Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
  • A01N—PRESERVATION OF BODIES OF HUMANS OR ANIMALS OR PLANTS OR PARTS THEREOF; BIOCIDES, e.g. AS DISINFECTANTS, AS PESTICIDES OR AS HERBICIDES; PEST REPELLANTS OR ATTRACTANTS; PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS
  • A01N3/00—Preservation of plants or parts thereof, e.g. inhibiting evaporation, improvement of the appearance of leaves or protection against physical influences such as UV radiation using chemical compositions; Grafting wax
  • A01N3/02—Keeping cut flowers fresh chemically

Definitions

• This invention is related to a process for improving the durability of plants, especially cut plant parts, particularly cut flowers.
• the cut surface of the plant part is brought into contact with an aqueous solution which optionally comprises additives of organic acid, preserv ⁇ atives, nutrients and similar additives which are conven ⁇ tionally used in such fresh keeping agents.
• the invention is characterized in that the aqueous solution also comprises dissolved a "quinine group constituent" which expression comprises quinine, quinine derivatives (quinine salts) and also substances closely related to quinine, especially quinidine, cinchonine, cinchonidine, and derivatives (salts) thereof, in an at least active quantity, especially a plant physiological or microbe physiological quantity, which improves the durability of the cut plant parts.
• Said plant parts consist especially of cut flowers, e.g.
• carnations roses, freesia, tulips, daffodils, chrysanthemum, snap ⁇ dragons, asters, lilies, mimosa, orchids, narcissus, etc., but may also consist of other cut plant parts, e.g. cuttings.
• the quantity of "quinine group constituent”, i.e. quinine, quinidine, cinchonine, cinchonidine, quinine derivatives, etc., amounts to, based on dry weight, preferably at least 0.0001% by weight, e.g. at least 0.001 or 0.01% by weight, optionally at least 0.1% by weight, and preferably to at most 10% by v.'eight, at most 5% by weight, at most 2% by weight or at most 1% by weight, optionally at most 0.1% by weight or at most 0.01% by weight.
• Corresponding contents of "quinine group constituent" e.g.
• quinine and quinine derivatives in the solution ready-for-use are suitably, based on the weight, at least 0.00001%, e.g. at least 0.0001% or 0.001% and frequently preferably at most 0.1%, at most 0.05%, at most 0.025% or at most 0.01%.
• suitable such derivatives salts, anions
• acetate, acetyl salicylate, ascorbate, benzoate, bicarbonate, bisulphate, carbonate, citrate, (mono or dihydro) halide e.g.
• dihydrobromide dihydroiodide, hydroiodide, dihydrochloride, hydrochloride, nitrate, phosphate, sulphate, etc., preferably of quinine but also of quinidine, cinchonine or cinchonidine.
• the agent comprises an organic acid which can be used for achieving a desired pH value and also act as a component of a gas releasing agent for releasing carbon dioxide.
• organic acids are citric acid, tartaric acid, formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, oxalic acid as well as other saturated and unsaturated mono, di or polyvalent carboxylic acids with 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or more carbon atoms and optionally comprising further substituents which are water-soluble.
• pH of the solution ready-for-use is at most 6, e.g. at most 5, at most 4, at most 3.5 or at most 3, and usually at least 1, at least 1.5 or at least 2.
• the content of organic acid may be at least 0.01%, preferably at least 0.1%, at least 1% or at least 10%, and preferably at most 99%, at most 25% or at most 10%.
• a preservative is included in the agent.
• preservatives are such based on benzoic acid and derivatives thereof, e.g. sodium or potassium benzoate, as well as a large number of other per se well-known preservatives, e.g. quarternary ammonium compounds or chlorine containing compounds, such as chloramine.
• some organic acids may also be used as preservatives, e.g. sorbic acid.
• the content of preservatives in the agent, based on water-free weight, is preferably at least 0.01%, especially at least 0.1%, at least 1% or at least 10%, and preferably at most 9 . 9%, especially at most 50% or at most 10%.
• organic nutrients are used, especially sugars, preferably mono- saccharides or disaccharides, such as dextrose, fructose, lactose, maltose, saccharose, etc.
• the quantity of nutrients in the agent is, based on the weight of water-free agent, at least 0.01%, e.g. at least 0.1% or at least 1%, and optionally at least 10% or at least 50%, and preferably at most 99.9%, especially at most 90% or at most 50% or at most 25%.
• the agent may also comprise an effervescent agent, i.e. in contact with water gas releasing agent, especially an agent which evolves carbon dioxide, such as a combination of bicarbonate and acid, especially organic acid, and preferably sodium, potassium or ammonium bicarbonate.
• an effervescent agent i.e. in contact with water gas releasing agent, especially an agent which evolves carbon dioxide, such as a combination of bicarbonate and acid, especially organic acid, and preferably sodium, potassium or ammonium bicarbonate.
• agents are added in a quantity which is required for improving the dis ⁇ solution of the concentrate, said concentrate mixed with said agents preferably being compacted to tablets of a suitable dose size.
• the agent or concentrate may also comprise other components, such as inorganic nutrients of the type potassium, nitrogen and phosphor containing agents, wetting agents, e.g. anionic, nonionic, cationic or zwitterionic wetting agents, fillers, e.g. soluble sulphates, colouring agents, etc. Said sub ⁇ stances are not included in the stated contents and quantity ratios.
