Claims:We Claim:
1. An organic fertilizer composition comprising 10 to 50 % by weight organic carbon, 0.1 to 4 % by weight organic nitrogen, 0.1 to 10 % by weight organic phosphorus, 0.1 to 25 % by weight organic potassium, 0.1 to 5 % by weight active ingredients and 5 to 55% by weight clay powder having anion and cation exchange properties, wherein the composition has 10 to 30% by weight moisture, the organic carbon is obtained from agricultural waste or waste from agro-industry which has undergone natural fermentation, and wherein the active ingredients comprise plant macro-nutrients and micro-nutrients.
2. The organic fertilizer composition as claimed in claim 1, wherein the source of organic carbon is a manure or soil conditioner.
3. The organic fertilizer composition as claimed in claim 1, wherein the source of organic carbon is supplemented with organic weeds, marine plants, marine algae or a combination thereof.
4. The organic fertilizer composition as claimed in claim 1, wherein the source of organic nitrogen is urea having 46 % nitrogen.
5. The organic fertilizer composition as claimed in claim 1, wherein the source of organic phosphorus is plant waste, animal waste or city compost.
6. The organic fertilizer composition as claimed in claim 1, wherein the source of organic potassium is fresh mud and potash ash from sugarcane industry.
7. A method for preparing an organic fertilizer composition comprising the steps of:
a) homogenizing at a temperature of 55 to 80oC for 5 to 10 minutes 10 to 50 % by weight organic carbon, 0.1 to 4 % by weight organic nitrogen, 0.1 to 10 % by weight organic phosphorus, 0.1 to 25 % by weight organic potassium, 0.1 to 5 % by weight active ingredients and 5 to 55% by weight clay powder having anion and cation exchange properties;
b) granulating the mixture of step (a) at a temperature of 55 to 80oC for 2 to 10 minutes; and
c) drying the granules of step (b) using indirect heat at a temperature of 100 to 110o C for 5 to 25 minutes,
wherein the organic carbon is obtained from agricultural waste or waste from agro-industry which has undergone natural fermentation, and wherein the active ingredients comprise plant macro-nutrients and micro-nutrients.
8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the source of organic carbon is a manure or soil conditioner.
9. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the source of organic carbon is supplemented with organic weeds, marine plants, marine algae or a combination thereof.
10. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the source of organic nitrogen is urea having 46 % nitrogen.
11. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the source of organic phosphorus is plant waste, animal waste or city compost.
12. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the source of organic potassium is fresh mud or potash ash from the sugarcane industry.
13. A method of applying the organic fertilizer composition as claimed in claim 1 for agricultural purposes, wherein the organic fertilizer composition is applied as a split dose, wherein the first dose is applied at baseline along with diammonium phosphate prior to sowing and the second dose is applied along with urea as a first top-dressing.
14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein 20 to 25 kg/acre of organic fertilizer composition is applied at the first dose and 20 to 25 kg/acre of organic fertilizer composition is applied at the first top-dressing.
15. A method of applying the organic fertilizer composition as claimed in claim 1 for agricultural purposes, wherein the organic fertilizer composition is applied in a single dose of 40 to 50 kg/acre along with diammonium phosphate prior to sowing.
, Description:FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an organic fertilizer composition. The invention also relates to a method of preparing the said fertilizer composition and a method of applying the said fertilizer composition for agricultural purposes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Organic fertilizers are ordinarily derived from vegetable matter and animal matter. They are natural and are physiologically effective in improving plant growth and development in different ways including promotion of cell division, imparting stress resistance, increasing retention of water and drought resistance, enhancing root and top growth and increasing flowering and foliage. Some fertilizers contain plant growth promoters which have been found to increase plant sugar content and even enhance color development and intensity in fruits and flowers.
In India, the Fertilizer (Control) Order, 1985, stipulates the standards for organic fertilizers to receive government certification. One of the stipulations is that organic fertilizers, like city compost, should contain a minimum of 16% total organic carbon (Schedule IV Part A [1], Fertilizer (Control) Order, 1985). Most fertilizers do not meet these specifications.

There is also a need to anchor the highly mobile nitrate and nitrite anions in the soil and to improve phosphorus, manganese, iron, zinc, potassium and sulphate ion absorption by the plant. An organic composition which is high in organic carbon content, promotes overall plant growth, improves absorption of beneficial ions from the soil and can increase the efficiency of urea by anchoring the highly mobile nitrate and nitrite anions in the soil is highly desirable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a graphical representation of the quantity of organic fertilizer composition (in kgs) versus the yield/acre (in Qt) when three different methods of applying the fertilizer are used i.e. only basal dose; split dose at baseline and at first top-dressing; and only top-dressing dose.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to an embodiment of the invention there is provided an organic fertilizer composition comprising 10 to 50 % by weight organic carbon, 0.1 to 4 % by weight organic nitrogen, 0.1 to 10 % by weight organic phosphorus, 0.1 to 25 % by weight organic potassium, 0.1 to 5 % by weight active ingredients and 5 to 55% by weight clay powder having anion and cation exchange properties, wherein the composition has 10 to 30% by weight moisture, the organic carbon is obtained from agricultural waste or waste from agro-industry which has undergone natural fermentation, and wherein the active ingredients comprise plant macro-nutrients and micro-nutrients. These ingredients are stabilized in the clay powder which could be natural clays or natural fillers.

