Encapsulated seed

Abstract

Encapsulated seeds, processes for making encapsulated seeds and processes for establishing and improving seed beds and seed bed germination. The encapsulated seeds improve soil productivity through enhancements in soil fertility, soil condition/tilth, and control of soil moisture.

Claims

1. A method for encapsulating a turf grass seed comprising: agglomerating encapsulation material and a binder about each of said turf grass seed to create an encapsulated seed product by an agitation agglomeration process; each of said seed acting as a nucleating agent for said agglomeration process; said agglomeration process being continuous and physically binding said encapsulation material in a homogeneous layer about each of said seed; said encapsulation material comprising two or more materials selected from the group consisting of: gypsum, biochar, peat moss or bentonite clay; said encapsulation material present by weight in said encapsulated seed product in a ratio equal to, or greater than, two parts said encapsulation material to one part said seed.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising: first spraying a tackifier onto said seed and then coating said seed with said encapsulation material and additional tackifier during said agglomeration process to form said encapsulated seed.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising: drying said encapsulated seed product to remove moisture but not damage said seed.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said encapsulated seed product when placed in water sinks in ten seconds due to product density and weight.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said binder comprises guar.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said encapsulation material is blended prior to said agglomeration process.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said agitation process is a lift and tumble agitation process.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said agglomeration process uses a single agglomeration apparatus.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said apparatus is a drum.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said drum rotates; said drum having flights that lift and tumble said seed and said encapsulation material in developing said encapsulated seed.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said binder is applied to said seed in a coating process prior to said agglomeration process.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said encapsulation material remains about each gf said seed to form a microenvironment about said seed when said seed is sown and exposed to water.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said encapsulation material further comprises fertilizer.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein said encapsulation material further comprises a water soluble soil stabilizer.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein said encapsulation material further comprises pink pigmented facultative methylotroph.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein said encapsulation material further comprises soil amendments, soil conditioners or a combination.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein said encapsulation material further comprises lime, iron, gypsum, sulfur, mycorrhiza, or any combination thereof.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Example 1

(1) A coating drum is used to place a coating as described above on grass seed. Raw material grass seed about 4-6 millimeters long and about 0.5-1.0 millimeter thick, is continuously fed into the drum, where the seed has binder added and then has the encapsulating material added, to form partially-developed seed capsules. The partially-developed seed capsules are continuously fed to inlet end of the drum to form a bed of the partially-developed seed capsules. The drum rotates continuously. The rolling of the drum, and the associated mixing effect of the flights, provide a constantly changing top surface of the bed. The encapsulating materials are added to the surface of the bed.

(2) In an example the encapsulated seed comprises approximately by weight: seed 16.9%, Biochar 11.8%, Gypsum 19.6%, Sodium Bentonite Clay 45.9%, Peat Moss 3.0%, Guar Gum 2.9%. A water soluble soil stabilizer can also be added.

(3) In a second example the encapsulated seed comprises approximately by weight: 0.5% water soluble soil stabilizer, 10.2% Biochar, 17.1% Gypsum, 39.8% clay, 15.3% peat moss, 14.6% seed and 2.5% Guar gum.

(4) In a third example the encapsulated seed comprises approximately by weight: 10.3% Biochar, 17.1% gypsum, 40.0% clay, 15.4% peat moss, 14.7% seed, and 2.5% guar gum.

(5) In a fourth example the encapsulated seed comprises approximately by weight: 0.5% water soluble soil stabilizer, 10.0% biochar, 16.7% gypsum, 39.0% clay, 15.0% peat, 14.3% seed and 4.5% guar. This example was used to make a dry mix of 907 grams.

(6) In a fifth example the encapsulated seed comprises approximately by weight: 0.5% water soluble soil stabilizer, 9.5% biochar, 17.0% gypsum, 38.8% clay, 15.0% peat, 14.2% seed and 5.0% guar. This was used to make up 7,042 lbs of encapsulated seed.

(7) Biochar can be made of many different types of organic matter. One example is biochar made from pine trees killed by pine beetles. In one example the peat moss is made from sphagnum peat moss. In one example the bentonite clay is a naturally occurring sodium or swelling bentonite clay.

(8) In the examples the seed was a perennial ryegrass seed or Lolium perenne.