Agriculture composition

Abstract

An agriculture composition includes colloidal silica, water, and a plant nutrient, wherein the colloidal silica is modified with a silane group and wherein the composition is a liquid at about 25 °C.

Description

AGRICULTURE COMPOSITIONTECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to an agriculture composition. More specifically, the agriculture composition includes colloidal silica, water and a plant nutrient.BACKGROUND

[0002] Silicon (Si) is known in the art to help plants improve structural integrity, disease resistance, and photosynthetic efficiency. Si can be beneficial for plants, especially when plants experience environmental stress factors, e.g. diseases, insect damage, climate stress, water deficiency, salinity, etc. Si is generally abundant in soil but may not exist in an appropriate chemical form to be taken up by plants. Accordingly, Si fertilization may be performed to supply the plants with the desirable amount of Si.

[0003] In addition to Si, plants may also be fertilized with plant nutrients such as potassium (K), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sulfur (S), boron (B), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), zinc (Zn), chloride (Cl), etc.

[0004] Fertilization of plants using a liquid formulation can be useful. Si and plant nutrients in liquid or solution form are typically more accessible to plants, allowing for quicker absorption through the roots and / or foliage. The liquid formulation can also be easily customized to meet specific needs of different plants. Additionally, compared to other methods of fertilization, e.g. granular fertilizer, the liquid formulation can provide advantages for handling purposes, and can be evenly distributed, especially when used within an irrigation system.

[0005] However, plant nutrients are typically supplied in chemical forms which may not be suitable to combine with Si in liquid formulations and may cause gelation, aggregation, or sedimentation of solids included in the liquid formulation. Accordingly, there is an opportunity for improvement.BRIEF SUMMARY

[0006] This disclosure provides an agriculture composition including: colloidal silica; water; anda plant nutrient; wherein the colloidal silica is modified with a silane group; and wherein the composition is a liquid at about 25 °C.

[0007] This disclosure also provides a method of making an agriculture composition, the method including the steps of: providing colloidal silica; providing water; providing a plant nutrient; and combining the colloidal silica, water and the plant nutrient to form the agriculture composition; wherein the colloidal silica is modified with a silane group; and wherein the composition is a liquid at about 25 °C.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0008] The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the agriculture composition. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any theory presented in the preceding background or the following detailed description.

[0009] Embodiments of the present disclosure are generally directed to agriculture compositions and methods for forming the same. For the sake of brevity, conventional techniques related to such agriculture compositions may not be described in detail herein. Moreover, the various tasks and process steps described herein may be incorporated into a more comprehensive procedure or process having additional steps or functionality not described in detail herein. In particular, various steps in the manufacture of agriculture compositions are well-known and so, in the interest of brevity, many conventional steps will only be described briefly herein or will be omitted entirely without providing the well-known process details.

[0010] In this disclosure, the terminology “about” can describe values ± 0.1, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10%, in various embodiments. Moreover, it is contemplated that, in various nonlimiting embodiments, it is to be appreciated that all numerical values as provided herein, save for the actual examples, are approximate values with endpoints or particular values intended to be read as “about” or “approximately” the value as recited. It is also contemplated that allisomers and chiral options for each compound described herein are hereby expressly contemplated for use herein in various non-limiting embodiments.

[0011] Throughout this disclosure, the terminology percent "actives" is well recognized in the art and means the percent amount of active or actual compound or molecule present as compared to, for example, a total weight of a diluted solution of a solvent and such a compound. Some compounds, such as a solvent, are not described relative to a percent actives because it is well known to be approximately 100% actives. Any one or more of the values describe herein may be alternatively described as percent actives as would be understood by the skilled person.

[0012] In various embodiments, the terminology “free of’ describes embodiments that include less than about 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0.5, or 0.1, weight percent (or weight percent actives) of the compound or element at issue using an appropriate weight basis as would be understood by one of skill in the art. In other embodiments, the terminology “free of’ describes embodiments that have zero weight percent of the compound or element at issue.

[0013] The terminology “consists essentially of’ may describe various non-limiting embodiments that are free of one or more optional compounds described herein and / or free of one or more surfactants, additives, solvents, pesticides, active agents, etc.

[0014] The agriculture compositions disclosed herein may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of the components, elements, and process delineations described herein. The embodiments illustratively disclosed herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element which is not specifically disclosed herein.Agriculture Composition:

[0015] This disclosure provides an agriculture composition including: colloidal silica; water; and a plant nutrient; wherein the colloidal silica is modified with a silane group; and wherein the composition is a liquid at about 25 °C.

[0016] The “agriculture composition” may also be described herein as the “composition”, the “liquid”, or the “liquid formulation”. The agriculture composition may be a liquid fertilizer, a liquid feed, a liquid nutrient mix, a hydroponic fertilizer, a foliar feed, a foliar spray, a multipurpose plant care solution, etc. In various embodiments, the agriculture composition is aliquid fertilizer. In other embodiments, the agriculture composition is used for fertilization of plants, fertilization of soil, treatment of plant nutrient deficiency, treatment of plant diseases, or combinations thereof.Colloidal Silica:

[0017] The agriculture composition includes colloidal silica, which can alternatively be described as a dispersion or a suspension of silicon dioxide (S i O2 ) particles in a liquid medium. The liquid medium may be any known in the art, including but not limited to water, an organic solvent such as an alcohol including methanol, ethanol, butanol etc., a ketone such as acetone, cyclohexanone, methyl ethyl ketone, etc., or combinations thereof. In various embodiments, the liquid medium is water. In other embodiments, the liquid medium is a combination of water and the organic solvent, such as ethanol, in a weight ratio of about 99:1, about 98:2, about 97:3, about 96:4, about 95:5, about 94:6, about 93:7, about 92:8, about 91:9, or about 90:10, or any range therebetween. In various embodiments, the liquid medium is a combination of water and the organic solvent, such as ethanol, e.g. in a weight ratio of from about 91:9 to about 99:1, about 91:9 to about 98:2, about 91:9 to about 97:3, about 91:9 to about 96:4, about 91:9 to about 95:5, about 91:9 to about 94:6, about 91:9 to about 93:7, or about 91:9 to about 92:8, or any range therebetween. In various non-limiting embodiments, all values and ranges of values including and between those set forth above are expressly contemplated for use herein.

[0018] The colloidal silica may or may not be dispersed in the liquid medium in the presence of counter ions to stabilize and balance charges in the agriculture composition, including cations, e.g. K+, Na+, Li+, NH4+, organic cations, primary amines, secondary amines, tertiary amines, quaternary amines, etc., and anions, e.g. PO43', SO42', CCh2', ions of halogens such as F’, Cl’, Br , T, etc.

[0019] Additionally, the colloidal silica is modified with a silane group. The silane group may be any known in the art. For example, the silane group may have 1 to 8 carbon atoms, 1 to 7 carbon atoms, 1 to 6 carbon atoms, 1 to 5 carbon atoms, 1 to 4 carbon atoms, 1 to 3 carbon atoms, or 1 to 2 carbon atoms. In various non-limiting embodiments, all values and ranges of values including and between those set forth above are expressly contemplated for use herein.

