Agricultural compositions

Abstract

Liquid composition comprising: one or more micronutrient selected from boron, zinc, copper, manganese, and magnesium; a component selected from a humate salt, fulvate salt, and mixtures thereof; and a

Description

Field of the disclosure The present disclosure is related to the field of agriculture, in particular compositions comprising nutrients and other components. Background information Today, agriculture is facing a number of growing challenges: world population is expected to increase to 9.7 billion by 2050 pushing the amount of food required, climate change is leading to an increased number of extreme climate events that expose crops to a variety of abiotic stresses, such as drought stress. Conventional agricultural products applied by farmers include fertilizers and crop protection compounds, such as herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides. The recent years have seen the development of biostimulants. Biostimulants are chemical compounds, which may have a varied selection of structures, from a single small molecule to a mixture of highly complex polymers, which trigger beneficial physiological pathways within plants that help the plants be more resistant to stress, grow better, and / or improve their ability to absorb nutrients present in the soil. Different techniques are available to distribute nutrients and biostimulants in a field. Coating fertilizer particles with a coating composition provides fertilizer particles that can contain different components in their core and coating. Summary of the disclosure A new coating composition comprising micronutrients and biostimulants, and fertilizer particles coated with this coating composition have been developed. Fertilizer particles coated with a composition comprising micronutrients and biostimulants trigger an unexpected synergistic effect in plants treated with these particles. In a first aspect, the present disclosure provides a liquid composition comprising one or more micronutrient selected from the group consisting of boron, zinc, copper, magnesium, and manganese, and a component selected from the group consisting of a humate salt, a fulvate salt, and mixtures thereof, and an oil as a carrier. In another aspect, the present application provides a coated fertilizer particle comprising a solid core and a coating composition at least partially covering the core, the coating composition preferably being a liquid composition according to the first aspect. Another aspect provides the use of a liquid composition comprising one or more micronutrient selected from the group consisting of boron, zinc, copper, magnesium, and manganese, and a component selected from the group consisting of a humate salt, a fulvate salt, and mixtures thereof, and an oil as a carrier, as a coating composition for a fertilizer particle. Also disclosed is a method for providing a coated fertilizer particle, the method comprising applying, to a fertilizer particle, a liquid composition comprising one or more micronutrient selected from the group consisting of boron, zinc, copper, magnesium, and manganese, and a component selected from the group consisting of a humate salt, a fulvate salt, and mixtures thereof, and an oil as a carrier. The liquid composition may be sprayed or otherwise applied to the fertilizer particle. Detailed description of the disclosure Unless otherwise defined, all terms used in disclosing the invention, including technical and scientific terms, have the meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. By means of further guidance, term definitions are included to better appreciate the teaching of the present invention. All references cited in this description are hereby deemed to be incorporated in their entirety by way of reference. As used herein, the following terms have the following meanings: "A", "an", and "the" as used herein refers to both singular and plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. By way of example, "a compartment" refers to one or more than one compartment. "About" as used herein referring to a measurable value such as a parameter, an amount, a temporal duration, and the like, is meant to encompass variations of + / -20 % or less, in particular + / -10 % or less, more in particular + / -5 % or less, even more in particular + / -1 % or less, and still more in particular + / -0.1 % or less of and from the specified value, in so far such variations are appropriate to perform in the disclosed invention. However, it is to be understood that the value to which the modifier "about" refers is itself also specifically disclosed. "Comprise", "comprising", and "comprises" and "comprised of" as used herein are synonymous with "include", "including", "includes" or "contain", "containing", "contains" and are inclusive or open-ended terms that specifies the presence of what follows e.g. component and do not exclude or preclude the presence of additional, non-recited components, features, element, members, steps, known in the art or disclosed therein. The recitation of numerical ranges by endpoints includes all numbers and fractions subsumed within that