Novel organic fertilizer compositions

Abstract

The present invention provides an organic fertilizer composition comprising fermented aerial parts of knotweed, a method for producing an organic fertilizer composition and use of such organic fertilizer compositions in agriculture.

Description

[0001] Novel organic fertilizer compositions

[0002] Technical field of the invention

[0003] The present invention relates to the fields of agriculture, organic farming and organic fertilizer compositions. Specifically the invention relates to organic fertilizer compositions made from fermented parts of Japanese knotweed and methods for preparing and using such organic fertilizer compositions.

[0004] Background of the invention

[0005] Japanese Knotweed (hereafter referred as knotweed) is a fast-spreading invasive herbaceous plant mainly known for its ecosystem disservices. It causes considerable economic and environmental damage throughout the USA, UK, and Europe. Its ability to spread quickly reduces the diversity and activity of native biota, increases soil erodibility, affects temporal patterns of soil nutrient availability, and causes significant structural and functional changes in urban and rural ecosystems. In addition, the maintenance of green areas represents a financial, organizational, and environmental challenge, as mowing is more often necessary, and aboveground parts of knotweed end up as unused waste in landfills.

[0006] Different mechanical, chemical and biological approaches have been applied individually or in combination to control knotweed spread. Mechanical control methods, such as hand cutting, mowing, grazing, digging, pulling, and covering, have proven labour-intensive but, in some cases, still essential in limiting knotweed's growth. The spread of knotweed is partially controllable with herbicides, and biological agents, such as psyllid Aphalara itadori Shinji and the fungus Mycosphaerella polygoni-cuspidati. Additionally, the restoration of contaminated areas requires careful species selection due to the allelopathic effects of knotweed. Evidently, only control approaches that integrate a variety of methods can lead to near-effective knotweed control.

[0007] On the contrary, knotweed is also known for its numerous ecosystem services. The aerial or underground parts of knotweed show insecticidal and fungicidal potential and have been successfully used in the production of medicine, biofuel, briquettes for heating, paper cellulose fibers, textile, and as carbon adsorbent. In some of these production processes, the aerial parts are too unused and disposed of in landfills. Above-ground parts of knotweed weigh more than half the total mass of the plants. Cvejic et al., Agronomy 2021, 11, 1232 shows preliminary experiments for development of fermentation-based organic fertilizer from knotweed.

[0008] There is a need for improved methods for solving the problem of Japanese knotweed (hereafter referred as knotweed) in the urban environment and the possibility of processing it into useful products rather than a waste product. Specifically there is a need for an environmentally sound and climate neutral approach thereto. Also, there is a need for efficient, organic fertilizers for supplying the required nutrients for agricultural crops, such as vegetables.

[0009] Summary of the invention

[0010] The object of the present invention is to overcome certain drawbacks in the elimination of knotweed and to provide an organic fertilizer as a useful product in this process. This is achieved by the present inventors who have developed a process for making an organic fertilizer composition from the aerial parts of knotweed.

[0011] The product is categorized as helpful in mitigating climate change as it represents a substitute for animal manure, the production of which is the primary source of greenhouse gases from agriculture.

[0012] In a first aspect the present invention provides an organic fertilizer composition comprising fermented aerial parts of knotweed, wherein the knotweed material being fermented comprises less than 20 %w / w root parts of knotweed as compared to the total contents of aerial plus root parts of knotweed.

[0013] Using the organic fertilizer of the present invention can provide common agricultural vegetables with nutrients sufficient to provide all of the required Nitrogen, about two-thirds of the required phosphorous and about 90 % of the required potassium. This applies to the average for the vegetables crops tomatoes, pumpkins, cabbage, paprika, cucumbers, mangold, carrot, zucchini, parsley, radicchio, onion, potatoes, lettuce and green beans.

[0014] In a second aspect the present invention provides a method for preparing the organic fertilizer composition according to the invention, said method comprising the steps :

[0015] - providing aerial parts of knotweed,

[0016] - cutting said aerial parts of knotweed into smaller parts, adding of a bacterial starter culture to form a humid inoculated material,

[0017] - incubating said humid inoculated material under substantially anaerobic conditions to form a fermented composition, homogenizing said fermented composition, optionally pelleting said homogenized fermented composition, to form said organic fertilizer composition.

[0018] In a third aspect the present invention provides the use of the organic fertilizer of the invention as a fertilizer in agriculture.

[0019] The present invention provides and is further characterized by the following items:

[0020] 1. An organic fertilizer composition comprising fermented aerial parts of knotweed, wherein the knotweed material being fermented comprises less than 20 %w / w root parts of knotweed as compared to the total contents of aerial plus root parts of knotweed.

