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; said seed acting as a nucleating agent for said agglomeration process; said agglomeration process being continuous and physically binding said encapsulation material about 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 essentially sinks in approximately 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 8 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 I wherein said encapsulation material remains essentially about 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.

18. A method for encapsulating a turf grass seed comprising: agglomerating encapsulation material and a binder about each of said turf grass seed; said seed acting as a nucleating agent for said agglomeration process; said encapsulating material comprising gypsum, biochar, peat moss and clay; blending said biochar, peat moss, gypsum and clay into an admixture of said encapsulation material; said blending occurs before said admixture is agglomerated onto said seed.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said agglomeration process is an agitation agglomeration process, and said agglomeration process is continuous and physically binds said encapsulation material about said seed.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein said encapsulation material is 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.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein a coating drum is used for said agglomerating process.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising spraying of water and guar gum onto said seed to act as said binder.

23. The method of clam 22 further comprising tumbling said seed coated with said binder into a continuous flow of said admixture.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising hitting with said water and said admixture said coated seed multiple times to encapsulate said seed.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising drying said encapsulated seed to remove moisture but not to damage said seed.

26. The method of claim 18 further comprising adding a water soluble soil stabilizer to said encapsulation material.

27. The method of claim 18 further comprising pretreating said seed with bacteria and nitrogen.

28. The method of claim 18 wherein said agglomeration process forms an agglomerated seed product in a single agglomerated seed apparatus.

29. A method for encapsulating seeds comprising; encapsulating each seed in an encapsulation material in a drum that rotates; said drum having flights that lift and mix said seeds; rotating said drum continuously; continuously feeding seeds or precoated seeds into an inlet end of said drum; continuously mixing said bed of seeds as said drum rotates and refreshing bed surface with newly fed seeds; spraying binding material onto surface of said bed of seeds; blending biochar, peat moss, gypsum and clay into an admixture of said encapsulation material; adding said dry admixture to said seed having binder on it; discharging encapsulated seeds through discharge end of said drum.

30. A method for encapsulating seeds comprising: continuously feeding grass seed into a coating drum; adding binder to said seeds; adding encapsulating material to each of said seeds; continuously feeding partially developed seed capsules into inlet end of said drum to form a bed of partially developed seed capsules; rotating said drum continuously; providing constantly changing top surface of said bed; said encapsulating material comprising Biochar, gypsum, clay, peat moss and guar gum.

31. The method of claim 30 further comprising: adding a water soluble soil stabilizer to said encapsulating material.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Example 1

[0101] 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.

[0102] 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.

[0103] 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.

[0104] 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.

[0105] 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.

[0106] 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.

[0107] 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.

[0108] In the examples the seed was a perennial ryegrass seed or Lolium perenne.