range, as well as the recited endpoints. The expression "weight percent", "%wt" or "weight%", here and throughout the description unless otherwise defined, refers to the relative weight of the respective component based on the overall weight of the formulation. In a first aspect, the present disclosure provides a liquid composition comprising one or more micronutrient selected from the group consisting of boron, zinc, copper, magnesium, and manganese, a component selected from the group consisting of a humate salt, a fulvate salt, and mixtures thereof, and an oil as a carrier. It was found that it was possible to prepare a stable suspension in oil comprising micronutrients and a biostimulant that may be a humate salt and / or a fulvate salt. It was found that humic and fulvic acids were not suitable for such compositions as they were not stable under storage at room temperature. Such compositions comprising humic and / or fulvic acids showed an increase of viscosity after storing for a few weeks, which is negative, and the product became unsuitable for handling and spraying. The liquid composition according to the first aspect of the present disclosure is stable for weeks at Q °C, 20 °C, and at least up to 45 °C. The compositions according to the first aspect of the present disclosure are suitable to be coated on solid particles, in particular solid fertilizer particles. Micronutrients, such as boron, zinc, copper, magnesium and manganese, are required by most crops to grow at an optimal rate, and a lot of soils around the world exhibit a deficiency in at least one of these micronutrients. It was found that combining a humate salt and / or a fulvate salt and micronutrients, such as boron, zinc, copper, magnesium and manganese, in a coating composition on a fertilizer particle provided unexpected benefits when the particle was given to a crop, such as increasing the content of one or more nutrient in the crop. Sources of micronutrients suitable for use in agriculture are known in the art. The liquid composition as disclosed herein comprises one or more nutrients selected from the group consisting of boron, zinc, copper, manganese, and magnesium. In some embodiments, the liquid composition comprises boron, preferably boron as colemanite. In some embodiments, the liquid composition comprises zinc, preferably as zinc oxide. In some embodiments, the liquid composition comprises manganese, preferably as manganese carbonate. In some embodiments, the liquid composition comprises copper, preferably as copper oxide. In some embodiments, the liquid composition comprises magnesium, preferably as magnesium hydroxide or magnesium carbonate. In some embodiments, the liquid composition comprises one or more micronutrients selected from the group consisting of colemanite, zinc oxide, copper oxide, magnesium hydroxide, magnesium carbonate and manganese carbonate. In some specific embodiments, the magnesium hydroxide is in the mineral form, in particular as high-pressure grade (HP grade) brucite. In some embodiments, the liquid composition comprises colemanite, zinc oxide, and manganese carbonate. In some embodiments, the liquid composition comprises colemanite, zinc oxide, and copper oxide. In some embodiments, the liquid composition comprises boron, zinc, and manganese. In some embodiments, the liquid composition comprises boron, zinc, and copper. In some embodiments, the liquid composition comprises boron and zinc. In some embodiments, the liquid composition comprises zinc and copper. In some embodiments, the liquid composition comprises boron and manganese. In some embodiments, the liquid composition comprises boron and copper. In some embodiments, the liquid composition comprises zinc and manganese. In some embodiments, the liquid composition comprises boron. In some embodiments, the liquid composition comprises zinc. In some embodiments, the liquid composition comprises manganese. In some embodiments, the liquid composition comprises copper. In some embodiments, the liquid composition comprises magnesium. The liquid composition as disclosed herein comprises a component selected from the group consisting of a humate salt, a fulvate salt and mixtures thereof. In some embodiments, the liquid mixture comprises a humate salt. In some embodiments, the liquid composition comprises a fulvate salt. In some embodiments, the liquid composition comprises a mixture of a humate salt and a fulvate salt. In some embodiments, the liquid composition comprises from 1.0 to 50.0 weight%, from 1.0 to 40.0 weight%, from 1.0 to 30.0 weight%, from 1.0 to 20.0 weight%, from 5.0 to 50.0 weight%, from 5.0 to 40.0 weight%, from 5.0 to 30.0 weight%, from 5.0 to 20.0 weight%, from 7.0 to 20.0 weight%, from 7.0 to 18.0 weight%, from 7.0 to 15.0 weight%, from 5.0 to 18.0 weight%, or from 10.0 to 20.0 weight% of the component selected from the group consisting of a humate salt, a fulvate salt, and mixtures thereof, based on the total weight of the liquid composition. It was found that an amount of humate salt, fulvate salt, or a mixture of a humate and fulvate salt from 5.0 to 20.0 weight% was enough to achieve unexpected effects, in