DESC:FORM – 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970 (39 of 1970)
& The Patents Rules, 2003
COMPLETESPECIFICATION (SECTION 10 AND RULE 13)
TITLE: “PROCESS & DEVELOPMENT OF GROW MEDIA FROM SUGAR CANE
BAGASSE”

APPLICANT

We, E.I.D. Parry (India) Limited, an Indian Company, having its principal place of business at ‘Dare House’, 234, N.S.C. Bose Road, Chennai – 600001, State of Tamil Nadu, India.

The following specification describes the nature of this invention:-

FIELD OF INVENTION:

The invention relates to a composition of grow medium for soilless cultivation with bagasse, a fibrous material remaining after extraction of juice from sugarcane.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION:

Residues derived from the processing of sugarcane have been used as components of growing media. Both the fibrous portion of sugarcane after extraction of juices known as bagasse. Bagasse is also known as a composition for conditioning soil environment of plants to enhance the rate of plant growth and uniform crop stand.

Its also used as casing material/casing soil for purpose of maintaining a desirable moisture level in the soil.

Bagasse is also known in prior art as a top dressing material in soil for germination of seeds.

The other known supporting grow media are cocopeat, sphagnum peat, rice husk, saw dust which are used by themselves or in combination for use as a plant growth supporting media. But with Bagasse grow media, the other important properties demanded such as pH, EC, water absorption capacity, nutrient levels are difficult to alter and not cost effective in these know growth supporting media.

Thus there is an urgent need in the industry to identify an alternative viable economically feasible growth media, which will retain moisture due to drought and low rainfall situation, also maintain nutrient balance, timely release of plant nutrients and effective control of pest and diseases.

OBJECT OF INVENTION:

Accordingly to the first object of the invention, there is provided a grow medium for plants, the medium comprising essential of sugarcane mill bagasse.

The second object of the invention is to create a grow medium which shall be capable of use as an independent growth medium in soilless condition.

The third object of the invention is form a grow medium which shall be capable of use as a growth media i.e. as a casing material.

The fourth object of the invention is form a grow medium which shall be capable of use as a growth media i.e. as a dressing material.

The fifth object of the invention is form a grow medium which shall be capable of use as a growth media i.e. a potting mix.

The Sixth object of the invention is form of soil and water conservation which shall be use as a drought tolerant and to enhance soil properties

DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION:

Propagation media is a basic need in which the rooting of cuttings or germination of seeds takes place and also for growing stock plants. Growing media store more water, air and mineral supply ensuring easy germination of seed, rooting of cuttings and help further crop growth. Proper crop selection of medium is important.

Sugar cane Bagasse or Bagaceilois an organic tiny particle which is obtained from sugarcane while extracting juice from cane, a Ligno cellulosic material with particle size of minimum 0.25 to 0.5 mm. Particle size of the sugarcane bagasse had a significant impact on all those parameters, and the best results were obtained with bagasse comprising particles smaller than 0.18 mm. The results demonstrated that the sugarcane bagasse could be used effectively as a substitute for rooting media.

The following ideal characteristics are taken into consideration for selection of media.
• It should be sufficiently firm and dense to hold seeds and cuttings are placed for germination and rooting respectively.
• Preferably it should not shrink when dry and increase its volume when wet.

• It should possess sufficiently high moisture retention capacity.
• It should be porous to drain out excess of water and permit aeration.

• It should be free from weed seeds and harmful organism.

• It should be cheap, slightly acidic or neutral.
• Retains Moisture and drain out excess water
• Free from Fungus and avoids root disease
• Soft and penetration of roots are easy
• Good air porosity
• Can be composted and used along with other fertilizers which is used by plants easily
• Good Expanding Property
• Soil Conditioning
• 4 times lighter than soil and is therefore excellent for terrace gardens.
• pH is 5.8 to 6.5

Hence, Sugar cane processed and graded Bagasse shall be the alternate source for rooting media for all kind of crops.

The composition of the each batch sugarcane bagasse will vary depending upon the source mill. However typically sugarcane bagasse has desirable properties such near neutral pH, satisfactory nutrient level, high moisture retention, extremely excellent air porosity, and resistance to unwanted bio-logical organisms, but also has desirable properties such as Low salt levels, Ie Low EC level 0.1

Further the bagasse is used to prepare agrow medium and this composition may be supplemented with nutrients based on the selected plant for growth.