[0020] The silane group may be an alkyl, alkenyl, aryl etc., may or may not include a halide atom, may be aliphatic, cyclic or may include both aliphatic and cyclic portions, may be linearor branched, substituted or unsubstituted, etc. In various embodiments, the silane group is derived from any one of, or any combination of, the silanes described below.

[0021] Relative to the silane group, the silane group may be an epoxy silane group, such as epoxy alkyl silanes or epoxy alkyloxy alkyl silanes. Non-limiting examples of epoxy alkyl silanes include ethyltrimethoxy silane, propyltriethoxy silane, phenyltrimethoxy silane, 3- mercaptopropyltriethoxy silane, cyclohexyltrimethoxy silane, cyclohexyltriethoxy silane, dimethyldimethoxy silane, 3- chloropropyltriethoxy silane, octyl triethoxysilane, methyl triethoxysilane, methyl trimethoxysilane, tris-[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl] isocyanurate, 3- mercaptopropyl trimethoxysilane, isobutyltriethoxy silane, trimethylethoxy silane, phenyldimethylethoxy silane, hexamethyldisiloxane, ureidomethyltriethoxy silane, ureidoethyltriethoxy silane, ureidopropyltriethoxy silane, hexamethyldisilizane, etc. Nonlimiting examples of epoxyalkyloxyalkyl silanes include beta-(3, 4-epoxycyclohexyl)-ethyl trimethoxysilane, silanes, 3-(glycidoxypropyl) trimethoxy silane, 3-glycidoxypropyl methyldiethoxysilane, (3-glycidoxypropyl) triethoxy silane, (3-glycidoxypropyl) hexyltrimethoxy silane, beta-(3, 4-epoxycyclohexyl)-ethyltriethoxysilane, 3- methacryloxypropyl trimethoxysilane, 3-methacryloxypropyl triisopropoxysilane, 3- methacryloxypropyl triethoxysilane, octyltrimethoxy silane, 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxy silane, etc. Additionally, the epoxy silane group can be hydrolyzed to form a corresponding vicinal diol silane group, e.g. in the presence of water, in the presence of an acid or a base catalyst, etc. Accordingly, the colloidal silica may also include the vicinal diol silane group equivalents of the epoxy silane group. Non-limiting examples of vicinal silane diol groups, which may also be described as silane glycol groups, include ethylene glycol silane, propylene glycol silane, 1,2-butanediol silane, 1,2-cyclohexanediol silane, etc.

[0022] The colloidal silica may also be modified with a hydroxyl-substituted group, e.g. a hydroxyalkyl, a hydroxyalkyloxyalkyl, a hydroxyaryl, etc. The hydroxyl-substituted group is not particularly limited and may have various numbers of carbon atoms, e.g. 1 to 8 carbon atoms, 1 to 7 carbon atoms, 1 to 6 carbon atoms, 1 to 5 carbon atoms, 1 to 4 carbon atoms, 1 to 3 carbon atoms, or 1 to 2 carbon atoms. In various embodiments, the colloidal silica is modified with both the epoxy silane group and the hydroxy- substituted group.

[0023] The colloidal silica may be modified using any technique known in the art. For example, the colloidal silica can be modified using direct silanization, 2-step silanization, sol-gel method, or combinations thereof. The modification may occur on a surface of the colloidal silica, typically an outer surface, which describes the surface that may be exposed to or may be accessible to the liquid media.

[0024] It is possible that not all silica particles are modified with a silane group. The proportion of silane modified colloidal silica particles to non-silane modified silica particles may depend on a variety of factors, for example the size of the silica particles and the available surface area, the relative amounts of reactant to colloidal silica used to modify the colloidal silica, the type of reactant used and the reaction conditions. Degree of modification (DM) may be a useful parameter to describe an amount of silane disposed on the surface area of the colloidal silica. In various embodiments, the colloidal silica has a DM of from about 0.5 to about 4 molecules / nm2. In other embodiments, the DM is from about 0.6 to about 3.9 molecules / nm2, about 0.7 to about 3.8 molecules / nm2, about 0.8 to about 3.7 molecules / nm2, about 0.9 to about 3.6 molecules / nm2, about 1 to about 3.5 molecules / nm2, about 1.1 to about 3.4 molecules / nm2, about 1.2 to about 3.3 molecules / nm2, about 1.3 to about 3.2 molecules / nm2, about 1.4 to about 3.1 molecules / nm2, about 1.5 to about 3.0 molecules / nm2, about 1.6 to about 2.9 molecules / nm2, about 1.7 to about 2.8 molecules / nm2, about 1.8 to about 2.7 molecules / nm2, about 1.9 to about 2.6 molecules / nm2, about 2 to about 2.5 molecules / nm2, about 2.1 to about 2.4, or about 2.2 to about 2.3 molecules / nm2. In various non-limiting embodiments, all values and ranges of values including and between those set forth above are expressly contemplated for use herein.

[0025] The amount of the silane present in the colloidal silica may also be described using a weight ratio of the silane to the non-silane modified colloidal silica. In various embodiments, the weight ratio of the silane to the colloidal silica is from about 0.3:99.7 to about 60:40. In other embodiments, the weight ratio of the silane to the colloidal silica is from about 0.3:99.7 to about 1:99, about 0.3:99.7 to about 0.9:99.1, or about 0.3:99.7 to about 0.6:99.4. In yet other embodiments, the weight ratio of the silane to the colloidal silica is from about 1:99 to about 10:90, about 1:99 to about 9:91, about 1:99 to about 8:92, about 1:99 to about 7:93, about 1:99 to about 6:94, about 1:99 to about 5:95, about 1:99 to about 4:96, about 1:99 to about 3:97, or about 1:99 to about 2:98. In various embodiments, the weight ratio of the silane to the colloidal silica is from about 10:90 to about 60:40, about 10:90 to about 50:50, about 10:90 to about 40:60, about 10:90 to about 30:70, or about 10:90 to about 20:80. In various non-limitingembodiments, all values and ranges of values including and between those set forth above are expressly contemplated for use herein.

[0026] Additionally, the surface of the colloidal silica may or may not include a hydroxyl group, which may be formed from exposure to water, e.g. in the composition, in water vapor, etc. through hydrolysis to break Si-O-Si bonds and form Si-OH bonds. In various embodiments, the surface of the colloidal silica includes both Si-O-Si bonds and Si-OH bonds. The amount of hydroxyl groups disposed on the surface of the colloidal silica is typically from about 0.1 to about 1 mol of OH" group in every kg of colloidal silica. In various embodiments, the amount of hydroxyl groups included in colloidal silica is from about 0.1 to about 1 mol, about 0.2 to about 0.9 mol, about 0.3 to about 0.8 mol, about 0.4 to about 0.7 mol, or about 0.5 to about 0.6 mol, of OH" group per kg of colloidal silica. In various non-limiting embodiments, all values and ranges of values including and between those set forth above are expressly contemplated for use herein.

