CA2079759A1 - Method of regulating plant growth - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
The present invention provides a method of regulating plant growth which provide increased yield and enhanced maturity. The method uses an effective amount of a mixture of (A) an N,N-dimethyl-piperidinium salt and (B) indole acetic acid, indole acetic acid derivatives, naphthalene acetic acid, naphthalene acetic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof. The composition is applied to the plant by Low Rate Multiple applications.

Description

3 MET~IOD OF RE~ULATING PLANT GROWTH

4 ACKGROUND O~2HE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invent on 6 The present invention relates to methods for regulating plant 7 growth regulators which comprise an effective mixture of (A~ N,N-8 dimethyl piperidinium salts and SB~ indole acetic acid, indole g acetic acid derivatives, naphthalene acetic acid, naphthalene acetic acid derivatives and mixtures thereof~ and to processes for ll regulating plant growth with these compo~itions.
12 2. Back~round of the Prior Art 13 Plant growth regulators affect the physiology of plant growth 14 and influence the natural rhythm of a plant. More specifically, plant growth regulators may, for example, reduce plant height, 16 stimulate sead germination, induce flowering, darken leaf coloring, 17 minimize lodging o~ cereals, slow grass growth on lawns, reduce lB boll rot and provide better boll retention in cotton.
19 ~he plant growth regulator, known trivially as mepiquat chloride/ is generally ~sed to control various aspects of cottcn 21 boll growth. See, for example, Khafaga, ~ngew. B~ai~ 57, 257-22 265 (1983); Sawan et al.l J. A~ro~o~y & Plan~ Sc.ience, 154, 120-128 23 (1985); U.S. Patents 3,905,798 and 4,447,255.
24 Auxins, such as indole acetic acid (IAA) and related natural or ~ynthetic analogues, such as naphthalene acetic acid (N~AI, have 26 been used as growth regulators, however, they have had mixed ,: , 1 sults, particularly~ when used on cotton. Applica~ ins 2 often causes endogenous generation of ethylene which tends to 3 decrease fruit retention and y.ield.
4 In spite of these disclosures, there is a need for a method of plant growth regulation which provides increased or more consistent 6 yield enhancement and further enhance early maturity.

8 The present invention has met the above--described needs by 9 providing methods which increase yield enhancement and further enhance early maturity, particularly in applications of the plant 11 growth regulator compositions of the present invention on cotton.
12 The preferred plant grvwth regulators include a plant growth 13 regulating mixture of (A) N,N-dimethyl piperidinium salts and ~) 14 indole acetic acid ("IAA"), IAA derivatives, naphthalena acetic acid ("NAA'~) and N~A deriva~ives, and mixtures thereo~.
16 More preferably, component ~A) is the group consisting oE 1,1-17 dimethyl-3,4-dehydropiperidinium bromide, 4-chloro-1,1-dimethyl 18 piperidinium bromide, l,1-dimethylhexahydropyridazinium bromide, l9 and l,l-dimethylpiperidinium chloride and component (B) is selected from the group consisting of indole acetic acid, naphthalene acetic 21 acid, indole butyric acid, alpha naphthyl acetic acid, 2~
22 naphthyloxyacetic acid, naphthaleneacetamide and l-~aphthylacetic 23 acid.
24 It is an object vf the prssent invention to provide a method of usiny the plant growth regulator compositions o~ he present 26 invention.

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2 gl 7 9 1 These and other objects of the present invention will be more 2 fully understood from the following description of the invention.
3 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE_PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
4 As used herein, the term l'agriculturally acceptable'l includes agricultural, industrial and residential use.
6 As used herein, "plant growth regulator" or ~Iregulation~
7 includes the following plant responses: inhibition of cell 8 elongation, for example reduction in stem height and internodal 9 distance, strengthening of the stem wall, thus increasing the resistance to lodging; compact growth in ornamentals for the 11 economic production of improved quality plants; promotion of better 12 fruiting; increasing the nu~ber of ovaries with a view to stepping 13 up yield; promotion of senescence of the formation of tissue 14 enabling fruit to absciss; defoliation of nursery and ornamental bushes and trees for mail-order husiness in the fall; defoliation 16 of trees to interrupt parasitic chains of infection, hastening of 17 ripening, with a view to programming the harvest by raducing the 18 harvest to one to two pickings and interrupting the food chain for 19 injurious insects.
ZO As used herein plant growth regulator compositions include 21 both package and tank mix compositions.
22 The present invention comprises a method which uses plant 23 qrowth regulator compositions compri~i~g an aqriculturally and 24 plant growth regulating effective amount of a mixture of (A) an ~5 N,N-dimethyl- piperidinium salt and (B) indole acetic acid, indole 26 acetic acid derivatives, naphthalene acetic acid, naphthalene , :' :