• the quantity of concentrate which can be used in an aqueous solution varies but it is preferable that at least 0.1 g, at least 1 g, at least 2.5 g or at least 5 g per litre of aqueous solution, and optionally at most 100 g, at most 50 g, at most 25 g, at most 10 g, at most 5 g or at most 2 g per litre of aqueous solution are added.
• Suitable contents in the aqueous solution of the various constituents may be from one part per ten thousands, especially from one per thousand or from one per five hundreds, especially from one per hundred, and up to one tenth, preferably one per fifty, of the stated contents in the water-free agent of the various constituents, e.g. one per five thousands to one fiftieth and especially about one per hundred to one per thousand or one per fifty to one per five hundreds.
• a number of agents comprising, based on the weight, 4.9% citric acid, 4.1% sodium benzoate, 0.5% "quinine group constituent" consisting of quinine hydrochloride and 90.5% saccharose were prepared.
• a quantity of said agent was used directly in a quantity of 0.1 g, l g, 5 g and 10 g resp. per litre of water.
• a second quantity of said agent was mixed with a gas releasing agent consisting of citric acid and sodium bicarbonate in a stoichiometric ratio and in a total quantity of 0.25 g per g of said agent and was pressed to tablets with a weight of about 1 g.
• These tablets which evolve carbon dioxide in water were used for preparing aqueous solutions of the same strength as those mentioned above.
• test solutions prepared in this way were tested for keeping cut flowers consisting of carnations, roses, freesia, tulips, daffodils and chrysanthemum.
• a substan ⁇ tial increase of the period of time for which the flowers were maintained fresh was obtained, usually to a fresh keeping period of at least 3 weeks, and in average an increase of between 100 and 400% of the period of time they were kept fresh without said agent.
• Run 1 Run 2 Run 3 Run 4 Run 5 Run 6
• Saccharose "Tabfine S 100 I" 1530 g 1530 mg 1530 mg 1530 mg 1530 g 1530 mg 1524 mg
• Citric acid water-free 230 mg 1000 mg 1500 mg 1000 g 1000 mg 600 mg
• Example 3 Tests were performed under the conditions stated in Example 3, Runs 1 to 6, wherein the quinine hydrochloride was substituted with quinidine hydrochloride and with cinchonidine hydro ⁇ chloride resp. in the same quantities, i.e. 40, 20, 10 and 6 mg per dosis. The tests were performed with the same kind of flowers as in Example 3 and similar improvements of the durability were obtained.
• Tests according to Examples 1-4 were repeated in a series of runs in which fructose and dextrose were used as substitutes for saccharose, and, furthermore, entirely without any sugar, and with the use of tartaric acid, ascorbic acid and phosphoric acid instead of citric acid and with pH values adjusted to within the range 2-4. Furthermore, the use as preservatives of quarternary ammonium salts as substitutes for sodium benzoate was tested as well as exclusion of a particu ⁇ lar preservative, especially at low temperatures.
• Agents according to this invention are preferably used as aqueous solution and dry concentrate resp. therefor but may, of course, also be administrated in other ways, e.g. be applied on the stems of the plants, e.g. as a concentrate or in a suitable carrier. Furthermore, the constituents may be added separately or in arbitrary mixture.
• Cinchonidine and cinchonine and water-soluble compounds and derivatives thereof with an anion which do not inhibit the effect according to the invention e.g. acetate, acetyl salicylate, ascorbate, benzoate, bicarbonate, bisulphate, carbonate, citrate, dihydrochloride, hydrochloride, nitrate, phosphate and sulphate are generally suitable as substitutes for or together with water-soluble quinine and quinidine compounds and derivatives.
• the invention does not comprise the use alone of quinoline salts, e.g. 8-oxyquinoline sulphate, or such compounds in contents between 50 and 250 mg per litre, especially not in combination with hydroxylamine hydrochloride, especially in contents of 50-250 mg/1, and/or benzimidazole, especially in contents of 10-50 mg/1.
• quinoline salts e.g. 8-oxyquinoline sulphate
• hydroxylamine hydrochloride especially in contents of 50-250 mg/1
• benzimidazole especially in contents of 10-50 mg/1.
• R is an alkyl group with 1-4 carbon atoms or an alkenyl group with 3-4 carbon atoms and M is ammonium or alkali metal ion, in an efficient quantity.

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• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Agronomy & Crop Science (AREA)
• Plant Pathology (AREA)
• Toxicology (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Dentistry (AREA)
• Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
• Zoology (AREA)
• Environmental Sciences (AREA)
• Agricultural Chemicals And Associated Chemicals (AREA)

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• 1988
  • 1988-01-18 SE SE8800154A patent/SE8800154L/ not_active Application Discontinuation
• 1989
  • 1989-06-16 AU AU38559/89A patent/AU3855989A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1989-06-16 EP EP19890907862 patent/EP0424433A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 1989-06-16 JP JP50728089A patent/JPH03505096A/ja active Pending
  • 1989-06-16 WO PCT/SE1989/000352 patent/WO1989012391A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
• 1990
  • 1990-12-13 DK DK296490A patent/DK296490A/da not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1990-12-14 FI FI906163A patent/FI906163A0/fi not_active IP Right Cessation

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