[0027] Silane modification may affect physical and / or chemical properties of the colloidal silica, e.g. surface charge, pH, density, viscosity, particle size, etc. Relative to surface charge, the colloidal silica may be neutral, negative, or positive, depending on the silane group used to modify the colloidal silica. The surface charge may be described using various parameters, e.g. zeta potential, surface charge density, etc., using any method or analytical instrument known in the art, e.g. using a zeta potential analyzer, performing an acid or base titration, performing a conductometric titration, etc. In various embodiments, the colloidal silica may have a zeta potential, measured using any method described above, of from about -50 to about +50 mV, about -40 to about +40 mV, about -30 to about +30 mV, about -20 to about +20 mV, or about - 10 to about +10 mV. In various non-limiting embodiments, all values and ranges of values including and between those set forth above are expressly contemplated for use herein.

[0028] As first described above, the colloidal silica may be dispersed in the liquid media, e.g. water, or a combination of water and the organic solvent, etc. and thus may have a pH. Relative to pH, the colloidal silica may have a pH that is neutral, acidic, or basic. The pH of the colloidal silica may be measured using any method or apparatus known in the art, e.g. using a pH meter, by performing an acid / base titration, by using a pH test strip or indicator solution, etc. In various embodiments, the colloidal silica may have a pH of from about 5 to about 12, such as a pH of 5, 5.5, 6, 6.5, 7, 7.5, 8, 8.5, 9, 9.5, 10, 10.5, 11, 11.5, or 12. In various non-limitingembodiments, all values and ranges of values including and between those set forth above are expressly contemplated for use herein.

[0029] The colloidal silica may have a density, measured at 20 °C, of from about 1 to about 3 g / cm3. The density may be measured using any method known in the art. In various embodiments, the density of colloidal silica may be measured according to various standardized methods, e.g. ASTM D1475, D859, ISO 12154:2014, etc. In various embodiments, the density of the colloidal silica is from about 1 to about 3 g / cm3, about 1.3 to about 2.7 g / cm3, about 1.6 to about 2.4 g / cm3, or about 1.9 to about 2.1 g / cm3. In other embodiments, the density of the colloidal silica is from about 1 to about 1.3 g / cm3, about 1.03 to about 1.27 g / cm3, about 1.06 to about 1.24 g / cm3, about 1.09 to about 1.21 g / cm3, or about 1.12 to about 1.19 g / cm3. In various non-limiting embodiments, all values and ranges of values including and between those set forth above are expressly contemplated for use herein.

[0030] As first described above, the colloidal silica may be dispersed in the liquid media, e.g. water, or a combination of water and the organic solvent, etc. As such, the dispersion may have a viscosity, of from about 1 to about 30 cP. The viscosity may be measured using any method known in the art. In various embodiments, the viscosity of colloidal silica is measured according to ASTM D2196, at about 25 °C, using a rotational (Brookfield type) viscometer, with a spindle speed of from about 4 to about 6 rpm. In other embodiments, the viscosity of the colloidal silica is measured using a Malvern Kinexus rheometer, which employs a Mooney-Ewart cylinder setup and a sheer rate of about 100 s’1. In various embodiments, the viscosity of the colloidal silica is from about 1 to about 30 cP, measured using any of the aforementioned methods. In various embodiments, the viscosity of the colloidal silica, measured at 20 °C in the combination of water and ethanol, is from about 1 to about 30 cP, about 2 to about 29 cP, about 3 to about 28 cP, about 4 to about 27 cP, about 5 to about 26 cP, about 6 to about 25 cP, about 7 to about 24 cP, about 8 to about 23 cP, about 9 to about 22 cP, about 10 to about 21 cP, about 11 to about 20 cP, about 12 to about 19 cP, about 13 to about 19 cP, about 14 to about 18 cP, or about 15 to about 17 cP. In various non-limiting embodiments, all values and ranges of values including and between those set forth above are expressly contemplated for use herein.

[0031] Particles of the colloidal silica may have various shapes and sizes. For example, the particles of the colloidal silica may or may not be porous, may or may not be amorphous, maybe spherical, oblong, irregularly shaped, or may have a monodisperse or polydisperse size distribution.

[0032] Relative to size, the colloidal silica may have a particle size distribution, e.g. DvlO, Dv50, Dv90, Dv99, DnlO, Dn50, Dn90, Dn99, DslO, Ds50, Ds90, Ds99, etc., of from about 1 to about 150 nm. Particle size distribution may be measured using various standardized methods, including but not limited to ASTM D5861, ISO 13320:2009, ISO 13320:2020, or the like, e.g. using a Malvern Mastersizer such as the Mastersizer 3000. As just one example, the setting of the Mastersizer 3000 may include: utilizing 300 mm lens, with a particulate refractive index of 1.33 + O.OOOi, a dispersant refractive index of 1.00, a particle density of 1.00 gm / cc, a residual of 0.67%, a path length of 100.0 mm, a scatter start value of 6, a scatter end value of 36, and a scattering threshold of 1. However, the skilled person may change one or more parameters if desired. Any one or more particle size values described herein may be determined using the aforementioned methods. In various embodiments, the colloidal silica has a particle size distribution Dv90 of from about 1 to about 150 nm, about 10 to about 140 nm, about 20 to about 130 nm, about 30 to about 120 nm, about 40 to about 110 nm, about 50 to about 100 nm, about 60 to about 90 nm, about 70 to about 80 nm. In other embodiments, the colloidal silica has a particle size distribution Dv90 of from about 5 to about 25 nm, about 6 to about 24 nm, about 7 to about 23 nm, about 8 to about 22 nm, about 9 to about 21 nm, or about 10 to about 20 nm. In various non-limiting embodiments, all values and ranges of values including and between those set forth above are expressly contemplated for use herein.

[0033] Alternatively, the size of the colloidal silica may be described using specific surface area. The specific surface areas can be measured using any method known in the art, e.g. Sears titration, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method, using a light scattering particle size distribution analyzer, etc. In various embodiments, the colloidal silica has a specific surface area of from about 20 to about 1500 m2 / g, from about 30 to about 1400 m2 / g, from about 40 to 1300 m2 / g, from about 50 to about 1200 m2 / g, from about 60 to about 1100 m2 / g, from about 70 to about 1000 m2 / g, from about 80 to about 900 m2 / g, from about 90 to about 800 m2 / g, or from about 100 to about 700 m2 / g. In various non-limiting embodiments, all values and ranges of values including and between those set forth above are expressly contemplated for use herein.