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1 a .tic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof.
2 The above-described compositions have improved action, 3 particularly in cokton plants. Specifically, these new 4 compositions show a better yield response.
Preferred component (A) plant growth regulators include 6alts 6 of the formula:

8 + X~
9 ~N~
H~C~- ~ R
11 where R is methyl or ethyl; X is the anion of an inorganic or 12 organic, but not phytotoxic acid, preferably bxomide or chloride, 13 and A is a chain of 4 or 5 methylene groups, which chain ~ay be 14 substituted by chloro, bromo, methyl, chloromethyl, bromomethyl, hydroxymethyl, and methylene, or which chain containing one or two 16 double bonds/ or A is the chain -(CH2)n-NH-, where n is 3 or 4, 17 disclosed in U.S. Patent 3,905~798 and hereby incorporated by 18 reference.
19 Preferred examples o~ component (A) include 1,1-dimethyl-3,4 dehydro-piperidinium bromide, 4-chloro~ dimethyl- piperidinium 21 bromide, 1,1-dimethylhexahydropyridazinium bromide and 1,1-22 dimethyl-piperidinium chloride. The most preferred plant growth 23 regulator is 1,1-dimethyl~piperidinium chloride, also known as N,N-24 dimethylpiperidinium chloride or mepiquat chloride. This product is commercially available under the registered trademark Pix~ (BASF
26 AG, Germany).
27 Suitable Component (B) compounds include indole acetic acid 28 (IAA), naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), indole butyric acid (IBA), . ~

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1 pha naphthyl acetic acid (NA0), 2-naphthyloxyacetic acid (NOA), 2 naphthaleneacetamide (NAD) and l-naphthylacetic acid (NAA)o The 3 most preferred component (B) is NAA.
4 For a given plant growth regulator composition, the skilled artisan will readily arrive at a composition having th~ optimum 6 ratio of the ingredients by routine experimentation. However, Eor 7 example, in order to prepare the compositions o~ the present 8 invention, from about 0.001 to about 0.25 polmds/acre/season of 9 component (A) is thoroughly mixed with a~out 0.0001 to about 0.25 pounds/acre/season of component ~B~. More preferably, about 0.001 11 to about 0.25, and most preferably, about 0.005 to about 0.15 12 pounds/acre/season of component (A) is mixed with the more 13 preferable range of about 0.0001 to about 0.15 pounds/acre/season 14 of component (B).
The action of the compositions of the present invention 16 are ~ptimal even at low application rates~ I~ is pre~erred that 17 the compositions of the present invention be applied by means of a 18 Low Rate Multiple (LRM) application. As used herein, 'IL~M
19 application" means periodic applications at lower doses o:E the composition. This method of application is most preferred since 21 under some conditions a single does at a higher rate may "shock"
22 the plant. This method allows the grower to fine tune the growth 23 of the crop by controlling the dose of the composition to suit 24 particular environmental or varietal conditions. ~he compositions may be reapplied if needed depanding upon the metahGlism of the 26 composition by a particular crop or iP biodilution of the 2~37~75~
l .nposition has occurred.
2 The number of applications and concentrations per season may 3 vary from one to as many as needed, however, it is preferred to 4 apply the composition about 2 to about 7 times per season. To obtain the desired concentration of active ingredients/ the grower 6 divides the number of applications needed by the total seasonal 7 application rate. An example of application rates can be seen in 8 Table 1. The rate of application is in pounds/acre.
9 TABLE_1 No. of Appls. PIX P~AA
11 1 G.005 - 0.132 0.0001 - 0.10 12 2 0.002~ - 0.066 0.00005 - 0.05 13 3 0.0017 - ~.0~ 0.000033- 0.033 ~4 4 0.00125- 0.033 0.000025- 0.025 The ratio of the active ingredients in the present invention 16 may vary widely within wide limits, depending upon conditions.
17 The compositions of this invention may be prepared, for 18 example, by adding, in any order, the various components of the 19 composition of the present invention. For example, one may start with a commercial formulation of mepiguat chloride, which is an 21 aqueous concentrate containing 0.35 pounds per gallon oE mepiqua~
22 chloride (4.2%) by weight. Thereafter, in any ~rder, one mixes 23 suita~le amounts of component ~B) and any optional adjuvants or 24 ingredients. Wat~r may be optionally employed in any amount desired.
26 The above plant growth regulator composition may then be 27 dispersed in water and sprayed onto plant~ according to the method 2 ~