[0021] 2. The organic fertilizer composition according to item 1, wherein the knotweed material being fermented comprises substantially no animal parts or animal manure or a mixture thereof, such as less than 1 %w / w or less than 0.10 %w / w animal parts or animal manure and a mixture thereof.

[0022] 3. The organic fertilizer composition according to item 1 or 2, wherein said aerial parts of knotweed are cut into minor parts prior to being fermented.

[0023] 4. The organic fertilizer composition according to any one of items 1-3, wherein said aerial parts of knotweed are dried and cut into minor parts prior to being fermented.

[0024] 5. The organic fertilizer according to any one of the preceding items, wherein said fermentation is a lactic acid fermentation.

[0025] 6. The organic fertilizer according to any one of the preceding items, wherein said fermentation follows the addition of a bacterial starter culture.

[0026] 7. The organic fertilizer according to any one of the preceding items, wherein said bacterial starter culture is added at an inoculum level from about l%v / v to about 5%v / v. 8. The organic fertilizer composition according to item 7 , wherein said bacterial starter culture has a concentration of from about 108Colony Forming Units (CFU) per mL to about 109CFU / mL.

[0027] 9. The organic fertilizer according to any one of items 6-8, wherein said fermentation follows the addition of a bacterial starter culture and adjustment of the humidity of the minor parts being fermented.

[0028] 10. The organic fertilizer according to any one of the preceding items, wherein said fermentation have been conducted for a period of from about 5 days to about 40 days.

[0029] 11. The organic fertilizer according to any of items 6-10, wherein said starter culture comprises beneficial and effective microorganisms.

[0030] 12. The organic fertilizer according to any of items 6-11, wherein said bacterial starter culture comprises a microorgamism selected from the group consisting of Lactobacillus sp., Pediococcus sp. and Leuconostoc sp.

[0031] 13. The organic fertilizer according to any of items 6-12, wherein said bacterial starter culture comprises Lactobacillus sp.

[0032] 14. The organic fertilizer according to any one of the preceding items, wherein the knotweed material being fermented comprises less than 15% root parts of knotweed as compared to the total contents of aerial plus root parts of knotweed.

[0033] 15. The organic fertilizer according to any one of the preceding items, wherein the knotweed material being fermented comprises less than 10% root parts of knotweed as compared to the total contents of aerial plus root parts of knotweed, less than 5% root parts of knotweed as compared to the total contents of aerial plus root parts of knotweed, less than 2% root parts of knotweed as compared to the total contents of aerial plus root parts of knotweed, or less than 1% root parts of knotweed as compared to the total contents of aerial plus root parts of knotweed.

[0034] 16. The organic fertilizer according to any one of the preceding items, which comprises at least 25 %w / w knotweed or fermented knotweed, at least 50 %w / w knotweed or fermented knotweed, at least 75 %w / w knotweed or fermented knotweed or at least 90 %w / w knotweed or fermented knotweed. 17. The organic fertilizer according to any one of the preceding items, wherein said fermented knotweed is mixed with a pelleting aid.

[0035] 18. The organic fertilizer according to any one of the preceding items, which is a pelleted composition.

[0036] 19. The organic fertilizer according to item 17 or 18, which comprises from 80 %w / w to 95 %w / w fermented knotweed and about 5 %w / w to 20 %w / w pelleting aid, such as about 90 %w / w fermented knotweed and about 10 %w / w pelleting aid.

[0037] 20. The organic fertilizer according to any one of the preceding items, which is enclosed in a packaging, such as a paper or plastic bag.

[0038] 21. A method for preparing the organic fertilizer composition according to any of items 1-20, said method comprising the steps :

[0039] - providing aerial parts of knotweed,

[0040] - cutting said aerial parts of knotweed into smaller parts,

[0041] - adding of a bacterial starter culture to form a humid inoculated material,

[0042] - incubating said humid inoculated material under substantially anaerobic conditions to form a fermented composition, homogenizing said fermented composition, optionally pelleting said homogenized fermented composition, to form said organic fertilizer composition.

[0043] 22. The method according to item 21, wherein said incubation is substantially carried out at a temperature of at least 20 °C.

[0044] 23. The use of the organic fertilizer composition as defined in any of items 1-20 as a fertilizer in agriculture.

[0045] 24. The use according to item 23, wherein said use comprises the spreading of the organic fertilizer composition on the growth substrate for agricultural crops, such as on the soil or on an inorganic growth matrix such as stone / rock wool, peat or perlite. 25. The use according to item 23 or 24, wherein said organic fertilizer is applied once or twice during the growth period of said agricultural crops.