[0034] Silica content can also be used to describe the colloidal silica. Silica content describes an amount of silica present in the silane modified colloidal silica, which may include optionaladditional components, e.g. water, additives, etc., and may be expressed as a weight percentage. The silica content of the colloidal silica is typically from about 5 to about 60 wt%, based on a total weight of the silane modified colloidal silica. In various embodiments, the silica content is from about 5 to about 60 wt%, about 10 to about 55 wt%, about 15 to about 50 wt%, about 20 to about 45 wt%, or about 35 to about 40 wt%, based on a total weight of the silane modified colloidal silica. In various non-limiting embodiments, all values and ranges of values including and between those set forth above are expressly contemplated for use herein.

[0035] The colloidal silica may or may not be aggregated, e.g. as a microgel, which may be described using parameters such as S-value or degree of aggregation. The S-value may be dependent on various parameters of the colloidal silica, e.g. silica content, viscosity, density, etc. and can be calculated according to formulae known in the art. In various non limiting embodiments, one or more formulae can be used to calculate the S-value, e.g. as described in Iler, R. K. & Dalton, R. L. in J. Phys. Chem., 60 (1956), 955-957, which is expressly incorporated by reference herein in various non-limiting embodiments, can be used. A large S- value, e.g. greater than about 20, may indicate a large amount of colloidal silica in dispersion, and indicate a minimal aggregation behavior. The S-value of the colloidal silica may be from about 20 to about 100. In various embodiments, the S-value of the colloidal silica is from about 20 to about 100, about 25 to about 95, about 30 to about 90, about 35 to about 85, about 40 to about 80, about 45 to about 75, about 50 to about 70, or about 55 to about 65. In various nonlimiting embodiments, all values and ranges of values including and between those set forth above are expressly contemplated for use herein.

[0036] The colloidal silica may be present in the agriculture composition in various amounts. The amount of colloidal silica in the agriculture composition may be dependent on different needs of various plants and crops, e.g. food crops, fiber crops, oil crops, ornamental crops, industrial crops, etc., different applications, e.g. manufacturing a ready-to-use product or a concentrate, etc. and different methods of providing the plant nutrient to the plants, e.g. spraying on leaves, fertilizing of soil, etc. In various embodiments, the colloidal silica is present in the agriculture composition in an amount of from about 1 to about 50 wt% actives, about 2 to about 48 wt% actives, about 3 to about 47 wt% actives, about 4 to about 46 wt% actives, about 5 to about 45 wt% actives, about 6 to about 44 wt% actives, about 7 to about 43 wt% actives, about 8 to about 42 wt% actives, about 9 to about 41 wt% actives, about 10 to about 40 wt% actives,about 11 to about 39 wt% actives, about 12 to about 38 wt% actives, about 13 to about 37 wt% actives, about 14 to about 36 wt% actives, about 15 to about 35 wt% actives, about 16 to about 34 wt% actives, about 17 to about 33 wt% actives, about 17 to about 32 wt% actives, about 18 to about 31 wt% actives, about 19 to about 30 wt% actives, about 20 to about 29 wt% actives, about 21 to about 28 wt% actives, about 22 to about 27 wt% actives, about 23 to about 26 wt% actives, or about 24 to about 25 wt% actives, based on a total weight of the agriculture composition. In various non-limiting embodiments, all values and ranges of values including and between those set forth above are expressly contemplated for use herein.Water:

[0037] The agriculture composition additionally includes water. The water may originate from a variety of sources, e.g. commercially obtained water, tap water, filtered water, water as a part of other components including the colloidal silica, the plant nutrient, or combinations thereof. Typically, water is included in the agriculture composition to help disperse the colloidal silica and / or dissolve the plant nutrient. Water may be used to attain the desired viscosity of the agriculture composition, create a homogeneous mixture, and / or decrease undesirable aggregation and gelling of the colloidal silica, thereby increasing stability of the agriculture composition.

[0038] Water may be present in the agriculture composition in an amount of from 40 to about 98 wt%, based on a total weight of the agriculture composition. In various embodiments, water is present from about 40 to about 98 wt%, about 41 to about 97 wt%, about 42 to about 96 wt%, about 43 to about 95 wt%, about 44 to about 94 wt%, about 45 to about 93 wt%, about 46 to about 92 wt%, about 47 to about 91 wt%, about 48 to about 90 wt%, about 49 to about 89 wt%, about 50 to about 88 wt%, about 51 to about 87 wt%, about 52 to about 86 wt%, about 53 to about 85 wt%, about 54 to about 84 wt%, about 55 to about 83 wt%, about 56 to about 82 wt%, about 57 to about 81 wt%, about 58 to about 80 wt%, about 59 to about 79 wt%, about 60 to about 78 wt%, about 61 to about 77 wt%, about 62 to about 76 wt%, about 63 to about 75 wt%, about 64 to about 74 wt%, about 65 to about 73 wt%, about 66 to about 72 wt%, about 67 to about 71 wt%, about 68 to about 70 wt%, or about 69 to about 70 wt%, based on a total weight of the agriculture composition. In various non-limiting embodiments, all values and ranges of values including and between those set forth are expressly contemplated for use therein.Plant Nutrient:

[0039] The terminology “plant nutrient” is generally known in the art to include chemical elements that are beneficial to plants, which are described herein. The agriculture composition additionally includes the plant nutrient, which is typically known in the art as a chemical compound that helps facilitate or participates in bioactivities and processes of plants, e.g. growth, reproduction, metabolism, etc. For example, the plant nutrient may include an element chosen from K, N, P, Ca, Mg, S, B, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Zn, Cl, and combinations thereof. In various embodiments, the agriculture composition includes one plant nutrient. In other embodiments, the agriculture composition includes a combination of two or more plant nutrients.

[0040] The plant nutrient may be in any chemical form known in the art, which may or may not be available to be absorbed by plants. In various embodiments, the plant nutrient is an ionic compound. In other embodiments, the plant nutrient is a chelated compound. In yet other embodiments, the plant nutrient is a complexed compound. In various embodiments, the plant nutrient is present in a combination of two or three chemical forms including a salt, a complexed compound, and / or a chelated compound. In other embodiments, the agriculture composition includes a combination of the plant nutrient that is an ionic compound, the plant nutrient that is a chelated compound, and the plant nutrient that is a complexed compound.

[0041] The terminology “ionic compound”, “ion”, or “salt” refers to a compound that includes oppositely charged ions that can easily dissociate in an aqueous environment, e.g. water, buffer, etc. The ion may be any chemical element or chemical group known in the art, may be organic or inorganic, and may have positive or negative charge. Non-limiting examples of positive ions, also known in the art as cations, include H+, NHZ, metal ions such as K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cu+, Cu2+, Fe2+, Fe3+, Mn2+, Mn3+, Mn4+, Mo3+, Mo6+, Zn2+, etc. Non-limiting examples of negative ions, also known in the art as anions, include anions of halogens, e.g. F’, CT, Br", T, etc., anionic groups, e.g. NCF', PO43', (H2PO4)', (HPO4)2', SO42', (BOa)', FT, OH", (MOO4)', etc. Additionally, anions including a carboxylate group known in the art, which may have the structure RCOO", where R may include 1 to 10 carbons, may be alkyl or aryl, may be branched or unbranched, may be aromatic or non-aromatic, can also be used, so long as the RCOO" group can dissociate in aqueous environment. In various embodiments, the plant nutrient is an ionic compound, including a cation and an anion as described above, e.g. FeSCU, Fei SCUh, ZnSCU, NaiMoCU,(NH4)2HPO4, etc. In various embodiments, the ionic compound is hydrated, which may form a complexed compound with one, two, or multiple (three or more) water molecules, e.g. CuSO4-5H2O, CaCl2-2H2O, etc.