1 ~ the present invention. For example, spray volumes useful in the 2 pres~nt invsntion range from about 0.5 pint/acre to about 100 3 gallons~acre, and more preferably, from about 0.5 pint/acre to abut 4 20 gallons/acre.
While the ratios of the concentrations of the various 6 components of the present invention hereinafter sugg~sted, those 7 skilled in the art will recognize that minor variations may be 8 necessary to accommodate particular characteristics of acceptable 9 plant growth regulators which may be employed in this invention.
In general, for example, component (A~ will contain from about 0.1 ll tc about g8~, and preferably from about 0~5 to about 9~% by weight 12 of active .ingredient.
13 The amount of water which is employed to prepare the 14 concentrate or final application concentration, as in a spray, is adjusted as necessary. The concentrate and~ox final composition 16 may also be a dry formuIation.
17 In addition to the above-described components, the 18 compositions of the present invention may also include other 19 ingredients or adjuvants commonly employed in the art.
Examples of such ingredients include drift control agents, 21 defoaming agents, preservatives, surfactants, fertilizers, 22 phytotoxicants, herbicides, pesticides, insecticides, fungîcides, 23 wetting agents, adherents, nematocides, bactericides, trace 24 elements, synergists, antidotes, mixtures thereof and other such adjuvants well known in the plant growth regulator art.
a6 However, it is preferred to employ the compositions of the .

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?~r)70~7 1 1 :sent invention along with sequential treatments with these other 2 components for optimal effect.
3 The compositions of the present inv~ntion may be applied to 4 above ground portions of plant~. ~he application of liquid and particulate solid plant growth regulator compositions to above 6 ground portions of plants may be carried out by conventional 7 methods, for example, boom and hand application, including sprayers 8 or dusters. The co~position may be appli~d aerially as a spray, if 9 desired. The mixtures of the present invention are pre~erably used in the form of aqueous solutions. The mixtures are applied in a 11 conventional manner, for example, by spraying, atomizing, watering 12 or disinfecting seed.
13 The compositions of the present invention may be applied for 14 instance, in the for~ of directly sprayable solutions, powders, suspensions (including high percentage aqueous, oily or other 16 susp~nsions), dispersions, emulsions,oil dispersions, pastes, 17 dusts, broadcasting agents, or granules by spxaying, atomizing, 18 dusting broadcasting or watering. The forms of application depend 19 entirely on the purpose for which the compositions are being used.
In any event, they should ensure a uniform distribution of the 21 active ingredients in the composition.
22 For the preparation of solutions, emulsions pastes and oil 23 dispersions to be sprayed direct, mineral oil fractions of medium 24 to high boiling point, such as kerosene or di~sel oil, further coal-tar oils, and the like, and oils o~ vegetable or animal 26 origin, aliphatic, cyclic and aromatic hydrocarbons such as .

2,~17~7 ~v 1 Izene, toluene, xylene, paraffin, tetrahydronaphthalene, 2 alkylated naphthalenes and their derivatives such as lower (1-4 3 carbons) alcohols, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride cyclohexanol, 4 cyclohexanone, chlorobenzene, isophorone, and the like, and strongly polar solvents such as dimethylformamide, dimethyl 6 sulfoxide, N-methylpyrrolidone, water and the like are suitable.
7 Aqueous formulations may be prepared from emulsion 8 concentrates, pastes, oil dispersions or wettable powders by adding9 water. To prepare emulsions, pastes and oil dispersions the ingredients as such or dissolved in an oil or solvent may be 11 homogenized in water by means for wetting or dispersing agents, 12 adherents or emulsifiers. Concentrates which are suitable for 13 dilution with water may be prepared from active ingredients, 14 wetting agents, adherents, emulsifying or dispersing agents and possibly solvent or oil.
: 16 Examples of surfactants include alkali metal, alkaline earth 17 metal and ammonium salts of ligninsulfonic acid, napthalenesulfonic 18 acids, phenosulfonic acids, alkylaryl sulfonates, alkyl sulfates, ~9 and alkyl sulfonates, alkali metal and alkaline earth met~l salts of dibutylnaphthalenesulfonic acid, lauryl ether sulfate, fatty 21 alcohol sulfates, alkali metal and alkaline earth metal salt~ o~
22 fatty acids, salts of sulfated hexadecanols, heptadecanols, and 23 octadecanols, salts of sulfated fatty alcohol glycol ether, 24 condensation products of sulfonated naphthalene and naphthalene or napthalenesulfonic acids with phenol and formaldehyde, 2G polyoxyethylene octylphenol ethers, ethoxylated isooctylphenol, ' ' . . . .

