LOW DUST POWDERED SEED TREATMENT

Abstract

A powdered lubricant composition that minimizes fugitive dust and a method of treating seeds with dry lubricant that minimizes fugitive dust. Addition of oil powder to dry lubricants is found to minimize fugitive dust created during the application of the dry lubricant. Mica coated titanium dioxide is an ideal dry lubricant for combining with oil powder.

Claims

1. A dry powdered seed composition for minimizing fugitive dust comprising (a) mica coated with titanium dioxide and (b) oil powder comprising oil and oil absorbing powder.

2. The composition of claim 1 wherein said mica is finely ground.

3. The composition of claim 2 wherein said finely ground mica has a particle size of about 10-60 microns.

4. The composition of claim 1 wherein said mica coated with titanium dioxide comprises about 50%-75% by weight mica and 25%-50% by weight titanium dioxide.

5. The composition of claim 1 wherein said mica coated with titanium dioxide is about 75% by weight and said oil powder is about 25% by weight of said composition.

6. The composition of claim 1 wherein said oil absorbing powder is comprised of modified starch.

7. The composition of claim 6 wherein said oil absorbing powder is maltodextrin.

8. The composition of claim 7 wherein said oil comprises about 60% by weight and said maltodextrin comprises about 40% by weight of said oil powder.

9. The composition of claim 1 wherein said composition further comprises a flow agent.

10. The composition of claim 9 wherein said flow agent is amorphous silica.

11. (canceled)

12. The composition of claim 1 wherein said oil powder is produced in the absence of added heat.

13-20. (canceled)

21. A dry powdered seed composition for minimizing fugitive dust comprising (a) dry powdered seed treatment lubricant and (b) oil powder comprising oil and oil and maltodextrin.

22. The composition of claim 21 wherein said oil is comprised of plant oil.

23. The composition of claim 21 wherein said oil powder is produced in the absence of added heat.

24. The composition of claim 21 wherein said oil powder is not spray dried.

25. A method of dispensing product comprising: (a) providing a mixture of (i) dry powdered seed treatment lubricant and (ii) oil powder; and (b) dispensing said mixture into a seed treatment application apparatus; wherein the fugitive dust caused by said dispensing measures less than 500 μg/m.sup.3.

26. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of providing seeds into the application apparatus.

27. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of treating said seeds with pesticides, nutrients, or plant growth promoters.

28. The method of claim 16 wherein said seeds are treated before said dispensing step.

29. The methods of claims 15 wherein said mixture is provided at a rate of about 0.7 ounces per 100 pounds of seed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] A composition comprising mica coated with titanium dioxide and oil powder has been found to be an effective seed lubricant that minimizes fugitive dust during application without disrupting the intended performance of the powdered lubricant in terms of seed flow and plantability.

[0015] An embodiment of the composition comprises a finely ground mica coated with titanium dioxide. Preferably, the finely ground mica coated with titanium dioxide has a particle size ranging from 10 to 60 microns. The composition of finely ground mica coated with titanium dioxide may have 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, or 75% mica measured by weight. The composition of finely ground mica coated with titanium dioxide may have 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, or 50% titanium dioxide measured by weight. Preferably, the composition of finely ground mica coated with titanium dioxide has 50%-75% mica and 25%-50% titanium dioxide (both measured by weight). The preferred finely ground mica coated with titanium dioxide is commercially available from Agrilead, Inc. and is referred to in the testing as PIXY.

[0016] An embodiment of the composition comprises oil powder made from natural oils. Preferably, the oil powder is produced with soybean or corn oil. While any oil powder may be used, it is preferable to use an oil powder produced without added heat during the encapsulation process. Some oil powders are produced by spray drying. The process of spray drying during the encapsulation process requires the use of intense heat. The preferred embodiment comprises oil powder made without the use of spray drying or intense heat. Such oil powders are commercially available. The embodiments that comprise oil powder made without spray drying or intense heat during the encapsulation process result in a greater reduction of fugitive dust than embodiments that comprise oil powder made by spray drying.

[0017] An embodiment of the composition comprises oil where that oil powder comprises maltodextrin. In an embodiment, the amount of maltodextrin in the oil powder ranges from 40%-60% by weight. In an embodiment, the amount of oil in the oil powder ranges from 40%-60% by weight. In one preferred embodiment the oil powder is comprised of 60% oil and 40% maltodextrin by weight. Preferably, the oil powder comprises 60% soybean oil and 40% maltodextrin by weight.

[0018] The composition may also include a flow agent or an anti-caking agent. Preferred flow agents include tricalcium phosphate, magnesium stearate, sodium bicarbonate, silicon dioxide, calcium silicate, magnesium silicate, and amorphous silica. A preferred embodiment comprises amorphous silica.

[0019] In one embodiment the composition comprises 70%-80% finely ground mica coated with titanium dioxide and 15%-30% oil powder (both measured by weight). In another embodiment the composition comprises 75% finely ground mica coated with titanium dioxide and 25% oil powder (both measured by weight). A preferred embodiment of the composition comprises 79% finely ground mica coated with titanium dioxide, 18.5% oil powder, and 2.5% flow agent (all measured by weight).

[0020] It was discovered that the full anti-pollution properties of the composition are present after the finely ground mica coated with titanium dioxide is blended with oil powder and then allowed to rest for at least 10 minutes before application or dispensing.

