Superabsorbent-Based Suspension Suitable For Hydrostimulatory Coating Of Seeds And A Method Of Coating Seeds With The Suspension

Abstract

A superabsorbent-based suspension for hydrostimulatory coating of seeds comprises a superabsorbent in the form of a copolymer of acrylate and acrylamide in the range of 25 to 40 wt. % of the suspension, adhesives dispersed or dissolved in a solution of water and ethanol and/or of water and isopropanol, wherein the dispersion or solution of the adhesives comprising water in the range of 0.1 to 8 wt. % of the suspension, ethanol and/or isopropanol in the range of 40 to 70 wt. % of the suspension and adhesives in the range 1-10 wt. % of the suspension, further lubricant additives suitable for improving flow properties of seeds in the range of 0.1 to 15 wt. % of the suspension, and an antistatic additive suitable for eliminating electric charge in the range 0.1-5 wt. % of the suspension. A method of coating a seed with this suspension.

Claims

1. A superabsorbent-based suspension suitable for hydrostimulatory coating of seeds, comprising a superabsorbent, adhesives dispersed or dissolved in a solution of water and ethanol and/or of water and isopropanol, lubricant additives suitable for improving flow properties of seeds, and an antistatic additive suitable for eliminating electric charge, wherein the superabsorbent in the form of a copolymer of acrylate and acrylamide in the range of 25 to 40 wt. % of the suspension, the dispersion or solution of the adhesives comprising water in the range of 0.1 to 8 wt. % of the suspension, ethanol and/or isopropanol in the range of 40 to 70 wt. % of the suspension and adhesives in the range of 1 to 10 wt. % of the suspension, further the lubricant additives in the range of 0.1 to 15 wt. % of the suspension and the antistatic additive in the range of 0.1 to 5 wt. % of the suspension.

2. The suspension according to claim 1, wherein the superabsorbent is a copolymer of potassium acrylate and acrylamide.

3. The suspension according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive is polyvinyl acetate, hydroxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, polyvinylpyrrolidone, lignin sulphonate, acacia or carbohydrates.

4. The suspension according to claim 1, wherein the lubricant additives are graphite, talc, molybdenum disulphide, polytetrafluoroethylene, polypropylene or mixtures thereof.

5. The suspension according to claim 1, wherein the antistatic additive is flake graphite.

6. The suspension according to claim 1, further comprising active substances for improving the properties of the seed.

7. The suspension according to claim 6, wherein the active substances for improving the properties of the seed is in the range of 0.1 to 10 wt. % of the suspension.

8. The suspension according to claim 6 wherein the active substances for improving the properties of the seed are nutrients, fertilizers, vitamins, micronutrients and macronutrients, minerals, inoculants, humectants, pesticides such as insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, biocides and biopesticides, biofertilizers, growth regulators or biostimulants.

9. The suspension according to claim 1, wherein the coated seed is in particular corn, wheat and other cereal seeds such as barley, oats, rye, rice, sunflower seeds, rape seed, sugar beet, soybean, cotton, sorghum, chickpea, fruits, vegetables, grass and other small seeds such as beans, peas, lentils, peanuts.

10. A method of coating a seed with the suspension according to claim 1, comprising dosing of the suspension comprising superabsorbent, adhesives in a solution of water and ethanol and/or water and isopropanol, lubricant and antistatic additives for 5 to 20 seconds onto the seed in the seed dressing device, followed by releasing the coated seed from the seed dressing device for 1 to 10 seconds and drying the coated seed.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the suspension is dosed in the amount of 0.1 to 15 wt. % with reference to the weight of the seed.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the suspension is dosed onto the seed previously treated with at least one active substance from the group comprising a nutrient, fertilizer, vitamin, micronutrient and macronutrient, mineral, inoculant, humectant, pesticide, insecticide, a herbicide, fungicide, biocide, biopesticide, biofertilizer, growth regulator or biostimulant.

13. The method according to claim 10, further comprising dosing of the active ingredient according to claim 12 onto the seed immediately before dosing of the suspension.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein the suspension comprises the active substances according to claim 12.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0064] The invention will be further supported by the FIGURES, where FIG. 1 shows germinated corn plants of uncoated (left) and coated (right) seeds with the present suspension.

EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0065] The implementation of the present invention will be explained by means of examples. The preferred embodiment has no limiting effect on the scope of protection. The terms in singular and plural number used in the text of the application and in the claims are used interchangeably (e.g. adhesive—adhesives).

Example 1

[0066] Table 1 below shows exemplary compositions of the present suspension suitable for hydrostimulatory coating of soybean, sorghum, sugar beet, corn, wheat and rape seed. Weight % are given relative to 100% by weight of the resulting suspension.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Exemplary compositions of the present suspension on different types of seeds. Lubricant Antistatic SAP Water Ethanol Adhesive additive additive Seed [wt. %] [wt. %] [wt. %] [wt. %] [wt. %] [wt. %] Soybean 36.0 2.4 46.4 8.0 6.2 1.0 Sorghum 39.5 2.1 49.7 7.0 0.8 0.9 Sugar beet 32.7 3.6 51.9 6.0 4.6 1.2 Corn 26.7 3.4 61.9 4.0 2.0 2.0 Wheat 26.3 5.8 50.8 9.6 5.3 2.2 Rape seed 28.4 4.5 53.6 3.8 5.6 4.1

Example 2

[0067] The method of coating the seed with the present suspension comprises dosing of a suspension comprising a copolymer of potassium acrylate and acrylamide, polyvinyl acetate in a solution of water and ethanol, talc and flake graphite for 10 seconds onto a wheat seed in a seed dressing device, followed by releasing the coated wheat seed from the seed dressing device for 3 seconds. The seed coated with the suspension is then dried. The result is an evenly coated wheat seed that does not stick to other seeds.

