Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) has achieved a significant milestone in the field of sustainable agriculture by obtaining a patent for an innovative and environmentally friendly zinc fertiliser. The patent is titled Exo-Polysaccharide-Based Chelated Zinc Fertiliser for enhancing the Bioavailability of Zinc in Plants and has been granted by the Controller of Patents, Government of India, under patent number 574341. This innovation was developed by an expert team led by G. Yazhini, including S. Thiagaeswari, R. Anandam, D. Selvi, S. Marimuthu, A. Manikandan, and L. Chitra. For the first time, the team has formulated a chelated zinc fertiliser using an environmentally friendly ligand, exopolysaccharide (EPS). This EPS is extracted from the cell walls of bacteria called Bacillus paralicheniformis, which was obtained from the root system of rice in sodic soils. EPS binds with zinc ions to form Zn-EPS, a biodegradable micronutrient fertiliser containing 16.8% zinc.
Innovation would promote Sustainable agriculture
In field trials conducted on existing crops, Zn-EPS significantly improved plant growth and crop yield compared to conventional zinc sulfate. Zn-EPS is absorbed more rapidly by plants than conventional zinc sulfate foliar sprays when zinc deficiency symptoms appear. Its natural chelating properties increase zinc availability and overcome the limitations of synthetic chelators. Thus, it offers a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative for nutrient management. The patent process was coordinated by TNAU’s Patent Cell, led by D. Suresh Kumar and with N. Natarajan as advisor. This innovation will not only provide farmers with higher yields and improved plant nutrition, but will also promote environmentally friendly and sustainable agriculture.
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