[0042] The terminology “chelated compound” refers to a compound that includes a chelating agent (a molecule with multiple donor atoms), also known in the art as a chelate, a chelating ligand or a polydentate ligand, bonded to a central metal atom through two or more coordination bonds. The chelated compound may be any known in the art, may be positively charged, negatively charged, or neutral. In various embodiments, the chelated compound is charged, wherein a counter ion may be used to balance the charge, forming an ionic compound. In other embodiments, the ionic compound which includes the chelated compound may be hydrated, forming a complexed compound.

[0043] The chelated compound may be configured in any molecular geometry known in the art, e.g. linear, tetrahedral, octahedral, square planar, trigonal bipyramidal, square pyramidal, square antiprism, etc. The chelating ligand may be any known in the art, may have various denticity, e.g. having two (bidentate), three (tridentate), four (tetradentate), or more coordination bonds. The chelating ligand may be organic, may have at least one carbon atom, e.g. two carbons, three carbons, four carbons, etc., and may be neutral or charged. Non-limiting examples of the chelating agent include ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA), ethylene diamine-N,N'-bis (2-hydroxyphenylacetic acid) (EDDHA), diethylene triamine pentaacetic (DTPA), hydroxyethylethylene diaminetriacetic acid (HEDTA), N,N'-bis (2-hydroxybenzyl) ethylenediamine-N,N '-diacetic acid (HBED), methylglycine-N,N-diacetic acid (MGDA), glutamic acid-N,N-diacetic acid (GLDA), iminodisuccinic acid (IDS), ethylenediamine-N,N'- disuccinic acid (EDDS), nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), citric acid, etc. The central metal atom may be any known in the art, may be the same as, or different from, the plant nutrient element, including but not limited to, main block metals, e.g. Li, Ca, Mg, Sr, Ba, etc., transition metals, e.g. Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, Mo, etc, inner transition metal, e.g. La, Ce, Pr, etc. In various non-limiting embodiments, the chelated compound includes the central metal atom bonded to one or more chelating agents as described above, e.g. [Zn-EDTA]2", [Mn-EDTA]2", [Fe- HEDTA]", [Fe-DTPA]2", etc.

[0044] Relative to the complexed compound, the terminology “complexed compound” refers to a compound that includes a complexing agent, also known in the art as a ligand, amonodentate, or a monodentate ligand, bonded to a central metal atom through one coordination bond. The complexed compound may be any known in the art, may be positively charged, negatively charged, or neutral. The complexed compound may be configured in any molecular geometry known in the art, e.g. linear, tetrahedral, octahedral, square planar, trigonal bipyramidal, square pyramidal, square antiprism, etc. The complexing agent may be organic, may have at least one carbon atom, e.g. two carbons, three carbons, four carbons, etc., and may be neutral or charged. Non-limiting examples of the complexing agent include gluconate, glucoheptonate, lignosulfonate, chloro, water (aqua), ammonia, hydroxo, cyano, halide agents e.g. fluoro, bromo, iodo, etc. The central metal atom of the complexed compound may be the same as, or different from, the central metal atom of the chelated compound. The central metal atom may be any known in the art, may be the same as, or different from, the plant nutrient element, including but not limited to, main block metals, e.g. Li, Ca, Mg, Sr, Ba, etc., transition metals, e.g. Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, Mo, etc, inner transition metal, e.g. La, Ce, Pr, etc. In various nonlimiting embodiments, the complexed compound includes the central metal atom bonded to one or more complexing agents as described above, e.g., Fe-2(C6HnO7) (iron gluconate), magnesium lignosulfonate, etc.

[0045] The plant nutrient may be present in the agriculture composition in various amounts. The amount of plant nutrient in the agriculture composition may be dependent on different fertilizing needs of various plants and crops, e.g. food crops, fiber crops, oil crops, ornamental crops, industrial crops, etc., different methods of providing the plant nutrient to the plants, e.g. spraying on leaves, fertilizing of soil, etc., different types of plant nutrient, e.g. K, N, P, Ca, Mg, S, B, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Zn, Cl, different chemical forms of the plant nutrient, e.g. salt, chelated compound, complexed compound, etc. In various embodiments, the plant nutrient is present in the agriculture composition in amount of from about 1 to about 50 wt% actives, based on a total weight of the agriculture composition. In other embodiments, the plant nutrient is present in an amount of from about 2 to about 49 wt% actives, about 3 to about 48 wt% actives, about 4 to about 47 wt% actives, about 5 to about 46 wt% actives, about 6 to about 45 wt% actives, about 7 to about 44 wt% actives, about 8 to about 43 wt% actives, about 9 to about 42 wt% actives, about 10 to about 41 wt% actives, about 11 to about 40 wt% actives, about 12 to about 39 wt% actives, about 13 to about 38 wt% actives, about 14 to about 37 wt% actives, about 15 to about 36 wt% actives, about 16 to about 35 wt% actives, about 17 to about 34 wt%actives, about 18 to about 33 wt% actives, about 19 to about 32 wt% actives, about 20 to about 31 wt% actives, about 21 to about 30 wt%, about 22 to about 29 wt% actives, about 23 to about 28 wt% actives, about 24 to about 26 wt%, or about 25 to about 26 wt%, based on a total weight of the agriculture composition. In various non-limiting embodiments, all values and ranges of values including and between those set forth above are expressly contemplated for use herein.Additional Components:

[0046] The agriculture composition may additionally and optionally include or be free of one or more additional components such as an additive to customize fertilizing performance and attain certain physical and / or chemical properties to suit different application needs. The additive may be any known in the art, e.g. a pH modifier, a surfactant, a soil conditioner, a growth enhancer, etc.

[0047] The pH modifier may be used to attain or stabilize the pH of the agriculture composition. Dependent on the desired pH, an acid or a base may be used in various concentrations to finetune the pH of the agriculture composition. Non-limiting examples of the pH modifier include phosphoric acid, citric acid, ammonium hydroxide, etc. In various embodiments, the pH modifier is present in an amount of from about 0 to about 1 wt%, about 0.01 to about 0.9 wt%, about 0.02 to about 0.8 wt%, about 0.03 to about 0.7 wt%, about 0.04 to about 0.6 wt%, about 0.05 to about 0.5 wt%, about 0.06 to about 0.4 wt%, about 0.07 to about 0.3 wt%, about 0.08 to about 0.2 wt%, or about 0.09 to about 0.1 wt%, based on a total weight of the agriculture composition. In various non-limiting embodiments, all values and ranges of values including and between those set forth above are expressly contemplated for use herein.