EXAMPLES

[0021] Fugitive dust was measured by an air quality monitor device. Specifically, the HHTP21Particulate meter and particle counter manufactured by Omega was used to quantify the amount of fugitive dust in the air during testing. The device was set for testing the levels of particulate matter with size of 2.5 microns or less (PM2.5) suspended in a cubic meter of air space. The measurement is expressed as μg/m.sup.3. Samples were measured at regular time intervals from a distance between 2-6 feet from the hopper or simulated augur.

[0022] The test batches were loaded into a hopper by pouring the batches into an empty hopper. The hopper was not activated during the test. The only dust created was from the act of pouring the batches into the hopper.

[0023] The air quality was measured before the batches were loaded into the hopper and at regular intervals thereafter.

[0024] Batch A was the commercially available PIXY product (finely ground mica coated with titanium dioxide). Batch B was the commercially available PIXY product mixed with oil powder where the oil powder consisted of 60% soybean oil and 40% maltodextrin.

TABLE-US-00001 Batch B Air Batch A (PIXY with Quality Sample (PIXY) oil powder) Sample 1 (0 sec) 23 μg/m.sup.3 21 μg/m.sup.3 Sample 2 (14 sec) 397 μg/m.sup.3 24 μg/m.sup.3 Sample 3 (15 sec) 487 μg/m.sup.3 38 μg/m.sup.3 Sample 4 (16 sec) >500 μg/m.sup.3 59 μg/m.sup.3 Sample 5 (23 sec) 319 μg/m.sup.3 158 μg/m.sup.3 Sample 6 (29 sec) 185 μg/m.sup.3 127 μg/m.sup.3 Sample 7 (30 sec) 171 μg/m.sup.3 119 μg/m.sup.3

[0025] The PIXY with oil powder showed significantly less air pollution than PIXY alone.

[0026] Another experiment measured the air quality during a simulated seed application process whereby the dry lubricant is dispensed into a tumbling drum of seed with an augur that meters the powder onto the seed. The augur was manufactured by Changing Times of Watertown South Dakota. Batch A was the commercially available PIXY product (finely ground mica coated with titanium dioxide). Batch B was the commercially available PIXY product mixed with oil powder where the oil powder consisted of 60% soybean oil and 40% maltodextrin, Air quality was measured before the augur was activated and then again at regular intervals.

TABLE-US-00002 Batch B Air Batch A (PIXY with Quality Sample (PIXY) oil powder) Initial Sample 111 μg/m.sup.3 25 μg/m.sup.3 5 seconds 164 μg/m.sup.3 25 μg/m.sup.3 8 seconds 487 μg/m.sup.3 25 μg/m.sup.3

[0027] The composition with the oil powder did not demonstrate any increase in air pollution while the commercially available product more than quadrupled the air pollution level.

[0028] While formulations with higher levels of oil-powder-to-seed-lubricant exhibit good fugitive dust controlling performance, there is a point at which the seed lubricant performance begins to diminish, even when applications rates of the seed lubricant are equalized in both formulations.

[0029] The seed flow rate was measured for three different compositions and one control.

TABLE-US-00003 Seed Flow Seed Flow Application Rate % of Treatment # Treatment Description Rate (grams/second) Standard 1.0 PIXY Commercial 0.50 oz/ 13.8 100.0% (Standard) Powdered Seed 100 lbs Lubricant of seed 1.1 TEST 1 50% PIXY w/w 1.00 oz/ 14.6 105.8% blended with 100 lbs 50% Oil Powder of seed (40% soybean oil) 1.2 TEST 2 50% PIXY w/w 1.00 oz/ 12.8 92.8% blended with 100 lbs 50% Oil Powder of seed (60% soybean oil) 1.3 TEST 3 66.7% PIXY w/w 0.75 oz/ 14.5 105.1% blended with 100 lbs 33.3% Oil Powder of seed (60% soybean oil)

[0030] At a point, too much oil powder negatively affects the seed flow rate.

[0031] In addition to testing with PIXY branded seed lubricant, additional testing with other commercial brands and different types of seed lubricants confirmed the dust controlling performance of the oil powders used with a wide range of specialty coated mica seed lubricants (e.g., E-007 SAT DRY Seed Finisher).

[0032] In this description, references to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or “embodiments” mean that the feature or features being referred to are included in at least one embodiment of the technology. Separate references to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or “embodiments” in this description do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment and are also not mutually exclusive unless so stated and/or except as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the description. For example, a feature, structure, act, etc. described in one embodiment may also be included in other embodiments, but is not necessarily included. Thus, the present technology can include a variety of combinations and/or integrations of the embodiments described herein.

[0033] While the present general inventive concept has been fully described above with particularity and detail in connection with what is presently deemed to be the most practical and preferred embodiment(s) of the invention, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many modifications thereof may be made without departing from the principles and concepts set forth herein, including, but not limited to, variations in seeds, ratios of active ingredients, etc.

[0034] It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall there between. Hence, the proper scope of the present general inventive concept should be determined only by the broadest interpretation of the appended claims so as to encompass all such modifications as well as all relationships described in the specification. It should also be understood that multiple combinations of dependent claims are also cumulatively and independently disclosed.

[0035] Finally, it will be appreciated that the purpose of the annexed Abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, chemist, and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. Accordingly, the Abstract is neither intended to define the invention or the application, which only is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.