According to another embodiment of the invention there is provided a method for preparing an organic fertilizer composition comprising the steps of:
a) homogenizing at a temperature of 55 to 80oC for 2 to 15 minutes 10 to 50 % by weight organic carbon, 0.1 to 4 % by weight organic nitrogen, 0.1 to 10 % by weight organic phosphorus, 0.1 to 25 % by weight organic potassium, 0.1 to 5 % by weight active ingredients and 5 to 55% by weight clay powder having anion and cation exchange properties;
b) granulating the mixture of step (a) at a temperature of 55 to 80oC for 2 to 10 minutes; and
c) drying the granules of step (b) using indirect heat at a temperature of 100 to 110o C for 5 to 25 minutes,
wherein the organic carbon is obtained from agricultural waste or waste from agro-industry which has undergone natural fermentation, and wherein the active ingredients comprise plant macro-nutrients and micro-nutrients.

According to yet another embodiment of the invention there is provided a method of applying the organic fertilizer composition wherein the composition is applied as a split dose, wherein 20 to 25 kg/acre of the composition is applied as the first dose at baseline along with diammonium phosphate prior to sowing and 20 to 25 kg/acre of the composition is applied as the second dose along with urea at the time of first top-dressing. Preferably, the first top-dressing is done at 30 to 45 days after sowing.

According to yet another embodiment of the invention there is provided a method of applying the organic fertilizer composition wherein the composition is applied in a single dose of 40 to 50 kg/acre along with diammonium phosphate prior to sowing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The organic fertilizer composition of the present invention provides a range of ions to the plant thereby improving crop growth and yield.

Preferably, the source of organic carbon is a manure or soil conditioner such as fresh mud from the sugarcane industry or city compost/ waste with organic matter. Fresh soil mixed with cellulose, after extraction of sugar from sugarcane, when allowed to biodegrade for about 45 days, gets converted to soil conditioner having a high organic carbon content and this can be preferentially used in the coating of the composition of the invention. Preferably,the source of organic carbon is supplemented with organic weeds, marine plants or marine algae.

Preferably the source of organic phosphorus is natural plant and animal waste or city compost and the source of organic potassium is fresh mud or potash ash from the sugarcane industry. Also, the active ingredients of the composition can be soil-specific or crop-specific or both.

Preferably, the source of organic nitrogen in the composition can also be plant or animal waste or treated soil or urea having 46% nitrogen. Further, all the ingredients of the composition are stabilized by the clay powder with anionic and cationic exchange properties. Thus, there is a synergistic effect between the clay and the other ingredients of the composition. The composition can also include an anti-caking and binding agent eg. granulating aids like gypsum or oil based or non-oil based, organic or inorganic compounds like a lignosulphate compound. The lignosulfates act as cation-anion stabilizers and help to anchor the nitrates and nitrites to the soil, thereby reducing the loss of nitrogen from the soil. Natural amino acids can also be added to the composition.

Since the natural organic matter in the composition is sensitive to temperature and can easily get polymerized at higher temperatures, therefore the processing conditions to retain its activity are critical. Hence, the homogenizing and granulation steps need to be done at lower temperatures i.e. 55 to 80oC, to prevent degradation of these materials. Also, for drying, direct steam or flame drying should not be used. Indirect methods of heating need to be used for drying the composition.

Nitrification and urease inhibitors can also be added to the composition as these tend to delay the bacterial oxidation of the ammonium ion by depressing the activity of Nitrosomonas bacteria in the soil over a certain period of time (i.e. 2 to 10 weeks). These bacteria transform ammonium ions into nitrite (NO2-), which is further transformed into nitrate (NO3-) by Nitrobacter and Nitrosolobus bacteria. The objective of using a nitrification inhibitor is to control the loss of Nitrate by leaching or the production of Nitrous oxide (N2O) by denitrification from the top soil by keeping Nitrogen in the ammonium form longer and thus improving the efficiency of Nitrogen use. These compounds include 2 chloro-6 (trichloromethyl pyridine, 4 amino 1,2, 4 -6 triazole –HCl, 2,4 diamino -6-trichloro methyltriazine, Dicyandiamide (DCD), Cyanoguanidine (DMPP), ThioUrea, 1 mercapto-1, 2, 4 triazole, 2 amino -4 chloro 6 methyl pyramidine, 3, 4 dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP), 1-amide 2 thiourea (ASU),Ammonium ThioSulphate (ATS), 1H-1, 2-4 Triazole (HPLC), 5-ethylene oxide -3-trichloro-methyl1,2,4 thiodiazole, 3- methylpyrazole (3-MP),1-carbamoyle-3-methyl –pyrazole (CMP) and neem oil.