Further the bagasse used herein for grow medium composition may be supplemented additionally with a known filter material to alter the porosity and/or water retention.

The composition of bagasse are observed to exhibit superior results over conventional growth media known in prior art. This medium essentially and entirely replaces the conventional growth materials/media all of which demand natural resources and which is limited. Hence this composition of this invention prepared from sugarcane bagasse is independent from natural resources availability. Further bagasse may be a waste, and is not costly to use at all. Further sugarcane is grown all over India and thereby is not restricted by regions. The use of bagasse causes no damage and no pollution to the environment. The cost of using bagasse is minimal. There is no depletion of any natural resources and there is no destruction of ecological balance in the process of preparation of bagasse growth medium as per the invention. Hence bagasse an economical and environment friendly cultivation substrate of plant grow media.

A method of treating the bagasse for preparing the bagasse grow medium, comprising the following steps:-

a) Shredding
b) Removal of pith from Bagasse
c) sieving and grading the Bagasse pith
d) Drying/Decomposing
e) De stoning
f) Organic additives for growth enhancing
g) Compacting

After compacting a whole some brick type substrate is obtained. This can be transported easily from place of preparation to site of use easily due to its lightness and its compactness.

The seedlings cultivated by this bagasse substrate growth media of the present invention exhibit a high survival rate and also a good growth rate, as the compact brick type substrate unfolds and expands into a large substrate when water is added at the site thereby exhibiting saturated water holding capacity. As described above the process of preparation of the bagasse substrate is simple, the operation is convenient and it is extremely cost effective and functionally effective.

Method of preparation of compact brick of the bagasse.

Method 1: -

• Shredding Bagasse to remove the pith from Bagasse

• Grading the pith to desirable particle size to less than 0.2mm to increase the water absorption
• Drying the pith to desirable moisture content
• Compressing thru Hydraulic press as Blocks/Bricks.

Method 2:-

• Shredding Bagasse to remove the pith from Bagasse

• Grading the pith to desirable particle size to less than 0.2mm to increase the water absorption
• Drying the pith to desirable moisture content

• Enriching with slow release water soluble required fertilizers

• Compressing thru Hydraulic press as Blocks /Bricks

Method 3:-
• Shredding Bagasse to remove the pith from Bagasse
• Grading the pith to desirable particle size to less than 0.2mm to increase the water absorption
• Drying the pith to desirable moisture content
• Fortified with Bio char
• Compressing thru Hydraulic press as Blocks /Bricks

Method 4:-
• Shredding Bagasse to remove the pith from Bagasse
• Grading the pith to desirable particle size to less than 0.2mm to increase the water absorption
• Drying the pith to desirable moisture content
• Fortified with VAM(3gm per Kg )& Sea weed (3 gm per kg)
• Compressing thru Hydraulic press as Blocks /Bricks

Method 5: -
• Decomposing the Bagasse by using Pleurotussajarcaju fungus and Nitrogenous fertilizers in layer by layer.
• After 60 days of decomposition period, the decomposed bagasse will be dried to optimum moisture of 15 %.
• Dried & decomposed Bagasse will be passed thru Destoning to remove stones and inert material.
• Decomposed bagasse will be compressed thru Hydraulic press as Blocks
The methods given above are only suggestive.

By the above methods, the waste bagasse which is chemically non-uniform and unstable material with undesirably high carbon to nitrogen ratio are converted into small compact blocks exhibiting a stable chemical constitution, an improved C-N ratio and near neutral pH by the process of sieving the bagasse in 10 mm mesh followed by Drying and then finely compacting the bagasse into block.

