073] A method for making a fertilizer according to one example of the present invention is described. In some aspects, the method can include combining one, a combination of, or all of the ingredients of the fertilizer in a liquid, such as a water, and dissolving the ingredients and / or suspending the ingredients. In some aspects, the method can include combining a solid fertilizer containing one, a combination of, or all of the ingredients of the fertilizer with a liquid, such as a water, and dissolving and / or suspending the fertilizer. In some instances, the liquid fertilizer comprises 10 to 95 wt. % water, such as 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21,22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, or 95 wt. % water. In some aspects, the ingredients and / or the water is heated when the ingredients are combined with the water. The combined ingredients and water can be mixed and / or heated to dissolve and / or suspend the ingredients in the water. In some instances, the liquid fertilizer is a concentrated fertilizer capable of being diluted in water before application to a soil and / or a crop. In some instances, the liquid fertilizer is a concentrated fertilizer capable of being applied to a solid fertilizer, seed, or carrier, such as applied as a coating on a fertilizer granule or seed.

[0074] In some aspects, the method can include a feed mixture that can be granulated in the granulator in the presence or absence of water to form a wet granulated mixture. The water, if present, can be provided with the feed mixture, and / or can be added separately. The wet granulated mixture can be dried in the dryer to obtain a dry granulated mixture containing the fertilizer.

[0075] The feed mixture ingredients can include i) a carbonate source, e.g., calcite and / or dolomite, ii) a S, K, and Mg source, e.g., polyhalite, and / or iii) fulvic acid. In some instances, a mixture ingredient provides more than one of Ca, Mg, K, and / or S. In some instances, a mixture ingredient provides additional nutrients and / or micronutrients, such as P, Mg, K, Fe, and / or Si. In certain aspects, one or more ingredients can be added as a water solution. In some instances, the mixture ingredients are provided as a powder. In some instances, one or more ingredients can be added as a liquid. In some instances, one or more ingredients can be added as a gas. In some instances, a portion of the mixture of ingredients is provided as a powder.

[0076] In some aspects, the feed mixture can be compressed into shaped pellets, such as cylindrical pellets, by at least two rollers. In some aspects, the surface of one roller can have desired holes to compress the feed mixture into the holes, and the surface of the other roller can push the feed mixture into the holes. Pressure during granulation, e.g. compaction granulation can be 1 bar to 40 bar, or at least any one of, at most any one of, equal to any one of, or between any two 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 bar. In certain aspects, the feed mixture can be granulated at ambient temperature to 50° C, or at least any one of, at most any one of, equal to any one of, or between any two of -20, -15, -10, 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 and 50° C.

[0077] In some aspects, mixing / combining the feed ingredients, and granulating the feed mixture can be performed in the same container or different containers.

[0078] In some aspects, the mixing / combining the feed ingredients are performed at a temperature of at least, at most, equal to, or between any two of 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27,28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52,53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77,78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101,102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120,121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139,140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, or 150° C, such as between 20 and 80° C or between 100 and 150° C or between 75 and 150° C or between 55 to 75° C or between 20 and150° C.

[0079] In some instances, the fertilizer can be extruded before drying. The extruder can extrude the fertilizer at pressures at least, at most, equal to, or between any two of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, and 40 bar. The extruder can extrude the fertilizer at temperatures at least, at most, equal to, or between any two of -20, -15, -10, 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 and 50° C. The extrudate can be sliced or divided before drying, such as by a die.

