WO2022011441A1 - Composition and method for attenuating abiotic and biotic stresses in plants - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention describes a silica-based mineral composition, specifically in crystalline, insoluble, inert form, with a particle size of between 1 and 70 microns, and preferably added to insoluble zinc oxide and a source of manganese. Said composition, when applied to the exposed aerial parts of the plant, via spraying of an aqueous suspension originating from a wettable powder or a concentrated suspension, results in the deposition of an external layer protecting against UVA and UVB radiation. Tests in the field and in greenhouses amply demonstrate the direct relationship between the attenuation of the biotic and abiotic stresses via the composition of the invention, and an increase in the health and productivity of the plant.

Description

COMPOSITION AND METHOD TO RELIEVE ABIOTIC AND BIOTIC STRESS

IN PLANS

field of invention

[001] The present invention falls within the field of chemistry applicable to plants to attenuate damage and abiotic stresses caused by ultraviolet radiation and mitigate biotic damage caused by opportunistic pest organisms as a result. More specifically, the invention relates to a composition and methods involving inorganic sunscreen for use on cultivated plants, aiming to reduce the physical and physiological damages of burning by solar radiation, as well as creating a better physical and physiological condition of plants to better resist infections. fungi and still hindering the proliferation of insect pests chewing on such plants.

Description of the state of the art

[002] The ultraviolet radiation (R-UV) emitted by the sun that reaches the earth's surface causes risks not only to human health, but also impacts the intrinsic health of plants. In the last 20 years, in some crops, such as fruits and vegetables, the visual appearance of leaves and fruits has been protected against the damage caused by burning by solar radiation (infrared heat, excessive light and even ultraviolet) from sprinkling. on these of products such as Kaolin or Calcium Carbonate to create a protective film. In this period, researchers focused on agronomy have agreed that ultraviolet radiation, in addition to compromising appearance, also limits the productivity of plants cultivated on a large scale for food production (grains, oils, energy, fibers) and may even favor the greater aggressiveness of pests and diseases incident on them, a fact that has become worrying in view of the increases in levels of ultraviolet radiation observed and reported under the ongoing climate changes, more specifically the bands, in the spectrum R-UV, UV-A and UV-B, as UV-C does not reach the earth's surface. While the concern for human protection against exposure to UV radiation is public and well-known, little is said about what happens with plants grown in the same situation.

[003] The first study seeking to understand what UV-A/B represents for cultivated plants was published by Stapleton in 1992 (Ultraviolet Radiation and Plants: Burning Questions. The Plant Cell, Vol. 4, 1353-1358, November 1992. American Society of Plant Physiologists). Stapleton showed that the increase in ultraviolet radiation implied a reduction in pollen viability (less fructification), leaf deformation and notably damage to the photosynthetic apparatus (Photosystem II) which, as demonstrated, reduces the production of biomass (leaves, grains, fruits ). Thus, ultraviolet radiation came to be considered an abiotic stress to plants (like others such as salinity, excess of cold or heat, low availability of water, etc.). [004] Under this concern the United States Department of Agriculture

(USDA) in 1992 implemented the UVMRP Program to monitor and research the effects of ultraviolet radiation, exacerbated by climate change, on agriculture, which resulted in 128 peer-reviewed publications (accessible at http://uvb.nrel.colostate. edu) which conclude that 2/3 (two thirds) of 680 cultivated plants tested suffer damage from ultraviolet radiation, even at low radiation doses. In response to the conclusions of that Program, the USDA implemented, in 2016, a strategic plan called the USDA Ultraviolet Radiation Monitoring and Research Program (2016-2020, accessible at https://uvb.nrel.colostate.edu/UVB/index.jsf) to deal with the issue, with an emphasis on crops that are the basis of global food, such as corn, soy and rice. In the same vein, in 2009 the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA) established the CLIMAPEST Program, which has studied the impacts on crops, especially soybeans (accessible at https://www.macroprograma1.cnptia.embrapa.br/climapest /uv-impacts-b).

[005] It is currently suspected that ultraviolet radiation as a whole, not only negatively and directly affects the exposed plant aerial part (leaves, pollination, photosynthesis) but also affects the root volume in the underground part, as a result of the biochemical responses triggered. and consequent energy drain, which impacts the plant's ability to extract water and nutrients from the soil. These most current conclusions were brought by T. Matthew Robson and colleagues in the extensive review entitled “A perspective on ecologically relevant plant-UV research and its practical application”, published in January 2019 in Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences.

[006] In a worrying biochemical aspect, ultraviolet radiation also penetrates the interior of the leaves and causes an increase in the level of R.O.S. (reactive oxidative species, or oxidative free radicals) which, although it is a common stress compound resulting from plant respiration and self-removed, when in excess it creates damage to the vital functions of plants. E. Hideg et al, in the article “UV-B exposure, ROS, and stress: inseparable companions or loosely linked associates?” , published in 2012 ( Trends in Plant Science, 18(2): 107-115), conclude that high or low doses of UV-B radiation unfavorably alter ROS self-removal metabolism. Once at a high level, oxidative free radicals (ROS) attack fundamental cell apparatus (such as photosystem II), proteins (ex: RUBISCO) and the cells' own DNA. Under normal conditions, plants remove oxidative radicals by the action of the enzyme Super Oxidase Dismutase (SOD) which, among its possible forms, the most common are those that contain Copper and Zinc (Cu/Zn-SOD) and especially those that contain Manganese. (Mn-SOD), this vital for dealing with mitochondrial ROS (where respiration and energy generation takes place in the cell).

[007] UV radiation also causes indirect negative effects, by increasing the severity of fungal infections on plants under this stress, as can be seen in studies published by William J. Manning in 1995 ( Climate change: potential effects of increased Atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO & ozone (03), and Ultraviolet-b (uv-b) radiation on plant diseases. Environmental Pollution 88 (1995) 219-245) and, in 2008, by Raquel Ghini and colleagues ( Climate Change and Plant Diseases. Sei Agric (Piracicaba, Braz.), v.65, special issue, p.98-107, December 2008).

[008] Thus, by recent scientific knowledge, there is a need to ensure the productivity of cultivated plants, being impacted by the current and increasing level of ultraviolet radiation in its direct effects (morphological and physiological damage) and indirect (oxidative stress, fungal infections ). Furthermore, it appears that it is even possible to increase the productivity of crops, by reducing the exposure of their plants to doses of this radiation where and until then their levels have been considered “environmentally natural”.