• Provide structural support for the plant.
• Regulate water flow.
• Serve as reservoir of nutrients.
• Provide a healthy environment for the plant grow in.
• Physical aspects include a low bulk density (between 190 to 700 kg/m3), high porosity (between 50% to 85%), particle size between 0.25 to 0.5mm and water retention between 20% to 60%.
• Chemical aspects represented by the CEC (range between 10to 100 me/100g), pH easily adjustable (5 to 6.5), low salt content (0.75 to 1.9 dSm-1) and a C:N ratio between 1:200 to 1:500.
• Biological aspects indicate the healthy condition of the growing medium due to the absence of pathogens and pests, and the absence of toxic compounds.
• A uniform texture that drains well but retains nutrients and water for the root system.
• Low bulk density to facilitate installation and transportation (between 190 and 700 kg/m3).
• High porosity (between 50% and 85%).
• Particle-size distribution to maintain good balance between air and water retention (between 0.25-0.5 mm).
• A pH between 5.0 and 6.5, which can also be adjusted easily.
• Low content of soluble salts.
• Chemical inertia which means that the substrate does not affect the nutrient solution by releasing inorganic ions or immobilising nutrients.
• Ability to maintain original characteristics so that it can be used for many successive cultivation cycles.
• Absence of pathogens and pests (but not necessarily sterile), and free of any compounds toxic to plants.
• Ability to be produced in uniform batches (to allow the use of consistent fertilization programmes).

As discussed above the waste bagasse is converted into an artificial growth medium with desirable air porosity, water retention properties and necessary nutrients to sustain plant growth. It is also possible to alter and adjust neutral pH, and salt levels. The process being simple, it can be made commercially available very easily.

Hence the invention teaches the up-gradation of bagasse so for used only as a filler material into an independent growth medium itself.

The bagasse prepared medium/media can be used in a wide range of applications and for a variety of plants growth and germination of seeds.

Further irrigation of these bagasse blocks are simple and can be done by conventional known methods.

Further the bagasse is one of the cellolytic materials that is available in abundance all over India. Further the process of preparing bagasse blocks being simple, there is a much shorter production process time and reduced cost.

In the prepared substrate bagasse exhibited increased yield and predictable yield, both of which is desired by farmers and breeders.

In one aspect the invention discloses a method of treating the bagasse for preparing the bagasse grow medium, comprising the steps :

a. shredding the selected sugarcane bagasse, which is of particle size lesser than 0.18mm and in the range 0.2mm – 0.5mm,
b. segregating the pith from the shredded bagasse,
c. sieving and grading the bagasse pith,
d. drying and composing the sieved and graded bagasse pith,
e. destoning the composed bagasse pith,
f. adding growth enhancer additives to the cleaned composed bagasse pith, and
g. compacting the bagasse pith of step (f) to a brick type substrate.

In another aspect the invention disclosed a bagasse grow medium prepared as previously disclosed, wherein the medium exhibits a plurality of physical aspects
with a

a. bulk density in the range 190 to 700 kg/m3,
b. high porosity in the range 50% to 80%,
c. particle size in the range 0.25mm – 0.5mm, and
d. water retention capacity in the range 20% to 60% and also a plurality of chemical aspects with a
- CEC in the range 10 to 100 me/100g
- pH adjustable in the range 5 to 6.5
- salt content in the range 0.75 to 1.9 dSm -1
- C:N ratio in the range 1:200 to 1:500.

It can be concluded that composition of the present invention provides an alternative to known conventional growth media and soil and use as a plant growth media and/or soil additive. The composition enables the arrangement of plant yield in terms of improved quality and quantity than known method and materials in prior art.

The applicant relies upon the provisional specification filed in this application and shall be considered as part and parcel of complete specification.

It will be appreciated that the present specification is merely suggestive and includes all equivalents that will be obvious to try and modifications known to the skilled person in the art. ,CLAIMS:WE CLAIM :

1. A method of treating the bagasse for preparing the bagasse grow medium, comprising the steps :
a. shredding the selected sugarcane bagasse, which is of particle size lesser than 0.18mm and in the range 0.2mm – 0.5mm,
b. segregating the pith from the shredded bagasse,
c. sieving and grading the bagasse pith,
d. drying and composing the sieved and graded bagasse pith,
e. destoning the composed bagasse pith,
f. adding growth enhancer additives to the cleaned composed bagasse pith, and
g. compacting the bagasse pith of step (f) to a brick type substrate.

2. A bagasse grow medium prepared as claimed in claim 1, wherein the medium exhibits a plurality of physical aspects with a
a. bulk density in the range 190 to 700 kg/m3,
b. high porosity in the range 50% to 80%,
c. particle size in the range 0.25mm – 0.5mm, and
d. water retention capacity in the range 20% to 60% and also a plurality of chemical aspects with a
- CEC in the range 10 to 100 me/100g
- pH adjustable in the range 5 to 6.5
- salt content in the range 0.75 to 1.9 dSm -1
- C:N ratio in the range 1:200 to 1:500.