particular to achieve a high coating loading and increased performance of the crops. In some embodiments, the liquid composition comprises a humate salt and a fulvate salt. Many commercial sources of humate and fulvate salts comprise both. Humic and fulvic acids may be produced by extraction from natural sources that comprise both types of acids or composting / fermentation of organic matter, which produces both types. Humate and / or fulvate salts may be obtained by reacting the corresponding acids with a base, in particular a strong base, such as potassium hydroxide and / or sodium hydroxide. In some embodiments, the humate salt is selected from the group consisting of calcium humate, sodium humate, and potassium humate. Humate salts are available in three main forms: as calcium salts, sodium salts, and potassium salts. It was observed that potassium humate was particularly suitable for preparing stable suspensions in oil-based compositions. In some embodiments, the fulvate salt is selected from the group consisting of calcium fulvate, sodium fulvate, and potassium fulvate. Fulvate salts are available in three main forms: as calcium salts, sodium salts, and potassium salts. In some embodiments, the liquid composition comprises a component selected from the group consisting of calcium humate, sodium humate, potassium humate, calcium fulvate, sodium fulvate, potassium fulvate, and mixtures thereof. In some embodiments, the liquid composition comprises a potassium humate and a potassium fulvate. In some embodiments, the liquid composition comprises from 5.0 to 20.0 weight%, from 7.0 to 20.0 weight%, from 7.0 to 18.0 weight%, from 7.0 to 15.0 weight%, from 5.0 to 18.0 weight%, or from 10.0 to 20.0 weight% of a component selected from the group consisting of a humate salt, a fulvate salt, or mixtures thereof, based on the total weight of the liquid composition. In some embodiments, the liquid composition comprises from 5.0 to 20.0 weight%, from 7.0 to 20.0 weight%, from 7.0 to 18.0 weight%, from 7.0 to 15.0 weight%, from 5.0 to 18.0 weight%, or from 10.0 to 20.0 weight% of a product comprising a humate salt and a fulvate salt, based on the total weight of the liquid composition. In some embodiments, the liquid composition comprises from 5.0 to 20 weight%, from 7.0 to 20 weight%, from 7.0 to 18 weight%, from 7.0 to 15 weight%, from 5.0 to 18 weight%, or from 10 to 20 weight% of a product comprising potassium humate and potassium fulvate, based on the total weight of the liquid composition. The liquid composition as discloses herein comprises an oil as a carrier. In some embodiments, the liquid composition comprises from 15.0 to 40.0 weight% of the oil, based on the total weight of the liquid composition. The oil plays the role of the carrier and makes the liquid composition suitable to be handled, and sprayed as a coating on solid compositions, such as fertilizer particles. A low amount of oil results in a very viscous composition, and a very high oil content reduces the nutrient and biostimulant contents of the liquid composition. Oils are preferred as liquid carriers for coating compositions compared to water-based compositions, since water often degrades the physical properties, for example particle strength, dust emissions and / or caking index, of fertilizer particles. In some embodiments, the oil is a vegetable oil, such as rapeseed oil, sunflower oil, canola oil, and soybean oil. Vegetable oils are interesting to use in fertilizer coatings because they are readily available, cheap, and have a lower carbon footprint compared to petroleum-based oils and good properties for this application. In some embodiments, the one or more micronutrient selected from the group consisting of boron, zinc, copper, manganese, and magnesium, is present in the liquid composition as solid particles with a particle size of from 0.10 to 100 pm, or from 0.10 to 50 pm. It was found that a particle size below 100 pm provided a good flowability of the liquid composition, which increases the quality of the composition as a coating composition. In some embodiments, the one or more micronutrient selected from the group consisting of boron, zinc, copper, manganese, and magnesium, is present in the liquid composition as solid particles, wherein 90% or more of the solid particles have a particle size of from 0.10 to 100 pm, from 0.10 to 50 pm, or 0.10 to 20 pm. In some embodiments, the liquid composition comprises from 1.0 to 5.0 weight% of boron, based on the total weight of the liquid composition. To supply enough boron to crops via a coating composition, an amount ranging from 1.0 to 5.0 weight% of boron, based on the total weight of the composition, was found to be suitable. In some embodiments, the liquid composition comprises from 1.0 to 40.0 weight%, from 5.0 to 40.0 weight%, from 1.0 to 20.0 weight%, from 5.0 to 20.0 weight%, from 1.0 to 15.0 weight%, or from 5.0 to 15.0 weight% of zinc, based on the total weight of the liquid composition. To supply enough zinc to crops via a coating composition, an amount ranging from 1.0 to 40.0 weight% of zinc, based on the total weight of the composition, was found to be suitable. In