[009] A way to bring attenuation of ultraviolet radiation to cultivated plants is by the external application, on them, of products that provide some blockage such as sunscreen. An example is the commercial product PURSHADE® soluble in water and applied in the form of spray on the leaves and fruits of the plants, available to farmers in the United States, which, according to its manufacturer, reduces the damage caused by ultraviolet radiation and thus promotes greater photosynthetic efficiency and productivity increases. According to the product leaflet, its composition is Calcium Carbonate (CaC03 - 62.5%) and doses of around 20 liters per hectare are recommended. A similar product, also based on Calcium Carbonate, available in the Brazilian market is PROTEX ^® , which, according to its manufacturer, protects plants from excessive exposure to sunlight. Such products follow what is taught in WO 2009/064450 A1. With the application at this dose, a white film of calcium is obtained on the leaves and fruits, which practically shades them and provides a reflective action of the ultraviolet radiation, attenuating it. A limitation of this alternative in plants is the reflection of a good part of the light radiation in the visible range (VIS) where the PAR (Photosynthetically Active Radiation) frequencies are found, important for maximum photosynthesis. Another limitation for use in extensive crops is the high dose required, when considering the logistics of transport and packaging to spray millions of hectares.

[0010] Another solution available to farmers in Portugal, Spain and the United States and Brazil is the product SURROUND ^® , a wettable powder based on Kaolin (AI2O3.4S1O2-H2O), recommended for spraying on vegetable fruits exposed to sunlight, according to the manufacturer's leaflet, at an average dose of 57 kilos per hectare. Likewise, the use of the sprayed product at these doses provides a white film on the sprayed part of the plant, with a shading and reflective effect. This solution has the disadvantage of depending on a high dose, which is a limiting logistical aspect for extensive crops. Further references regarding this product can be found in US 6069112.

[0011] An alternative solution studied by some researchers has been the treatment of plants in their internal scope, by the nutritional enrichment of the same with the mineral Silicon (Si). In 2010, Xuefeng Shen et al, in the article “Silicon effects on photosynthesis and antioxidant parameters of soybean seedlings under drought and ultraviolet-B radiation” (Journal of Plant Physiology 167 (2010) 1248-1252), demonstrated that soybean cultivation, under hydroponic nutrition with soluble silicon, showed a reduction in damage to the membranes of plant cells exposed to UV-B radiation at a dose of 5.4 kJ/m ² /day for two days. In this same vein, Durgesh Kumar Tripathi and colleagues published in 2017 the article “Silicon: A Potential Element to Combat Adverse Impact of UV-B in plants” (Book UV-B Radiation: From Environmental Stressor to Regulator of Plant Growth, First Edition. Chapter 10; 175-195.) in which they report that the absorption of silicic acid by plants leads to an accumulation of silicon in the form of biogenic (amorphous) silica under the leaf epidermis (notably around the stomata) which it operates as a reducer of the transmission of ultraviolet radiation from the external environment to the interior of the leaf. In this line of research, there is a range of published studies on the use of soluble silicon in plant nutrition, either via soil (fertilization) or by application on leaves (foliar nutrition), seeking to attenuate abiotic stresses from ultraviolet radiation.

[0012] The precondition for Silicon to reach the interior of the plant is to be administered in soluble form, as it is absorbed by the roots or leaves of the plant. Once absorbed, the silicon is translocated following the path of water in the plant until its evapotranspiration in the leaves and the silicon is retained, accumulating under the epidermis of the leaves, where it then reacts chemically and passes into the form of biogenic silica (silicon dioxide). (S1O2) amorphous and soluble) which has a certain optical property that reflects on ultraviolet radiation. The only molecular way for silicon to be taken up by the plant (via the soil or leaf) is as silicic acid (Si(OH)4), which occurs when using soluble fertilizers that can generate it. that contain soluble silicon are silicates (calcium for soil use, or potassium for foliar use), which when reacting with water (available in the soil or in foliar application) result in silicic acid, which can be absorbed. Based on this knowledge, there are products on the market based on potassium silicate for foliar nutrition that are presented to attenuate UV-B rays, such as, for example, the product FAKTOR PRO ^® sold in Brazil.

[0013] However, not all plant species can benefit from this solution, due to the variability that plant species present in being able to translocate and accumulate Silicon. One of the pioneers in understanding how silicon is accessed by plants was E. Takahashi from the University of Tokyo, who in 1990 published the fundamentals that classify plants in terms of their ability to accumulate silicon, in the article “The possibility of Silicon as an essential element for higher plants ” {Comments on Agricultural and Food Chemistry 1990 Vol.2 No.2 pp.99-102). The author found that a limiting aspect of the use of soluble silicon lies in the fact that not all plant species are able to absorb, transport and accumulate it. Thus, Takahashi classified the plants in three categories regarding the absorption of the soluble silicon supplied: the Active (eg corn, rice, sugar cane which are very receptive and efficient), the Passive or intermediate (eg soybean, cucurbits) and the Excluding ones (eg tomatoes, which are inefficient). Other researchers deepened this study and came to the conclusion that even within a non-Exclusable species, there is still genetic variability for greater or lesser capacity to accumulate the soluble silicon provided. In conclusion, not all crop species and not all cultivars within a species can benefit, or benefit equally, from this possible alternative of applying soluble silicon in the soil or on the leaves for the purpose of attenuating ultraviolet radiation.

[0014] In parallel to abiotic factors and independent of aspects related to UV radiation, soluble silicon has been studied to attenuate biotic stresses, for example, by fungal infections in which it is reported as a little reducer of infectious severity (see the document WO 00/064263 A1). In this field, as an example, the research by Geneviève Arsenault-Labrecque, from 2012, studied this product, applied in soil nutrition, on one of the most important and harmful fungi in tropical agriculture - Asian soybean rust - published in the article “ Effect of Silicon Absorption on Soybean Resistance to Phakopsora pachyrhizi in Different Cultivars" (Plant Disease / January 2012). ultraviolet radiation, a great reduction in the severity of the fungus was achieved in a cultivar that presented genetics favorable to the accumulation of S

[0015] illicit, while in others without this feature such a reduction did not occur satisfactorily. In another study, this time applying soluble silicon in foliar nutrition, for the control of this same pathogenic fungus, the researcher Sandra C. Pereira and collaborators, from the Federal University of Viçosa, using potassium silicate, at a high dose of 7gr of Si/ liter, reached a result of 50% reduction in the severity of that disease, from 8% to 4% (published in the article “Foliar application of silicon in soybean rust resistance and in the activity of defense enzymes”, in Tropical Plant Pathology , vol. 34, 3, 164-170 (2009)).

