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BR-102024017852-A2 - Pelletizable material containing microorganisms, with adequate resistance to dust formation and high storage viability, and its preparation process.

BR102024017852A2BR 102024017852 A2BR102024017852 A2BR 102024017852A2BR-102024017852-A2

Abstract

The present invention relates to a formulation containing microorganisms, obtained in the form of pellets with adequate mechanical resistance to prevent dust formation, and its preparation process by particle agglomeration and drying at room temperature. The pellets formed are encapsulated beneficial microorganisms that increase the productivity, rooting, growth, and resistance of various cultivated plants, acting as a biocontrol agent, and exhibit high viability. The concentration of microorganisms in the dry pellet can reach 10⁷ CFU/g and the final concentration, after 8 months, 1.3 x 10⁵ CFU/g, demonstrating its high storage viability.

Inventors

  • Katia Simone Conteiro Castilho

Assignees

  • AGRIBIO SERVIÇOS INDÚSTRIA E COMÉRCIO DE DEFENSIVOS ALTERNATIVOS LTDA

Dates

Publication Date
20260310
Application Date
20240829

Claims (14)

  1. 1. PELLETIZABLE MATERIAL CONTAINING MICROORGANISMS, WITH ADEQUATE RESISTANCE TO DUST FORMATION AND HIGH STORAGE VIABILITY, characterized by being formed into pellets whose final dry formulation comprises: nutrients, in a proportion of 5 to 7% (W/W); binder, in a proportion of 24 to 28% (W/W); filler material, in a proportion of 25 to 32% (W/W); anti-caking agent MgSiO3, in a proportion of 28 to 33% (W/W); microorganisms and wastewater, in a proportion of 3 to 7% (W/W), with the final concentration of microorganisms in the range of 106 to 107 CFU/g; The pellets must possess a mechanical resistance between 4 and 10 kgf, adequate to prevent dust formation, necessary to withstand packaging, storage, and transportation; the pellets must protect microorganisms from the action of ultraviolet rays; the pellets must have a storage viability of at least 8 months; the pellets must dissolve in water within 24 hours; the pellets must be applicable directly to the soil, with slow and gradual release of the active ingredient for controlling pathogens in agriculture, fixing nitrogen in the plant, and solubilizing phosphorus.
  2. 2. PELLETIZABLE MATERIAL CONTAINING MICROORGANISMS, WITH ADEQUATE RESISTANCE TO DUST FORMATION AND HIGH STORAGE VIABILITY, according to claim 1, characterized by the microorganisms being selected from Trichoderma asperellum, Trichoderma harzianum, Trichoderma viride, Trichoderma virens, Trichoderma koningii, Azospirillum brasiliensis, Bacillus magaterium and Bacillus subtilis, and an aqueous suspension of one or a mixture thereof may be used; said microorganisms having increased efficiency of action in the soil due to the presence of metabolites in the pellets generated by the liquid fermentation process, in which the broth is crushed together with the mycelial layer of said microorganisms, to be used in the aqueous suspension.
  3. 3. PELLETIZABLE MATERIAL CONTAINING MICROORGANISMS, WITH ADEQUATE RESISTANCE TO DUST FORMATION AND HIGH STORAGE VIABILITY, according to claims 1 and 2, characterized by the pellets preferably being produced with dimensions of 10 mm in length and 3 mm in diameter, generating 4500 units/Kg, or 5 mm in length and 3 mm in diameter, generating 9000 units/Kg, the latter allowing for fewer spaces without the microorganism in the same application area in the soil.
  4. 4. PELLETIZABLE MATERIAL CONTAINING MICROORGANISMS, WITH ADEQUATE RESISTANCE TO DUST FORMATION AND HIGH STORAGE VIABILITY, according to claims 1, 2 and 3, characterized by a final dry formulation of 10 kg of pellets preferably consisting of: 6.5% corn starch as a nutrient; 26.12% gum arabic as a binder; 30.94% kaolin as a filler; 31.29% anti-caking agent MgSiO3; and 5.06% of the microorganism Trichoderma asperellum and residual water; said pellets being bagged and stored at a temperature of 25°C, protected from light and moisture.
  5. 5. PELLETIZABLE MATERIAL CONTAINING MICROORGANISMS, WITH ADEQUATE RESISTANCE TO NON-DUST FORMATION AND HIGH STORAGE VIABILITY, according to claim 4, characterized by the pellets containing Trichoderma asperellum having a mechanical resistance of 4 Kgf, due to the mixture of 26.12% gum arabic and 6.5% starch, in which oxygen atoms in their carbon chains form hydrogen bonds when the mixture is hydrated, giving the gum arabic a greater share in the mechanical resistance (hardening) of said pellets, while the starch serves as a nutrient source that keeps said pellets viable during storage or even when in the soil.
