PH26854A - Improving sprouting in graminaceous crops with cyanamide or salts thereof - Google Patents

Description

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Q 6 8 5 A PHILIPPINE PATONT OFFICE

BASF Aktiengesellschaft - 0.2. 0050/38817 3 ) 81 NOV 27 P42] /

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The present invention relates to a process for improving sproutipg—in __V _ __ graminaceous crops by treating the crops with cyanamide or a salt thereof of the general formula I rR \

N—CN (1), 2 where the substituents R' and R2 are, independently of each other, hydro- gen or an alkali metal, or together denote an alkaline earth metal or zinc.

Cyanamides of the formula 1 in which rR! and RZ are, independently of each other, hydrogen or for example lithium, sodium, potassium or an unsub- stituted or substituted ammonium radical, or together denote for example magnesium or calcium, have been disclosed. It is known to use cyanamide to \ interrupt dormancy in fruit and vines {DE-A-31 50 404, U.S.-A-4,487,625).

The use of cyanamide in admixture with 2-chloroethylphosphonic acid for defoliating vines and fruit trees and bushes has also been disclosed (DE-A-21 11 178, DE-A-23 18 633). Further, it is possible to use cyanamide for chemically suckering water sprouts from vines and fruit trees and bushes {DE-A-27 37 454) and from hops (DE-A-20 40 119, BE 750 511). /

Cyanamide may also be used as a herbicide {(DE-A-26 58 508). The utility of cyanamide as a suckering and defoliating agent, and as a herbicide is an indication of the high phytotoxic action on living plants and plant parts. 1t is also known that cyanamide has a strong toxic action on sprouting seed (Pesticide Manual, British Crop protection Council, 1958, p. 63, para. 3). Calcium cyanamide, used as a nitrogenous fertilizer, has been employed for decades as a preemergence herbicide. {

We have now found that cyanamide and salts thereof are suitable for improving sprouting in grassy plants {Gramineae}, especially sugarcane and rice, because they terminate dormancy and promote sprouting.

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The substituents R! and RZ in formula I have the following meanings: hydrogen; an alkali metal, especially lithium, sodium and potassium; or together either an alkaline earth metal, especially magnesium and calcium, or zinc.

Some of the possible uses of cyanamide and its salts for improving sprout- ing are shown below. a) Immersion treatment, especially for sugarcane:

Cuttings having 1 to 6 (preferably 2 to 4) eyes are immersed for from 1 second to 24 hours, preferably from 10 seconds to 20 minutes, but at all events until no more solution is absorbed, in the active ingredi- ent solution, and then planted as usual. The concentration of the aqueous solution is from 0.1 to 10,000 ppm (10,000 ppm = {1 voll), and preferably from 10 to 5,000 ppm. It is advisable to immerse the cut- tings in the solution when they are fresh. b) Furrow treatment, especially for sugarcane:

Cuttings having 1 to 6 (preferably 2 to L) eyes are placed in furrows and treated with from 0.001 to 10, and preferably from 0.003 to 3, kg of cyanamide or a salt thereof per hectare. c) Ratoon treatment, preferably for rice and sugarcane:

Stubble fields are treated with from 0.01 to 20, preferably from 0.1 to 10, kg/ha of cyanamide or a salt thereof.

Cyanamide or salts thereof (or agents containing cyanamide or salts there- of) may be applied - to the whole plant stem prior to harvesting of the plant material; - to the whole stem or parts thereof after harvesting of the plant material; / - by treating the stubble remaining in the soil after harvesting with 40 the aim of promoting sprouting.

We have also found that the amount of active ingredient can be reduced by adding spreader-stickers to the aqueous active ingredient solutions, or that more sprouts emerge, given the same amount of active ingredient, when

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BASF Aktiengesellschaft 3 0.2. 0050/38817 spreader-stickers are added. The weight ratio of spreader-sticker to cyanamide or salt thereof is from 0.1:1 to 50:1, preferably from 1:1 to 10:1.