some embodiments, the liquid composition comprises only zinc as micronutrient, and a high zinc content, above 20.0 weight%, based on the total weight of the liquid composition, can be achieved. In the embodiments wherein the liquid composition comprises more than one micronutrient including zinc, a lower zinc content, for example from 1.0 to 20.0 weight%, based on the total weight of the liquid composition, is considered satisfactory. In some embodiments, the liquid composition comprises from 1.0 to 35.0 weight%, from 1.0 to 15.0 weight%, from 5.0 to 35.0 weight%, or from 5.0 to 15.0 weight% of copper, based on the total weight of the liquid composition. To supply enough copper to crops via a coating composition, an amount ranging from 1.0 to 35.0 weight% of copper, based on the total weight of the composition, was found to be suitable. In some embodiments, the liquid composition comprises from 1.0 to 15.0 weight%, or from 5.0 to 15.0 weight% of manganese, based on the total weight of the liquid composition. To supply enough manganese to crops via a coating composition, an amount ranging from 5.0 to 15.0 weight% of manganese, based on the total weight of the composition, was found to be suitable. In some embodiments, the liquid composition comprises 1.0 to 15.0 weight% of magnesium, based on the total weight of the liquid composition. In some embodiments, the liquid composition comprises from 5.0 to 15 weight% of manganese, from 1.0 to 5 weight% of boron, from 5.0 to 15 weight% of zinc, from 5.0 to 20 weight% of combined potassium humate and potassium fulvate, and from 10 to 40 weight% of an oil, in particular a vegetable oil, based on the total weight of the liquid composition. In some embodiments, the liquid composition further comprises an element selected from the group consisting of iron, calcium, sulfur, and molybdenum. The liquid composition may comprise additional micro or secondary nutrients required by crops. In some embodiments, the liquid composition further comprises one or more components selected from the group consisting of a dispersant, a clay, a coloring agent, and a defoaming agent. It may be an advantage for the liquid composition to comprise additives that may improve its properties, such as its viscosity, its dusting tendency, and / or stability, and / or change its color. The liquid composition may be a suspension, and for commercial reasons, it is important for suspensions to have a certain stability because a product may be stored and transported for several weeks before it is finally used in a field. Additives such as dispersants, defoaming agents, and clays can be used to adjust the properties of a liquid composition. In some embodiments, the liquid composition comprises boron, manganese, zinc, potassium humate, and potassium fulvate. In another aspect, the present application provides a coated fertilizer particle comprising a solid core and a coating composition at least partially covering the core. In some embodiments, the coating composition is the liquid composition according to the first aspect of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the coating composition covers at least 90%, at least 95%, or 100% of the surface of the core. The liquid composition described above can be used as a coating composition on solid fertilizer particles. The liquid composition can be applied to solid fertilizer particles and create a coating layer at least partially covering the solid particles, also referred to as the core of the coated particles. The embodiments of the first aspect of the present disclosure mentioned above also apply to this other aspect. In some embodiments, the solid core of the fertilizer particle comprises one, two, or three elements selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus. Nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus are referred to as the three macronutrients in agriculture. These are the elements most required (by weight) by crops to grow. Nitrogen is a key element for the synthesis of chlorophyll and amino acids. Phosphorus is important for cell divisions, and potassium for carbohydrate synthesis. In some embodiments, the coated fertilizer particle comprises one, two, or three elements selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus. In some embodiments, the solid core comprises from 1.0 to 50.0 weight% of an element selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and mixtures thereof. In some embodiments, the coated fertilizer particle comprises from 1.0 to 50 weight% of an element selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and mixtures thereof. In some embodiments, the solid core comprises an element selected from the group consisting of nitrate salts, ammonium salts, urea, phosphate salts, potassium salts, and mixtures thereof. In some embodiments, the solid core comprises one, two, or three elements selected from the group consisting of magnesium, calcium, and sulphur. Magnesium, calcium, and sulphur are referred to as secondary nutrients in agriculture. In some embodiments, the coated fertilizer particle comprises one, two, or three elements selected from the group consisting