Plant protecting and regulating compositions – Plant growth regulating compositions – Organic active compound containing
Reexamination Certificate
2003-02-28
2004-08-03
Clardy, S. Mark (Department: 1616)
Plant protecting and regulating compositions
Plant growth regulating compositions
Organic active compound containing
C504S359000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06770600
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to a new delivery system for cyclopropene compounds whereby cyclopropene compounds can be delivered in a controlled manner. The delivery system or cyclopropene compound generator comprises at least one substrate, a material containing at least one cyclopropene compound and a release agent whereby at least one side of one substrate is coated with the material containing at least one cyclopropene compound and wherein when the material containing at least one cyclopropene compound is exposed to the release agent, a gaseous cyclopropene compound is released. The cyclopropene compound generator can be in the form of a cartridge, preferably a self contained cartridge, which provides a convenient means for delivering cyclopropene compounds to flowers, fruits, plants and vegetables in order to preserve their same quality as when they were picked. Such cyclopropene compounds and their derivatives, such as methylcyclopropene, are capable of inhibiting the ethylene response in flowers, fruits, plants and vegetables. The cyclopropene compound generator is particularly useful where the flowers, fruits, plants or vegetables are stored in areas, such as railroad box cars, tractor trailer containers or land/sea containers because the cyclopropene compound generator eliminates the need for cumbersome mixing equipment, delivers a fixed dosage appropriate for the container's content and cubic volume and significantly reduces any waste product.
It is well known that ethylene can cause the premature death of plants or plant parts including, for example, flowers, leaves, fruits, and vegetables through binding with certain receptors in the plant. Ethylene also promotes leaf yellowing and stunted growth as well as premature fruit, flower, and leaf drop. Because of these ethylene-induced problems, very active and intense research presently concerns the investigation of ways to prevent or reduce the deleterious effects of ethylene on plants. U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,988 discloses the use of cyclopropene and its derivatives, including methylcyclopropene, as effective blocking agents for ethylene binding. However, a major problem with these compounds is that they are typically unstable gases which present explosive hazards when compressed, making them difficult to deliver.
As a solution to these problems, U.S. Pat. No. 6,017,849 discloses a method of incorporating these gaseous compounds into a molecular encapsulation agent complex in order to stabilize their reactivity and thereby provide a convenient and safe means of storing, transporting and applying or delivering the active compounds to plants, flowers, fruits or vegetables. For the most active cyclopropene derivative disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,988, 1-methylcyclopropene, the preferred molecular encapsulation agent is a cyclodextrin, with &agr;-cyclodextrin being the most preferred. The application or delivery of these active compounds to plants, flowers, fruits or vegetables is accomplished by simply adding water to the molecular encapsulation agent complex. The complex is prepared according to the methods disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,017,849 which provides the material in the form of a powder.
The bulk or encapsulated form of 1-methylcyclopropene/&agr;-cyclodextrin complexes noted above can be made to release the 1-methylcyclopropene very quickly. However, in order to accomplish this release, large amounts of water are required, at least ten times and preferably twenty times the weight of the 1-methylcyclopropene/&agr;-cyclodextrin complex. In addition, the vessel containing the water must be kept upright to avoid spillage. It would be advantageous to accomplish complete release of the cyclopropene compound from the complex using a minimal amount of water or release agent and where the orientation of the container does not matter. This would allow a user to treat plants, flowers, fruits, or vegetables with the gaseous cyclopropene compound directly in shipping containers, rather than a large treatment container, chamber, or room.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/957,752 attempts to solve this problem by mixing the powdered complex with a water absorbent material. Less water is utilized to release the cyclopropene compound but, in one embodiment, excess water is still needed and therefore leads to an aqueous byproduct once the cyclopropene compound generation is complete. This byproduct has to be disposed of properly according to regulatory and environmental standards. In another embodiment, a sachet filled with the cyclopropene compound complex can simply be exposed to a humid atmosphere which acts as the release agent. Although this appears to eliminate the problem of an unwanted byproduct, it raises some additional problems such as having to control the humidity of the environment in the container to be able to deliver the optimum amount of cyclopropene compound in a reasonable amount of time.
We have found a way to simplify the process for the release of a cyclopropene compound, substantially reduce the amount of unwanted byproduct to comply with environmental regulations and be able to deliver an accurate dosage amounts appropriate for a container's content and cubic volume without having to control the container's environment. One embodiment of the present invention is a cyclopropene compound generator comprising at least one substrate, a material containing at least one cyclopropene compound and a release agent whereby at least one side of one substrate is coated with a material containing at least one cyclopropene compound and wherein when the substrate coated with the material containing at least one cyclopropene compound is exposed to the release agent, a gaseous cyclopropene compound is released.
The release agent can be contained in a reservoir whereby the substrate coated with the material containing at least one cyclopropene compound is pulled through, over or under the reservoir to expose the substrate coated with the material containing at least one cyclopropene compound to the release agent. A suitable reservoir can be in any form, such as a bath or chamber with an inlet to allow the substrate coated with the material containing at least one cyclopropene compound to enter and an outlet for the substrate with the coating material containing at least one cyclopropene compound to exit, to a porous material such as a sponge. The release agent can also be contained in a rupturable container or pod. When utilizing a pod, it is preferable that each section of the substrate coated with the material containing at least one cyclopropene compound contains at least one pod. The substrate coated with the material containing at least one cyclopropene compound passes through a pressure applying assembly, such as a pair of rollers, that rupture the pod and spread the release agent to initiate the release of gaseous cyclopropene compound. Alternately, a second substrate can be used that is coated with the release agent whereby the substrate with the coating material containing at least one cyclopropene compound and the substrate coated with the release agent are contacted together to cause the release of a gaseous cyclopropene compound. When utilizing this technique of two substrates, one substrate with the coating material containing at least one cyclopropene compound and one substrate coated with the release agent, it is preferable the material for at least one of the substrates be porous to aid in the release of the gaseous cyclopropene compound.
It is preferable this cyclopropene compound generator be in the form of a cartridge, preferable a self contained cartridge. The substrate or substrates are stored in the cartridge and can be either coated prior to being placed in the cartridge or the cartridge can be configured such that the substrate or substrates are uncoated and the coating material containing at least one cyclopropene compound and/or the release agent are stored in separate portions of the cartridge. This configuration provides for the coating of the substrates immediately prior to us
Jacobson Richard Martin
Lamola Angelo Anthony
Norris Philip Roy
Clardy S. Mark
Rogerson Thomas D.
Rohm and Haas Company
Vouros James C.
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