Examples of suitable spreader-stickers or surfactants are alkall metal, alkaline earth metal and ammonium salts of ligninsulfonic acid, naphthalenesulfonic acid, phenolsulfonic acids, alkylaryl sulfonates, alkyl sulfates, and alkyl sulfonates, alkali metal and alkaline earth metal salts of dibutylnaphthalenesulfonic acid, lauryl ether sulfate, fatty alcohol sulfates, alkali metal and alkaline earth metal salts of fatty acids, salts of sulfated hexadecanols, heptadecanols, and octadecanols, salts of sulfated fatty alcohol glycol ethers, condensation products of sulfonated naphthalene and naphthalene derivatives with formaldehyde, condensation products of naphthalene or naphthalenesulfonic acids with phenol and formaldehyde, polyoxyethylene octylphenol ethers, ethoxylhted isooctylphenol, ethoxylated octylphenol and ethoxylated nonylphenol, alkylphenol polyglycol ethers, tributylphenyl polyglycol ethers, alkylaryl polyether alcohols, isotridecyl alcohol, fatty alcohol ethylene oxide condensates, ethoxylated castor oil, polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers, ethoxylated polyoxypropylene, lauryl alcohol palyglycol ether acetal, sorbitol esters, lignin, sulfite waste liquors and methyl cellulose.

Cyanamide and its salts, or agents containing cyanamide and its salts, may be applied for instance in the form of directly sprayable solutions, powders, suspensions {including high-percentage aqueous, oily or other suspensions), dispersions, emulsions, oil dispersions, pastes, dusts, broadcasting agents, or granules by spraying, atomizing, dusting, broad- casting, watering or immersion. The forms of application depend entirely on the purpose for which the agents are being used, but they must ensure as fine a distribution of cyanamide or its salts, or the agents containing cyanamide or its salts, as possible.

For the preparation of solutions, emulsions, pastes and oil dispersions to be sprayed direct, mineral oil fractions of medium to high boiling point, such as/ kerosene or diesel oil, further coal-tar oils, and oils of vegetable or animal origin, aliphatic, cyclic and aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene, toluene, xylene, paraffin, tetrahydronaphthalene, alkylated naphthalenes and their derivatives such as methanol, ethanol, 40 propanol, butanol, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, cyclohexanol, cyclohexanone, chlorobenzene, isophorone, etc., and strongly polar solvents such as dimethylformamide, dimethyl sulfoxide, N-methyl- pyrrolidone, water, etc. are suitable.

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Aqueous formulations may be prepared from emulsion concentrates, pastes, 0il dispersions or wettable powders by adding water. To prepare emulsions, pastes and oil dispersions the ingredients as such or dissolved in an oil or solvent may be homogenized in water by means of wetting or dispersing agents, adherents or emulsifiers. Concentrates which are suitable for dilution with water may be prepared from active ingredient, wetting agent, adherent, emulsifying or dispersing agent and possibly solvent or oil. powders, dusts and broadcasting agents may be prepared by mixing or grinding the active ingredients with a solid carrier /

Granules, e.g., coated, impregnated or homogeneous granules, may be prepared by bonding the active ingredients to solid carriers. Examples of solid carriers are mineral earths such as silicic acid, silica gels, silicates, talc, kaolin, attapulgus clay, limestone, lime, chalk, bole, loess, clay, dolomite, diatomaceous earth, calcium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, magnesium oxide, ground plastics, fertilizers such as ammonium sulfate, ammonium phosphate, ammonium nitrate, and ureas, and vegetable products such as grain flours, bark meal, wood meal, and nutshell meal, cellulosic powders, etc.

The formulations contain from 0.1 to 95, and preferably 0.5 to 90, 7 by weight of active ingredient. 0ils of various types, herbicides, fungicides, nematocides, insecticides, bactericides, trace elements, fertilizers, spreader-stickers, synergists, antifoams (e.g., silicones), other bioregulators and antidotes may also be added to the formulations.