[0016] With regard to climate change, an important aspect is the reflection on the dynamics of pests on food production. According to FAO, herbivorous insects are responsible for destroying 20% of crop production annually. In a situation of tropical agriculture, in which Brazil plays a relevant role, CM Oliveira and colleagues point out, in a comprehensive review published in 2014, that pests are the main factor causing the reduction in the production of large agricultural crops in the country (Crop losses and the economic impact of insect pests on Brazilian Agriculture. Crop Protection 56 (2014) 50e54). In addition, chewing insects of the order Lepidoptera have been highlighted for evolving into rapid resistance to insecticides and defense genes in plants modified by biotechnology, a topic under constant study by the organization IRAC (Insect Resistance Action Committee). This situation tends to become more difficult, according to the 2018 publication by Curtis A. Deutsch and collaborators ( Increase in crop losses to insect pests in a warming climate. Deutsch et al., Science 361, 916-919 (2018)) , which concludes that for every degree Celsius of temperature increase on the planet, current losses in food production by pests will increase by 10 to 25%, due to the increase in the speed with which the voracity of pests destroys a plant, until the favoring shorter development and reproduction cycles of such pests which leads to a higher frequency of attacks.

[0017] In this more specific field of biotic stress, the use of soluble silicon has been reported to reduce the voracity of herbivorous pest insects (chewers) of the order Lepidoptera (caterpillars), as taught in US 2003/213169 A1, as well as in the extensive review by Fadi Alhousari and colleagues in 2018, “Silicon and Mechanisms of Plant Resistance to Insect Pests" ( Plants 2018, 7, 33) on the use of soluble Silicon for this purpose.

[0018] Whatever the objective between the studied stresses (abiotic and biotic), a limiting factor to the use of soluble sources of a product applied on plants, considering situations of large-scale use in the field, is the rain or irrigation factor , common in the summer when the main crops are cultivated and where the stresses in question are more pronounced, a situation in which soluble mineral products applied to the leaves are naturally washed from the plant surface which is sought to be protected.

[0019] In the field of human health, a potent sunscreen widely used against UV-B radiation is Titanium Dioxide (ΊΊO2) which is efficient when in the nanoparticle dimension. Another mineral element used in cosmetics, as a sunscreen, with a broader spectrum of ultraviolet radiation (UV-A and UV-B bands), and generally associated with T1O2, is Zinc Oxide (ZnO), which has an absorbing action both in the nanoparticle form as well as larger particles (microparticles - order of magnitude in microns). Some inventors propose compositions with these and other minerals to equally protect plants from solar radiation in general (without specifying which waveband, whether UV-A, UV-B), PAR or Infrared (IR) radiation) while others present solutions focused on UV radiation as a whole.

[0020] As an example, US 8986741, proposes the use of a composition for protecting plants against sunburn or UV radiation, based on a high concentration of ΊΊO2 combined with ZnO, this combination optionally added to S1O2; minerals having a plurality of particle sizes. While the specific description is intended for use on lawns, this document generally may cover other plants. A limitation for this alternative is that although Zinc is frequently used in plant nutrition, the same does not occur with Titanium, since there is controversy about its impact on plant productivity. As the review on the subject published in 2017 by Shiheng Lyu and collaborators, in the article “Titanium as a Beneficial Element for Crop Production” ( Frontiers in Plant Science, April 2017 | Volume 8 | Article 597), in important cultivated plants such as soybean, corn and wheat, there are studies demonstrating that small doses of this element can influence negatively on the development of these plants and their food production.

[0021] The document US 6069112 proposes to protect plants against sunburn by applying on the same finely divided particles involving Kaolin, Silica or T1O2, which are obtained from heat treatment between 300°C and 1200°C (which generates a pyrogenic material, amorphous in nature) which, although claimed for dimensions smaller than 3 microns, by the described and claimed thermal process results in dimensions on the order of nanoparticles.

[0022] The document WO 2007/014826 A3 proposes a composition for application in plants aiming to absorb UV radiation with nanoparticles of metallic oxides with specific surface larger than 20 square meters covered by applied gram (nanoparticle approximately smaller than 200nm), in which the metallic oxides are Ti, Zn, Al and/or Si.

[0023] For the above cases, involving nanoparticles, there is a limiting aspect in the regulatory scope regarding their large-scale use in the agricultural environment. In the article published in 2012 by Alexander Gogos and collaborators ( Nanomaterials in plant protection and fertilization: current State, foreseen applications, and research priorities. J Agric Food Chem. 2012 Oct 3;60(39):9781-92), the authors conclude that TÍO2 or ZnO nanoparticles negatively affect the soil microbiota and, on the other hand, reduce wheat growth. In the same vein, in 2017, Branislav Ruttkay-Nedecky and collaborators cite in their work “Nanoparticles based on essential metals and their phytotoxicity” ( Journal of Nanobiotechnol (2017) 15:33) that such a nanometric size of metallic particle causes negative side effects in treated plants (phytotoxicity) and even induction of oxidative stress (ROS).

[0024] Finally, US 9833003 proposes a compound based on T1O2 nanoparticles of even smaller size (2nm to 20nm) coated with ZnO and other agents. [0025] In conclusion, with regard to plant health, there is a need to provide cultivated plants with protection that mitigates the incidence and negative effects of ultraviolet radiation, which are and will continue to be even more important in sustainable agricultural production and productivity, a solution which is agronomically viable for use, with no negative effects on plant development and low ecotoxicological risk.

Synthesis of the invention

[0026] The present invention comprises a mineral composition, for use on annual or perennial cultivated plants, which acts as a reducer of the incidence and abiotic stresses caused by ultraviolet radiation and attenuates damage from biotic stresses caused by the consequent greater severity of pathogenic fungi and voracity of insect herbivorous pests that attack such plants, said composition comprising microparticles of Silicon Dioxide (S1O2) in crystalline, insoluble and inert form, optionally combined with microparticles of insoluble Zinc Oxide (ZnO), both optionally combined with Manganese ( Mn) from a soluble molecule containing 0 same. Said composition is applied to the aerial part of the plants via spraying and then provides attenuation of the physical and physiological stresses caused by ultraviolet radiation on the external and internal part of the plant tissues with consequent reduction of the resulting severity of damages caused by certain fungi and by insects- opportunistic herbivorous pests.

[0027] A particular and basic embodiment of the invention comprises a concentration of Silicon Dioxide (S1O2) in its crystalline form, insoluble, inert and in the dimension of microparticles, applied directly on the surface of plants, whose form and modality of use so far it has no precedent of use in application on the aerial part of cultivated plants.

[0028] The invention further comprises methods of using said composition to favor the intrinsic health of the plant, observable in the more vigorous development of leaves, roots, greater number of flowers and fruits and, ultimately, preserving or promoting agricultural productivity and the quality of its fruits, including the application of such composition on the surface of the aerial part of the plants. [0029] Thus, the present invention comprises a composition to attenuate abiotic and biotic stresses in plants, comprising microparticles of Silicon Dioxide (SIO2) in crystalline, insoluble and inert form, said Silicon Dioxide microparticles having a size between 1 and 70 microns.