  6. 6. PELLETIZABLE MATERIAL CONTAINING MICROORGANISMS, WITH ADEQUATE RESISTANCE TO DUST FORMATION AND HIGH STORAGE VIABILITY, according to claims 4 and 5, characterized by the pellets containing Trichoderma asperellum having a storage viability of at least 8 months, reaching a concentration of 1.3 x 105 CFU/g of said microorganisms in the bagged pellets for 248 days.
  7. 7. PELLETIZABLE MATERIAL CONTAINING MICROORGANISMS, WITH ADEQUATE RESISTANCE TO DUST FORMATION AND HIGH STORAGE VIABILITY, according to claims 1 and 2, characterized by the pellets containing Trichoderma asperellum, Trichoderma harzianum, Trichoderma viride, Trichoderma virens, Trichoderma koningii and Bacillus subtilis being applied for the biocontrol of diseases in soybeans, rice, potatoes, sugarcane, wheat, beans, tomatoes, rice, grapevines, corn and soybeans, caused by the pathogenic fungi Fusarium solani f. sp. phaseoli, Rhizoctonia solani, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Pythium multilum and Phytophthora, with an efficacy percentage between 65% and 80% in reducing these diseases; The pellets containing Azospirillum brasiliensis are to be applied for nitrogen fixation in plants; and the pellets containing Bacillus megaterium are to be applied for phosphorus solubilization in the soil.
  8. 8. PELLETIZABLE MATERIAL CONTAINING MICROORGANISMS, WITH ADEQUATE RESISTANCE TO NON-DUST FORMATION AND HIGH STORAGE VIABILITY, according to claim 7, characterized by improving plants through productivity, rooting, growth and resistance, and controlling pathogenic microorganisms, by applying 1 kg of pellets per hectare, regardless of pellet size.
  9. 9. PROCESS FOR PREPARING THE PELLETIZABLE MATERIAL DESCRIBED ACCORDING TO CLAIMS 1, 2, 3, 7 AND 8, characterized by occurring through the particle agglomeration and drying at room temperature technique, in which the formulation is prepared from a mixture of powders of: nutrient, in a concentration of 4 to 6% (W/W); binder, in a concentration between 20 and 24% (W/W); filler material, in a concentration of 25 to 30% (W/W); and MgSiO3 as an anti-caking agent, in 20 to 28% (W/W); added to an aqueous suspension containing microorganisms, between 12% and 31% (W/V), with a concentration that can vary between 2 x 106 CFU/mL and 5 x 109 CFU/mL; The said process eliminates the need for gelling agents that promote encapsulation, dispersants, humectants, thickeners, antifreeze, preservatives, or protective agents; the said process eliminates drying methods at temperatures above ambient temperature so as not to render the microorganisms unviable and not to have reduced yield.
  10. 10. PROCESS FOR PREPARING THE PELLETIZABLE MATERIAL DESCRIBED ACCORDING TO CLAIMS 4, 5 AND 6, characterized by a formulation of a 10 kg mass to be pelletized, containing: 0.56 kg of corn starch (nutrient); 2.22 kg of gum arabic (binder); 2.63 kg of kaolin (filler material); 2.66 kg of MgSiO3; and a 1.93 L suspension containing Trichoderma asperellum with a concentration of 2.3 x 107 CFU/mL.
  11. 11. PROCESS, according to claims 9 and 10, characterized by the steps of: a) adding and mixing all the powders in a mixer for 8 minutes, until a homogeneous mixture is obtained; b) adding the aqueous suspension containing the microorganisms to form a mass; c) subjecting to heatless extrusion to pelletization; d) sprinkling the granules formed after pelletization with MgSiO3, in order to minimize pellet agglomeration; e) placing the pellets on a tray and allowing them to dry at room temperature, between 15° and 30°C, until no mass loss due to moisture is perceived, between 2 and 5 days; f) sieving the pellets to remove excess MgSiO3, which can be done manually or on vibrating sieves/conveyors in large-scale production.
  12. 12. PROCESS, according to claim 11, characterized by obtaining pellets of different geometric shapes, depending on the extruder, preferably cylindrical and spherical, without narrow ends to avoid breakage of the ends, dust formation and material loss.
  13. 13. PROCESS, according to claim 11, characterized by the drying step (and) being able to additionally use forced convection chambers.