As will be clear from the following examples, the duration of immersion is important; the higher the concentration of the agent the shorter will this duration be, and vice versa. The immersion period is from 10 seconds to 20 minutes. /

Examples

All the experiments were carried out with fresh cuttings, each having two eyes; the cuttings were immersed in a bath at a temperature of 18%C for 20 minutes in Example 1 and for 10 seconds in Examples 2 to 4. The cuttings 40 were then immediately planted 30 cm deep in the open. in each experiment, 35 cuttings were planted in a 10 me plot, with & replicates in each case.

The experiments were assessed in accordance with the randomized block system. All treatments with cyanamide in water as solvent were compared with those in which the cuttings were treated just with pure water.

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Treatment and planting took place on the same day.

Example 1

Crop: Sugarcane Variety: MA 5679

Soil type: sandy loam

Days after ppm of cyanamide treatment -— 0 4900 12250 24500 49000

Shoots/plant [no.] 33 8.25 9.00 4.00 1.25 0 (71 100 109 48 15 0

Plants/m2 [no.] 60 3.00 3.75 1.92 0.67 0 (7 100 125 64 22 0

These figures show that a concentration of 4,300 ppm promotes budding, but concentrations of 12,250 ppm and more prevent it.

Example 2

Crop: Sugarcane Variety: RB

Soil type: sandy loam ——

Days after ppm of cyanamide treatment 0 78 309 1225 4900 o_o

Plants/m2 (no.) 19 0.32 1.02 1.02 0.92 0.65 (rl 100 319 319 288 203

Plants/m? (no.] 33 1.58 2.10 2.58 2.32 t.8¢0 (71 100 133 163 147 114 ee ————— rere

BASF Aktiengesellschaft 6 0.Z. 0050/38817

Example 3

Crop: Sugarcane Variety: NA 5678

Soil type: sandy loam 5s

Days after ppm of cyanamide treatment 0 18 309 1225 £900

CL

10 Plants/m2 [no.] 21 1.02 1.38 1.35 1.48 1.32

[1] 100 135 132 145 129

Plants/m2 [no.] 41 2.25 2.88 2.92 2.30 2.80 [11 100 128 130 129 124

Example 4

Crop: Sugarcane Variety: NA 5679 20 Soil type: sandy loam ee

Days after ppm of cyanamide treatment 0 9.8 98 490 5

Plants/m2 (no.] 39 0.7 0.9 0.8 1.1 [73 100 128 114 157

Plants/m2 [no.] 60 3.2 3.4 3.6 3.6 30 (7 100 106 112 112

Examples 2 to 4 with two different varieties show that cyanamide in a concentration of about 1 to 5,000 ppm significantly promotes budding. 35

It is also clear from these figures that cyanamide, at a concentration of ppm and 50 times this rate, is fully tolerated by plants. From the fact that the high concentration of 4,300 ppm has a good action after immersion of the cuttings for 20 minutes, and the lowest concentration of 9.8 ppm 40 has just as good an action after an immersion period of only 10 seconds, it can be concluded that even lower concentrations than 9.8 ppm with a longer immersion period and higher concentrations than 4,900 ppm with a shorter immersion. period will also confer a sufficient action.

BASF Aktiengesellschaft 1 0.2. 0050/38817

Example 5

Crop: Sugarcane Variety: NA 56789

Soil type: sandy loam 5s

Days after ppm of cyanamide treatment 0 98 98 cyanamide + 500 spreader-sticker 0

Plants/mZ [no.] 39 0.7 0.8 1.30 (7) 100 114 186

Plants/m? [no.] 60 3.2 3.8 3.9 {11 100 112 122 errs

These figures show that the effectiveness of cyanamide can be increased by adding a spreader-sticker This wetting agent reduces the surface tension of the water and thus increases wetting of the plant parts, improving the action of cyanamide without a spreader-sticker.

The invention is of considerable economic significance. In sugarcane, for instance, only 30 to 407 of eyes sprout without any assistance, i.e., three times as much plant material must be applied (compared with! 10017 sprouting) to achieve the number of plants per unit area giving a profit- able harvest.

