Systems and methods for delivery of materials for agriculture and aquaculture

• US 20100004124A1
• Filed: 06/04/2009
• Published: 01/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Landec Corporation
• Original Assignee: Landec Corporation
• Inventors: Balachander, Natarajan, Taft, David
• Application Number:
  US12/455,650
• Publication Number:
  US 20100004124A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 504/100
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 25/10 Macromolecular compounds
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 25/26 in coated particulate form
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 51/00 Biocides, pest repellants or attractants, or plant growth regulators containing organic compounds having the sequences of atoms O—N—S, X—O—S, N—N—S, O—N—N or O-halogen, regardless of the number of bonds each atom has and with no atom of these sequences forming part of a heterocyclic ring
• CPC Class Codes: C05G 5/14 Tablets, spikes, rods, blocks or balls
• CPC Class Codes: C05G 5/16 Films or sheets; Webs; Fibres
• CPC Class Codes: C05G 5/18 Semi-solid fertilisers, e.g. foams or gels
• CPC Class Codes: C05G 5/37 layered or coated with a polymer
• CPC Class Codes: C05G 5/40 Fertilisers incorporated into a matrix
• CPC Class Codes: C05G 5/45 Form not covered by groups C05G5/10 - C05G5/18, C05G5/20 - C05G5/27, C05G5/30 - C05G5/38 or C05G5/40, e.g. soluble or permeable packaging

Abstract

Systems and methods for delivering agricultural (including aquacultural) materials. Crystalline polymeric systems, referred to as CYC carriers, are associated with the agricultural materials, through chemical bonding or through physical association. The crystallinity of the CYC carriers results from the presence of crystallizable side chains, for example long chain n-alkyl moieties, which results in relatively low and sharp melting temperatures. One class of CYC carriers, referred to as CYSC polymers, have a majority of the crystallizable side chains pendant from the polymer backbone. Another class of CYC carriers, referred to as ECC polymers, have a majority of the crystallizable side chains attached to terminal units of the polymer backbone. The ECC polymers can for example be obtained by modification of PLGA polymers. The CYC carriers in another class are non-polymeric. Some CYC carriers, referred to as CYC assemblies, have enhanced crystallinity as a result of the physical association of crystallizable moieties which are present in different types of molecule, for example between a polymer containing crystallizable moieties and a monomer containing crystallizable moieties. Preferably the CYC carrier is bioerodable.

Claims

4-1. A method of coating a seed which comprises applying to the seed an agricultural composition as defined in claim 1.