[0030] More specifically, the composition of the invention further comprises insoluble Zinc Oxide, wherein the weight/weight ratio of S1O2 and ZnO is comprised between 80:20 and 60:40; Manganese, provided by a molecule or compound in a soluble form and absorbable by the leaves of plants, and the content of the Manganese element is between 1:4 to 1:20 (w/w) in relation to the weight of S1O2.

[0031] The composition of the invention may also contain other additives, up to a maximum limit of 70% by weight of additives in relation to the weight of S1O2, selected from: mineral nutrients of foliar applicability, vegetable or mineral antioxidants, organic or inorganic sunscreens , mineral oils, vegetable oils, biocides, pesticides, vegetable hormones, and others.

[0032] The composition is presented for use, preferably, containing a total weight/weight between 900 gr/kilo and 999 gr/kilo associated with solid components adjuvants and surfactant, or containing a total weight/volume between 1 gr/liter and 800 g/liter in a suspension associated with emollient components and suspenders of insoluble particles in the medium, stabilizers and preservatives and surfactants.

[0033] The present invention further comprises a method for attenuating abiotic and biotic stresses in plants, to preserve or increase the productivity and quality of annual or perennial cultivated plants, said method comprising spraying on the exposed parts of the plant a solution of the composition of the invention.

[0034] In particular, the method for mitigating the physical and physiological damage caused under abiotic stress by UV-B and UV-A ultraviolet radiation provides for spraying on plant parts exposed to direct and diffuse insolation, from the initial development of the plants. In a specific application, the method for mitigating the severity of pathogenic fungi increased by the damage caused by UV-B and UV-A ultraviolet radiation to cultivated plants, comprises carrying out preventive sprays before the risk of infection. In another specific application, the method to attenuate the voracity of herbivorous pest insects to cultivated plants comprises spraying from the initial incidence of the target pest in its neonatal phase.

Description of figures

[0035] The present invention will be better understood from the detailed description that follows of its preferred embodiments, which is supported by the images listed below, brought by way of illustration and not limitation, in which:

- Figure 1 illustrates a diagrammatic visual scale, containing images of soybean leaflets ordered according to the severity of damage caused by ultraviolet radiation in situations of UV-B and UV-B + UV-A radiation, which serves as the basis for the scale from 1 to 5 used to qualify the results of studies with the composition;

- Figure 2 presents selected images extracted from example 02, showing lettuce leaves of the Roman cultivar (Lactuca sativa variety longifolia), according to the levels of damage suffered by ultraviolet radiation and the response of alternative treatments to attenuate them;

- Figure 3 shows images of soybean leaflets, selected from example 03 to illustrate the impact on plant leaflets (leaf size and cuticle damage), according to the increasing dose of UV-B radiation in both experimental situations, with and without application of the composition to mitigate said impacts;

- Figure 4 presents a photograph showing two adult maize plants for visual comparison of abiotic stress damage of an unprotected plant (on the left) with a plant protected by the use of the composition;

- Figure 5 presents a diagrammatic scale for evaluating the severity of the pathogenic biotic agent in plants, called Asian soybean rust fungus (Phakopsora pachyrhizi H. Sydow & P. Sydow) in leaflets (a leaf of a trifoliate), adopted as reference for the evaluation of example 04;

- Figure 6 shows illustrative images of example 04, with leaflets of soybean plants infected with the pathogenic biotic agent fungus Asian soybean rust ( Phakopsora pachyrhizi H. Sydow & P. Sydow), showing the average severity resulting from the alternatives tested after the fungus has been inoculated and completed its cycle reproductive (sporulating again to increase the epidemic); and - Figure 7 presents images related to example 6, of leaflets of soybean plants damaged by chewing by larvae of the insect pest Spodopetra frugiperda, under the treatment alternatives in typical condition of infestation by newly hatched larvae. Detailed description of the invention

[0036] For all purposes of this description, the term "preserve productivity" or "preserve quality", in the context related to plants treated with the composition, means to minimize the losses that would be imposed by abiotic and biotic stresses or even allow a higher performance within the intrinsic genetic capacity of said plant.

[0037] The term "agronomically acceptable", in the context of the present invention, means the use of materials that are certified for safe use in agricultural areas and in cultivated plants, that is, applied with equipment and under routine application technologies in the activity of cultivation.

[0038] The term "chewing insects" or "herbivorous insects", in the concept of biotic stresses attenuated by the treatment of plants with said composition, means insect species that in their larval stage cause damage to plants by consuming plant parts, such as leaves, flowers, flower buds, branches, fruits, sap, including, but not limited to, insects of the order Lepidoptera.

[0039] The present invention discloses a chemical composition comprising a concentrated suspension of crystalline S1O2 (Silicon Dioxide), insoluble in water and in microparticle size, alternatively in combination with ZnO (Zinc Oxide) insoluble in water and, alternatively, still added with a water-soluble molecule based on Mn (Manganese), this composition can be diluted and maintained with particles suspended in a volume of water and then sprayed on the foliage, branches and fruits of cultivated plants and thus act on the parts of the plant. plant to mitigate the damage caused by harmful ultraviolet radiation to it. Thus, the present composition according to the invention aims to preserve aspects of plant health negatively impacted by ultraviolet radiation and, consequently, maintain the productive capacity of plants or even increase their productivity and the quality of its products for commercialization. The composition of the invention contains materials considered safe for use in agriculture and can be applied simply and with the desired and expected effect on any plant species, including varieties thereof.

[0040] More specifically, a preferred embodiment of the invention comprises on w/w bases:

- Silicon Dioxide (S1O2), from 20% to 80%, preferably between 50% and 70%, in crystalline form, in microparticle size and insoluble in water;

- Zinc Oxide (ZnO), from 5% to 30%, preferably between 15% and 25%, in the microparticle dimension, insoluble in water; and

- Manganese, from 1% to 10%, preferably from 3% to 8%, in the form of a water-soluble molecule containing this element Mn, whose proportion of such molecule in the composition has that Mn content in the final composition, and the weight/weight ratio between S1O2 and ZnO is between 80:20 and 20:80, preferably between 80:20 and 60:40; and the proportion of the element Manganese is comprised between 1:4 to 1:20 (w/w) in relation to the weight of S1O2; the particle size of the S1O2 being between 1 and 70 microns, preferably between 1 and 40 microns; the particle size of the ZnO being between 0.5 and 10 microns; and being the water-soluble Mn provider molecule.

