Dual salt fertilizer giving enhanced crop yields

Abstract

Multiple-component fertilizer materials and methods of use are provided, wherein the fertilizer materials include first and second fertilizer products respectively including an ammoniacal fertilizer (e.g., urea) in combination with a partial calcium salt of a selected copolymer, and a phosphorous fertilizer (e.g., DAP) in combination with a partial sodium salt of a selected copolymer. The copolymer fractions of the first and second fertilizer products are most preferably copolymers of itaconic acid and maleic anhydride. The fertilizer materials give synergistically enhanced crop yields when applied to soil or growing plants.

1 . A fertilizer material adapted for fertilizing a crop and comprising:
 a first fertilizer product including an ammoniacal fertilizer and a partial calcium salt of a first copolymer; and   a second fertilizer product including a phosphorous fertilizer and a partial sodium salt of a second copolymer,   said first and second fertilizer products being present in synergistically effective amounts for said crop,   said first and second copolymers individually and independently selected from the group of copolymers having the generalized formula   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         
           where, in said first copolymer, at least some of said X is H and some of said X is Ca, and where, in said second copolymer, at least some of said X is H and some of said X is Na, and p ranges from about 10-500. 
         
       
     
     
         2 . The fertilizer material of  claim 1 , said partial calcium salt of said first copolymer being mixed with said ammoniacal fertilizer product at a level of from about 0.01-2% by volume, based upon the total volume of the first fertilizer product taken as 100% by volume, and said partial sodium salt of said second copolymer being mixed with said phosphorous fertilizer product at a level of from about 0.01-2% by volume, based upon the total volume of the second fertilizer product taken as 100% by volume. 
     
     
         3 . The fertilizer material of  claim 2 , each of said levels being about 0.1-0.5% by volume. 
     
     
         4 . The fertilizer material of  claim 1 , wherein said first and second copolymers are made up of substantially equimolar amounts of itaconic and maleic moieties. 
     
     
         5 . The fertilizer material of  claim 1 , said ammoniacal fertilizer selected from the group consisting of ammonia, ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, urea, monoammonium phosphate, diammonium phosphate, sodium nitrate, calcium nitrate, potassium nitrate, nitrate of soda, urea formaldehyde, methyl ammonium phosphate, ammoniated super phosphate, and mixtures thereof, and said phosphorous fertilizer selected from the group consisting of monoammonium phosphate (MAP), diammonium phosphate (DAP), calcium phosphates (normal phosphate and super phosphate), ammonium phosphate, ammonium super phosphate, ammonium polyphosphate, phosphoric acid, basic slag, rock phosphate, colloidal phosphate, bone phosphate, ammonium sulfate, ammonium thiosulfate, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The fertilizer material of  claim 1 , said ammoniacal fertilizer being a liquid or solid fertilizer. 
     
     
         7 . The fertilizer material of  claim 1 , said first and second copolymers being the same. 
     
     
         8 . The fertilizer material of  claim 1 , said first and second copolymers each consisting essentially of itaconic and maleic moieties. 
     
     
         9 . A method of fertilizing a crop, comprising the steps of:
 applying a fertilizer material onto soil or said crop, said fertilizer material including a first fertilizer product comprising an ammoniacal fertilizer and a partial calcium salt of a first copolymer, and a second fertilizer product comprising a phosphorous fertilizer and a partial sodium salt of a second copolymer,   the first and second fertilizer products being present in synergistically effective amounts for said crop,   the first and second copolymers individually and independently selected from the group of copolymers having the generalized formula   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         
           where, in said first copolymer, at least some of said X is H and some of said X is Ca, and where, in said second copolymer, at least some of said X is H and some of said X is Na, and p ranges from about 10-500. 
         
       
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , said partial calcium salt of said first copolymer being mixed with said ammoniacal fertilizer product at a level of from about 0.01-2% by volume, based upon the total volume of the first fertilizer product taken as 100% by volume, and said partial sodium salt of said second copolymer being mixed with said phosphorous fertilizer product at a level of from about 0.01-2% by volume, based upon the total volume of the second fertilizer product taken as 100% by volume. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , each of said levels being about 0.1-0.5% by volume. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said first and second copolymers are made up of substantially equimolar amounts of itaconic and maleic moieties. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , said ammoniacal fertilizer selected from the group consisting of ammonia, ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, urea, monoammonium phosphate, diammonium phosphate, sodium nitrate, calcium nitrate, potassium nitrate, nitrate of soda, urea formaldehyde, methyl ammonium phosphate, ammoniated super phosphate, and mixtures thereof, and said phosphorous fertilizer selected from the group consisting of monoammonium phosphate (MAP), diammonium phosphate (DAP), calcium phosphates (normal phosphate and super phosphate), ammonium phosphate, ammonium super phosphate, ammonium polyphosphate, phosphoric acid, basic slag, rock phosphate, colloidal phosphate, bone phosphate, ammonium sulfate, ammonium thiosulfate, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , said ammoniacal fertilizer being a liquid or solid fertilizer. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , said first and second copolymers being the same. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , said first and second copolymers each consisting essentially of itaconic and maleic moieties. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 9 , said first and second fertilizer products being applied substantially simultaneously or in serial order. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 9 , said first and second fertilizer products being mixed together and applied. 
     
     
         19 . The fertilizer material of  claim 1 , said first fertilizer product being an aqueous liquid having a solids content of from about 20-80% by weight and a pH of from about 1-5, and said second fertilizer product being an aqueous liquid having a solids content of from about 20-80% by weight and a pH of from about 5-10. 
     
     
         20 . The fertilizer product of  claim 19 , said first and second fertilizer products having a solids content of from about 30-50% by weight, said first fertilizer product having a pH of from about 2-3.5, said second fertilizer product having a pH of from about 6-8.