JP7640413B2 - Fertilizer composition and method for producing same - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a fertilizer composition and a method for producing the same, and more particularly to a fertilizer composition using yeast and a method for producing the same.

Yeast contains a wealth of nutrients, and it has been proposed to use extracted nucleic acids, amino acids, peptides, etc. as growth enhancers for plants and mushrooms (e.g., Patent Documents 1 to 3). In addition, because yeast cell walls contain glucan and mannan components, it has been proposed to use these as plant growth enhancers (e.g., Patent Document 4).

Lignin is an aromatic polymer found in plant cell walls and is a naturally occurring and abundant biomass resource. Traditionally, lignin has been recovered from black liquor discharged from the paper pulp manufacturing process and used mainly as fuel for boilers, but development of a wider range of applications is currently underway. The main source of lignin is wood, and there are growing expectations for it as a sustainable resource suitable for sustainable development. As lignin is an aromatic polymer, it is expected to be used in a variety of fields, for example as a raw material for chemicals, resins, rubber, etc.

The use of lignin in the field of plant cultivation has been proposed, for example, as a plant water-retaining material or soil conditioner (e.g., Patent Document 5), and as a plant growth promoter (e.g., Patent Document 6).

International Publication No. 2016/148193 JP 2002-262663 A JP 2013-021989 A International Publication No. 2006/059683 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-227301 Patent No. 6498853

As mentioned above, attempts have been made to use yeast-derived components and lignin-derived components for various applications. However, until now, they have only been used separately, and using them together has been an unknown area with little research and development.

The inventors of the present invention have conducted extensive and intensive research into new fertilizer compositions for plant growth, and have discovered that the desired effects of lignin-derived components may not last long in soil.

In view of the above circumstances, one of the problems to be solved is to provide a new fertilizer composition having excellent properties.
Another problem to be solved is to increase the durability of the effect of a lignin-derived component when the lignin-derived component is used for growing plants.

The invention presented in this disclosure can be understood from multiple perspectives as several aspects, and includes aspects that can be embodied as means for solving problems, for example, as described below. Hereinafter, the invention presented in this disclosure will also be referred to as "the present invention."

[1] A nucleic acid having a weight average molecular weight of 5,000 to 100,000;
Yeast cell wall components,
Lignosulfonic acid or a salt thereof;
A fertilizer composition comprising:
[2] The fertilizer composition according to the above [1], wherein the content of lignin sulfonic acid or a salt thereof is 1 to 30% by weight.
[3] The fertilizer composition according to [1] or [2] above, wherein the nucleic acid is a ribonucleic acid.
[4] The fertilizer composition according to any one of [1] to [3] above, further comprising an amino acid.
[5] The fertilizer composition according to any one of [1] to [4] above, further comprising a sulfite.
[6] A method for producing a fertilizer composition, comprising mixing a nucleic acid having a weight-average molecular weight of 5,000 to 100,000, a yeast cell wall component, and lignosulfonic acid or a salt thereof.
[7] A method for producing the fertilizer composition according to the above-mentioned [6], comprising subjecting yeast to a nucleus treatment to separate and recover the nucleic acid and the enucleated yeast, and preparing the nucleic acid having a weight-average molecular weight of 5,000 to 100,000 and the yeast cell wall component, respectively.
[8] A method for producing a fertilizer composition comprising a nucleic acid having a weight-average molecular weight of 5,000 to 100,000, a yeast cell wall component, and lignosulfonic acid or a salt thereof, comprising:
Cultivating yeast in a medium containing lignosulfonic acid or a salt thereof;
treating the yeast with alkali;
recovering a mixture containing a medium containing the lignosulfonic acid or a salt thereof, nucleic acid derived from the yeast, and a yeast cell wall component derived from the yeast;
The manufacturing method comprising the steps of:
[9] A fertilizer composition comprising the mixture recovered by the production method according to [8] above.