[0041] When the composition is presented in the form of Concentrated Suspension, the concentration of the total solids is between 1% and 80% in w/v, preferably between 40% and 70%; being that such concentrated suspension contains one or more adjuvants such as humectants, emollients, mineral or vegetable oils, surfactants, suspenders, stabilizers, conditioners and preservatives, which form a stable suspension in storage, providing an adequate dilution in spraying solution, a distribution of particles uniform in the spray drops and a good fixation of these on the parts of the sprayed plant.

[0042] When the composition is presented in the form of Wettable Powder, it may contain a content of 0.1 to 10% of other solid adjuvants for good suspension of spraying solution and coverage and fixation of sprayed drops, such as for example surfactants, conditioners and stabilizers.

[0043] In a particular embodiment of the composition, according to the invention, Silicon Dioxide (or Silica), S1O2, in its crystalline and insoluble form, and in the size of microparticles, is obtained from the processing of the known raw material as “industrial sand”, as well as quartz sand or silica sand, which is not yet used for application on the structures of the aerial part of cultivated plants, as it is not a fertilizer or nutrient as a source of silicon. According to research published by Thomas P. Dolley in 2016 (Minerals Yearbook. Silica. U.S. Geological Survey), the United States of America is the world's largest producer of industrial sand, and no use is indicated of the product for application in cultivated plants. Likewise, the publication by Adão and F. Lins in 2008 (Rochas Minerals Industriais. 2 Ed. CETEM-MCT. Cap 5 - Areia Industrial, pp 103-127), shows that in Brazil, the industrial sand is also not used in the area. agricultural. Naturally extracted industrial sand comprises particles between 0.1 and 0.5 mm (100 to 500 microns) in size, which is washed, dried and sieved to narrower size range classifications (sieve or mesh).

[0044] With these characteristics of insolubility, chemically inert and particle size, it is naturally inconceivable a use of industrial sand for foliar spraying on plants. However, and as surprisingly discovered, the use of such raw material in the composition, according to the invention, brings numerous benefits in the attenuation of abiotic stresses, in particular by forming an immediate and external barrier on the plant and for any species of plant. plant and even in relation to compositions that use soluble silicon compounds that form an internal strengthening in the leaves by biogenic silica, after a long metabolic process and only for suitable plant species.

[0045] Some uses in agricultural areas of crystalline silica are known in the art, for example as an inert component in the form of granules (coarse sand) to complete the load of fertilizers or, rarely, as an element present in rock dust to remineralize depleted soils. . Still for the purpose of providing equivalent to the nutritional one with the element Silicon, as can be seen in the extensive review published by Rastogi et al (Application of Silicon nanoparticles in agriculture. 3 Biotech (2019) 9:90), there is a proposal to provide the same via foliar applications from silica in nanometer-sized, amorphous (pyrogenic) or crystalline (wet milling) particles ), of the order of a few nanometers, which even in the water-insoluble form is so small that the plant can absorb the particle through the epidermis of the leaves and use Silicon; however, these authors warn of the complexity of use, as possible undesirable effects on plant development occur due to the fact that this Silica particle size is no longer inert and in fact starts to present an extreme alkaline reaction, which interferes with the availability of other nutrients, for they are notably cations. On the other hand, when the objective is to provide silicon directly for nutritional purposes, the source is always different, using only the amorphous and soluble form, obtained from silicates or diatoms (see International Plant Nutrition Institute at http://www.ipni. net/nutrifacts).

[0046] Thus, an achievement under the invention is the step of grinding or micronizing such particles of crystalline silica from industrial sand until obtaining a smaller, micrometric and more suitable diameter of that naturally disposed and in the basic sieving processes, a diameter small enough for the particles become susceptible to suspension in a liquid medium and consequently suitable for foliar spraying on plants in an agronomically acceptable way, whose particle size keeps the silica chemically inert and without nutritional effect. An embodiment of the composition is then that the crystalline Silica (S1O2) particles are of a size between 1 and 71 microns, preferably of D90 between 1 and 40 microns and more preferably of D50 between 1 and 15 microns, a preferred embodiment of the composition being under the invention a particle size of D90 between 1 and 10 microns and D50 between 1 and 5 microns, which allows a suspension in liquid medium with stability under the gentle and constant agitation of an agricultural sprayer to be uniformly sprayed on the target plant. In a controlled experiment, it was observed that a resting spray mixture containing from 0.3% to 1.2% v/v of this preferred configuration of particle diameters of milled and micronized silica presents precipitation of only 5% in 10 minutes and 40 % in 40 minutes. [0047] As demonstrated by the examples below, this crystalline form of insoluble and non-absorbable S1O2, once applied and deposited on the cuticle of the plant parts (external part), has proved to be a surprisingly effective physical element to mitigate stresses and even superior on the amorphous and/or soluble absorbable form of silicas or silicates, these forms used for the nutrition of Si in plants via soil or foliar which result, in another way, in the deposit of biogenic (amorphous) S1O2 under the cuticle (internal part of the leaf). The differential under the present invention is to directly and immediately dispose the S1O2 on the target to be protected, in a form that is not easily washable by rain or irrigation, in a particle size with feasibility of agronomic use in spraying and with a size and hardness that fulfill a protective function. This aspect of resistance to removal by washing the leaves provides an adequate protection interval for the plants until new leaves appear and deserve to be treated equally and, in the same way, as the plant develops, the previously treated and protected leaves pass to be located in the inner and lower parts of the plants, which are preferential target areas for some pests and diseases and at the same time difficult to be reached by the spraying drops of pesticides.

[0048] An advantage of this technique of direct deposition on the leaf epidermis with S1O2 in crystalline and inert form as described in the present invention is to be usable and effective on any plant species or on any variety of a plant species, since there is total independence of any metabolism of the plant in question, different from the use of a soluble source of Silicon that depends on the differentiated capacity between and intra species to absorb (in the form of silicic acid), translocate and store the Silicon that finally generates S1O2 in the plant, but being biogenic, amorphous and under the leaf epidermis.

[0049] Crystalline silica in the particle size suitable for use under the present invention can be obtained from various mineral sources, but especially by milling industrial sand or pre-crushed quartz and, in either case, possibly subject to other additional processes. micronization process, including the collection of processing dust from those sources, leading to material with a particle size smaller than 71 microns. [0050] Another embodiment of the composition comprises the presence of Zinc Oxide (ZnO), insoluble, in microparticle size, complementary to crystalline Silicon Dioxide (S1O2), for the desired functionality. In the state of the art, ZnO in the microparticle dimension is used in agriculture as a fertilizer of minor importance as a source of Zinc, since the nutritional element Zn is largely provided from a soluble source such as Zinc Sulfate (ZnS04) . In this context, when ZnO is used in plant nutrition, it is not via foliar use, but predominantly via soil application, where it is slowly solubilized by weak acids and absorbed by plant roots, although there is a small use of ZnO applied via foliar to mineral deficiency correction. Thus, an embodiment of said composition is that ZnO is present in D90 particles between 1 and 10 microns, which allows a spray mixture suspension of up to 1.2% v/v with stability under gentle and constant agitation of an agricultural sprayer to be evenly sprinkled on the aerial part of the target plant.

