Plant protecting and regulating compositions – Plant growth regulating compositions – Organic active compound containing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-08
2003-07-08
Clardy, S. Mark (Department: 1616)
Plant protecting and regulating compositions
Plant growth regulating compositions
Organic active compound containing
Reexamination Certificate
active
06589916
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method and composition for the fungicidal treatment of soil and plants to enhance seed germination, seedling development, and plant growth.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various dithiocarbamic acid derivatives have long been used in the art to treat soil before crops and other vegetation are planted in it. The majority of these are fungicides and herbicides of sufficient potency to kill virtually all the plant and animal life living in the soil to which the selected dithiocarbamic acid derivative is applied.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,835,625, for example, describes a composition of isopropoxycarbonyl dimethyldithiocarbamate and methods for using it to protect plants from fungal diseases. The potency of this product is such that it may be treated for four hours with ultraviolet light from an arc without losing any biological activity.
Further examples include U.S. Pat. No. 2,614,957. The patent describes a fungicidal composition containing about 75 to 99% by weight of sodium dimethyldithiocarbamate and about 25 to 1% by weight of the sodium salt of 2-mercaptobenzothiazole. U.S. Pat. No. 3,699,231 describes a biocidal composition used to inhibit the growth of microbes, particularly sulfate-reducing bacteria. The composition is a mixture of a metal carbamate derivative, such as zinc dimethyldithiocarbamate, and an aldehyde, such as formaldehyde. A related composition is a fungicide, described by U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,661, comprised of an aluminum ethyl phosphite and manganese-zinc ethylene bisdithiocarbamate. This fungicide is stated to be effective against crown and root rot that affect turfgrass.
A well-known dithiocarbamic acid derivative is sodium methyldithiocarbamate, known by its common name, metham sodium. Metham sodium is typically applied to soil to sterilize it before crops or vegetation are planted in the soil. When a fumigant solution of metham sodium comes into contact with soil, it is converted into volatile, highly toxic methyl isothiocyanate, which is known to be effective as a fungicide, pesticide, and herbicide. The highly toxic properties of metham sodium require that a significant amount of time elapse between its application and the planting of crops. This time ranges anywhere from about 7 to 30 days, depending on the qualities of the soil and the amount of metham sodium applied.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,994,487 and 5,075,332 describe a method of using metham sodium in particular amounts and under particular conditions so as to preserve its biocidal activity while at the same time causing the plants no harm. It is stated that metham sodium, when used in the amounts indicated, can be applied to soil at or about the time of planting of seeds without damaging the seeds or plants that grow from them; the growth of the plants is instead promoted.
The dithiocarbamic acid derivative of the present invention is methylammonium methyldithiocarbamate. Like metham sodium, it is highly toxic.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,766,554 entitled “Method of Sterilizing Soil” describes a method of killing substantially all plant and an applying to it methylammonium methyldithiocarbamate. It is stated, for example, that methylammonium methyldithiocarbamate is an excellent eradicator of Morning Glory, a deep-rooted plant that is difficult to kill.
A more pleasant fate would befall the Morning Glory when treated in accordance with the present invention: in the present invention, methylammonium methyldithiocarbamate is employed not to kill plants but to promote their growth and enhance their appearance. The inventors have surprisingly discovered that methylammonium methyldithiocarbamate can be used in a manner in which it retains its fungicidal and nematodal activity while at the same time causing no damage to the plants to which it is applied. The inventors have further surprisingly discovered that the methylammonium methyldithiocarbamate can be used to improve the color of certain plants for which appearance is important, as it is, for example, for grass. The methylammonium methyldithiocarbamate also has the unexpected effect of increasing the vigor of such plants. Moreover, the advantageous results of the invention may be achieved in a matter of days to weeks, and not weeks to months.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide for a composition and method to promote the growth of plants, particularly grass, while at the same time controlling the fungi, weeds, worms and other infestations that retard the plant's growth. For plants in which appearance is important, it is a further object of the invention to maintain biocidal control so that the plant vigor is enhanced at the same time that the plant's color is improved. It is another object of the invention to achieve these advantageous results in a relatively short period of time.
Described herein is the surprising discovery that methylammonium methyldithiocarbamate can be applied, in accordance with the invention, to live plants so as to promote their growth. In addition, the methods of the present invention may be used to enhance the color of crops for which color is important, such as grass. Moreover, the present invention permits one to attain these results while at the same time preserving the nematodal and fungicidal activity of the methylammonium methyldithiocarbamate. These results may remarkably be achieved in a matter of days to weeks. The result is that one who practices the invention can see significantly improved growth, color, and vigor in a given crop in a short period of time.
In preferred embodiments of the invention, the methylammonium methyldithiocarbamate is applied in aqueous form to live plants in a nematocidally effective amount. The aqueous solution may be applied by dripping, spraying, irrigating, injecting, or any other of the well-known means of delivering aqueous herbicides and fungicides to plants. Significantly reduced amounts of the methylammonium methyldithiocarbamate are used; the nemoticidally effective amount is thus insufficient to retard the growth of the plants or impair their color.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, soil in a field or lawn of plants is treated, either at about the time of planting of plant seed or after the plants are established, by contacting the soil or stand of plants with a effective amount of methylammonium methyldithiocarbamate, the amount being insufficient to significantly retard the growth of the plants or impair their color.
The rate of application of methylammonium methyldithiocarbamate to soil or plants in accordance with the invention is substantially less than those conventionally used to obtain nematodal and fungicidal activity. A significant advantage of the invention is therefore its ability to treat soil at the time of planting, shortly after it, or even well after the plants are already established. As used herein, “at the time of planting” includes methods of treatment in which the soil in a seed bed is treated with methylammonium methyldithiocarbamate either as the seed or vegetative material is being planted in the soil or shortly before such planting.
In presently preferred embodiments of the invention, the methylammonium methyldithiocarbamate is applied in the form of an aqueous solution. At any time during or after planting or shortly before it, the solution may be applied by dripping or spraying the solution onto the plants, by injecting the aqueous solution into the soil, by drenching the soil with the aqueous solution, or by any other of the well-known means of delivering pesticides to soil and/or plants. For example, the solution may be dripped or sprayed into a seed furrow in the seed bed as the seed or vegetative material is being planted, may be injected into the soil beneath the seed or vegetative material during planting, or the soil may be drenched by the solution shortly prior to, during, or following planting of the seed or vegetative material in the soil. Similarly, any of these or other applica
Feiler William
Hoder Christopher
Amvac Chemical Corporation
Clardy S. Mark
Pillsbury & Winthrop LLP
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