According to one aspect of the invention presented in the present disclosure, a new fertilizer composition can be provided that uses a yeast-derived component and a lignin-derived component, and that is highly sustainable and exhibits excellent effects.
In one embodiment of the invention presented in this disclosure, the taste quality of leafy vegetables can be improved. In addition, in one embodiment of the invention presented in this disclosure, the yield of crops such as fruit vegetables and root vegetables can be increased. In one embodiment of the invention presented in this disclosure, the deficiency of trace elements can be improved.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention. In this disclosure, unless otherwise specified, the expression "MM-NN" in relation to a numerical range means "MM or more and NN or less" (where "MM" and "NN" indicate any numerical value). In addition, the units of the lower and upper limits are the same as the units immediately following the latter (i.e., "NN" in this case) unless otherwise specified. In addition, in this disclosure, the expression "X and/or Y" means both X and Y, or either one of them.

1. Fertilizer Composition One embodiment of the present invention may be a fertilizer composition. In the present disclosure, the "fertilizer composition" includes an embodiment in which the composition is used as a "fertilizer" as it is, and an embodiment in which the composition is used as a "fertilizer additive" by mixing with other fertilizers. In one embodiment of the invention, the fertilizer composition contains a nucleic acid having a weight-average molecular weight of 5,000 to 100,000, a yeast cell wall component, and lignosulfonic acid or a salt thereof.

The uses of the fertilizer composition include various aspects of use in relation to fertilizers, and for example, there are no particular limitations on the target plants. Target plants include, for example, fruit trees, vegetables, grains, and ornamental plants. In one embodiment of the present invention, it is expected to assist the absorption of nitrogen (N) components, and may be suitable as a fertilizer for leafy vegetables, for example. In another embodiment of the present invention, lignin sulfonic acid or a salt thereof has a chelating effect, and is expected to improve deficiencies in inorganic components or trace elements.

The inventors have found that when lignin-derived components are used alone, their effects may not last long in soil. The inventors have found that one of the reasons for this is that the lignin-derived components contain components with chelating properties, such as lignosulfonic acid, and therefore are easily washed away by the supply of water, such as irrigation. Although the mechanism of action is not entirely clear, it is presumed that by culturing yeast in a medium containing lignin-derived components, the lignin-derived components are taken up into the yeast or adhere to the yeast cell wall, and remain in the yeast cell wall components even after harvesting and processing, making it difficult for lignin-derived components such as lignosulfonic acid or its salts to wash away.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the fertilizer composition contains nucleic acid. By incorporating nucleic acid into the fertilizer composition, decomposition and the like progresses through the action of soil microorganisms, and excellent fertilizer effect can be achieved.

The nucleic acid may be not only a nucleic acid as a polymer, but also a nucleotide, which is a structural unit of a nucleic acid, but a relatively large molecule is preferable. In one preferred embodiment, for example, the fertilizer composition contains a nucleic acid molecule having a weight-average molecular weight (Mw) in the range of 50,000 to 100,000.

The lower limit of the weight average molecular weight (Mw) of the nucleic acid can be preferably 5,000 or more, more preferably 6,000, 7,000, 8,000, or 9,000 or more, and even more preferably 10,000, 15,000, or 20,000 or more.
The upper limit of the weight average molecular weight (Mw) of the nucleic acid can be preferably 100,000 or less, more preferably 80,000 or less, and even more preferably 70,000, 60,0000, or 50,000 or less.
The weight average molecular weight (Mw) of a nucleic acid can be determined, for example, by GPC (gel permeation chromatography).

The type of sugar constituting the nucleic acid may be either deoxyribose or ribose. That is, the nucleic acid may be either deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or ribonucleic acid (RNA). The main types of bases constituting the nucleic acid include adenine, guanine, thymine, cytosine, and uracil. The phosphate constituting the nucleotide may be monophosphate or may be composed of multiple phosphates. A commercially available product may be used as the nucleic acid. One type of nucleic acid may be blended alone, or multiple types may be blended in combination. Ribonucleic acid is preferably used as the nucleic acid.

The origin of the nucleic acid is not particularly limited, and it may be artificially synthesized or derived from a natural product. For example, it may be extracted or purified from a microorganism such as yeast. By using wood sugars contained in waste biological resources, such as waste wood, to grow microorganisms such as yeast, obtain nucleic acids, and incorporate them into a fertilizer composition, the waste material can be converted into useful substances, which can contribute to the formation of a sustainable recycling-based society.