[0046] 26. The use according to any one of items 23-25, wherein said organic fertilizer is applied on the growth substrate, such as on the soil or on an inorganic growth matrix, in an amount ranging from 0.1 kg dry weight per m2to 10 kg dry weight per m2, from 0.2 kg dry weight per m2to 8 kg dry weight per m2, from 0.5 kg dry weight per m2to 5 kg dry weight per m2, or from 0.7 kg dry weight per m2to 3 kg dry weight per m2.

[0047] Detailed description of the invention

[0048] The present invention provides an organic fertilizer composition comprising fermented aerial parts of knotweed, wherein the knotweed material being fermented comprises less than 20 %w / w root parts of knotweed as compared to the total contents of aerial plus root parts of knotweed.

[0049] In an embodiment said aerial parts of knotweed are cut into minor parts prior to being fermented.

[0050] In a further embodiment said aerial parts of knotweed are dried and cut into minor parts prior to being fermented.

[0051] In a further embodiment said fermentation is a lactic acid fermentation.

[0052] In yet another embodiment said fermentation follows the addition of a bacterial starter culture.

[0053] In yet another embodiment said bacterial starter culture is added at an inoculum level from about l%v / v to about 5%v / v.

[0054] In yet another embodiment said bacterial starter culture has a concentration of from about 108Colony Forming Units (CFU) per mL to about 109CFU / mL.

[0055] In yet another embodiment said fermentation follows the addition of a bacterial starter culture and adjustment of the humidity of the minor parts being fermented.

[0056] In yet another embodiment said fermentation have been conducted for a period of from about 5 days to about 40 days.

[0057] In yet another embodiment said starter culture comprises beneficial and effective microorganisms. In another embodiment said bacterial starter culture comprises a microorgamism selected from the group consisting of Lactobacillus sp., Pediococcus sp. and Leuconostoc sp.

[0058] In another embodiment said bacterial starter culture comprises Lactobacillus sp.

[0059] In another embodiment the knotweed material being fermented comprises less than 15% root parts of knotweed as compared to the total contents of aerial plus root parts of knotweed.

[0060] In another embodiment the knotweed material being fermented comprises less than 10% root parts of knotweed as compared to the total contents of aerial plus root parts of knotweed, less than 5% root parts of knotweed as compared to the total contents of aerial plus root parts of knotweed, less than 2% root parts of knotweed as compared to the total contents of aerial plus root parts of knotweed, or less than 1% root parts of knotweed as compared to the total contents of aerial plus root parts of knotweed.

[0061] In another embodiment the organic fertilizer comprises fermented knotweed which is mixed with a pelleting aid.

[0062] In another embodiment the organic fertilizer is a pelleted composition.

[0063] In another embodiment the organic fertilizer comprises from 80 %w / w to 95 %w / w fermented knotweed and about 5 %w / w to 20 %w / w pelleting aid, such as about 90 %w / w fermented knotweed and about 10 %w / w pelleting aid.

[0064] In another embodiment the organic fertilizer is enclosed in a packaging, such as a paper or plastic bag.

[0065] In a second aspect the present invention provides a method for preparing the organic fertilizer composition according to the invention, said method comprising the steps :

[0066] - providing aerial parts of knotweed,

[0067] - cutting said aerial parts of knotweed into smaller parts,

[0068] - adding of a bacterial starter culture to form a humid inoculated material,

[0069] - incubating said humid inoculated material under substantially anaerobic conditions to form a fermented composition, homogenizing said fermented composition, optionally pelleting said homogenized fermented composition, to form said organic fertilizer composition.

[0070] In one embodiment said incubation is substantially carried out at a temperature of at least 20 °C. In a third aspect the present invention provides the use of the organic fertilizer of the invention as a fertilizer in agriculture.

[0071] In one embodiment said use comprises the spreading of the organic fertilizer composition on the growth substrate for agricultural crops, such as on the soil or on an inorganic growth matrix such as stone / rock wool, peat or perlite. In a further embodiment said organic fertilizer is applied once or twice during the growth period of said agricultural crops.

[0072] In a further embodiment said organic fertilizer is applied on the growth substrate, such as on the soil or on an inorganic growth matrix, in an amount ranging from 0.1 kg dry weight per m2to 10 kg dry weight per m2, from 0.2 kg dry weight per m2to 8 kg dry weight per m2, from 0.5 kg dry weight per m2to 5 kg dry weight per m2, or from 0.7 kg dry weight per m2to 3 kg dry weight per m2.