of magnesium, calcium, and sulphur. In some embodiments, the solid core is a granule, a pellet, or a prill. Solid fertilizer particles can be prepared by different techniques and can have different names based on the techniques that was used to be produced. Granules are produced by granulation, which involves the spraying of a liquid composition, for example a melt, onto seeds. Prills are produced by prilling, wherein a melt is passed through a device comprising holes to generate droplets that cool into prills. Pellets are produced by compaction or pelletization, wherein a composition is pressed into a desired shape. In some embodiments, the coated fertilizer particle comprises from 0.05 to 1.00 weight%, from 0.05 to 0.80 weight%, from 0.1 to 1.00 weight%, from 0.1 to 0.80 weight%, from 0.05 to 0.50 weight%, from 0.1 to 0.50 weight% of the liquid coating composition as disclosed herein. It may be an advantage for the coated fertilizer particle to comprise from 0.05 to 1.00 weight% of the liquid coating composition. The amount of coating composition comprised in the coated fertilizer particle has a strong impact on the physical properties of the particle, such as caking and dusting. A high amount of oil-based coating, such as above 1.00 weight%, may have a positive impact on the dusting, i.e., it may reduce the dust generated, but it may negatively impact the caking properties, i.e., leading to more caking which is undesirable. An amount of coating composition below 0.050 weight% represents a very small amount of the micronutrient and the humate or fulvate salt coated on the particle. Therefore, it is preferred that the coated fertilizer particle comprises from 0.050 weight% to 1.00 weight% of the liquid coating composition as disclosed herein. Another aspect provides the use of the liquid composition as disclosed herein as a coating composition for a fertilizer particle. The embodiments of the first and second aspect of the present disclosure mentioned above also apply to this other aspect. Experiment 1 A liquid composition according to the present invention was prepared by mixing colemanite, manganese carbonate, zinc oxide, rapeseed oil, and Borregro HA2, a product containing potassium humate and potassium fulvate. The liquid composition comprised 3.6 weight% of boron, 6.0 weight% of manganese, 11.9 weight% of zinc, and 11.8 weight% of combined potassium humate and potassium fulvate. Experiment 2 Solid 04-48-08 NPK particles (meaning that the particles comprise 4 weight% of nitrogen, 48 weight% of phosphorus, expressed as P2O5, and 8 weight% of potassium, expressed as K2O) were coated with different compositions: one portion with the composition of Experiment 1 at three different loadings: 3 mL of composition per kg of particles (mL / kg), 6 mL / kg, and 9 mL / kg (entry 8-9-10), one portion with the same composition as prepared in Experiment 1 but free of potassium humate and fulvate at the same three concentrations: 3 mL / kg, 6 mL / kg, and 9 mL / kg (entry 5-6-7), one portion was coated with rapeseed oil at the same three concentrations: 3 mL / kg, 6 mL / kg, and 9 mL / kg (entry 2-3-4), and one portion was not coated (entry 1) (see Table 1). Entry Treatment Application rate (mL / kg) 1 None - 2 Rapeseed oil 3 3 Rapeseed oil 6 4 Rapeseed oil 9 5 Rapeseed oil + B + Mn + Zn 3 6 Rapeseed oil + B + Mn + Zn 6 7 Rapeseed oil + B + Mn + Zn 9 8 Experiment 1 3 9 Experiment 1 6 10 Experiment 1 9 Table 1 Dwarf bean seeds were seeded in a mixture of soil and sand in pots, and the particles prepared above were applied once to the pots on the sowing date. The pots that received the particles coated with the composition free of humate and fulvate also received a product comprising humic and fulvic acid. Each treatment was applied in 5 pots, and the results shown below are an average of these 5 pots for each treatment. After 9 weeks, the plants were harvested and analyzed. First, the micronutrient content of the leaves of the plants was measured, and the results are summarized in Table 2 below. Entry Boron content (pg) Manganese content (pg) Zinc content(pg) 1 57.7 178 29.2 2 52.2 148 23.8 3 70.4 179 33.8 4 50.7 149 25.8 5 70.4 164 29.3 6 78.1 169 31.8 7 102 167 34.7 8 64.1 150 25.6 9 89.2 196 30.7 10 119 238 42.3 Table 2 It can be seen that the pots that received the particles coated with the composition of experiment 1, in particular those with the highest coating loading, perform better than the pots that received the same active ingredients separately (treatments 4 to 7). The amounts of boron (119 versus 102 pg), manganese (238 versus 167 pg), and zinc (42.3 versus 34.7 pg) found in the leaves are significantly higher for the plants that received the particles coated with the composition according to the present disclosure. Experiment 3 A liquid composition according to the present invention was prepared by mixing copper oxide, fumed silica, rapeseed oil, dispersant (less than 5.0 weight%), and Borregro HA2, a product containing potassium humate and potassium fulvate. The liquid composition comprised 33.3 weight% of copper oxide and 29.3 weight% of combined potassium humate and potassium fulvate.