The content of nucleic acid in the fertilizer composition may be adjusted as appropriate depending on the use of the fertilizer composition. For example, the content will generally differ between fertilizers and fertilizer additives. As an example, the approximate content of nucleic acid when the fertilizer composition is used as a fertilizer is as follows:

The lower limit of the nucleic acid content in the fertilizer composition is preferably 3% by weight or more, more preferably 5, 6, or 7% by weight or more, and even more preferably 8, 9, or 10% by weight or more.
The upper limit of the nucleic acid content in the fertilizer composition is preferably 50% by weight or less, more preferably 30% by weight or less, and even more preferably 20% by weight or less.
A preferred embodiment is a fertilizer composition containing the nucleic acid having the preferred weight-average molecular weight (eg, 5,000 to 100,000) shown above in the preferred content shown here.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the fertilizer composition contains a yeast cell wall component. The yeast cell wall component can contribute to increased yields of fruit vegetables, root vegetables, and the like.

The term "yeast cell wall component" refers to a part or the whole of a cell wall derived from yeast, or a fibrous component. The yeast cell wall component may be a denucleated yeast obtained by denucleating nucleic acids from yeast cells, a cell wall that retains the shape of the yeast's outer shell, or a cell wall that has been crushed to the extent that the shape of the outer shell is no longer retained.

The content of the yeast cell wall component in the fertilizer composition may be appropriately adjusted according to the use of the fertilizer composition. For example, the content will generally be different between fertilizers and fertilizer additives. For example, the yeast cell wall component content when the fertilizer composition is used as a fertilizer is as follows.
The lower limit of the content of the yeast cell wall component in the fertilizer composition is preferably 3% by weight or more, more preferably 5% by weight or more, and even more preferably 10% by weight or more.
The upper limit of the yeast cell wall component content in the fertilizer composition is preferably 30% by weight or less, more preferably 25% by weight or less, and even more preferably 20% by weight or less.

Yeast can be used as a raw material for the nucleic acid and yeast cell wall components in the fertilizer composition. The type of yeast that can be used may be either sporogenous or non-sporogenous yeast. Specific examples of yeast include the following types:

Examples of spore-forming yeasts include yeasts of the genera Shizosaccharomyces, Saccharomyces, Kluyveromyces, Hansenula, Pichia, Debaryomyces, and Lipomyces, more specifically, Shizosaccharomyces pombe, Shizosaccharomyces octosporus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. cerevisiae, Saccharomyces uvarum, Saccharomyces rouxii; Kluyveromyces fragilis, Kluyveromyces lactis; Hansenula anomala; Pichia membranaefaciens; Debaryomyces hansenii; and Lipomyces starkeyi.

Examples of asporogenous yeasts include yeasts of the genera Torulopsis, Candida, and Rhodotorula, and more specifically, Torulopsis versatilis; Candida tropicalis, Candida lipolytica, Candida utilis; Rhodotorula glutinis, and the like.
Taxonomically, yeasts of the genus Candida are also called torula yeasts, and are sometimes classified as yeasts of the genus Cyberlindnera.

Preferred examples of yeast that can be used include brewer's yeast, wine yeast, baker's yeast, and torula yeast. More specifically, examples of yeast that can be used include Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Saccharomyces uvarum, Saccharomyces rouxii; Kluyveromyces fragilis, Torulopsis versatilis, Candida tropicalis, Candida lipolytica, Candida utilis, and the like. utilis, Rhodotorula glutinis, and the like.
In addition, Candida utilis is sometimes classified as a type of torula yeast (Cyberlindnera jadinii) in taxonomic terms.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the fertilizer composition contains lignosulfonic acid or a salt thereof. By incorporating lignosulfonic acid or a salt thereof, spoilage of the fertilizer composition made from yeast can be suppressed.

Lignosulfonic acid is a compound having a skeleton in which a carbon at the α-position of the side chain of the hydroxyphenylpropane structure of lignin is cleaved to introduce a sulfo group. Lignosulfonic acid may be in the form of a salt. That is, lignosulfonic acid may be added to the fertilizer composition in the form of a salt. Examples of lignosulfonate salts include calcium salts, magnesium salts, sodium salts, calcium-sodium mixed salts, ammonium salts, and organic ammonium salts. Lignosulfonic acid or its salts can be obtained, for example, from sulfite pulp effluent generated in the papermaking industry. In addition, the lignosulfonic acid or its salts used in the present invention may be lignosulfonic acid or its salts modified with a polymer electrolyte having functional groups such as a sulfonic group, a carboxyl group, and a phenolic hydroxyl group.