[0051] An advantage of the invention is that while the particle size of the elements of said composition in micrometers provides a reasonable blocking effect of ultraviolet radiation, such particle size does not bring the current regulatory concerns about the large-scale use in the environment of nanoparticles. of metal oxides.

[0052] As the data from examples 01, 02 and 03 later show, the elements S1O2 and ZnO of said composition act in an additive way to attenuate the abiotic stresses caused by ultraviolet radiation that harm the biomass and productivity of plants. As these elements of the composition act additively and even synergistically, as the data of some examples below show, an aspect of embodiment of the composition under the invention is that the weight/weight ratio of S1O2 and ZnO, under the particle sizes described are between 80:20 and 60:40.

[0053] The stresses caused by ultraviolet radiation, as reviewed in the state of the art, range from physical damage to the plant to physiological disorders caused by the increase in oxidative radicals. Thus, in addition to an attenuation of the stress factor outside the plant, a better level of efficiency can be achieved. when the protective treatment also has an effect on the biochemistry of the plant, in addition to remedying the physiological disorders caused by the elevation of ROS, for which the adequate nutrition of Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn) and especially Manganese (Mn) is pre- condition. As evidenced by the data in example 05, the combination of the element Manganese (Mn) to the mixture Si02/Zn0 potentiated the protection against damages caused by ultraviolet radiation, notably in the development of the roots of the plant. Thus, another aspect of the invention is the optional addition, together with the SiC>2/ZnO mixture, of a portion of Manganese (Mn) from a soluble molecule accepted for agronomic use as a plant nutrient such as, for example, Manganese Sulfate. (MnS04.3H20), Manganese Chloride (MnCl2.4H20), Manganese Carbonate (MnCCh), Manganese Nitrate (Mn (N03)2.6H20) or Manganese Chelate (CioHi2N20eMnNa2). One embodiment of the composition is the use, for example, but not limited to this example, of Manganese Sulfate, in the ratio for the SiO2/Zn0 mixture between 1:1 and 1:10, a preferred embodiment being in the ratio 1:3 .

[0054] In situations where abiotic stresses in plants are attenuated by the use of the composition under the invention, an adequate plant nutrition finds conditions to express constant increases in the productivity of such plants. Thus, another embodiment of the present invention provides for the composition in combination with one or more agronomically acceptable plant nutritional components, recommended for foliar application, aiming to nutritionally strengthen the plant in other aspects, which can be added in a presentation of the composition of the present invention, but in a non-prevalent form, that is, in less than 50% weight/weight of the final formulation, such as Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), Sulfur (S), Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mn), Boron (B), Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu), Molybdenum (Mo), Chloride (CI-), Soluble Zinc (Zn), Cobalt (Co), and even Soluble Silicon (Si), Nickel (Ni) and Selenium (Se).

[0055] Given that an undesirable photochemical effect of ultraviolet radiation is the excessive generation of reactive oxidative species (ROS), the association of antioxidants to the composition can further increase the attenuation of this abiotic stress in plants. Thus, another embodiment of the present invention provides for the composition in combination with one or more antioxidant products, in a non-prevalent manner, i.e. less than 50% w/w, such as, but not limited to, ascorbic acid, citric acid, malic acid, alpha-tocopherol.

[0056] Under the usual practices of spraying on crop plants, the need and association of several products in a single operation is recurrent, either by acquiring complete formulations or by mixing them in the aqueous application solution, minimizing the transit of machinery and energy costs, a situation that is conditioned to the compatibility between the products in question. Thus, given the chemical versatility due to the inert aspect of the composition under the invention, another embodiment of the invention is the combination of it with other organic or inorganic sunscreens, capable of agronomic use, with the objective of providing even higher levels of factor. protection against ultraviolet radiation in target plants [0057] An embodiment of the invention is that the composition under the invention is presented in a form suitable for dispersion in water in order to obtain a sprayable spray, either in the form of Wettable Powder (WP) or then as Concentrated Suspension (SC), a preferred embodiment being the presentation as Concentrated Suspension (SC).

[0058] When the composition is presented as PM, the preparation of the spray mixture can add adjuvants to obtain adequate coverage by the drops on the outside of the plants. Thus, an embodiment regarding the method of using the Wettable Powder (PM) formulated composition is the addition of suspenders, surfactants, anionic or non-ionic surfactants to the spray mixture, with non-ionic surfactants being a preferred embodiment, to obtain an aqueous suspension with a final concentration of use in the application between 0.1% and 5%, preferably between 0.5 and 2.5%, which, once sprayed on a crop, results in a dose of 0.1 to 2.0 kg per hectare of the formulated PM product, preferably a dose between 0.5 and 1.0 kg per hectare.

[0059] An embodiment of the composition under the invention, when presented in the SC formulation, is to contain wetting and suspending agents for insoluble particles, which allow a distribution of the particles in the spray droplets, a slow settling and a rapid resuspension of the composition. in the spray solution. An example, but not the only one, of a particle distributing agent are oils paraffinic or vegetable minerals, emulsifiable or aided by emulsifying agents, in adequate concentration to provide a uniform aqueous suspension with slow settling. Thus, an embodiment of the composition in the SC formulation is that it can contain surfactants to generate an oil/water emulsion by wetting the insoluble particles and improving their suspensibility. Another embodiment of the composition in the SC formulation is that it may contain anionic or non-ionic surfactants, preferably a combination of both, to promote better coverage and fixation of the spray drops on the surface of the target plant for treatment. Yet another realization of the composition in the SC formulation is that it can contain stabilizing agents, preservatives and coloring agents to preserve the properties of the SC formulation upon storage.

[0060] One embodiment in the composition under an SC (Suspension Concentrate) formulation is that the weight/volume concentration of the minerals is between 1g and 800 g/liter to provide storage stability and suspensibility under agitation. [0061] An example of a preferred embodiment to obtain the composition in the Concentrated Suspension (SC) formulation, using the minerals in the preferred granulometry already described above, is to add 690 ml of distilled water, the minerals with 300 grams of S1O2 and 100 grams of ZnO and, optionally, 200 grams of MnS04.3H20, plus adjuvants in the volumes of 60 ml of emulsifiable or emulsified oil used on plants and 20 ml of non-ionic surfactant. The total volume of water quoted is divided into two parts, the first to obtain a solution with the adjuvants and pre-suspend the minerals and the second to complete and obtain a final volume of the Concentrated Suspension. According to the embodiment, this volume of concentrated suspension presented can be later diluted in a volume of 50 to 200 liters of water, preferably between 100 and 150 liters, and be applied via spray to treat 1 hectare of medium-sized cultivated plants. The determination of the volume of water for diluting and spraying this volume of the exemplified SC composition is determined by the characteristics of the spraying equipment. The dose per hectare, of this example of the described formula, can be reduced by up to 50% when the target plants of treatment have little leaf area per square meter to be protected (plants in the initial vegetative stage) or increased by up to 100% when the plants be in fullness of development, with large leaf area per square meter.