[0080] In certain aspects, the desired size of a final fertilizer product, such as a granule, can be 0.5 to 5 mm, or 1 to 4 mm, and having a size lower than 0.5 mm or 1 mm, and / or having a size bigger than 4 mm or 5 mm can be separated from the wet granulated mixture in the one or more size screens. In certain aspects, the wet granulated mixture can be rounded and / or spheronized in a spheronizer. In some instances, the wet granulated mixture is contacted with a spheronizer for at least any one of, at most any one of, equal to any one of, or between any two of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 50, or 60 seconds. The spheronizer in some instances has a rotating or rotatable disk capable of rotating at least any one of, at most any one of, equal to any one of, or between any two of 200, 500, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500, 3000, 3500, 4000, 4500, 5000 rpm. In certain aspects, the wet granulated mixture can be dried in the dryer 104, 204 at a temperature 40° C to 150° C, or at least any one of, at most any one of, equal to any one of, or between any two of 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100, 105, 110, 115, 120, 125, 130, 135, 140, 145, 150° C. In some aspects, the dryer can be a fluid bed dryer, drum dryer, or flash dryer. In some aspects, the wet granulated mixture can be dried in the dryer with a hot air flow having a flow rate of at least any one of, at most any one of, equal to any one of, or between any two of 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, and 500 m3 / hr and / or a rotation of at least any one of, at most any one of, equal to any one of, or between any two of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, and 50 rpm.III. Methods of Using the Fertilizer

[0081] The fertilizer, including fertilizer granules, compositions containing the fertilizer, and fertilizer blends containing the fertilizer of the present disclosure can be used in methods of increasing the amount of one or more plant nutrients in soil and of enhancing plant growth such as improving biomass yield of a plant. In some aspects, applying the fertilizer composition improves photosynthesis by increasing the CO2 levels. In some aspects, applying the fertilizer composition enhances the chlorophyll content of a plant. Such methods can include applying to the soil an effective amount of a composition and / or blend containing the fertilizer of the present invention. In some aspects, the method of applying the composition is a liquid and applied by spraying the composition.

[0082] The method may include increasing the growth and yield of crops, trees, ornamentals, etc., such as, for example, palm, coconut, rice, wheat, corn, barley, oats, and / or soybeans. The method can include applying the fertilizer blend of the present invention to at least one of a soil, an organism, a liquid carrier, a liquid solvent, etc. The composition(s) and / or fertilizer blends(s) containing the fertilizer can be applied to plants and / or soil as a foliar spray, a fertigation fertilizer, a top dressing fertilizer, basal fertilizer, and / or through any suitable method of application.

[0083] Non-limiting examples of plants that can benefit from the fertilizer of the present invention include vines, trees, shrubs, stalked plants, ferns, etc. The plants may include orchard crops, vines, ornamental plants, food crops, timber, and harvested plants. The plants may include Gymnosperms, Angiosperms, and / or Pteridophytes.

[0084] The effectiveness of compositions comprising the fertilizer of the present invention can be ascertained by measuring the amount of growth and / or the amount of nutrients from the fertilizer on the plant and / or in the soil at various times after applying the fertilizer composition. It is understood that different soils and plants have different characteristics, which can affect the stability of the nutrients in the plants and / or soil. The effectiveness of a fertilizer composition can also be directly compared to other fertilizer compositions by doing a side-by- side comparison on the same plant, in the same soil, and under the same conditions.EXAMPLES

[0085] The present invention will be described in greater detail by way of specific examples. The following examples are offered for illustrative purposes only, and are not intended to limit the invention in any manner. Those of skill in the art will readily recognize avariety of noncritical parameters which can be changed or modified to yield essentially the same results.Example 1 Preparation and Testing of a Fertilizer

[0086] 300 g of dolomite was gradually combined or mixed with 300 g of polyhalite to form a mixture of dolomite and polyhalite as in formulation T15 in Table 1. T12-T19 formulations of Table 1 were also prepared similarly as the T15 formulation, by combining / mixing the respective ingredients such as calcite, dolomite, and / or polyhalite, in their formulations or as a stand alone ingredients, which are mixed with water (200-300L / ha). Each formulation was tested as a foliar spray along with NPK (Standard recommended dosage of fertilizer as a soil application). Formulation Ti l is designated for standalone farmers practice as a soil application of NPK without any foliar spray treatments.

[0087] The final product compositions contained either calcite, dolomite, polyhalite minerals or their combinations. The carbonate contents were calculated to be 19 to 32 wt. %, the calcium content was calculated to be 9 to 20 wt. %, the magnesium content was calculated to be 3 to 6 wt. %, and the potassium content was calculated to be 1 to 10 wt. %.Table 1

[0088] Open field trials were performed with maize crop using various fertilizer composition formulations (Ti l to T19) in Table 1. Observations were recorded regarding root biomass, stem biomass, and stem+root biomass at 36 days after application of the fertilizers as foliar sprays.

