Coronatine as an abscission agent

Details Coronatine as an abscission agent Coronatine as an abscission agent

2001-06-29

2003-01-28

Clardy, S. Mark (Department: 1616)

Plant protecting and regulating compositions

Plant growth regulating compositions

Micro-organisms or from micro-organisms

C504S171000, C504S334000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06511939

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Abscission is the ability of plants to slough off organs, such as fruit, by an active separation of cells. Abscission results from the formation of a starch-filled abscission layer of cells in the area of the fruit rind, which separates the stem from the fruit. Abscission occurs as cells in the abscission layer begin to separate, eventually dropping the fruit from the stem.
Commercial harvesting of fruit can require deviation from the natural abscission cycle. When harvesting takes place where the abscission layer has not begun to separate, a great deal of force can be required to remove the fruit. The force can damage the fruit or the plant. Presently available abscission agents, such as ethephon, can cause unwanted defoliation, gummosis, immature fruit drop, and rind damage. Abscission agents are needed that do not cause these undesirable side effects.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide methods and compositions for inducing fruit abscission in plants and trees. This and other objects of the invention are provided by one or more of the embodiments described below.
One embodiment of the invention provides a composition for inducing abscission comprising coronatine and one or more surfactants. The surfactant can be, for example, Tween®-20 ((sorbitan mono-9 octadecenoate poly(oxy-1,1-ethanedlyl)) or Kinetic® proprietary blend of poloyalkylene oxide modified polydimethyl siloxane and non-ionic surfactant. The volume by volume of the surfactant can be about 1.0% to about 0.01%. Preferably, the concentration of coronatine is about 10 mg/L to about 1,000 mg/L. More preferably, the concentration of coronatine is about 50 mg/L to about 500 mg/L. Even more preferably, the concentration of coronatine is about 100 mg/L to about 300 mg/L.
Another embodiment of the invention provides a method of inducing fruit abscission comprising administering an effective amount of coronatine to a fruit-bearing plant or tree. The fruit-bearing plant or tree can be, for example, citrus, such as orange, apple, or cherry.
Even another embodiment of the invention provides a method of harvesting fruit from a plant or tree. The method comprises administering an effective amount of coronatine to a fruit-bearing plant or tree and exerting sufficient force on the fruit to separate the fruit from the plant or tree. The harvesting can be accomplished by manual or mechanical methods.
Thus, the invention provides methods and compositions for inducing fruit abscission without excessive defoliation or gummosis, immature fruit drop, or rind damage.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5674701 (1997-10-01), Ecker et al.
Ferguson, et al., “Stimulation of Ethylene Production in Bean Leaf Discs by the Pseudomonad Phytotoxin Coronatine”, Plant Physiology, 77:969-973 (1985).
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Koda, et al., “Similarities of the Biological Activities of Coronatine and Coronafacic Acid to those of Jasmonic Acid”, Phytochemistry, vol. 41, No. 1, pp. 93-96 (1996).
Bender, et al., “Pseudomonas syringae Phytotoxins: Mode of Action, Regulation and Biosynthesis by Peptide and Polyketide Synthetases”, Microbiology and Molecular Biology Review, 63:266-292 (1999).
Hiraga, et al., “Wound-Induced Expression of a Tobacco Peroxidase is not Enhanced by Ethephon and Suppressed by Methyl Jasmonate and Coronatine”, Plant Cell Physiology, 41(2):165-170 (2000).
Laudert, et al., “Transgenic Nicotiana tabacum and Arabidopsis thaliana Plants Overexpressing Allene Oxide Synthase”, Planta, 211:163-165 (2000).
Tamogami, et al., “Coronatine Elicits Phytoalexin Production in Rice Leaves(Oryza sativa L.)in the same Manner as Jasmonic Acid”, Phytochemistry, 54:689-694 (2000).
Hartmond, et al., “Citrus Fruit Abscission Induced by Methyl-Jasmonate”, J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci., 125(5):547-552 (2000).
Kender, et al., “Methyl Jasmonate and CMN-Pyrazole Applied Alone and in Combination can Cause Mature Orange Abscission”, Scientia Horticulturae, 88:107-120 (2001).

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