The content of lignosulfonic acid or its salt in the fertilizer composition may be adjusted appropriately according to the use of the fertilizer composition. For example, the content is generally different between fertilizers and fertilizer additives. Although it is difficult to determine it uniformly, the following is an example of the content of lignosulfonic acid or its salt when the fertilizer composition is used as a fertilizer.
The lower limit of the content of lignosulfonic acid or a salt thereof in the fertilizer composition is preferably 1% by weight or more, more preferably 3% by weight or more, and even more preferably 5% by weight or more.
The upper limit of the content of lignosulfonic acid or a salt thereof in the fertilizer composition is preferably 50% by weight or less, more preferably 40% by weight or less, and even more preferably 30% by weight or less.

Another preferred embodiment of the fertilizer composition may be a composition containing amino acids. The incorporation of amino acids can contribute to the cultivation of agricultural crops with good flavor, and is particularly suitable for improving the flavor of leafy vegetables. The amino acids contained in the fertilizer composition may preferably be yeast-derived amino acids.

As another preferred embodiment of the fertilizer composition, sulfite may be added. Adding sulfite can contribute to inhibiting oxidation of the fertilizer composition and inhibiting the growth of bacteria.

In addition, the fertilizer composition may contain optional ingredients such as water, oil, pH adjusters, antioxidants, preservatives, coloring materials, fragrances, excipients, vitamins, hormones, amino acids, antibiotics, antibacterial agents, bactericides, and insecticides, as needed.

The fertilizer composition may be in a form generally employed as a fertilizer or fertilizer additive. Examples of the form of the fertilizer composition include powder, granules, mash, pellets, crumbles, and flakes. The fertilizer composition may be in a single form or in a mixed form of two or more of the above forms, such as a mixture of pellets and flakes, or a mixture of mash and pellets.

The fertilizer composition may be used, for example, as a fertilizer or a fertilizer additive.
When used as a fertilizer, the mixture containing the above-mentioned nucleic acid, yeast cell wall component, and lignosulfonic acid or a salt thereof may be used as a fertilizer as it is.

When the fertilizer composition is used as a fertilizer, the fertilizer composition may contain a main fertilizer component (hereinafter also referred to as a major fertilizer component). Examples of the major fertilizer component include nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), and sulfur (S). Trace elements used as fertilizers may also be contained. Examples of trace elements for fertilizers include iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), boron (B), zinc (Zn), molybdenum (Mo), and copper (Cu). Some of these elements can be supplied by the embodiment of inorganic components contained in lignin sulfonate.

When the fertilizer composition is used as a fertilizer additive, it may be added as an additive to a general fertilizer whose main components are nitrogen-phosphate-potassium.

As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the fertilizer composition can be an organic fertilizer. Since the nucleic acid, the yeast cell wall component, and the lignosulfonic acid or a salt thereof are each organic components, a fertilizer composition containing these three components can be used as an organic fertilizer as it is. As described below, these components can be produced by culturing yeast as an embodiment of the production method, and the fertilizer can be produced with high sustainability. In addition, as one embodiment of the present invention, other organic fertilizer components may be blended into the fertilizer composition. Examples of other organic fertilizer components include oil cake, chicken manure, fish meal, rice bran, and wood ash, and one or more of these may be appropriately combined and blended into the fertilizer composition of the present disclosure.

As another embodiment of the present invention, the fertilizer composition may contain so-called chemical fertilizers. In the present disclosure, chemical fertilizers refer to fertilizers manufactured through industrial processes using inorganic raw materials. Examples of chemical fertilizers include nitrogen-based fertilizers such as ammonium sulfate, urea, ammonium nitrate, and lime nitrogen; phosphoric acid-based fertilizers such as superphosphate and fused phosphate fertilizer; potassium sulfate and potassium chloride-based fertilizers; calcareous fertilizers such as slaked lime, calcium carbonate, and dolomite; and magnesium hydroxide and magnesium sulfate-based fertilizers. One or more of these may be appropriately combined and contained in the fertilizer composition of the present disclosure.

2. Method for Producing the Fertilizer Composition Some embodiments of the present invention include a method for producing the fertilizer composition.