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1 hoxylated octylphenol and ethoxylated nonylphenol, alkylphenol 2 polyglycol ethers, tributylphenol polyglycol ethers, alkylaryl 3 polyestar alcohols,isstridecyl alcohols, fatty alcohol ethylene 4 oxide condensates, ethoxylated castor oil, polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers, ethoxylated polyoxypropylene, lauryl alcohol polyglycol ~ ether acetal, sorbitol esters, lignin, sul~ite waste liquors, 7 silicone based ~urfactants and methyl cellulose.
8 Powders, dusts and broadcasting agents may be prepared by 9 mixing or grinding the active ingredients with a solid carrier.
Granules, for example, coated, impregnated or homogeneous 11 granules, may be prepared by bonding the active ingredients to 12 solid carriers. Examples of solid carriers are ~ineral earths such 13 as silicic acid, si~ica gels, silicates, talc, kaolin, Attaclay, 14 limestone, lime, chalk, bole, loess, clay, dolomite, diatomaceous earth, calcium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, magnesium oxide, ground 16 plastics, ~ertilizers such as ammonium sulfate, ammonium phosphate, 17 ammonium nitrate, and ureas, and vegetable products such as grain 18 flours, bark meal, wood meal, and nutshell meal, cellulosic 19 powders, and the like.
The following examples serve to illustrate the invention and 21 should in no way be construed as limiting the scope thereof.
22 EXA~PLE
23 The compositions of the present invention were tested on 24 cotton plants in various locations (A-D) to determine relative seed cotton yield. Location C was conducted in drought conditions. The 26 check/control was 100. Some o~ the compounds or compositions were :
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1 plied four times beginning at match head square and ever~
2 days thereafter. The results of thi~ test are shown in Table 2.
3 Table 2 shows the yield of cotton treated with naphthalene 4 acetic acid (NAA) alone and in combination with mepiquat chlorlde 5 (PIX~).

6 TAB~ 2 8 0.~004X4 0.0013X40.0004X40.0013~4 0.0~55X4 9 _ ~ ~ PXX + PIX ~_ A103.9 106.3 107.9 109.4 103.9 11 B105.1 106.1 109.1 98.0 104.0 12 C125.6 95.9 104.7 112.2 117.5 13 D103.7 114.8 111.6 14 As can be seen from the above results, the mixture of mepiquat chloride and NAA showed increased seed cotton yield.
16 Whereas particular e~bodiments of the invention have been 17 described above for purposes of illustration, it will be 18 appreciated by those skilled in the art that numerous varia-tions of 19 the details may be made without departing from the invention as described in the appended claims.

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Claims (10)

1. A method of regulating plant growth which comprises contacting a plant with an effective amount of a mixture of:
(A) an N,N-dimethyl-piperidinium salt; and (B) indole acetic acid, indole acetic acid derivatives, naphthalene acetic acid, naphthalene acetic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein component (A) is selected from the group consisting of 1,1-dimethyl-3,4-dehydropiperidinium bromide, 4-chloro-1,1-dimethylpiperidinium bromide, 1,1-dimethyl hexahydropyridazinium bromide, and 1,1-dimethylpiperidinium chloride.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein component (A) is 1,1-dimethylpiperidinium chloride.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein component (B) is selected from the group consisting of indole acetic acid, naphthalene acetic acid, indole butyric acid, alpha naphthyl acetic acid, 2-naphthyloxyacetic acid, naphthaleneacetamide and 1-naphthylacetic acid.

5. The method of claim 5 wherein component (B) is naphthalene acetic acid.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein about 0.001 to about 0.25 pounds/acre/season of component (A): and about 0.001 to about 0.25 pounds/acre/season of (B) is applied.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said mixture includes drift control agents, defoaming agents, preservatives, fertilizers, phytotoxicants, herbicides, pesticides,insecticides, fungicides, and mixtures thereof.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the plant is a cotton plant.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the plant growth regulating composition is applied in low rate multiples.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein an effective amount of the plant growth regulating composition is applied about 2 to 7 times per season.