A SLOW RELEASE FERTILIZER DEVICE

Abstract

The present invention provides a fertilizing device having a permeable package for fertilizer and a method for slowly releasing fertilizer by placing the fertilizing device in or onto the soil in the vicinity of the plants or the crops. The permeable package is enclosed with a layer for protecting the package and preventing unintended release of fertilizer from the permeable package.

Claims

1.-13. (canceled)

14. A fertilizing device, comprising: a package for holding and releasing a fertilizer; wherein the package is comprised of a permeable membrane in the form of a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibers or yarns having a plurality of long strands, having an air permeability between 10 l/dm.sup.2/min to 3000 l/dm.sup.2/min, so that any dissolved fertilizer is released at a desired rate according to the air permeability without clogging up.

15. The fertilizing device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the package is enclosed with a layer for protecting the package and preventing unintended release of the fertilizer from the package.

16. The fertilizing device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the permeable membrane is comprised of biodegradable polymer.

17. The fertilizing device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the biodegradable polymer is polylactic acid (PLA).

18. The fertilizing device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the permeable membrane has an air permeability of about 800 l/dm.sup.2/min.

19. The fertilizing device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the package is biodegradable.

20. The fertilizing device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the protective layer is biodegradable.

21. The fertilizing device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the fertilizer is of any one or a combination of organic fertilizers, inorganic fertilizers, microbes, enzymes, and yield enhancers.

22. The fertilizing device as claimed in claim 14, wherein a marker is attached on or included within the device and is capable of identifying details of the fertilizing device including its date of manufacturer, contents, date of placement on the soil and allowing a location of the fertilizer device to be detected manually or remotely

23. The fertilizing device as claimed in claim 22, wherein the detection of the location is through a global positing system (GPS)

24. A method for slowly releasing fertilizer, comprising the step of placing a fertilizing device as in claim 14, in or onto soil in a vicinity of plants or crops.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] The present invention will be described by way example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0012] FIG. 1 shows an example of a permeable package for holding and releasing fertilizer enclosed with aprotective layer;

[0013] FIG. 2 shows an interaction between the external moisture and the fertilizer inside the permeable package shown in FIG. 1; and

[0014] FIG. 3 shows a release of fertilizer from the permeable package shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] Referring to FIG. 1, the fertilizing device comprises a permeable package wherein the permeable package (10) is enclosed with a protective layer (20). It is to be noted that the enclosure of the protective layer is optional. The permeable package holds a fertilizer (30A) of any one or any combination of organic fertilizer, inorganic fertilizers, microbes, enzymes, yield enhancers, etc. The package (10) is composed of permeable membrane or any permeable membrane structured materials or porous linings which include a flexible woven material or fabric consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as yarns having a plurality of long strands.

[0016] Optionally, the permeable package and/or the protective layer are biodegradable. For instance, a polylactic acid (PLA), which is a biodegradable polymer, can be used for the manufacture of the package with the air permeability of the fabric made from the polylactic acid is about 800l/dm.sup.2/min.

[0017] FIG. 2 shows a situation when the protective layer (20) has been degraded (shown as dotted line). The degradation of the protective layer exposes the permeable package (10) wherein the interaction between the environments i.e. soil and/or air and the nutrients inside the permeable package occurs. External moisture (220), shown by multiple inward arrows) will enter the package through the permeable membrane and the nutrients begin to dissolve into the moisture. Without the interaction, the nutrients will not be dissolved and thus the particles of the fertilizer will not be released from the package. The permeable membrane allows a controlled release of the fertilizer. As shown in FIG. 3, the dissolved nutrients i.e. the fertilizer will be released (330), shown by multiple outward arrows) in gradual manner in accordance to the permeability rate of the permeable membrane. As shown in FIG. 3, the dissolved nutrients have become smaller particles (30B) compared to the particles of undissolved nutrients (30A) shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. As the size of the particles become smaller, the soluble fertilizer will escape freely through the yarns or strands of the preamble membrane without being clogged. After some time, the quantity of the fertilizer inside the permeable package will reduce and the package will degrade.

[0018] In another embodiment, the fertilizing device includes a marker which is capable of identifying the details of the fertilizing device such as its date of manufacture, contents, date of placement on the soil as well as allowing the location of the fertilizing device to be detected manually or remotely. Preferably, the marker is in the form of an electronic device or chip that can be detected or communicate with i.e. provide said details or information. The marker is attached to the fertilizing device or included within the fertilizing device. For instance, the detection or monitoring of the marker or the fertilizing device is performed through a Global Positioning System (GPS).

[0019] The present invention also provides a method for slowly releasing fertilizer by placing the fertilizing device having a permeable package enclosed with or without protective layer in or onto the soil in the vicinity of the plants or the crops. The use of the present invention will prevent human direct contact to the inorganic fertilizers. The controlled release of the fertilizer from the permeable package within the vicinity of the plants or the crops allows the dissolved fertilizer to be supplied directly to the crops and prevent the dissolved fertilizer from polluting unintended areas such as river.