Delivery system for pesticides and crop-yield enhancement products using micro-encapsulated active ingredients in extruded granules
First Claim
1. An article of manufacture for delivering agricultural chemicals to a crop, comprising a granule extrusion-formed from a composition including at least one active ingredient, a solid carrier, and a binder.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Water-dispersible, extruded granules for delivering agricultural chemicals, such as pesticides or non-pesticidal materials, to a crop. The granules are extrusion-formed from a blended composition including at least one active chemical ingredient, a solid carrier, and a binder. The active chemical ingredient may or may not be micro-encapsulated. The binder may be added directly to the composition or applied as a coating to the granules after the extrusion process. The binder reduces attrition, chemical volatility, and phytotoxicity. The granules are applied to a crop field by aerial means. The dense granules display good vertical drop characteristics, with little drift. If the crop field has standing water, the water-dispersible granules sink and break up, effecting dispersion of the chemical ingredient. When applied to a dry field, the subsequent exposure to water to the granules effects the same dispersal of chemical ingredient.
-
Citations
34 Claims
- 1. An article of manufacture for delivering agricultural chemicals to a crop, comprising a granule extrusion-formed from a composition including at least one active ingredient, a solid carrier, and a binder.
-
11. An article for delivering an agricultural chemical to a crop, comprising:
- a uniformly blended composition of about 80% by weight of clay, about 16% by weight of an active ingredient, about 1% by weight of adhesive binder, about 1% by weight of dispersant, and about 2% by weight of water, said composition being extrusion-formed into a granule.
- View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20)
-
17. A method for delivering agricultural chemicals to a crop field, comprising the steps of:
-
a. blending together a composition including at least one active ingredient, a solid carrier, and a binder;
b. extrusion-forming a plurality of granules from said composition, said granules being of substantially the same weight; and
,c. dispersing said plurality of granules from an elevated position over the crop field, providing a substantially uniform density of granules over the exposed field. - View Dependent Claims (18, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
-
-
31. A process for making an extruded granule for delivering an agricultural chemical to a crop, comprising the steps of:
-
a. blending at least one active ingredient selected from the group including an herbicide, an insecticide, a fungicide, a plant growth regulator, an insect growth regulator, a micronutrient, or a fertilizer, with a solid carrier, forming a blended composition;
b. extruding said blended composition through a die, forming extruded granules;
c. coating said extruded granules with a solution containing a binder; and
,d. dehydrating the coated granules to a relative moisture content of 1%-10%.
-
-
32. A process for making an extruded granule for delivering an agricultural chemical to a crop, comprising the steps of:
-
a. blending at least one active ingredient selected from the group including an herbicide, an insecticide, a fungicide, a plant growth regulator, an insect growth regulator, a micronutrient, or a fertilizer, with a solid carrier, forming a blended composition;
b. extruding said blended composition through a die, forming extruded granules;
c. coating said extruded granules with a solution containing a binder and a dispersant; and
,d. dehydrating the coated granules to a relative moisture content of 1%-10%.
-
-
33. A process for making an extruded granule for delivering an agricultural chemical to a crop, comprising the steps of:
-
a. blending at least one active ingredient selected from the group including an herbicide, an insecticide, a fungicide, a plant growth regulator, an insect growth regulator, a micronutrient, or a fertilizer, with a solid carrier and a binder, forming a blended composition;
b. extruding said blended composition through a die, forming extruded granules; and
,c. dehydrating said extruded granules to a relative moisture content of 1%-10%.
-
-
34. A process for making an extruded granule for delivering an agricultural chemical to a crop, comprising the steps of:
-
a. blending at least one active ingredient selected from the group including an herbicide, an insecticide, a fungicide, a plant growth regulator, an insect growth regulator, a micronutrient, or a fertilizer, with a solid carrier, a binder, and a dispersant, forming a blended composition;
b. extruding said blended composition through a die, forming extruded granules; and
,c. dehydrating said extruded granules to a relative moisture content of 1%-10%.
-
Specification