Chlorella-based composition, and methods of its preparation and application to plants

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10517303-B2
Application number	US-201916430199-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 3, 2019
Priority date	Dec 16, 2014
Publication date	Dec 31, 2019
Grant date	Dec 31, 2019

Abstract

Methods of preparing a liquid Chlorella based composition comprising pasteurization and stabilization of a low concentration of mixotrophic or non-mixotrophic Chlorella whole cells are disclosed. The liquid composition can be used to enhance the emergence and growth of plants in low concentration and low frequency soil, foliar, seed soak, capillary action, and hydroponic applications.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of enhancing growth of a plant comprising administering an effective amount of a liquid composition treatment comprising a culture of Chlorella to the plant, the composition comprising whole pasteurized Chlorella cells;
wherein presence of the whole pasteurized Chlorella cells in the composition enhances the growth of the plant compared to a composition comprising non-pasteurized Chlorella cells, lacking the whole pasteurized Chlorella cells.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the effective amount is a concentration in the range of 0.001-0.400% solids by weight of whole pasteurized Chlorella cells.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the effective amount is a concentration in the range of 1-150 mL/gallon.

4. The method claim 1 wherein the Chlorella cells are pasteurized at between 50-90° C.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the Chlorella cells are pasteurized for a time between 15-360 minutes.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the pH of the composition is adjusted to between 3-5.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the Chlorella cells are cultured in mixotrophic conditions.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the Chlorella cells are cultured in non-axenic mixotrophic conditions, and wherein at least one species of sporulating bacterium is present in the non-axenic culture.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the bacterium is selected from: Paenibacillus sp., Bacillus sp., Lactobacillus sp., and Brevibacillus sp.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the Chlorella cells are cultured in axenic mixotrophic conditions.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the administering is selected from: soaking a seed in the composition prior to planting; contacting soil in an immediate vicinity of a planted seed with an effective amount of the composition; contacting roots of a plant with an effective amount of the composition hydroponically; supplying a planted seed with an effective amount of the composition from soil below by capillary action; and contacting an effective amount of the composition to an accessible portion of the plant after emergence.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the liquid composition is administered at a rate in the range of 10-150 gallons per acre to soil or to emerged plants in soil.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the liquid composition is administered at a rate in the range of 10-50 gallons per acre by spraying onto plant foliage.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the liquid composition is administered at a rate in the range of 50-150 gallons per acre to the soil.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the seed is soaked for 90-150 minutes.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the liquid composition is administered to the soil by a system selected from: a low volume irrigation system; a soil drench application; and an aerial spraying system.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the liquid composition is administered by spraying onto plant foliage.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the plant is a member of a plant family selected from: Solanaceae, Fabaceae (Leguminosae), Poaceae, Roasaceae, Vitaceae, Brassicaeae, (Cruciferae), Caricaceae, Malvaceae, Sapindaceae, Anacardiaceae, Rutaceae, Moraceae, Convolvulaceae, Lamiaceae, Verbenaceae, Pedaliaceae, Asteraceae (Compositae), Apiaceae (Umbelliferae), Araliaceae, Oleaceae, Ericaceae, Actinidaceae, Cactaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Polygonaceae, Theaceae, Lecythidaceae, Rubiaceae, Papveraceae, Illiciaceae, Grossulariaceae, Myrtaceae, Juglandaceae, Bertulaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Asparagaceae (Liliaceae), Alliaceae (Liliceae), Bromeliaceae, Zingieraceae, Muscaceae, Areaceae, Dioscoreaceae, Myristicaceae, Annonaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Lauraceae, Piperaceae, and Proteaceae.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the whole Chlorella cells have not been subjected to a drying process.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the whole Chlorella cells have been subjected to a drying process.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the liquid composition treatment further comprises at least one culture stabilizer suitable for plants.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the culture stabilizer is selected from: potassium sorbate, phosphoric acid, ascorbic acid, sodium benzoate, and any combination thereof.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein the liquid composition treatment does not contain an active ingredient for enhancing emergence or maturation other than the culture of whole Chlorella cells.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein the enhancement is determined by comparison of a treated plant with a substantially identical untreated plant, and wherein a quantifiable difference of at least 10% is observed for at least one plant characteristic.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the plant characteristic is selected from: seed germination rate, seed germination time, seedling emergence, seedling emergence time, seedling size, plant fresh weight, plant dry weight, utilization, fruit production, leaf production, leaf formation, thatch height, plant health, plant resistance to salt stress, plant resistance to heat stress, plant resistance to heavy-metal stress, plant resistance to drought, maturation time, yield, root length, root mass, color, insect damage, blossom end rot, softness, fruit quality, and sunburn.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the characteristic is seedling emergence, and wherein the number of plants emerged from the soil is increased by at least 10% compared to a substantially identical population of untreated plants.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein the characteristic is maturation by leaf formation, and wherein the number of plants demonstrating maturation by leaf formation is increased by at least 10% compared to a substantially identical population of untreated plants.

28. The method of claim 1 wherein the liquid composition treatment further comprises phytohormones selected from: abscisic acid, abscisic acid metabolites, cytokinins, auxins, gibberellins, and any combination thereof.

29. The method of claim 1 wherein the liquid composition is pasteurized at a concentration of 5-30% solids by weight of whole Chlorella cells.

30. The method of claim 1 wherein the whole pasteurized Chlorella cells are non-mixotrophic.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the Chlorella is prepared through heterotrophy.

32. The method of claim 30 wherein the Chlorella is prepared through phototrophy.

33. The method of claim 1 wherein the liquid composition treatment is supplemented with at least one of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in a concentration of at least 1% of the composition.

34. A method of enhancing growth of a plant comprising administering an effective amount of a liquid composition treatment comprising a culture of Chlorella to the plant, the composition comprising whole Chlorella cells pasteurized at a concentration of 5-30% whole Chlorella cells by weight;
wherein presence of the whole pasteurized Chlorella cells in the composition enhances the growth of the plant compared to a composition comprising non-pasteurized Chlorella cells, lacking the whole pasteurized Chlorella cells.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the liquid composition is administered at a rate in the range of 10-150 gallons per acre to so

Assignees

• Heliae Dev Llc

Inventors

• Shinde Sandip
• Ventre Stephen
• Donowitz Nicholas
• Rohlfsen Michael
• Carney Laura

Classifications

• A01N65/03

  Algae · CPC title

• C12N1/12

  Unicellular algae; Culture media therefor (as new plants A01H13/00) · CPC title

• A01N65/00 Primary

  Biocides, pest repellants or attractants, or plant growth regulators containing material from algae, lichens, bryophyta, multi-cellular fungi or plants, or extracts thereof (containing compounds of determined constitution A01N27/00 - A01N59/00) · CPC title

• A01N63/00 Primary

  Biocides, pest repellants or attractants, or plant growth regulators containing microorganisms, viruses, microbial fungi, animals or substances produced by, or obtained from, microorganisms, viruses, microbial fungi or animals, e.g. enzymes or fermentates (containing compounds of determined constitution A01N27/00 - A01N59/00; unicellular algae A01N65/03) · CPC title