First embodiment relating to manufacturing method
A first embodiment of the production method of the present invention comprises mixing a nucleic acid having a weight-average molecular weight of 5,000 to 100,000, a yeast cell wall component, and lignosulfonic acid.

Ultimately, the three components of nucleic acid, yeast cell wall components, and lignosulfonic acid are mixed together, and each component may be mixed one by one, or each component may be added and mixed at the same time. The nucleic acid, yeast cell wall components, and lignosulfonic acid are as described above. Each component may be prepared separately, or yeast may be cultured and the nucleic acid and yeast cell walls may be prepared using the yeast as a raw material.

For example, as a modification of the first embodiment, yeast may be subjected to a denucleation process to separate and recover nucleic acid and denucleated yeast, and nucleic acid and yeast cell wall components each having a weight average molecular weight of 5,000 to 100,000 may be prepared. In addition to the nucleic acid and yeast cell wall components thus prepared, lignosulfonic acid or a salt thereof may be added to obtain a fertilizer composition.

The nucleation process can be carried out, for example, by contacting the yeast with an alkaline chemical, saline solution, cell wall-dissolving enzymes, etc., to dissolve the yeast cell walls, dissolve the yeast contents into the medium, and separate the cell wall components from other components. The separated components may be purified and powdered as necessary.

In one embodiment of the present invention, when nucleic acid and yeast cell wall components are mixed, the yeast cells may be mixed as they are, or the nucleic acid and yeast cell wall components may be separated and then mixed again.

The alkaline treatment may be carried out by a method generally used for obtaining yeast extracts. That is, an alkaline agent may be used to dissolve or destroy part or all of the yeast cell wall, allowing the components within the yeast cell to be eluted. Preferred alkaline agents include, for example, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, barium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, and sodium carbonate.

According to the first embodiment of the manufacturing method, a fertilizer composition that is less likely to spoil can be produced at low cost. Furthermore, in the first embodiment of the manufacturing method, the amount of lignosulfonic acid or its salt added can be easily adjusted. Therefore, when it is desired to reduce the amount of lignosulfonic acid or its salt added, for example, to about 10% by weight, 8% by weight, or 5% by weight or less, the first embodiment is easy to implement.

Second embodiment relating to manufacturing method
A second embodiment of the manufacturing method of the present invention comprises the following steps:
Cultivating yeast in a medium containing lignosulfonic acid or a salt thereof;
treating the yeast with alkali;
recovering a mixture containing a medium containing the lignosulfonic acid or a salt thereof, nucleic acid derived from the yeast, and a yeast cell wall component derived from the yeast;
Includes.

In a second embodiment of the manufacturing method, lignosulfonic acid or a salt thereof is blended into the culture medium in which the yeast is cultured. By blending lignosulfonic acid or a salt thereof into the culture medium, it is possible to suppress the yeast from spoiling during yeast culture. In addition, since the culture medium containing lignosulfonic acid or a salt thereof is recovered and used as a fertilizer composition, the fertilizer composition can also be made less susceptible to spoilage.

The medium used for culturing yeast may be a medium generally used for culturing yeast to which lignosulfonic acid or a salt thereof has been added. The lower limit of the content of lignosulfonic acid or a salt thereof in the medium is preferably 1% by weight or more, more preferably 3% by weight or more, and even more preferably 5% by weight or more. The upper limit of the content of lignosulfonic acid or a salt thereof in the medium is preferably 50% by weight or less, more preferably 40% by weight or less, and even more preferably 30% by weight or less.

Once a sufficient amount of yeast has been cultured, the yeast is treated with alkali to elute the nucleic acid into the medium, as in the first embodiment.

After the alkaline treatment, the medium containing lignosulfonic acid or a salt thereof, the nucleic acid derived from the yeast, and the yeast cell wall components derived from the yeast are collected together to obtain a mixture containing the three components of nucleic acid, yeast cell wall components, and lignosulfonic acid or a salt thereof. After the alkaline treatment, it is preferable to adjust the pH to a level suitable for use as a fertilizer before or after collection.

The second embodiment can reduce the number of steps required to obtain a mixture containing the above three components, making it possible to easily produce a fertilizer composition at low cost.

