Chemistry: fertilizers – Processes and products – Organic material-containing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-23
2002-03-19
Sayala, Chhaya D. (Department: 1761)
Chemistry: fertilizers
Processes and products
Organic material-containing
C071S027000, C071S031000, C071S061000, C071S011000, C504S119000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06358293
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to methods and formulations for treating plants, and more specifically to methods for treating plants with formulations comprising a high concentration of manganese.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are many known compositions for treating plants and for enhancing plant growth and crop yield. These compositions include various plant growth regulators such as cytokinins, auxins, brassinolides and gibberellins which may be applied to plants with or without additional macro- and micronutrients. It is also known to apply water soluble carbohydrates such as sucrose, fructose and glucose with additional macro- and micronutrients as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,729 or to apply various alkyl glucosides with additional macro- and micronutrients as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,958,104.
With respect to secondary nutrients, additive compositions may comprise one or more of the commonly used macronutrients such as sulfur, calcium and magnesium and/or micronutrients such as chelated iron, boron, cobalt, copper, manganese, molybdenum, zinc and nickel. Of the micronutrients typically used, several are of particular importance, namely, zinc, iron and manganese. However, it is known that high doses of these micronutrients are lethal to plants because the plants are not able to metabolize the micronutrients at a sufficient rate. Specifically, it is known that, under conventional conditions of plant culture, manganese is phytotoxic to plants at concentrations greater than 500 parts per billion (ppb), especially under acidic conditions. Moreover, iron deficiency may be induced in the presence of high concentrations of manganese. Thus the use of micronutrients to treat plants and facilitate plant growth has until now been limited to very small amounts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is the result of the discovery that high concentrations of manganese, when formulated with alkyl glucosides as primers for starch synthesis and cellulose synthesis, are capable of facilitating a plant's metabolism of manganese and thus enhancing plant growth. The invention provides methods for formulating Mn at preferably about 2 to 15 parts per million (ppm) concentrations for root exposure and at preferably about 15 to 75 ppm for foliar applications and applying the high concentrations to plants in a manner which is nontoxic and designed to enhance plant growth.
It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide a method for formulating a nontoxic composition comprising a high concentration of manganese and one or more alkyl glycosides and applying the formulation to plants in a manner which enhances plant growth without compromising the plant.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a nontoxic plant treatment and growth formulation comprising a high concentration of manganese and one or more alkyl glycosides.
The preferred methods of the invention for rendering high concentrations of manganese safe for plant growth, generally comprise the steps of: mixing one or more alkyl glycosides with manganese, preferably in a mixture comprising manganese at a concentration between about 2 to 100 ppm, and applying a suitable volume of the resulting mixture to one or more plants. The concentration of manganese is preferably between about 2 to 100 ppm generally, and specifically, 2 to 15 ppm for root application and 15 to 75 ppm for shoot application. The preferred alkyl glycoside comprises one or more methyl glucosides and the manganese is preferably water soluble, for example, by sequestering or otherwise solubilizing the manganese with a complexing agent selected from a group consisting of HeEDTA, DTPA, EDTA, EDDHA, citrate, ascorbate and other such Mn chelants.
The alkyl glycoside and manganese mixture may be applied as a dry or liquid formation directly to the plant soil and/or a foliar formulation applied to the foliage of the plants. In formulations wherein the manganese is at a concentration equal to or greater than 20 ppm and is to be applied to plant foliage, the formulation preferably further comprises iron at a concentration approximately equal to the concentration of manganese. In formulations wherein the manganese is at a concentration greater than 10 ppm and is to be applied to the plant roots, the formulation, likewise, preferably comprises iron at a concentration approximately equal to the concentration of manganese.
The alkyl glycoside may comprise a blend of &agr;-methyl glucoside and &bgr;-methyl glucoside, wherein the blend of &agr;-methyl glucoside and &bgr;-methyl glucoside may be a liquid syrup mixed with manganese solubilized by EDTA. The method may also comprise the step of adding one or more aqueous surfactants to the mixture.
Another preferred method for rendering high concentrations of manganese safe for plant growth, comprises the steps of: mixing one or more alkyl glycosides with at least manganese, iron and an ammonia nutrient, resulting in a mixture comprising manganese at a concentration of between about 2 to 100 ppm; and applying a suitable amount of the resulting mixture to one or more plants. The iron is preferably at a concentration approximately equal to the concentration of manganese; the ammonia nutrient is preferably ammoniacal nitrogen; and the manganese is chelated Mn
+2
solubilized with a complexing agent.
The dry formulation preferably comprises 500 g of methyl glucoside, wherein the manganese is mixed with the methyl glucoside as 2 g of 12% Mn solubilized by EDTA. The resulting mixture may be applied dry to the soil and then watered or may be diluted first in an aqueous carrier and then applied to the soil. To dilute the dry mixture, about 400 grams of the resulting mixture is diluted in about 80 liters of water or any other suitable aqueous carrier and applied to the plants in an amount that will deliver a minimum of about 20 mg of dry powder per plant. The liquid formulation preferably comprises about 1.94 g methyl glucoside added to about 1 liter of an aqueous solution comprising about 1 ppm chelated Mn and applied in a sufficient volume to drench the plant roots. The Mn is preferably mixed with the alkyl glycoside as Mn
+2
solubilized with a complexing agent selected from a group consisting of HeEDTA, DTPA, EDTA, EDDHA, citrate, ascorbate and any other Mn chelant. Alternatively, the liquid formulation may comprise 65% methyl glucoside liquid syrup mixed with 6% Mn solubilized with EDTA, wherein about 1.5 kg of the 65% methyl glucoside liquid syrup is mixed with about 8 g of Mn
+2
solubilized with EDTA and then diluted in about 200 liters of water.
The preferred foliar formulation comprises about 500 g of &agr;-methyl glucoside mixed with about 2 g of MnEDTA (12% Mn) and diluted in about 2.25 liters of an aqueous carrier. The method for making and applying the foliar formulation may further comprise the step of adding one or more aqueous surfactants, such as about 2 g Pluronic L-92 (BASF) to the formulation and applying the resulting mixture by spraying to glisten on the plant foliage in an amount between about 1 to 4 ml per plant.
The preferred formulation of the invention for treating plants and enhancing plant growth, generally comprises: one or more alkyl glycosides; and manganese at a concentration of between about 2 to 100 ppm. More specifically, for foliar applications, the manganese is preferably at a concentration between about 15 to 50 ppm and further comprises iron at a concentration approximately equal to said concentration of said manganese; and for root applications, the manganese is at a concentration between about 2 to 10 ppm.
The formulation may more specifically and preferably comprise one or more of the following: a manganese source comprising Mn
+2
; one or more alkyl glycosides comprising one or more methyl glucosides, wherein the methyl glucoside preferably comprises a 50/50 blend of &agr;-methyl glucoside and &bgr;-methyl glucoside; one or more complexing agents selected from a group consisting of HeEDTA, DTPA, EDTA, EDDHA, citrate, ascorbate and any
Sayala Chhaya D.
The Hampshire Chemical Corporation
LandOfFree
Methods for rendering high concentrations of manganese safe... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Methods for rendering high concentrations of manganese safe..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Methods for rendering high concentrations of manganese safe... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2823387