Example 3

[0068] The method of coating the seed with the present suspension comprises dosing of a suspension comprising a copolymer of potassium acrylate and acrylamide, polyvinyl acetate in a solution of water and ethanol, polypropylene and flake graphite for 16 seconds onto a corn seed previously coated with pesticide (active agent) in a seed dressing plant, followed by releasing the coated corn seed from the seed dressing device for 6 seconds. The seed coated with the suspension is then dried. The result is an evenly coated corn seed that does not stick to other seeds. In addition, the pesticide layer is protected by the layer of the present suspension, which reduces dustiness and abrasion of the individual seeds.

Example 4

[0069] The method of coating the seed with the present suspension comprises dosing of a pesticide (active ingredient) onto a rape seed in a seed dressing device, immediately thereafter dosing of a suspension comprising a copolymer of potassium acrylate and acrylamide, polyvinylpyrrolidone in a solution of water and ethanol, talc and flake graphite onto a rape seed in a seed dressing device for 5 seconds, followed by releasing the coated rape seed from the seed dressing device for 2 seconds. The seed coated with the suspension is then dried. The result is a uniformly pesticide-treated and coated rape seed that does not stick to other seeds. The dosing of the pesticide (active substance) and the present suspension was also reduced in one step without the need to release the seed from the seed dressing device.

Example 5

[0070] The method of coating the seed with the present suspension comprises dosing of a suspension comprising a copolymer of potassium acrylate and acrylamide, polyvinyl acetate in a solution of water and ethanol, talc, flake graphite and a biostimulant (active agent) for 15 seconds onto a soybean seed in the seed dressing device, followed by releasing the coated soybean seed from the seed dressing device for 9 seconds. The seed coated with the suspension is then dried. The result is evenly biostimulant-treated and coated soybean seed that does not stick to other seeds.

Example 6

[0071] A comparison of a rape seed having a hydrostimulatory coating with the present suspension and a rape seed without a hydrostimulatory coating at 3 different testing stations in the Czech Republic exposed to different climatic conditions (A—Chlumec nad Cidlinou, B—Opava, C—Lužany u Přeštic), see Table 2. Above-average dry conditions were recorded at testing station B, which was reflected in the highest yield (19%) compared to the control.

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Comparison of rape seed yields with and without the present suspension. Testing station A B C Coated seeds 5.39 3.22 6.13 Uncoated seeds 5.11 2.70 5.85 Yield increase 5% 19% 5%

Example 7

[0072] Mean values of germination and growth parameters of wheat seed coated with the present suspension as compared to control uncoated seed, see Table 3. The present suspension had a positive effect on all measured parameters. The seed coated with the present suspension achieved better germination, fewer abnormalities and pathologies in the germinated plants, and more above-ground and underground biomass.

TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Mean values of germination and growth parameters of wheat seeds. Parameter Coated seed Uncoated seed Germination rate after 48 h [%] 94.17 83.33 Germination rate after 192 h [%] 97.50 93.75 Ungerminated seeds [%] 2.50 6.25 Abnormally germinated seeds [%] 1.25 2.15 Pathologies in germination [%] 3.75 8.40 Stem length [mm] 64.27 56.59 Number of roots [pcs/plant] 3.88 3.67 Root length [mm/plant] 278.48 262.48 Biomass weight [mg/plant] 14.38 13.51

Example 8

[0073] FIG. 1 shows germinated corn plants of uncoated (left) and coated (right) seeds with the present suspension. Plants germinated from the coated seeds have a greater amount of biomass, a better developed root system and leafy parts compared to uncoated plants.

Example 9

[0074] The Heubach test is used to determine the amount of free-flowing dust and abrasion particles around the treated seed under defined mechanical stress conditions. The value recommended by the European Seed Treatment Assurance (ESTA) is 0.5 g particles/700,000 seeds. In the case of the rape seed coated with the present suspension, a value of 0.1783 g particles/700,000 seeds was reached, which is below the recommended limit. The low dustiness and abrasion of seeds are particularly appreciated in terms of work safety (especially in the case of e.g. pesticide treatment) and the efficiency of the entire coating process, namely the amount of coating that remains on the seed.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0075] The present invention is applicable to the coating of seeds of agricultural and horticultural crops in order to improve germination, improve stand balance, accelerate water access to roots, stabilize seed position in the substrate and increase yields. It is also applicable to the coating of granular and microgranular fertilizers with the aim of binding the nutrients and substances comprised therein with subsequent sustained release.