The following experimental examples are illustrative of the invention but not limitative of the scope thereof:

Example 1
Cumulative 1 kg of essential inorganic micro-nutrients including Zn, Mg and Mn, was homogenized at a temperature of 55 to 80 degrees C for 10 mins in a high shear mixer with 10kg of organic manure, 4 kg of bentonite clay powder, 3kg of fresh mud and 2kg of potash ash from sugar mill waste, 0.2 kg of sea weed extracts, 0.05kg natural amino acids or humectants and 0.5kg of neem cake. The homogenized mixture was then granulated at a temperature of 55 to 80 degrees C for 5 mins followed by drying the granules using indirect heat at a temperature of 55 to 80 degrees C for 25 mins. The fertilizer composition thus obtained was used for further experimental trials.

Example 2
The fertilizer composition of Example 1 was applied to potato crop. Two 15 sqmtr plots were used for the study. A seed rate of 8-10 Qt/Acre was used at the time of sowing. Spacing was 60x15cms and the design of the study was a randomized block design. The study was done in two replications i.e. R1 and R2. Customized fertilizer grade used was as per FCO norms i.e. 8N:22P:18K:0.5Zn:6S. Recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF)/15sq mtr was 0.938kgs of the CFG + 0.375kgs of urea having 46% Nitrogen. i.e. the basal application/15sq mtrs was 0.938kgs CFG and the top dressing/15 sqmtrs was 0.375kgs of urea having 46% nitrogen. Two treatments of fertilizer composition were given i.e. Treatment 1 or T1 wherein RDF was applied along with a control. Control was normal fertilizer application i.e. in this case control was 4 standard bags DAP (diammonium phosphate), 2 standard bags urea, 1 standard bag MOP (muriate of potash) +10 Kg S and 5kg ZnSO4 per acre; each standard bag being 50kgs of the specified material; and Treatment 2 or T2 wherein RDF was applied along with the fertilizer composition of the invention prepared according to Example 1. Each treatment was applied at the baseline i.e. prior to sowing. Observations were taken at 75 days after sowing and are provided in Table 1 below

Table 1
Treatment No. of tubers/2.5m row length Tuber weight (kg)/2.5m row length
R1 R2 Mean R1 R2 Mean
T1 (Control) 139 131 135 3.76 4.29 4.02
T2 149 125 137 5.52 5.43 5.47

It is clear from the above Table 1 that the organic fertilizer composition of the invention results in significant increase in tuber weight and quantity as compared to the control.

Further, Table 2 shows the observations taken at harvest in terms of number of tubers obtained wherein Grade A or simply “A” corresponds to tubers having size of more than 44mm; Grade B or simply “B” corresponds to tubers having size in between 28-44mm; and Grade C or simply “C” corresponds to tubers having size of less than 28mm.

Table 2
Treatment No. of Tubers/ 15 sq m
R1 R2 Mean MTT
A B C TT A B C TT A B C AG
T1 (control) 221 279 191 691 563 247 292 1102 392 263 241.5 896.5
T2 449 486 604 1539 436 450 243 1129 442.5 468 423.5 1334
MTT=Mean of total tuber; TT= Total Tuber; AG= All grades

It is clear from Table 2that the crop treated with the organic fertilizer composition of the invention far exceeds in the total tuber count, and the number of tubers of each grade in each replication as compared with the control.

Further, Table 3 shows the observations taken at harvest in terms of the weight of tubers obtained wherein Grade A or simply “A” corresponds to tubers having size of more than 44mm; Grade B or simply “B” corresponds to tubers having size in between 28-44mm; and Grade C or simply “C” corresponds to tubers having size of less than 28mm.

Table 3
Treatment Weight of Tubers (kg)/ 15 sq m
R1 R2 Mean MTTW
A B C TTW A B C TTW A B C AG
T1(control) 27.646 7.096 0.89 35.63 32.6 4.167 1.35 38.135 30.13 5.63 1.12 36.884
T2 43.142 7.64 1.156 51.9 35.54 9.07 1.01 45.626 39.34 8.356 1.08 48.78
MTTW=Mean of total tuber weight; TTW= Total Tuber Weight; AG= All grades

It is clear from Table 3 that the crop treated with the organic fertilizer composition of the invention far exceeds in the overall tuber weight, and the weight of tubers of each grade in each replication as compared with the control.