In addition, the fertilizer composition produced according to the second embodiment is produced by culturing yeast in a medium containing lignosulfonic acid or a salt thereof, and therefore lignosulfonic acid or a salt thereof adheres to the inside and outside of the yeast cell walls, forming a complex in a very loose bond relationship. Therefore, it is presumed that after the fertilizer composition thus obtained is applied to soil or a medium, the lignosulfonic acid or a salt thereof adhered to the yeast cell walls is less likely to be washed out of the soil, etc. by irrigation or rainfall than free lignosulfonic acid or a salt thereof.

The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the technical scope of the present invention in this disclosure is not limited to the following examples.

1. Preparation of fertilizer <Example 1 (Fertilizer 1)>
An RNA formulation (product name: RNA-M, manufactured by Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd.) and a de-nucleated yeast product (product name: Cavitorula, manufactured by Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd.) were weighed out in a weight ratio of 1:9 and mixed in a blender to prepare Example 1 (Fertilizer 1). Note that the de-nucleated yeast "Cavitorula" contains lignin sulfonate.

<Example 2 (Fertilizer 2)>
The raw material yeast (Cyberlindnera jadinii) was cultured using a sulfite pulp effluent medium with a sugar concentration of 3% and a lignin sulfonic acid concentration of 10%, and the yeast was collected. In the yeast collection, lignin sulfonic acid or its salt was contained at 20% by weight in terms of lignin sulfonic acid. Then, 3000 g of the obtained yeast was stirred in a boiling bath at 95 ° C for 10 minutes to inactivate the intracellular enzyme. Then, in a water bath adjusted to a temperature of 55 ° C, the pH was adjusted to 8.5 with a 48% NaOH aqueous solution, and an alkali extraction reaction was carried out by stirring for 2 hours. After the reaction, the pH was adjusted to 7.0 with 35% HCl. Then, it was dried with a double drum dryer (surface temperature 120 ° C, 3 rpm), and the film-formed dried product was ground in a mortar to obtain a dried product (powder). The powder contains nucleic acid derived from the yeast, the enucleated yeast cell walls, and the lignosulfonic acid or a salt thereof used in the culture. The powder was designated as Example 2 (Fertilizer 2).

The composition of the fertilizer was analyzed as follows.
<Analysis of soluble and insoluble nucleic acids>
The nucleic acids of the soluble and insoluble components obtained by suspending each fertilizer in water were measured according to the Schmidt-Thannhauser-Schneider method for quantifying high molecular weight nucleic acids (see "Biological Chemistry Experimental Methods", University of Tokyo Press, 1969, first edition, pp. 16-28). Note that "soluble nucleic acids" can be measured by classifying them into relatively high molecular weight nucleic acids (e.g., weight average molecular weight, about 10,000 to 50,000) and relatively low molecular weight nucleic acids (e.g., weight average molecular weight, less than about 10,000) according to their molecular weight.

<Analysis of Magnesium Lignosulfonate>
Generally, methoxyl groups are present in the structure of lignin, which are bonded to aromatic nuclei. Therefore, the methoxyl group content is an index of the lignin content. For example, the methoxyl group content was measured by the quantitative determination method of methoxyl groups by the Viebock and Schwappach method (see "Lignin Chemical Research Methods", pp. 336-340, 1994, published by Uni Publishing Co., Ltd.), and the amount of magnesium lignosulfonate was quantified from the measured methoxyl group content.

<Analysis of β-glucan>
The measurement was performed using the method described in the β-glucan (β-1,3:-1,6 yeast type) assay kit manufactured by Japan Biocon Co., Ltd.

<N (Nitrogen) Analysis>
The total amount of nitrogen was determined using the 4.1.1.a (Kjeldahl method) method specified in the Fertilizer Testing Method (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries National Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences 2018).

<Analysis of P (phosphorus)>
The total amount of phosphoric acid (P ₂ O ₅ ) was determined using the 4.2.1.a method (ammonium vanadomolybdate spectrophotometric method) specified in the Fertilizer Testing Method (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries National Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences 2018).

<Analysis of K (potassium)>
The total potassium content (K ₂ O) was determined by method 7.5 (quantitative analysis of various elements by inductively coupled plasma (ICP) emission spectrometry) specified in the Fertilizer Analysis Method (National Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, 1992).