  14. 14. PROCESS, according to claim 11, characterized in that MgSiO3, used in the sieving step (f) to dust the pellets, can then be reused for a new production using the same microorganism suspension.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [001] The present invention relates to a formulation containing microorganisms, obtained in the form of pellets with adequate mechanical resistance to prevent dust formation and high viability even after long-term storage of the bagged product, and its preparation process by particle agglomeration and drying at room temperature. The microorganisms are selected from Trichoderma asperellum, Trichoderma harzianum, Trichoderma viride, Trichoderma virens, Trichoderma koningii, Azospirillum brasiliensis, Bacillus magaterium and Bacillus subtilis. The invention pertains to the field of agriculture, aiming to improve the development of cultivated plants such as rice, potatoes, sugarcane, beans, corn, soybeans, wheat, among others. The improvement of these plants is related to increased productivity, rooting, growth and plant resistance, as well as the control of pathogenic microorganisms in these crops. The resulting pellets are encapsulated beneficial microorganisms, offering the following advantages: increased mechanical strength, long-term storage (high viability), slow and gradual release into the soil, and eliminating the need for additives and more complex techniques that increase production costs. STATE OF THE ART [002] Several phytopathogenic microorganisms contribute to the development of diseases in crops of interest in agriculture and horticulture, resulting in severe crop losses. The most commonly employed methods to control these plant pathogens include the use of large quantities of chemical products (fungicides, pesticides, etc.). The intensified use of these chemical agents has resulted in the accumulation of potentially dangerous agrochemical compounds for humans and the environment, and has also resulted in the resistance of these phytopathogenic agents themselves. In particular, data on pesticide sales in Brazil show the evolution of their sales, reaching 720,870 tons of active ingredients in 2021, representing an increase of 5.03% compared to the previous year (IBAMA, 2022). To address these problems, effective alternatives to chemical control have been employed, with biological control being a more environmentally friendly and attractive natural approach that utilizes microorganisms found in nature that interfere with pathogens and pests to overcome the problems caused by chemical methods of plant disease protection and treatment. Increasing plant productivity through the improvement of their phytosanitary status in a sustainable way is a challenge for humanity in modern society. [003] The main soilborne diseases that attack crops are caused by various species of pathogens, such as Fusarium solani f. sp. phaseoli, Rhizoctonia solani, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Pythium ultimum, Phytophthora, Botryotinia fuckeliana, Gibberella fujikuroi, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Thanatephorus cucumeris, Verticillium dahliae, Aspergillus niger, Diplodiaseriata, Meloidogyne incognita, Ralstonia solanacearum, and Verticillium dahliae. Potential biological control agents are based on the practical application of competent species of microorganisms (fungi and bacteria), highlighting Trichoderma harzianum, Trichoderma asperellum, Trichoderma viride, Trichoderma virens, Trichoderma koningii, and Bacillus subtilis. Additionally, for nitrogen fixation in plants and phosphorus solubilization, the species Azospirillum brasiliensis and Bacillus megaterium can be considered. [004] According to Embrapa Meio Ambiente (BETTIOL, W.; PINTO, Z. V.; SILVA, J. C.; FORNER, C.; FARIA, M. R. de; PACÍFICO, M. G.; COSTA, L. S. A. A. Commercial products based on Trichoderma. In: MEYER, M.C.; MAZARO, S. M.; SILVA, J. C. da (Ed.). Trichoderma: use in agriculture, Brasília, DF: Embrapa, 2019. pt. 1. cap. 2), there are several commercial products worldwide, available on the market, based on the fungus Trichoderma. This information was obtained from official websites of the registering bodies, producing and marketing companies, universities and research institutions, regulatory bodies, scientific journals and directly from technical managers of companies. The species *Trichoderma harzianum* is the most commercially available, being found in 38.8% of commercial products when considering products without a mixture of microorganisms. When considering products with a mixture of *Trichoderma* species, this value reaches 50% of the products available on the world market and rises to 60% when considering all products, including those in which *Trichoderma* species are mixed with other fungi, bacteria, and mycorrhizae. *Trichoderma viride* occupies second place with 16.1%, followed by *Trichoderma atroviride*, *Trichoderma asperellum*, and *Trichoderma spp.*, with 6.5%, 4.4%, and 3.2%, respectively. Among the other species marketed individually are *Trichoderma virens* (0.8%) and *Trichoderma koningii*, only in product mixtures, among others. Thus, considering the number of known Trichoderma species (BISSETT, J.; GAMNS, W.; JAKLI