[0048] The surfactant may be used to help the agriculture composition spread more easily, e.g. through soil or plants, and / or adhere to plant surfaces more efficiently. The surfactant may be any known in the art, may be natural or synthetic, may be ionic, non-ionic, or zwitterionic, and / or may have various tail lengths, e.g. about 4 to about 30 carbon atoms, etc. Non-limiting examples of the surfactant include polysorbate, polyethylene glycol, sodium lauryl sulfate, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate, coc amidopropyl betaine, sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate, sorbitan monooleate, docusate sodium, etc. In various embodiments, the surfactant is present in an amount of from about 0 to about 1 wt%, about 0.01 to about 0.9 wt%, about 0.02 to about 0.8 wt%, about 0.03 to about 0.7 wt%, about 0.04 to about 0.6 wt%, about 0.05 to about 0.5 wt%, about 0.06 to about 0.4 wt%, about 0.07 to about0.3 wt%, about 0.08 to about 0.2 wt%, or about 0.09 to about 0.1 wt%, based on a total weight of the agriculture composition. In various non-limiting embodiments, all values and ranges of values including and between those set forth above are expressly contemplated for use herein.

[0049] The soil conditioner may be used to enhance uptake of the plant nutrient and improve soil health. The soil conditioner may be any known in the art, including but not limited to humic acid, fulvic acid, hymatomelanic acid, etc., which can be derived from various sources, e.g. extracts from leonardite, compost, etc. In various embodiments, the soil conditioner is present in an amount of from about 0 to about 1 wt%, about 0.01 to about 0.9 wt%, about 0.02 to about 0.8 wt%, about 0.03 to about 0.7 wt%, about 0.04 to about 0.6 wt%, about 0.05 to about 0.5 wt%, about 0.06 to about 0.4 wt%, about 0.07 to about 0.3 wt%, about 0.08 to about 0.2 wt%, or about 0.09 to about 0.1 wt%, based on a total weight of the agriculture composition. In various non-limiting embodiments, all values and ranges of values including and between those set forth above are expressly contemplated for use herein.

[0050] The growth enhancer may be any known in the art, may be synthesized or extracted from biological sources, may facilitate or participate in any biological mechanisms. For example, the growth enhancer may be used to improve and promote plant growth and development. Non-limiting examples of the growth enhancer include auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins, etc. In various embodiments, the growth enhancer is present in an amount of from about 0 to about 1 wt%, about 0.01 to about 0.9 wt%, about 0.02 to about 0.8 wt%, about 0.03 to about 0.7 wt%, about 0.04 to about 0.6 wt%, about 0.05 to about 0.5 wt%, about 0.06 to about 0.4 wt%, about 0.07 to about 0.3 wt%, about 0.08 to about 0.2 wt%, or about 0.09 to about 0.1 wt%, based on a total weight of the agriculture composition. In various non-limiting embodiments, all values and ranges of values including and between those set forth above are expressly contemplated for use herein. In other embodiments, the agriculture composition includes a combination of additives as described above.Physical Properties of the Agriculture Composition:

[0051] As first described above, the agriculture composition is a liquid at about 25 °C. Additionally, the agriculture composition may be a liquid at other temperatures, e.g. from about 0 °C to about 100 °C, or from about 10 °C to 60 °C, or from about 20 °C to about 30 °C, or any range therebetween. In various non-limiting embodiments, all values and ranges of values including and between those set forth above are expressly contemplated for use herein. Theagriculture composition may be a liquid in various environmental conditions, e.g. in different humidity, light intensity, pressure, etc.

[0052] The agriculture may be stored in various storage conditions, e.g. in closed or open-air storage, with or without agitation, for various lengths of time, and at various storage temperatures of from about 0 °C to about 100 °C, about 10 °C to 60 °C, or from about 20 °C to about 30 °C and still remain a liquid. In various embodiments, the agriculture composition is a liquid after the length of time of storage of about 1 month, about 2 months, about 3 months, about 4 months, about 5 months, about 6 months, about 7 months, about 8 months, about 9 months, about 10 months, about 11 months, about 12 months, about 13 month, about 14 months, about 15 months, about 16 months, about 17 months, about 18 months, about 19 months, about 20 months, about 21 months, about 22 months, about 23 months, about 24 months, etc. In various non-limiting embodiments, all values and ranges of values including and between those set forth above are expressly contemplated for use herein.

[0053] As used herein, the terminology “liquid” or “liquid phase” describes a physical phase or a physical state of the agriculture composition, in which the agriculture composition has a definite volume at a certain temperature and pressure. The liquid may change its shape dependent on its container, may flow, and may be poured. The liquid may also be described qualitatively. For example, the liquid may be described as having minimal gelation or be free of gelation, which may otherwise occur in the presence of a large amount of the colloidal silica, e.g. about 50 wt% actives or more. Additionally, the liquid may be described as having minimal precipitation or be free of precipitation, which may otherwise occur in the presence of a large amount of the plant nutrient, e.g. about 50 wt% actives or more.

