US 12,441,666 B2
Seed pre-soak technology with a drop of hematite nanoparticle fertilizer for increased plant growth
Soubantika Palchoudhury, Chattanooga, TN (US)
Assigned to University of Tennessee Research Foundation, Knoxville, TN (US)
Filed by University of Tennessee Research Foundation, Knoxville, TN (US)
Filed on Mar. 18, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/205,304.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/992,357, filed on Mar. 20, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0292253 A1, Sep. 23, 2021
Int. Cl. C05D 9/02 (2006.01); C05G 5/23 (2020.01); C05G 5/27 (2020.01); C05G 5/30 (2020.01)
CPC C05D 9/02 (2013.01) [C05G 5/23 (2020.02); C05G 5/27 (2020.02); C05G 5/37 (2020.02)] 19 Claims
 
1. A method of enhancing corn plant growth, the method comprising contacting a corn seed with a single drop of an aqueous composition comprising an iron oxide nanoparticle for a period of time prior to planting said corn seed, wherein the single drop is of a volume of 0.03 milliliters (mL) to about 0.07 mL, and wherein the iron oxide nanoparticle comprises a core comprising iron oxide and one or more polymeric organic ligands bound to iron (Fe) ions at the surface of the core, providing a surface coating of the one or more polymeric organic ligands, wherein said one or more polymeric organic ligands comprise one or more hydrophilic polymers, and wherein the drop has an iron oxide nanoparticle concentration of between about 0.01 grams per liter (gL−1) and about 1.5 gL−1, wherein the one or more polymeric organic ligands are selected from polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and polyethyleneimine (PEI), and wherein the iron oxide nanoparticle is prepared from a reaction mixture comprising an iron precursor and one or both of PVP and PE, and wherein said reaction mixture comprises about 0 moles to about 0.04 moles of PVP per mole of iron precursor and about 0 moles to about 0.01 moles of PE per mole of iron precursor.