Claims

Claims1. An organic fertilizer composition comprising fermented aerial parts of knotweed, wherein the knotweed material being fermented comprises less than 20 %w / w root parts of knotweed as compared to the total contents of aerial plus root parts of knotweed.

2. The organic fertilizer composition according to claim 1, wherein the knotweed material being fermented comprises substantially no animal parts or animal manure or a mixture thereof, such as less than 1 %w / w or less than 0.10 %w / w animal parts or animal manure and a mixture thereof.

3. The organic fertilizer composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said aerial parts of knotweed are cut into minor parts prior to being fermented.

4. The organic fertilizer composition according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein said aerial parts of knotweed are dried and cut into minor parts prior to being fermented.

5. The organic fertilizer according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said fermentation is a lactic acid fermentation.

6. The organic fertilizer according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said fermentation follows the addition of a bacterial starter culture.

7. The organic fertilizer according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said bacterial starter culture is added at an inoculum level from about l%v / v to about 5%v / v.

8. The organic fertilizer composition according to claim 7, wherein said bacterial starter culture has a concentration of from about 108Colony Forming Units (CFU) per mL to about 109CFU / mL.

9. The organic fertilizer according to any one of claims 6-8, wherein said fermentation follows the addition of a bacterial starter culture and adjustment of the humidity of the minor parts being fermented.

10. The organic fertilizer according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said fermentation have been conducted for a period of from about 5 days to about 40 days.

11. The organic fertilizer according to any of claims 6-10, wherein said starter culture comprises beneficial and effective microorganisms.

12. The organic fertilizer according to any of claims 6-11, wherein said bacterial starter culture comprises a microorgamism selected from the group consisting of Lactobacillus sp., Pediococcus sp. and Leuconostoc sp.

13. The organic fertilizer according to any of claims 6-12, wherein said bacterial starter culture comprises Lactobacillus sp.

14. The organic fertilizer according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the knotweed material being fermented comprises less than 15% root parts of knotweed as compared to the total contents of aerial plus root parts of knotweed.

15. The organic fertilizer according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the knotweed material being fermented comprises less than 10% root parts of knotweed as compared to the total contents of aerial plus root parts of knotweed, less than 5% root parts of knotweed as compared to the total contents of aerial plus root parts of knotweed, less than 2% root parts of knotweed as compared to the total contents of aerial plus root parts of knotweed, or less than 1% root parts of knotweed as compared to the total contents of aerial plus root parts of knotweed.

16. The organic fertilizer according to any one of the preceding claims, which comprises at least 25 %w / w knotweed or fermented knotweed, at least 50 %w / w knotweed or fermented knotweed, at least 75 %w / w knotweed or fermented knotweed or at least 90 %w / w knotweed or fermented knotweed17. The organic fertilizer according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said fermented knotweed is mixed with a pelleting aid.

18. The organic fertilizer according to any one of the preceding claims, which is a pelleted composition.

19. The organic fertilizer according to claim 17 or 18, which comprises from 80 %w / w to 95 %w / w fermented knotweed and about 5 %w / w to 20 %w / w pelleting aid, such as about 90 %w / w fermented knotweed and about 10 %w / w pelleting aid.

20. The organic fertilizer according to any one of the preceding claims, which is enclosed in a packaging, such as a paper or plastic bag.

21. A method for preparing the organic fertilizer composition according to any of claims 1-20, said method comprising the steps :- providing aerial parts of knotweed,- cutting said aerial parts of knotweed into smaller parts,- adding of a bacterial starter culture to form a humid inoculated material,- incubating said humid inoculated material under substantially anaerobic conditions to form a fermented composition, homogenizing said fermented composition, optionally pelleting said homogenized fermented composition, to form said organic fertilizer composition.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein said incubation is substantially carried out at a temperature of at least 20 °C.

23. The use of the organic fertilizer composition as defined in any of claims 1-20 as a fertilizer in agriculture.

24. The use according to claim 23, wherein said use comprises the spreading of the organic fertilizer composition on the growth substrate for agricultural crops, such as on the soil or on an inorganic growth matrix such as stone / rock wool, peat or perlite.

25. The use according to claim 23 or 24, wherein said organic fertilizer is applied once or twice during the growth period of said agricultural crops.

26. The use according to any one of claims 23-25, wherein said organic fertilizer is applied on the growth substrate, such as on the soil or on an inorganic growth matrix, in an amount ranging from 0.1 kg dry weight per m2to 10 kg dry weight per m2, from 0.2 kg dry weight per m2to 8 kg dry weight per m2, from 0.5 kg dry weight per m2to 5 kg dry weight per m2, or from 0.7 kg dry weight per m2to 3 kg dry weight per m2.