Plant protecting and regulating compositions – Antidotes
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-17
2002-02-26
Pryor, Alton (Department: 1616)
Plant protecting and regulating compositions
Antidotes
C504S123000, C424S665000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06350719
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a protective composition and its method of application to a variety of plants particularly, but not exclusively, fruit and vegetable plants, wherein the plants are protected from damage due to exposure to frost during conditions of reduced temperatures conditions. The composition is applied by forming a coating over the exterior surfaces of the plant, such as by spraying or other applicable means, thereby assuring that the frost will form on the protective coating rather than come into direct contact with the exterior surface portions of the plant which have been coated. Cellular degeneration of the coated parts of the plant is thereby prevented or significantly reduced. Removal of the coating is easily accomplished by natural rainfall or by sprinkling the plant utilizing conventional irrigation methods.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the agricultural industry it is well recognized that the growing or cultivation of certain crops is generally limited to those areas of the country which enjoy a moderate climate. For example, the production of citrus in the United States is primarily conducted in Florida and certain parts of Southern California, where temperatures infrequently reach the freezing point of 32° Fahrenheit. In addition, on the occasions when the temperature drops to the freezing point, the fruit and vegetable crops are not usually damaged, by being frozen, since temperatures in these areas of the country do not normally stay in the critical range of approximately 28 to 32 degrees Fahrenheit for extended periods. However, citrus plants as well as other fruits and vegetable plants are occasionally subjected to destructive damage due to frost which typically is caused by a rapid drop in ambient air temperature. Damage from frost is the result of ice crystals directly contacting and being able to physically invade the plant cells. The ice crystals can damage the invaded cell membrane to a sufficient degree that the cell is physically destroyed. Accordingly, it is well recognized that exposure to frost causes the loss of a significant percentage of citrus crops, as well as other tree fruit and vegetable crops, almost every year.
Susceptibility to frost damage depends not only on the ambient temperature but, at least to a certain extent, on a tree's stage of development, plant variety, physical location, etc. In order to prevent or at least lessen the loss of crops due to frost damage, a number of preventative measures have been developed. However, only a few frost protection methods have been consistently effective over the years. Accordingly, while conventional or known methods of frost protection are currently being practiced, such known methods vary considerably in cost, management time and effectiveness. The inefficiency and/or excessive cost of known technics is evidenced by the fact that their implementation may be more expensive and/or time consuming then the actual economic loss caused by frost damage to the various corps in question. Therefore, the average annual loss of crops to a grower or farmer due to frost damage, while significant, may not justify the time and money required in implementing one or more of the conventional frost protection systems currently available.
The various protection systems or methods undertaken largely depend on the variety of crops, location, etc. This is due to the fact that temperatures at which fruit buds are typically damaged, depends primarily on their stage of development. Naturally, as flowers began to swell and expand into blossoms, they become less resistant to damage from frost contact. However, it is also known that not all blossoms on a tree are equally susceptible. Resistance to frost damage varies within trees as it does between orchids, cultivators and crops. Buds that develop slowly tend to be more resistant. Therefore, it has been known for sometime that some trees or crops suffer weather damage at higher temperatures, while others are resistant at much lower temperatures. While prolonged cool weather tends to increase the hardiness of the plant, depending upon the type of fruit or vegetable plant involved, damage caused by the actual freezing of the plant is limited to the relatively unusual situations where temperatures remain below freezing, such as from 10° Fahrenheit to 28° Fahrenheit, for prolonged periods of at least 3 to 4 days.
One well recognized and often utilized method of protection is the application of water to both fruit and vegetable plants. Water, when appropriately applied, serves to “blanket” the plant thereby protecting the cell walls of the plant. Farmers and agriculturists, while using this method particularly on citrus crops, as well as other fruit and vegetable crops, understand that some damage may still occur. However, such damage is normally considered to be “acceptable” in comparison to the resulting damage when no protection system is used at all. While not completely effective, the use of water to protect plants from cold has increased over the last twenty years, apparently due to the cost, management and labor required in the use of heaters or other known methods, especially when attempting to protect an extended agricultural area, such as a citrus grove. Therefore, while the use of water lowers expenses and reduces environmental damage, when compared to heating or other methods, the proper application of water is important to its effectiveness. For example, the over use of water often times involves a risk of additional damage to the crop being protected. Extended water use may saturate soils and thereby increase the likelihood of diseases. Water over use may also cause the build up of ice on citrus trees or other plants to the extent where the trees are physically damaged.
Therefore, while water may be a preferred means of protection, it must be applied with proper care. Accordantly, “overtree sprinkling” has gained popularity, particularly in the citrus industry, wherein water is applied by a sprinkler network or system over the tops of the trees. Water is then allowed to freeze on the trees causing the heat released from the freezing water to maintain the temperature of certain portions of the tree near freezing, but not at or below the temperature where significant damage from freezing occurs. Also, successful overtree sprinkling depends to a great extent on the rate at which water is applied being balanced against the rate at which the water freezes, so that the temperature of the protected portions of the tree will remain at least a few degrees above the critical temperature at which damage occurs. Also, other significant problems exist with the use of overtree sprinkling in that the amount of water utilized depends on temperature, wind speed and a variety of other factors.
Another method of protection is known as “undertree” sprinkling and is gaining acceptance in the protection of fruit trees from frost. While considered to be at least partially effective, the reasons why undertree sprinkling works is not completely understood. It is believed that heat released as water vapor is condensed on leafs and blossom keeps temperature above the critical level, at which frost will not form. This approach uses less water and there is little or no chance of damage to the tree, as a result of ice built-up. However, certain blossoms or portions of the tree, especially those at the top of the tree, may not receive adequate protection.
Other methods commonly utilized in the protection of fruit and vegetable plants from frost involve the use of wind machines. The effectiveness of this method is based on the fact that the lowest several hundred feet of the atmosphere become stratified during calm, clear, frost prevalent conditions. An inversion condition thereby exists, meaning that temperature increases as it rises to the top of an inversion layer. The use of a plurality or network of wind machines serves to mix the warmer air from the upper portion of the inversion layer with the colder air near th
Kroll Joseph
Weinert Richard W.
Malloy & Malloy P.A.
Pryor Alton
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