[0062] An embodiment under the present invention involves methods of protecting plants and their parts from damage arising from exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation. The damages in this case are defined as chlorosis, necrosis and/or tanning of leaves or fruits, deformation and/or less development of leaves, reduction in the accumulation of plant biomass, reduction of root development, reduction in the viability and fecundity of pollination, abortion of flowers and fruits, increased oxidative stress, water loss due to increased leaf transpiration, reduced oil and protein contents in plant parts, reduced fiber quality. Solar ultraviolet radiation as defined in the present invention is electromagnetic waves between 290 and 400 nanometers.

[0063] In example 05 further on the data show that the composition, while attenuating abiotic stresses, reduced the severity of phytopathogenic fungus. Also, in example 06, the data indicate that the use of the composition associated with fungicides provided the best results in plant productivity in crop conditions. Thus, another embodiment under the present invention involves methods by using the composition regularly applied to plants to protect such plants and parts thereof from fungal diseases and from pathogenicity increased by the debility of the plant exposed to solar ultraviolet radiation. Diseases in this case being defined as fungi, bacteria and viruses.

[0064] Another embodiment under the present invention involves methods of reducing damage and proliferation of herbivorous pest insects that infest said cultivated plants from the use of said composition. The data presented in example 07, obtained from controlled tests, demonstrate that the crystalline and insoluble S1O2 component and in the microparticle size, present in the composition under the said invention, presents performance in reducing the voracity and development of lepidopteran species (caterpillars) important in the agriculture, which cause economic damage through the destruction of leaves and fruits. The performance of the component under the present invention, observed from the data, is clearly superior to that provided by soluble silicon, reported in the prior art as something functional for this purpose and, in fact, the observed performance approximates the level of a pyrethroid insecticide evaluated as a positive standard.

[0065] With regard to the aforementioned methods, the aqueous suspension for spraying said composition, regardless of the presentation formulation, can be applied on cultivated plants by means of typical spray equipment used in crops, with spray nozzles of liquids commonly determined to obtain fine droplets that adequately cover the surface of the leaves and fruits of the plants. An embodiment of the invention is that the composition is applied from the first vegetative stages of the plants, repeating the treatment at intervals of 05 to 30 days, as the target plant species produces new leaves and/or grows in volume of total biomass. that again becomes subject to damage from ultraviolet radiation and/or there are indications that biotic targets will occur.

[0066] The cultivated plants defined under the present invention are those of agricultural, economic or ornamental importance, annual or perennial. Examples of cultivated plants include, without limitation: soy, corn, beans, rice, cotton, sugar cane, wheat, coffee, cocoa, citrus, vine, eucalyptus, cocoa, potato, lettuce, among others.

[0067] The following are examples with experimental results obtained with the use of said invention with regard to abiotic stresses caused by ultraviolet radiation.

[0068] Since the knowledge about the damage of ultraviolet radiation on plants is recent, there is no standardized diagrammatic scale illustrative of the visual damage caused by ultraviolet radiation in the scientific environment, and even less for UV-B and UV-A. For this reason, as part of the studies from which some of the examples presented are extracted, a scale from 1 to 5 was established (1= no damage to 5 = maximum damage with practically destruction of the leaf), which is illustratively presented in figure 1, which marks the notes of “Visual Stress Damage” in the examples presented.

[0069] The doses of ultraviolet radiation (R-UV) or for its UV-B and/or UV-A ranges, used in the exemplified studies, are given in kJoules/m ² /day for the tests with controlled ultraviolet radiation in a greenhouse and, for tests in the field environment, in IUV (UV indices). For tests with controlled ultraviolet radiation, a fixed reference dose was established as a parameter, since in the environment the daily dose of ultraviolet radiation that reaches plants on the earth's surface is variable: by latitude, altitude, time of year, time of day and by variations in aerosols in the atmosphere. Thus, as a reference for the doses of ultraviolet radiation that can occur on plants grown in the field in midsummer for the Southeast and Midwest regions of Brazil, values of 1040 kJ/m ² /day were estimated, comprising 1012 kJ/m ² /day of UV-A and 28 kJ/m ² /day of UV-B. The estimate is based on the calculation that considers the Horizontal Global Irradiation for the month of January and the Southeast and Midwest agricultural regions of Brazil, with an average of 5500 Wh/m ² /day, or 18.9 MJ/m ² /day, according to the data published by INPE (National Institute for Space Research in Brazil (Brazilian atlas of solar energy. 2nd ed. - São José dos Campos: INPE, 2017. Cap.8, pp. 35-41. In URL). Also according to INPE (see URL http://satelite.cptec.inpe.br/uv/) the ultraviolet radiation fraction of this irradiation is of the order of 7%, that is, 1386 kJ/m ² /day, which is the maximum ultraviolet radiation which is still attenuated by the elements in the atmosphere until it effectively reaches the leaves of the plants. The analysis of the UV index (UVI) graphs published daily by the same INPE, with measurements every 15 minutes of the maximum UVI and attenuated UVI, shows that, on average, for the month of January, in this region, there is an attenuation of 25% of the UVI, which finally results in 1040 kJ/m ² /day of ultraviolet radiation. eta on plants, which is corroborated within the scope of data taken over five years for the month and region, published by Escobedo, JF and collaborators in 2008 (Monthly variations of UV, PAR and IV solar fractions of Global Radiation in Botucatu. II Brazilian Solar Energy Congress and III ISES Latin American Regional Conference - Florianópolis, November 18 to 21, 2008). To estimate the UV-B and UV-A fractions in this total R-UV dose found, this was divided according to the percentage rates that vary throughout the day, published by Marcelo Corrêa ( Solar ultraviolet radiation: properties, characteristics and amounts observed in Brazil and South America. Anais de Dermatologia 2015;90(3):297-313), whose calculations showed in this situation of month and region that the UV-B fraction is around 2.67% of the dose of daily ultraviolet radiation, ie 28 kJ/m ² /day and the remaining 1012 kJ/m ² /day being UV-A. Thus, for the studies carried out under controlled conditions in a greenhouse, the doses of ultraviolet radiation were generated with special lamps and the dose adjustment was made by the exposure time and distance between the lamp and the target plant, calibrated with the INSTRUTHERM ultraviolet radiation meter. MRU-201, which performs radiation reading within the spectrum from 290 to 390nm on the pW/cm ² scale, while for field studies, data published daily by IN PE were taken to estimate the incident doses in the experiment