[0054] The liquid may also be described quantitatively using physical parameters, including but not limited to, viscosity, yield stress, surface tension, etc. Relative to viscosity, the viscosity of the liquid may be measured using any method known in the art. In various embodiments, the viscosity of the liquid is measured according to ASTM D2196, at about 25 °C, using a rotational (Brookfield type) viscometer, with a spindle speed of from about 4 to about 6 rpm. In other embodiments, the viscosity of the liquid is measured using a Malvern Kinexus rheometer, which employs a Mooney-Ewart cylinder setup and a sheer rate of about 100 s’1. In various embodiments, the viscosity of the liquid is from about 1 to about 100,000 cP, measured using any of the aforementioned methods. In other embodiments, the viscosity of the liquid is fromabout 5000 to about 100,000 cP, about 6000 to about 100,000 cP, about 7000 to about 100,000 cP, about 8000 to about 100,000 cP, about 9000 to about 100,000 cP, about 10,000 to about 100,000 cP, about 11,000 to about 100,000 cP, about 12,000 to about 100,000 cP, about 13,000 to about 100,000 cP, about 14,000 to about 100,000 cP, about 15,000 to about 100,000 cP, about 16,000 to about 100,000 cP, about 17,000 to about 100,000 cP, about 18,000 to about 100,000 cP, about 19,000 to about 100,000 cP, about 20,000 to about 100,000 cP, about 21,000 to about 100,000 cP, about 22,000 to about 100,000 cP, about 23,000 to about 100,000 cP, about 24,000 to about 100,000 cP, or about 25,000 to about 100,000 cP. In various embodiments, the viscosity of the liquid is from about 6000 to about 90,000 cP, about 7000 to about 80,000, about 8000 to about 70,000 cP, about 9000 to about 60,000 cP, about 10,000 to about 50,000 cP, or about 20,000 to about 40,000 cP. In other embodiments, the viscosity of the liquid is from about 35,000 to about 100,000 cP, about 45,000 to about 100,000 cP, about 55,000 to about 100,000 cP, about 65,000 to about 100,000 cP, about 75,000 to about 100,000 cP, about 85,000 to about 100,000 cP, or about 95,000 to about 100,000 cP. In yet other embodiments, the viscosity of the liquid is from about 35,000 to about 95,000 cP, about 40,000 to about 90,000 cP, about 45,000 to about 85,000 cP, about 50,000 to about 80,000 cP, about 55,000 to about 75,000 cP, about 60,000 cP to about 70,000 cP. In various embodiments, the viscosity of the liquid is from about 50 to about 1000 cP, about 50 to about 900 cP, about 60 to about 900 cP, about 60 to about 800 cP, about 60 to about 700 cP, about 70 to about 700 cP, about 70 to about 600 cP, about 70 to about 600 cP, about 80 to about 500 cP, about 80 to about 400 cP, about 90 to about 400 cP, about 90 to about 400 cP, about 90 to about 300 cP, about 100 to about 300 cP, about 200 to about 300 cP, about 100 to about 200 cP, or about 50 to about 100 cP. In other embodiments, the viscosity of the liquid is from about 5 to about 95 cP, about 10 to about 90 cP, about 10 to about 85 cP, about 15 to about 80 cP, about 15 to about 75 cP, about 15 to about 70 cP, about 20 to about 65 cP, about 20 to about 60 cP, about 25 to about 55 cP, about 25 to about 50 cP, about 30 to about 45 cP, about 30 to about 40 cP, about 5 to about 30 cP, about 5 to about 25 cP, about 5 to about 20 cP, about 5 to about 15 cP, or about 5 to about 10 cP. In yet other embodiments, the viscosity of the liquid is from about 1 to about 10 cP, about 1 to about 9 cP, about 2 to about 8 cP, about 2 to about 7 cP, about 3 to about 6 cP, about 3 to about 5 cP, about 1 to about 4 cP, about 1 to about 3 cP, or about 1 to about 2 cP. Invarious non-limiting embodiments, all values and ranges of values including and between those set forth above are expressly contemplated for use herein.

[0055] The liquid may or may not have a yield stress, and may or may not be a Newtonian liquid. In various embodiments, the agriculture composition may or may not flow, dependent on a sheer stress applied to the agriculture composition. Accordingly, the liquid may exhibit different flow behaviors in response to various sheer stresses or sheer rates. A minimum sheer stress applied to initiate flow may be known in the art as yield stress. The yield stress may be measured using any method or apparatus known in the art, e.g. using rotational rheometry, using a creep tester, using capillary rheometry, etc. The liquid may have a yield stress of from about 0.01 to about 100 Pa. In various embodiments, the yield stress of the liquid is from about 10 to about 100 Pa, about 10 to about 95 Pa, about 15 to about 95, about 15 to about 90 Pa, about 20 to about 90 Pa, about 20 to about 85 Pa, about 25 to about 85 Pa, about 25 to about 80 Pa, about 20 to about 80 Pa, about 20 to about 75 Pa, about 25 to about 70 Pa, about 25 to about 55 Pa, about 30 to about 55 Pa, about 30 to about 50 Pa, about 35 to about 50 Pa, about 35 to about 45 Pa, about 10 to about 30 Pa, about 10 to about 25 Pa, about 10 to about 20 Pa, or about 10 to about 15 Pa. In other embodiments, the yield stress of the liquid is from about 1 to about 10 Pa, about 2 to about 9 Pa, about 3 to about 8 Pa, about 4 to about 7 Pa, about 5 to about 6 Pa, about 1 to about 5 Pa, about 1 to about 4 Pa, about 1 to about 3 Pa, or about 1 to about 2 Pa. In yet other embodiments, the yield stress of the liquid is from about 0.01 to about 0.1 Pa, about 0.02 to about 0.09 Pa, about 0.03 to about 0.08 Pa, about 0.04 to about 0.07 Pa, about 0.05 to about 0.06 Pa, about 0.01 to about 0.05 Pa, about 0.01 to about 0.04 Pa, about 0.01 to about 0.03 Pa, or about 0.01 to about 0.02 Pa. In various non-limiting embodiments, all values and ranges of values including and between those set forth above are expressly contemplated for use herein.

[0056] The surface tension of the liquid may be measured using any method or apparatus known in the art, e.g. capillary rise method, Du Noiiy ring method, Wilhelmy plate method, pendant drop method, etc. or by using various standardized method, e.g. ASTM D724, ISO 19403-3:2017, ISO 304: 1985, etc. In various embodiments, the surface tension of the liquid is from about 10 to about 500 mN / m. In other embodiments, the surface tension of the liquid is from about 100 to about 500 mN / m, about 100 to about 450 mN / m, about 100 to about 400 mN / m, about 100 to about 350 mN / m, about 100 to about 300 mN / m, about 100 to about 250 mN / m, about 100 to about 200 mN / m, or about 100 to about 150 mN / m. In various otherembodiments, the surface tension of the liquid is from about 10 to about 100, about 10 to about 90 mN / m, about 10 to about 80 mN / m, about 10 to about 70 mN / m, about 10 to about 60 mN / m, about 10 to about 50 mN / m, about 10 to about 40 mN / m, about 10 to about 30 mN / m, or about 10 to about 20 mN / m. In various non-limiting embodiments, all values and ranges of values including and between those set forth above are expressly contemplated for use herein.Method of Making the Agriculture Composition:

[0057] This disclosure also provides a method of making the agriculture composition, the method including the steps of: providing the colloidal silica; providing water; providing the plant nutrient; and combining the colloidal silica, water and the plant nutrient to form the agriculture composition.

[0058] Relative to the step of providing the colloidal silica, any method of providing the colloidal silica may be used. For example, the colloidal silica may be procured from an in-house (internal) and / or external sources. Additionally, the step of providing the colloidal silica may further include the step of forming the silica particles, which is not particularly limited and may be any known in the art. For example, the silica particles may be formed using a sol-gel method, performing a hydrothermal reaction, performing a chemical vapor deposition, etc. The step of providing the colloidal silica may further include the step of preparing the colloidal silica before combining with the plant nutrient, e.g. modifying the colloidal silica with the silane, diluting the colloidal silica, stirring the colloidal silica, and / or heating the colloidal silica to help minimize aggregation.

[0059] The water may be provided using any method known in the art. For example, the water may be procured from an in-house (internal) and / or external sources, e.g. commercially obtained water, tap water, filtered water, etc. Alternatively, the water may be provided as a part of other components including the colloidal silica, the plant nutrient, or combinations thereof. The water may be provided at any stage of method of making the agriculture composition, in one or multiple steps, e.g. before and / or after the step of providing the colloidal silica, before and / or after the step providing the plant nutrient, etc.