Claims

1. A liquid composition comprising one or more micronutrient selected from the group consisting of boron, zinc, copper, manganese, and magnesium, a component selected from the group consisting of a humate salt, a fulvate salt, and mixtures thereof, and an oil as a carrier.

2. The liquid composition according to claim 1, wherein the liquid composition comprises boron, zinc, and manganese.

3. The liquid composition according to claim 1 or 2, comprising from 1.0 to 50.0 weight% of the component selected from the group consisting of a humate salt and a fulvate salt, and mixtures thereof.

4. The liquid composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the liquid composition comprises from 15.0 to 40.0 weight% of the oil.

5. The liquid composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the oil is a vegetable oil.

6. The liquid composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the liquid composition comprises from 1.0 to 5.0 weight% of boron.

7. The liquid composition according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the liquid composition comprises from 1.0 to 40.0 weight% of zinc.

8. The liquid composition according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the liquid composition comprises from 1.0 to 15.0 weight% of manganese.

9. The liquid composition according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising an element selected from the group consisting of iron, calcium, sulfur, and molybdenum.

10. The liquid composition according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the humate salt is selected from the group consisting of calcium humate, sodium humate, and potassium humate.

11. The liquid composition according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the fulvate salt is selected from the group consisting of calcium fulvate, sodium fulvate, and potassium fulvate.

12. The liquid composition according to any one of claims 1 to 11, further comprising one or more components selected from the group consisting of a dispersant, a clay, a coloring agent, and a defoaming agent.

13. A coated fertilizer particle comprising a solid core and a coating composition at least partially covering the core, wherein the coating composition is a liquid composition according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. The use of the liquid composition according to any one of claims 1 to 12 as a coating composition for a fertilizer particle.