This new project aims to expand the use of the newly developed UV-curable soy protein-based resins. The resins developed from our ongoing Soybean Council supported research can be used for extrusion, injection molding, and 3D printing. Their use can be further expanded into controlled release of fertilizers, pesticides, moisture, etc. that is desired in agricultural and horticultural industries. Active ingredients (e.g. pesticides, fertilizers, etc.) will be incorporated into the resins and, after resin curing, a gel like material containing the active ingredients will be produced. The hardness of the gel can be controlled by varying curing conditions and the gel can be produced in pieces (e.g. pellets) with difference sizes and shapes suitable for various delivery applications. The gel itself is biodegradable in soil and can provide nutrition to plants after degradation. This new use of soy protein is expected to have great market potential.

To develop a soy protein-based, biodegradable platform that provides long-term, controlled release of chemicals for agricultural and horticulture industries.

• Soy protein-based gel pellets containing pesticide or fertilizer chemicals
• Understanding of the controlled-release behavior of the product under different gel environmental and conditions
• Fabrication and user guidelines of the products for different crop and growth conditions

Updated July 4, 2021:

Updated July 6, 2021:
submitted to the Intellectual Property part

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UV/Thermally Curable, Soy Protein-based Resin as a Versatile Platform for Chemical Delivery
Executive Summary

Research conducted
We have developed two chemical (fertilizer, pesticides, etc.) delivery systems with controlled release capability for agricultural and horticultural uses. Both systems are derived from soy protein-based resin with one fabricated through UV curing and the other one through thermal curing. The systems contain other ingredients to improve their water resistance, structural stability, and release control capability. We studied the chemical reactions of the systems during UV and thermal curing. Microstructures, mechanical properties, water absorption, waster swelling, water resistance of the two delivery systems were tested using different methods. Aspirin and ammonium sulfate were used as a model chemical/fertilizer to study the release behavior of the two systems.
Why the research is important to ND soybean farmers
Soy protein isolate (SPI), a byproduct from soybean oil production, has an abundant supply. Using SPI as a raw material to produce controlled-release fertilizers/pesticides provides an important new use for soybean. SPI itself is biodegradable and can provide nutrients to soil after its degradation. The new fertilizers/pesticides can potentially find large scale use in the agricultural and horticultural industries and open a new market for soybean.
Final findings of the research
Both UV and thermally cured systems exhibited controlled release with the system formulations and processing conditions showing strong effects on their release behaviors. The UV system by far showed more sustained release than the thermal system, which makes it more suitable for longer growth cycle crops. More systematic studies are desired to determine the optimum formulations and processing conditions to meet the specific release needs from different crops.
Benefits/Recommendations to North Dakota soybean farmers and industry
Soy protein-based controlled release systems provide sustained releases of fertilizer/pesticides to improve the efficiency of the chemicals and reduce their environmental impacts. The release systems also provide additional nutrients to the soil when the protein decomposes. The use of soy protein in the production of the release systems increases the market demand of soybean.

A new use for soybean that is expected to potentially increase soybean value and farmers’ income