[0089] The maize biomass of tested plants during the 36 days experiment showed that NPK with foliar spray recorded significantly higher biomass yield with elevated CO2 levelscompared to standalone practice. Formulations No. T12 to T18 recorded 21-42% biomass yield difference compared to standard farmer practices (Ti l) as seen in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. This difference may be due in part to increased CO2 concentrations in the plant, facilitated by the application of the carbonate containing foliar spray (e.g., may increase CO2 concentrations from 400 to 1,200 ppm).Example 2 Prophetic Example

[0090] In another example, formulations T20 to T22 with an additional ingredient such as fulvic acid in a ppm concentration can be prepared in a similar method described in Example 1 to form the formulations of Table 2. It is anticipated that field trials with these formulations containing fulvic acid can further increase the biomass yield by increasing photosynthesis through increasing the concentration of CO2 within the plant.Table 2* * *

[0091] All of the methods disclosed and claimed herein can be made and executed without undue experimentation in light of the present disclosure. While the compositions and methods of this invention have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those of skill in the art that variations may be applied to the methods and in the steps or in the sequence of steps of the method described herein without departing from the concept, spirit and scope of the invention. More specifically, it will be apparent that certain agents which are both chemically and physiologically related may be substituted for the agents described herein while the same or similar results would be achieved. All such similar substitutes and modifications apparent to those skilled in the art are deemed to be within the spirit, scope and concept of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A fertilizer composition comprising: i) dolomite; and ii) fulvic acid and / or a combination of polyhalite and calcium carbonate.

2. The fertilizer composition of claim 1, comprising the fulvic acid, optionally further comprising one or more of calcium carbonate and polyhalite.

3. The fertilizer composition of claim 2, comprising the calcium carbonate and not the polyhalite.

4. The fertilizer composition of claim 2, comprising the polyhalite and not the calcium carbonate.

5. The fertilizer composition of claim 1, comprising the combination of polyhalite and calcium acarbonate.

6. The fertilizer composition of claim 5, not comprising the fulvic acid.

7. The fertilizer composition of claim 1, comprising fulvic acid, polyhalite, and calcium carbonate.

8. The fertilizer composition of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein: the fulvic acid and / or a combination of polyhalite and calcium carbonate at least partially surrounds the dolomite; and / or the fertilizer further comprises water.

9. The fertilizer composition of any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising: an additional fertilizer; a carrier; a stabilizer; and / or a dispersant.

10. The fertilizer composition of claim 9, wherein the carrier comprises a polysaccharide.

11. The fertilizer composition of any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein: the composition comprises 15 to 60 wt.% carbonate (CO3), 9 to 25 wt.% calcium (Ca), 1 to 10 wt.% magnesium (Mg), and 0.5 to 5 wt.% potassium (K); and / or the composition comprises 20 wt.% to 70 wt.% of dolomite.

12. The fertilizer composition of any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the composition comprises calcium carbonate at a weight ratio of 1: 10 to 3:2 calcium carbonate to dolomite, polyhalite at a weight ratio of 1:5 to 2: 1 polyhalite to dolomite, and / or fulvic acid at a weight ratio of 1: 10,000 to 1:400 fulvic acid to dolomite.

13. The fertilizer composition of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein: the fertilizer is homogenous and / or comprises amorphous phases of fertilizer components; or the fertilizer composition is a liquid.

14. A method for improving biomass yield of a plant, the method comprising applying the composition of any one of claims 1 to 13 to a soil wherein the plant is growing, to the plant, to a plant seed, to water for the plant, and / or to a fertilizer for the plant.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein: applying the composition improves photosynthesis through increasing the CO2 levels and / or enhancing the chlorophyll content of a plant; and / or the composition is a liquid and applied by spraying the composition.

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