The analytical values of Examples 1 and 2 are shown in Table 1. Note that "P" is the analytical value for "P ₂ O ₅ " and "K" is the analytical value for "K ₂ O".

<Analysis of free amino acids>
The content of free amino acids contained in the fertilizer of Example 1 or 2 was measured by HPLC for measuring amino acids and calculated by the following formula 1.

<Formula 1>
Free amino acid content (wt%)=free amino acid weight (g)/dry weight (g)×100

The weight of free amino acids was determined using a high performance liquid chromatography system (manufactured by Tosoh Corporation) under the following conditions.
Column: TSK-GEL Amino Pak (manufactured by Tosoh Corporation)
Detection: Fluorescence detection Eluent: Gradient elution with citrate buffer (pH 3 → pH 9)

The results of the free amino acid analysis are shown in Table 2.

2. Growth test (Komatsuna)
A growth test was conducted using Komatsuna. The following two test plots were set up.
<Test area 1>
A commercially available horticultural soil (product name: Planta Culture Soil PD20, manufactured by Iseki Kanto Koshinetsu Co., Ltd.) was used as the soil. The fertilizer of Example 2 was used as the fertilizer.

<Test area 2>
A commercially available horticultural soil (product name: Planta Culture Soil PD20, manufactured by Iseki Kanto Koshinetsu Co., Ltd.) was used as the soil. A commercially available advanced chemical fertilizer (product name: Advanced Chemical 444, manufactured by Seiwa Fertilizer Co., Ltd.) containing 14% by weight of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium was used as the fertilizer.

<Cultivation method>
In test area 1, 50 g of the fertilizer of Example 2 was added to 4 L of culture soil. On the other hand, in test area 2, the above-mentioned compound fertilizer was added to 4 L of culture soil so that the nitrogen content was the same as that of test area 1. Thereafter, a growth test was carried out for three months. No particular temperature control was performed.

The results of the Komatsuna growth test are shown in Table 3.

As shown in Table 3, it was clear that the use of the fertilizer of Example 2 resulted in higher yields, better growth conditions, and better flavor.

3. Growth test (Morning jasmine)
A growth test was conducted using Malabar vine. The following four test plots were set up.

<Test area 1>
The soil used for the test was from the site of Nippon Paper Industries' Gotsu Mill in Gotsu City, Shimane Prefecture. No fertilizer was added.

<Test area 2>
The soil used for the test was from the site of the Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd. Gotsu Mill in Gotsu City, Shimane Prefecture. The fertilizer used was magnesium lignin sulfonate (product name: P321) manufactured by Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd.

<Test area 3>
The soil used for the test was from the site of the Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd. Gotsu Mill in Gotsu City, Shimane Prefecture. The fertilizer used was the fertilizer of Example 1.

<Test area 4>
The soil used for the test was from the site of Nippon Paper Industries' Gotsu Mill in Gotsu City, Shimane Prefecture. The fertilizer used was a commercially available compound fertilizer (product name: Sanpuku Kasei Toku No. 8, manufactured by LO Co., Ltd.) containing 8% by weight each of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

<Growth method and taste test>
Approximately 4.5 L of soil was placed in a planter (14 cm x 18 cm x 11.5 cm) and 30 g of each type of fertilizer was added. Then, two Tsuyumurasaki plants were planted. The growth test was carried out for two months. No particular temperature control was performed. After two months, the height and leaf size were measured, and after harvesting, the boiled leaves were subjected to a taste test.

The measurement results for length etc. and the results of the actual test are shown in Table 4.

Claims (4)

A method for producing a fertilizer composition comprising a nucleic acid having a weight-average molecular weight of 5,000 to 100,000, a yeast cell wall component, and lignosulfonic acid or a salt thereof, comprising:
Cultivating yeast in a medium containing lignosulfonic acid or a salt thereof;
treating the yeast with alkali;
recovering a mixture containing a medium containing the lignosulfonic acid or a salt thereof, the nucleic acid derived from the yeast, and a yeast cell wall component derived from the yeast to obtain the fertilizer composition ;
The manufacturing method comprising the steps of: 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the content of lignosulfonic acid or a salt thereof in a culture medium for culturing the yeast is 1 to 50% by weight. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the medium for culturing the yeast is a sulfite pulp effluent medium. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the yeast is a yeast of the genus Candida.