Fertiliser compositions containing potassium, calcium, magnesium and others, including trace elements for plants, processes and apparatus for obtaining them.

Treating manure; apparatus for distributing fertiliser A01C.

Soil-cultivation substrates A01G 9/00.

Plant growth regulators A01N.

Soil-conditioning or soil-stabilising materials C09K 17/00.

Any apparatus for preparing fertilisers may be classified in those areas of C05 that are specific for such apparatus – e.g., C05B 1/10 – apparatus for the manufacture of superphosphates. Otherwise, individual apparatus should be classified in the relevant area of the IPC, e.g., F26B 7/00

While the subject matter of C05D deals with inorganic fertilisers not covered by subclasses C05B and C05C per se, A01C 3/00 deals with methods of treating manure/methods of manuring per se and A01C 21/00 deals with methods of fertilising per se.

An ingredient in a mixture of fertilisers, or a single fertiliser which contains more that one of the chemical elements on which the subdivision is based, is classified only in the first of the appropriate places. Thus, a nitrophosphate or an ammoniated superphosphate is classified in C05B but not in C05C, magnesium phosphate is classified in C05B but not in C05D, and calcium cyanamide in C05C but not in C05D.

Information relative to the form in which the fertilizer is presented, e.g. granulation, coating, etc. is always given in addition to the chemical composition of the fertilizers.

Any ingredient in a mixture, which is considered to present information of interest for search, is also classified using a combination of classification symbols. If a document concerns embodiments comprising mixtures whose elements are covered individually by different subclasses, groups or subgroups, the document is classified with a combination set.

The following rules apply:

Example: a fertilizer containing a mixture of superphosphate (C05B 1/02), ammonium nitrate (C05C 1/00) and potassium chloride (C05D 1/02) will be given the combination set C05B 1/02, C05C 1/00, C05D 1/02.

Example: a fertilizer containing a mixture of either superphosphate (C05B 1/02) or ammonium nitrate (C05C 1/00) with potassium chloride (C05D 1/02) will be given the combination set C05B 1/02, C05D 1/02 and C05C 1/00, C05D 1/02.

In patent documents the following expressions "fertiliser" and "plant nutrient " are often used as synonyms.

In patent documents the following expressions/words “Amendment”, “Plant food”, “Agricultural chemical” and "Fertiliser" are often used as synonyms.

In patent documents the expression/word "enrichment" is often used with the meaning "fertiliser"

The expression "soil amendment" is often used with the meaning " composition capable of modifying the chemical (pH) or physical (structure) condition of soils for agricultural purposes".

This group contains potassium containing fertilizer compounds which do not fall neither under the definition of the former subclasses C05B, C05C nor under the definition of the subgroups C05D 1/005, C05D 1/02, C05D 1/04.

Examples of these compounds are generic references to potassium cations, potassium oxide, potassium hydroxide etc.

Documents classified in C05D 1/005 should also have an additional code of the pertinent group(s) corresponding to the specific post treatment involved.

All remaining inorganic fertilisers for which no relevant classification entry exists in the preceding groups. Some examples of fertilizers to be classified here are compounds of sodium, sulphur, chloride, silica per se or in the form of bentonite or diatomaceous earth, silicates, fullers' earth and materials such as ashes, chars, clays (vermiculite, kaolin, etc.) or zeolites, etc. with the proviso that these compounds could not be classified in a previous specific class.

Mixtures of these fertilizers with other fertilizers belonging individually to other groups of the classification will be given a Combination Class as explained under the corresponding passage for the class C05.

In this group, the following term is often used with the meaning indicated:

Fertilizers containing compounds of elements which as trace element are essential or beneficial for plants.

The following elements are classified here: iron, manganese, boron, zinc, molybdenum, nickel, cobalt or copper.

The elements chromium, selenium, iodine and silicon are also classified under this entry if the purpose of the fertilization is to provide trace elements to plants. Eventually, other elements serving this purpose would be classified here.

Mixtures of these fertilizers with other fertilizers belonging individually to other groups of the classification will be given a Combination Class as explained under the corresponding passage for the class C05.

In this group, the following term is used with the meaning indicated:

In patent documents the following words "trace element" , "microelement" and "oligoelement" are often used as synonyms.