GB2291329A

GB2291329A - A plant protection device

Info

Publication number: GB2291329A
Application number: GB9414440A
Authority: GB
Inventors: George Edward Jowett; Derek James Carter; Terry Griffiths
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-07-16
Filing date: 1994-07-16
Publication date: 1996-01-24
Anticipated expiration: 2014-07-16
Also published as: GB2291329B; GB9414440D0

Abstract

A plant protection device comprises a molluscicide 2 fixed to a substantially rigid substrate 1. The protection device may also include a vertebrate repellent fixed to the substrate 1 and the molluscicide may be associated with a mollusc bait. The substrate 1 may take the form of a cylinder, disc or a flanged cylinder and may be biodegradable with the molluscicide/bait fixed to the substrate with a water based adhesive binder. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PROTECTION OF PLANTS The present invention is concerned with protecting plants, particularly seedlings and young plants, from attack by garden molluscs, e.g. slugs and snails.

It is known that molluscicides such as for example only insoluble solid polymers of acetaldehyde, together with a bait material in granular form, are sprinkled on the surface of a plant growing medium such as earth around young plants.

The molluscs are attracted to the bait, absorb or ingest the molluscicide and suffer lysis and death.

Disadvantages include the pcisonous nature of the molluscicide and its accessibility to birds and pets, the granules disintegrate and the molluscicide is washed out o@ sublimes into the atmcsphere. Its effectiveness is thus generally limited.

Cther molluscicides or deterrents such as Alum have similar disadvantages.

The present invention is directed to fixing a molluscicide @n a substantially rigid substrate to surround the plant to be protected, not necessarily in significant contact with the growing medium, the substrate may be in the form of a short cylinder placed over the plant, one end resting on or penetrating the growing medium. The surface of the cylinder may be at least partially covered with a molluscicide or with a mixture of a molluscicide with a mollusc bait and or a substance repellent to vertebrates.

The wall of the cylinder is a physical barrier, and also presents the molluscicide in a form accessible to a mollusc, but which is contained in a pres@ribed area. @ther forms of the substrate are herein described to include flanged cylinders. annular rings and comlinations of these.

and com@@nations with seed germinating devices.

The advantages of the present invention @ver present ar@ includes that the molluscicide does not significantly contaminate the ground immediately adjacent to the plant.

The molluscicide is less susceptible to be removed by water or sublimation; the molluscicide is used more @@@@@mically and is generally effective for a l@nger period.

Xandling of p@iscnous or re@ugnant substanres is reduced.

The molluscicide is less accessible @@ ertebrates @@@@@@@larly birds and pe@s.

The present invention is a @@@@@@@@ @ @@@@@@@@ @@@ fix@@ to at leas@ a part of a substantially rigid substrate surrounding the location of a plant.

Embodiments of the invention are now described.

1. In this embodiment, the substrate to or in which the molluscide is fixed is preferably a short cylinder cr ring or equivalent of convenient cross-section, of sufficient diameter to be clear of the plant being protected, and small enough in diameter and height to be effective and economical of the molguscicide.

Suitable materials for the substrate include cardboard, plastics, biodegradable materials such as certain plastics and paper products known to those skilled in the art.

2. In a further embodiment, the molluscicide, such as a solid polymer of acetaldehyde, for example only, is combined with a bait such as flour or bran, preferably on particulate form and caused to adhere t the outside surface of the above cylinder or equivalent by means of a substantially water proof adhesive or binder suc as for example only a latex based material.

The method of use is to place the cylinder over plant and resting on or penetrating the growing medium, the garden molluscs are attracte to the bait and the plant. meet the short vertical barrier of the cylinder wall, attempt to climb, and are thus brought into close and effective contact wit the molluscicide and suffer lysis before being able to attack the plant. The molluscicide may cover or be incorporated in, part or the whole of the substrate.

3. In a further embodiment, the cylinder or equivalent has a flange either integral or separate at its upper end to protect further the molluscicide from weather and birds.

4. In further embodiments, the substrate may be in the or' o' G flat ring or annul us, ' the @@ upper surface being coated with the molluscicide as efore e described, and placed over the plant.

5. In any of the above embodiments or combination of embodiments, the substrate may be sit into two or more segments. This is particularly advantageous when used to place round a partly grown plant, to avoid damage to the plant.

further embodiment is where the substrate forms part of a seed propagating device such @s a tray or box, thus protecting the seedling when it is most vulnerable to attac@ by garden molluscs.

7. In any of the above embodiments the mixture of solid acetaldehyde polymer if used is usually between 2% to 5% of the total mass of mixture.

No claims are made in this Application for any particular molluscicide mixture.

Many combinations of form and application are possible.

However, a selection of embodiments are now more particularly described.

Fig. 1 refers and represents an embodiment where the substrate I is a cylinder of cardboard approximately 5 mm thick wail, 75 mm outside diameter and 38 mm long.

A mixture 2 being principally commercially obtainable metaldehyde being a solid polymer of acetaldehyde, with bran in particulate form.