Table 5 shows that eye sprouting in sugarcane was, without assistance, 30 to 407 and was equated to 1007 in the table. A concentration of 98 ppm of cyanamide increases eye sprouting to 114%, and 98 ppm of cyanamide and 500 ppm of spreader-sticker increases sprouting to 18617.

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Example 6

Crop: Sugarcane Variety: SP 1143

Soil type: sandy loam

LE _

Days after Treatment: 20 min. at 500¢C treament _ ——

Cyanamide Monosodium Zinc cyanamide cyanamide 0 25 419 98 25 49 98 190 190

A Shoots/plant [no.] 48 3.0 8.4 9.6 4.2 7.8 6.6 &.2 2.4 6.0 ’ [7] 100 280 320 140 260 220 140 80 200

Shoots/plant ([no.] 13 3.0 15.6 21.0 7.2 19.8 21.0 14.4 12.6 16.2

[11] 100 173 233 80 220 233 160 140 180 ee

Example 7

Crop: Sugarcane Variety: NA 5679

Soil type: sandy loam ee —

Days after Treatment: 20 min. at 50°C treament

Cyanamide Monosodium cyanamide 0 25 49 98 25 49 98 (90 0 \ Shoots/plant [no.} 56 21.0 27.0 33.0 19.8 37.2 34.8 27.6 (7] 100 128 157 94 177 166 131

Shoots/plant [no.] 13 25.2 32.4 33.0 22.2 40.2 34.8 30.6 £71 100 128 131 88 160 138 121 3%

BASF Aktiengesellschaft 0.2. 0050/38817

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE: A process for improving sprouting in graminaceous crops, wherein cyanamide or a salt thereof of the general formula

R! \

SN (1),

R2 where the substituents R' and RZ are, independently of each other, hydro- gen or an alkali metal, or together denote an alkaline earth metal or zinc, together with conventional carriers, is allowed to act on the crop.

Claims (8)

-— } . pK Pat. Appln. No. 36127 - 0.Z. 0050/38817 Encl.

1. A process for improving sprouting in sugarcane comprising: applying by immersion treatment, furrow treatment or ratoon treatment an effective sn of a cyanamide or a salt thereof of the formula : BN R1 \ | - _N-CN, RZ where r! and Rr? independent of each other are hydrogen or an alkali metal or together denote an alkaline earth } metal or zinc, to sugarcane to promote sprouting, said cyanamide or salt thereof being applied to said sugarcane at concentrations of from 0.1 to 5,000 ppm in immersion treatment, from 0.001 to 3 kg/ha in furrow treatment and from 0.01 to 6.4 kg/ha in ratoon treatment. i , 1 2

2. The process of claim 1 wherein R™ and R independent of each other are hydrogen or an alkali metal selected from the group consisting of lithium, : sodium or potassium.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein hydrogen ‘ cyanamide or a salt thereof is applied to said sugarcane. — q-—

~~. pH pat. Appln. No. 36127 - 0.2. 0050/38817 Encl. metal or zinc, to rice to promote sprouting, said . . - - ~ a ——2 3 J - 4 PH Pat. Appln. No. 36127 - 0.Z. 0050/38817 Encl.

4 . The process of claim 1 wherein rl and rR? together denote zinc or an alkaline earth metal selected from the group consisting of magnesium and calcium.

E 5. The process of claim 4., wherein r! and rR? together denote zinc. » "6. The process of claim 1, wherein a spread- sticker is applied to said sugarcane in addition to said cyanamide or salt thereof in a weight ratio of spread-sticker to cyanamide or salt thereof of from .

0.1: to 50:1.

7. The process of claim 6 , wherein said weight ratio of spread-sticker to cyanamide or salt thereof is from 1:1 to 10:1. f

~

8. The process for improving sprouting in rice comprising: applying by immersion treatment, furrow : treatment or ratoon treatment an effective amount of a cyanamide or a salt thereof of the formula rl ~~ N-CN, i —

.. * PH Pat. Appln. No. 36127 - 0.Z. 0050/38817 Encl.

14. The process of claim 13, wherein said weight ratio of spread-sticker to cyanamide or salt thereof is from 1:1 to 10:1.