Plant protecting and regulating compositions – Plant growth regulating compositions – Aquatic plant regulator
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-12
2003-08-05
Clardy, S. Mark (Department: 1616)
Plant protecting and regulating compositions
Plant growth regulating compositions
Aquatic plant regulator
C504S189000, C504S345000, C504S158000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06602824
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to an herbicidal composition and to a method of using a naturally-occurring, plant-derived organic compound as a herbicide. More particularly, the present invention relates to an herbicidal composition that includes the naturally-occurring, plant-derived, organic compound and to a method of using the naturally-occurring, plant-derived, organic compound to control aquatic and terrestrial weeds.
A weed may be generally defined as an unwanted terrestrial or aquatic plant. Conversely, a terrestrial or aquatic plant that is desired is not a weed, but is instead a desirable plant. Weeds often interfere with efficient utilization of land and water resources and typically compete with desired plants for water, nutrients, light, carbon dioxide, and space. Many weeds are also aesthetically displeasing, especially when the weeds appear within a stand of a desired plant, such as St. Augustine grass or Kentucky bluegrass in a homeowner's lawn. Weeds may also obstruct visibility, become fire hazards around buildings, and reduce the efficiency of irrigation systems. When weeds appear in watercourses, such as rivers and lakes, the weeds may contribute to poor water quality, making the water unsuitable for culinary and industrial uses. Furthermore, some weeds act in a poisonous fashion against other plants, animals, and humans by secreting toxic substances known as alleopathic compounds or by spreading agents that may cause allergies and/or disease. Finally, weeds provide shelter for insects and rodents that spread disease or are otherwise harmful to desired plants, animals, or humans.
Weeds cause agricultural losses to crops that consistently exceed losses caused by other classes of agricultural pests, year after year. Besides reducing the quality of the crop, weed infestation may reduce achievable crop yield by up to 100% of the theoretically achievable yield. A number of approaches, including mechanical, agricultural, biological, and chemical techniques, have evolved in an attempt to control weed infestation.
Mechanical means, such as hand pulling, hoeing or cultivation, deep plowing, clipping, mowing, burning and/or mulching, may be employed in an attempt to eradicate or control weeds. Also, cover crops may be planted to keep the ground covered when not growing more valuable crops and thus weed infestation that would ordinarily be expected to occur in bare ground areas is typically minimized. Crop rotation and planting of “smother” crops that are adapted to grow more vigorously than weeds have also been attempted as means of controlling weed infestations. Besides these mechanical and agricultural techniques, biological methods of weed control, such as introduction of predator populations that feed on the weeds and thereby reduce weed population, have also been attempted.
Mechanical, agricultural, and biological methods of weed control, while sometimes helping to reduce the extent of weed infestations, are not fully satisfactory. First, mechanical and agricultural techniques are quite labor intensive and require use of limited physical and capital resources. Furthermore, environmental factors beyond the control of the farmer or homeowner, such as excessive rainfall, may diminish the effectiveness of these mechanical and agricultural techniques. Likewise, biological techniques, such as introduction of predator populations, are not entirely satisfactory, since the predators may not be selective for only the weed population.
Chemically active herbicides represent another potential weed control technique. These chemical herbicides may be broken down into pre-emergent herbicides and post-emergent herbicides. Pre-emergent herbicides typically interfere with germination of weed seeds, whereas post-emergent herbicides kill the weeds after the weed seeds have germinated and weed growth has begun.
Pre-emergent herbicides may be effective when present at the required dosage at the time weed seed germination is ready to occur. However, this timing issue points out a major problem with respect to pre-emergent herbicides. Specifically, if the pre-emergent herbicide is not applied, or degrades, prior to weed seed germination, the weed seeds are free to germinate and begin growing into mature weeds. Additionally, pre-emergent herbicides are typically weed specific and are not equally effective against all types of weeds. The timing problem present with pre-emergent herbicides may be avoided by employing post-emergent herbicides and by applying the post-emergent herbicide only after the weed seeds have germinated and the weeds are actively growing. However, many presently available post-emergent herbicides are non-selective herbicides and therefore will kill desirable plants in addition to weeds.
Many pre- and post-emergent herbicides also suffer from another problem. Specifically, many pre-emergent herbicides and post-emergent herbicides are either moderately or highly toxic to humans and animals, and may thereby have damaging effects far beyond the intended weed control effect. Toxic herbicides may cause injury either immediately or over the long term to persons applying the herbicides and to persons present when the herbicides are applied. Also, residual concentrations of toxic herbicides that remain in the soil or water after application of the herbicide may pose a significant threat to human beings and to animals, including land-based animals and amphibians and fish, upon contact with the treated area or runoff from the treated area. Furthermore, public alarm about the use of toxic chemicals as herbicides and their potential widespread and long-term effects on environmental quality dictate against the continued use of these toxic herbicides.
There is a need for an herbicidal solution that avoids the critical timing issues of pre-emergent herbicide applications. Furthermore, there is a need for an herbicidal solution that avoids the toxic effects of presently available pre-emergent and post-emergent herbicides on human beings, animals and the environment generally. Furthermore, there is a need for an economically efficient post-emergent weed technique that selectively controls weeds without destroying or hindering the growth of desired plants.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention includes a method of controlling unwanted plants. The method includes providing an herbicidal composition that contains at least a naturally-occurring, plant-derived organic compound and applying the herbicidal composition to the unwanted plants. The present invention further includes an herbicidal composition and a method of increasing water clarity in a body of water.
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Derwent Abstract 1997-191106 of Lazarenkov, RU 2065678, Aug. 1996.*
Kirk-Othmer. Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, 4th ed. John Wiley & Sons. vol. 23, p. 44-63 (“Beet Sugar”) and 602-604 (“Syrups: Molasses”). 1997.*
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Product Monograph CYSTADANE™ (betaine anhydrous powder for oral solution) Anti-Homocysteine Agent, 8 pages, obtained from the Internet at address www.mdm
Miles Mark
Powers James H.
Clardy S. Mark
Greener Pastures Development Corp.
Kinney & Lange , P.A.
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