The substrate 1 is coated externally with commercially available latex adhesive and the mixture applied to the substrate to form an even coating.

When dry, the assembly is placed on the ground 3 to enclose a plant 4 which in this case is a seedling.

The mollusc 10 is attracted to the mixture 2, and attempts to climb 1. In doing so, it comes into contact wit 2, the molluscicide which it is ingested or absorbed by the mollusc 10 and lysis and death results.

ig. 2 shows a ring S placed over or integral with I to form a flange. The ring in this case is a rigid plastic annulus approxImately 125 mm O/D, 5 mm I/D and 1.5 mm thick.

The ring 5 may bear a printed warning. The ring 5 may advantageously have a circular ridge projecting from its underside to engage with the I/D of the substrate 1.

Fig. 3 shows a rigid substrate as an annulus 6 of a suitable material such as cardboard or plastic, coated with latex or example and mixture 2 on one side as described in Fig. 1 and placed over the plant 4. Ring 6 is shown as being in two halves placed in position on the ground 2 where plant 4 is a larger plant which may be damaged by placing a cylinder or ring directly over and past its foliage.

Ic. 4 shows a combination of the embodimerts shown in Figs.

an 3, ana in the case shown is slit into two parts. One advantage of this embodiment is that the plant is protected over a wider area.

In the embodiments in Fig. 1, 2 and 5 the mixture 2 may be applied to the inside of the cylinder. The substrates may advantageously be of a biodegradable material such as moulded cellulosic material of sufficient :if t enable the plant 4 to flourish t@ a stage being then substantially immune from attack.

Fig. 5 refers. This embodiment shows in section a combination of the embodiments shown in Figs. 1 and 2 combined with a seed germinating pot 8, containing a growing medium @. Advantageously S a substrate of a biodegradable material such as compressed paper. Advantageously the assembly is placed in or on the soil in its final position, requiring little or no further action.

Ring 6 in Fig. 3 may be placed at ground level for further protection.

Fic. 6 refers. Advantageously the embodiment in Fig. 1 here shown in section is coated with molluscicide 2 internally as well as externally shown partially embedded in the growing medium, providing protection again molluscs whose habit is root eating below the surface Fi. 7 refers. 11 is a rigid substrate here shown in section being a relatively thin walled cylinder formed by mixing a preferably particulate molluscicide with a vertebrate repellent in the example with a mouldable material such as for example cellulosic fibres with a binder such as for example only a dilute vegetable based adhesive to provide an exterior surface where the molluscicide is accessible to a mollusc. One advantage of this embodiment is that it is not immediately attractive to vertebrates such as birds and pets,. and no mollusc bait need necessarily be added to the substrate. This embodiment may be used as the substrate in any preceding embodiment.

Claims

1 A plant protection device comprising a molluscicide fixed to at least part of a substantially rigid substrate.

2 A plant protection device as claimed in Claim 1 where the substrate is of a thin walled open ended hollow form.

3 A plant protection device as claimed in Claim 2 where the hollow form is substantially a cylinder external diameter between 25mm and 175mm, a wall thickness between lmm and loin, and a height between IOmm and 175mm.

4 A plant protection device as claimed in Claim 3 where the cylinder is 75mm outside diameter 5mm wall thickness and 38mm long.

5 A plant protection device as claimed in any previous Claim where the material of the substrate is of at least one of cardboard, paper, plastic, fibreboard.

6 A plant protection device as claimed in any previous Claim where the substrate is biodegradable.

7 A plant protection device as claimed in any previous Claim where the molluscicide is associated with a mollusc bait.

.

S A plant protection device as claimed in Claim 7 where the bait is at least one of bran, flour, pheromones.

9 A plant protection device as claimed in Claim 7 where the association of molluscicide and bait is particulate.

10 A plant protection device as claimed in Claim 9 where the molluscicide and bait are associated by a binder being adhesive to the substrate.

11 A plant protection device as claimed in Claim 10 where the binder is latex based.

12 A plant protection device as claimed in any Claims 1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, where the substrate is substantially planar with at least one aperture.

13 A plant protection device as claimed in Claim 12 where the substrate is circular of outside diameter between 40mm and 175mm and the aperture is circular of not less than 25mm diameter.

14 A plant protection device as claimed in Claim 12 where the substrate is associated with a plant propagating tray.

15 A plant protection device as claimed in Claims 1 to 11 where the substrate comprises a hollow open ended body with a flange at its upper end.

16 A plant protection device as claimed in any previous Claim where the substrate is split into at least two parts.

n A plant protection device as claimed in any previous Claim where a repellant to vertebrates is associated with the molluscicide.

18 A plant protection device as claimed in any previous Claim in place over at least one plant.

19 A plant protection device as claimed in any previous Claim in place over at least one seed.

20 Any Claims 1 to 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, in use where the lower edge of the substrate projects into the growing medium.

21 A plant protection device according to any of the drawings or the embodiments described herein.