Table 4 below provides a statistical analysis of the data obtained in Table 2 and Table 3 wherein SD- Standard Deviation, CV- Coefficient of Variance.

Table 4
Treatment Yield/Plot (Data analysis)
R1 R2 Mean SD CV
T1 (control) 35.6 38.1 36.9 1.76 0.047*
T2 51.9 45.6 48.8 4.45 0.091**
* and ** denote significance level @ 0.05%

From Table 4, it is clear that the yield per plot wherein the organic fertilizer composition of the invention was used was significantly higher than the yield per plot of the control. A 25% enhanced yield was observed.

Table 5 below provides a comparison of the yield (kg)/acre ie. Qtor yield i.e. (kg)/15 sqmtr of the organic fertilizer composition of the invention when compared with the control i.e. T1.

Table 5
Treatments Yield (kg)/15 sqmtr Yield/Acre (Qt) Percentage increase over control
T1 36.9 98.4 Not applicable
T2 48.8 130.1 32.3

From Table 5, it is clear that the percentage increase over control in yield/acre or yield/sq mtr is significantly high when the organic fertilizer composition of the invention is used.

Example 3
The organic fertilizer composition prepared in Example 1 was applied to the soil for agriculture in two ways:
(1) Method (A)- In this method, 8, 10, 20, 50 and 100 kg of the organic fertilizer composition is applied per acre as complete basal dose before watering field and prior to sowing along with diammonium phosphate.
(2) Method (B)- In this method,8, 10, 20, 50 and 100 kg of organic fertilizer composition is applied per acre, the quantities beingsplit into two equal halves, one half being given as a basal dose before watering field and prior to sowing along with diammonium phosphate and the second half being applied at the time of first top-dressing along with urea at 30 days after sowing.
(3) Method (C)- In this method, 8, 10, 20, 50 and 100 kg of organic fertilizer composition is applied per acre as first top-dressing at 30 days after sowing along with urea.
FIG. 1 is a graphical representation of the quantity of organic fertilizer composition (in kgs) versus the yield/acre (in Qt) when the above three different methods of applying the fertilizer are used.

FIG. 1 shows that the ideal method of application of the organic fertilizer composition is as a split dosage, as done in Method (B) above as it provides the highest yield/acre. Further, FIG.1 also shows that the optimal quantity of the organic fertilizer composition to be applied to the soil is 50kgs, in terms of the Benefit: Cost ratio.

Example 4
The organic fertilizer composition of Example 1 was applied to crops of chilli, cabbage, tomato, cauliflower and green peas in accordance with the method given in Example 2. It was found that the chilli crop had higher pungency, and there was a greater yield of tomato chilli and green peas. In cabbage and cauliflower, size and quality of fruits increased.

It is clear from the above examples that the organic fertilizer composition of the present invention performs better than standard bioproducts used for enhancing crop growth/yield. The composition of the present invention also serves to improve actual yield (in terms of size, quality and quantity)and also improve leaf greening, flowering, branching, flavor/pungency (in case of certain crops) and moisture holding capacity of soil due to better availability of Nitrogen and micronutrients.

Further, the environmental benefits of utilizing nitrogen more efficiently from urea cannot be understated. The urea nitrogen in the composition of the invention clearly does not wash off as quickly as nitrogen from standard urea prills. Algal blooms and other problems associated with run off of nitrogen containing compounds from urea utilized inefficiently can thus be avoided. Further, as shown in the experimental examples, crop quality and yield using the compositions of the invention were found to be comparable, and even superior, to the quality and yield of crop utilizing standard fertilizers.

The low temperature method of homogenizing and granulation combined with indirect heat for drying for preparing the organic fertilizer composition combined with the ingredients used in the composition together work to create an organic fertilizer composition which is far more efficient than existing fertilizers.

The organic fertilizer composition is well suited to maintain and improve soil health and function, including better water retention, and restoration of the organic balance of the soil and pH balance especially for acidic soil or for soils where there has been prolonged and over usage of phosphatic fertilizer (DAP and SSP) and murate of potash is used. Also, usage of the organic fertilizer composition helps to reduce soil compaction and thereby indirectly promotes aerobic conditions that support population of native beneficial microorganisms in the soil. Further, the organic fertilizer composition increases ionicity thereby increasing cationic/ anionic retention and helps reduce or avoid nutrient loss or precipitation. The organic fertilizer composition contains stabilized natural plant growth promoting and bio-stimulating ingredients and also natural minerals.

The organic fertilizer composition of the invention improves the nutritional state of plants as it promotes growth of the root zone naturally. It also aids the plant to overcome any kind of stress caused during flooding or poor irrigation or irregular water availability, increases production and produce quality and improves resistance against diseases.

The above examples are non-limiting. The invention is defined by the claims that follow.