[0060] The plant nutrient may be provided using any method known in the art. For example, the water may be procured from an in-house (internal) and / or external sources, in a solid or liquid form. Additionally, the step of providing the plant nutrient may further include the step of making the plant nutrient, which may be achieved using any method known in the art. For example, the plant nutrient may be made using any chemical reaction, e.g. an acid-base reaction, a base-acid anhydride reaction, an acid-metal reaction, metal-chelating agent reaction, metalcomplexing agent reaction, etc. The plant nutrient may further be isolated or purified using various techniques known in the art, e.g. evaporation, precipitation, filtration, etc. The step of providing the plant nutrient may further include the step of preparing the plant nutrient before combining with the colloidal silica, e.g. dissolving the plant nutrient in water, diluting the plant nutrient, stirring the plant nutrient, and / or heating the plant nutrient to help minimize sedimentation.

[0061] The agriculture composition may be made by combining the colloidal silica, the water, and the plant nutrient. The step of combining is not particularly limited and may be any known in the art. The step of combining may be batch or continuous, and / or may include one or more steps. Additionally, the additive such as the pH modifier, the surfactant, the soil conditioner, and the growth enhancer may also be combined. The colloidal silica, the water, the plant nutrient, and / or any additive may be combined in whole or in part. The step of combining may be performed using any known method or apparatus in the art e.g. a disperser, a mixer, a blender, a mill, a discharge system, a control system, a tank and / or a vessel. The step of combining may occur in an open or closed system, with or without agitation, in a single or multiple steps. One skilled in the art may choose an appropriate method of combining based on specific components in the agriculture composition and desired performance.EXAMPLES

[0062] Various agriculture compositions (Examples 1-51) are formed using different types of colloidal silica that are modified with a silane, listed as A, B, C, and D in Table 1. Similarly, counter examples (CE’s 52-63) are formed using a non-silane modified colloidal silica, listed as E in Table 1. Each type of silane-modified colloidal silica is combined with various plant nutrients in various amounts to form samples of the agriculture compositions, which are recorded in Table 2. Similarly, the non-silane modified colloidal silica is combined with various plant nutrients in various amounts to form the counter examples, which are recorded in Table3. The agriculture compositions and counter examples are stored at room temperature for about 6 months. After about 6 months, the agricultural compositions and the counter examples are manually examined to determine whether they remained as a liquid.Table 1. Properties of Colloidal Silica.Table 2. Components of Agriculture Compositions

[0063] The colloidal silicas used in the agriculture compositions above are all modified with epoxy silane, but vary in multiple properties including size, viscosity, amount of hydroxyl groups, density, silica content, solids content, ethanol (EtOH) content, etc. The agriculture compositions were then qualitatively tested for viscosity by inverting a container containing the agriculture composition at room temperature and observing the flow of the agriculturecomposition by eye. The above agriculture compositions were all found to be in a low viscous liquid phase after about 6 months of storage at about 25 °C, which may be desirable for various agriculture applications.Table 3. Components of Counter Examples

[0064] The counter examples were then qualitatively tested for viscosity by inverting a container containing the counter examples at room temperature and observing the flow of the counter examples by eye. All counter examples above were found to gel instantaneously or within a few days, e.g. fewer than about 7 days of storage at about 25°C, which may not be desirable for making a liquid fertilizer for agriculture applications.

[0065] The agriculture compositions above that include the silane modified colloidal silicas and the plant nutrients are observed to be liquid after storage at about 25 °C for about 6 months. This observation contrasts with the generally fast gelation, from instantaneously to within a few days, observed in the counter examples, which include the non-silane colloidal silica. By using the colloidal silicas that are modified with silane, the agriculture compositions are unexpectedly stable for a prolonged period of time of at least about 6 months. The resulting liquid agriculture compositions are advantageous because they may be more easily handled, e.g. when diluting to form working liquid formulations from concentrates of the agriculture composition, etc.

[0066] While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing detailed description, it should be appreciated that a vast number of variations exist. It should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are only examples, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration in any way. Rather, the foregoing detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing an exemplary embodiment. It being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in an exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. An agriculture composition comprising: colloidal silica; water; and a plant nutrient; wherein the colloidal silica is modified with a silane group; and wherein the composition is a liquid at about 25 °C.

2. The composition of claim 1 wherein the silane group is an epoxy silane group.

3. The composition of claim 1 wherein the silane group is a silane diol group.

4. The composition of claim 1 wherein the colloidal silica is further modified with a hydroxy group.

5. The composition of any one of the preceding claims wherein the plant nutrient comprises an element chosen from K, N, P, Ca, Mg, S, B, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Zn, Cl and combinations thereof.

6. The composition of any one of the preceding claims wherein the plant nutrient comprises an element chosen from B, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Zn, and combinations thereof.

7. The composition of any one of the preceding claims wherein the plant nutrient is an ionic compound.

8. The composition of any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the plant nutrient is a chelated compound.

9. The composition of claim 8 wherein the plant nutrient comprises a chelating agent chosen from ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), ethylenediamine-N,N'-bis(2- hydroxyphenylacetic acid) (EDDHA), diethylenetriamine pentaacetatic (DTPA), hydroxy ethylethylenediaminetriacetic acid (HEDTA), N,N'-bis(2- hydroxybenzyl)ethylenediamine-N,N-diacetic acid (HBED), methylglycine-N,N-diacetic acid (MGDA), glutamic acid-N,N-diacetic acid (GLDA), iminodisuccinic acid (IDS), ethylenediamine-N,N '-disuccinic acid (EDDS), and combinations thereof.

10. The composition of any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the plant nutrient is a complexed compound.

11. The composition of claim 10 wherein the plant nutrient comprises a complexing agent chosen from gluconate, glucoheptonate, lignosulfonate, and combinations thereof.

12. The composition of any one of the preceding claims wherein the colloidal silica is present in an amount of from about 1 to about 50 wt% actives, based on a total weight of the composition.

13. The composition of any one of the preceding claims wherein the colloidal silica is present in an amount of from about 5 to about 40 wt% actives, based on a total weight of the composition.

14. The composition of any one of the preceding claims wherein the plant nutrient is present in an amount of from about 1 to about 50 wt% actives, based on a total weight of the composition.

15. The composition of any one of the preceding claims wherein the plant nutrient is present in an amount of from about 2 to about 40 wt% actives, based on a total weight of the composition.

16. The composition of any one of the preceding claims wherein the composition is a liquid at about 25 °C after storage at about 25 °C and at atmospheric pressure for about six months.

17. The composition of any one of the preceding claims having a solids content of from about 1 to about 50 wt%, based on a total weight of the composition.

18. The composition of any one of the preceding claims wherein the colloidal silica has an average particle size Dv90 of from about 1 to about 150 nm, measured according to ASTM D5861.

19. A method of making an agriculture composition, said method comprising the steps of: providing colloidal silica; providing water; providing a plant nutrient; and combining the colloidal silica, water and the plant nutrient to form the agriculture composition; wherein the colloidal silica is modified with a silane group; and wherein the composition is a liquid at about 25 °C.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the silane group is an epoxy silane group.

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