Plant protecting and regulating compositions – Plant growth regulating compositions – Organic active compound containing
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-08
2001-05-29
Clardy, S. Mark (Department: 1616)
Plant protecting and regulating compositions
Plant growth regulating compositions
Organic active compound containing
C564S346000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06239078
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a new matter of composition in the form of chemical compounds and to a method for enhancing plant growth and the properties exhibited by plants treated with the compounds in accordance with this method. In particular, application of the compounds results in an increase in sugar content, essential oils and proteins along with an increase in total plant biomass. Fruits harvested from treated plants exhibit an accelerated biochemical and structural maturity. Mature fruits typically exhibit improved pigment and essential oil accumulation, and reduced peel thickness.
It has been discovered that the new class of compounds function as plant bioregulators and thus enhance plant growth in accordance with the method of the invention.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Developments in agriculture have produced chemical compounds and methods for their application which function as plant bioregulators and thus serve to enhance one or more properties exhibited by the treated plant. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,671,219 discloses a quartenary ammonium compound which when applied to plants enhances the sugar content of sugar cane. U.S. Pat. No. 4,204,859 discloses that the addition of certain phenoxytrialkylamines enhance the hydrocarbon production of rubber in plants. U.S. Pat. No. 4,159,903 discloses a method for increase of polyisoprene production in rubber producing plants such as Guayule. U.S. Pat. No. 3,833,350 discloses that carotenoid accumulation in plants can be increased according to a method comprised of applying compounds including (halogenated phenoxy) trialkylamines. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,864,501, 3,911,148, and 3,911,152 disclose a method for increasing the carotenoid pigments of fruits and vegetables which comprises the application of compounds including (methyl phenoxy) trialkylamines.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,797,153 discloses a method for increasing total plant biomass and individual plant constituents such as sugar, protein, lipid, and essential oils which comprises the application of certain substituted phenoxytrialkylamines and substituted phenylthiotrialkyl amines, or dialkylmorpholium halides. The compounds are applied in bioregulatory amounts to plant seeds, plant seedlings, or plant buds at the early stage of plant development, or to trees during a week before or after flower bud swell. It has since been shown that the application of the compounds of this reference in bioregulatory amounts effect the photosynthetic pathway in green plants in a manner which facilitates the assimilation of carbon dioxide in the photosynthetic pathway, thereby increasing the carbon atoms available for synthesis of total biomass and individual plant constituents.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed towards a new class of (benzyl substituted) trialkylamine ether compounds which when applied to plants in regulatory amounts increase important plant constituents, increase total plant biomass, and increase the rate of plant growth, and reduce the time to crop maturity. Pigment accumulation in plant leaves and mature fruits is increased. In Citrus crops, the fruits harvested from treated trees exhibit a reduced peel thickness. The compounds are applied to the plants in bioregulatory amounts—that is, an amount sufficient to increase plant biomass and accelerate growth but insufficient to harm the plant. The compounds of the present invention are selected from the group of chemical compounds having the structure:
wherein X is either oxygen or sulfur,
R
1
and R
2
are lower alkyl groups containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms each of identical or dissimilar structure,
n
1
and n
2
are integers from 1 to 6, with n
1
and n
2
being independent of each other,
R
3
and R
4
are independently hydrogen, chlorine, bromine, fluorine, lower alkyl compounds containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms, lower alkoxy containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or condensed mono- and polycyclic aromatic ring systems, and wherein:
if R
3
and R
4
are 3,5-substituents, then the lower alkyl or alkoxy group must contain 1 to 6 carbon atoms; and wherein: if R
3
is hydrogen, then R
4
must be a 4-substituent, with the proviso that R
4
is other than hydrogen; or
b) an acid addition salt of the compounds defined above.
It has been found that the application of the compounds of the invention causes the treated plants to form and store valuable plant constituents over untreated plants. The plants which have been treated with the bioregulatory compounds of the invention have greater biomass than untreated plants resulting in increased crop production per unit area.
Moreover, it has found that in field studies conducted wherein the compounds of the present invention are compared with the bioregulator compounds disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,797,153, specifically 3,4-dichlorophenoxy triethylamine (3,4-DCPTA), 2,4-dichlorophenoxytriethylamine, (2,4-DCPTA), it was determined that a compound of the present invention known as N,N-diethylaminoethyl (4-methylbenzyl) ether (MBTA) is generally more effective as a plant bioregulator than the bioregulator compounds disclosed in the '153 patent, That is, MBTA treated plants exhibit a greater increase in total plant biomass and valuable plant constituents relative to DCPTA. A second compound of the invention, N,N-diethylamino ethyl 3,4-dichlorobenzyl ether (DCBTA) performs comparably as a bioregulator with respect to the DCPTA. Thus, the compounds of the present invention exhibit a structure-activity correlation at least comparable and even superior to the disclosed prior art and thus represent an advance in the state of the art of bioregulator applications.
In many cases the invention increases the growth rate of the treated plant relative to untreated plants, resulting in accelerated maturation. Shorter growing periods effect a decrease in the labor and cost of production, effect a decrease in the use of energy sources such as fossil fuel which are used in fertilizer production. Moreover, accelerated and increased growth make likely the possibility that growing cycles will be shorter while yielding a harvest equivalent or superior to that of untreated plants. Such a harvest would be greater since the treated plants exhibit increased biomass. It is even conceivable that multiple harvests can be achieved within growing cycles which yield only one harvest. These possibilities offer promise for increased food productions at reduced costs and may possibly alleviate food shortages throughout the world.
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Gausman Harold W.
Keithly James H.
Yokoyama Henry
Clardy S. Mark
Cook Alex McFarron Manzo Cummings & Mehler, Ltd.
Tropicana Products, Inc.
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