[0070] For the execution of the experiments, soybean plants [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] of the cultivar NA5909RG of wide adaptation were used, cultivated in pots and nourished via daily ferti-irrigation with a complete supply of soluble macro and micro nutrients according to the need established in the “March of Nutrient Absorption by Soybean” published by EMBRAPA. The plants were grown under a controlled environment in a greenhouse protected by 150 micron GINEGAR plastic with a UV filter, which allows the transmittance and diffusion of PAR light but prevents the transmittance of ultraviolet radiation (R-UV), confirmed by the measurement of ultraviolet radiation. with the INSTRUTHERM MRU-201 reader, which recorded peaks of 6200 pW/cm ² outside the greenhouse, while under the greenhouse it recorded values of 20 pW/cm ² and only 5 pW/cm ² in the shade. Controlled ultraviolet radiation was provided with special lamps according to the experiment: pure UV-B radiation was obtained with a Philips TL 40W/12S lamp; the pure UV-A radiation obtained with the Philips TL-K 40W/10-R lamp; irradiance for the entire solar spectrum (UV-A, UV-B, PAR and IR) from the Osram Vitalux 300W lamp and, in some study, the REPTO LUX PRO 10.0 lamp that provides UV-A and UV-B radiation . The cultivation with and without ultraviolet radiation took place under the same greenhouse environment, using the same plastic separator curtain with UV filter to exclude UV-A and/or UV-B radiation on control treatments, and thus isolating other factors. environmental factors that could interfere with the results.

[0071] For the execution of the studies, the composition under the invention was formulated under alternative ingredients, concentration, coding and formulation. For the best Understanding the Examples, the alternatives with the composition under the invention are presented below as COMP01-04 and the products of the art as REF(n), detailed in their characteristics in Table 1 below.

Table 1: Codes, composition and formulation of tested products

[0072] In Table 1 above, in COMP01, COMP02, COMP03 and COMP04, S1O2 is Crystalline and insoluble with >99.0% purity in microparticles whose dimensions according to analytical reports are between 2 to 71 pm; ZnO is insoluble with >99.5% purity in microparticles whose size according to analytical reports is between 0.9 to 18pm. COMP02 is a Concentrated Suspension of the elements aided, in the formulation of 1000 ml, by 67 ml of paraffinic mineral oil, 2 ml of non-ionic surfactant and 877 ml of distilled water. COMP03 is a Concentrated Suspension of the elements assisted, in the formulation of 1000 ml, by 20 ml of vegetable oil; 20 g of anionic surfactant; 8 ml of non-ionic surfactant and 700 ml of distilled water. [0073] The examples presented below demonstrate the invention based on experimental data, but should not serve as limitations to its scope.

Example 01

[0074] Soybean plants were grown without exposure to ultraviolet radiation (negative control) and under exposure to UV-A plus UV-B radiation without protective treatment (positive control) or with protective treatments (alternatives). Under the disclosed invention, said composition was tested under the formula COMP01, as well as the isolated components thereof (insoluble crystalline SiO2, corresponding to COMP04, and insoluble ZnO). For equivalence, doses of treatments containing Silicon were adjusted between products to 140 grams/hectare of this element. The dose of ZnO relative to S1O2 was established in the proportion of 25%:75% respectively. Since in the state of the art there is a reference to soluble silicon as an attenuator of the stresses caused by ultraviolet radiation, two soluble sources of the element were adopted as a verification reference: Potassium Silicate (the form most commonly used in foliar nutrition, from fertilizer commercially available SC foliar fertilizer, SIFOL®), as REF01, and Silicic Acid (the form that is readily absorbable by the plant, from commercially available commercial foliar fertilizer, SIFOL POWDER®), as REF02. The plants were spray treated between the stages of 2 trifoliate (V2) to 5 trifoliate (V5) at 5-day intervals and were irradiated for 14 days with doses equivalent to 38 kJ/m ² /day of UV-B radiation plus 1376 kJ/m ² /day of UV-A radiation, from 24 hours after the first treatment to 24 hours after the last treatment and were evaluated at the beginning of the reproductive phase (R1), whose data are presented in table 2. damage to leaves under stress as per the scale given in figure 1; the impact on the development of the aerial part of the plant by measuring the total leaf area per plant and the weight of the set of leaves of each plant; by measuring root development by three means (dry weight, spatial volume and water holding capacity once rehydrated). Ratings are an average of 3 replicates (1 plant = 1 replicate).

Table 2: Response of soybean plants [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] to the stress of ultraviolet radiation, UV-A plus UV-B, regarding leaf damage, its vegetative development and root, under the tested alternatives.

Table 2

[0075] As seen in Table 2, comparing treatment 2 to treatment 1, ultraviolet radiation negatively impacted aspects of shoot development by 35% and aspects related to the root in 50%. In the state of the art, although there is already a suspicion that the roots are indirectly harmed by ultraviolet radiation, specific studies in this sense are rare; and this experiment demonstrates this. It is then observed that the elements of the composition of said invention act effectively, alone (treatment 5 and 6) and especially together (treatment 7), to mitigate by half or more the damage to the shoot and completely the damage to the system. root. The composition also has a clearly superior performance to the treatments used from previous references (treatment 3 and 4).

Example 02

[0076] In this study, lettuce plants of the Romana cultivar (Lactuca sativa variety longifolia) were used to evaluate the protection to stress by ultraviolet radiation. This species was chosen for its high sensitivity as it has leaves with a delicate epidermis and an intense green color (chlorophyll). Under the disclosed invention, said composition was tested, under the formulation COMP01, as well as its isolated components (insoluble crystalline S1O2, corresponding to COMP04, and insoluble ZnO, both in the microparticle dimension). Given that in the state of the art there is reference to the use of nanometric particles of metallic oxides, obtained by high temperature (pyrogenic), to attenuate ultraviolet radiation in plants, Fumed Silica (Fumed Silica) was placed as a reference (REF03). All treatments were matched to a 2 grams/liter solution of the alternatives, in which lettuce potted seedlings (approximately 5 cm high) were immersed for 3 seconds and allowed to dry. The seedlings were then cultivated in the pots, in semi-hydroponics, in the shade and under the average daily dose of 28 kJ U-VB radiation plus 128 kJ U-VA ultraviolet radiation for four days, provided by the Osram Vitalux 300W lamp, except for the treatment 1 that was kept protected from UV radiation and under indirect sunlight. On the fifth day, the leaves of the plants were extracted and evaluated. The stress caused by ultraviolet radiation was evaluated with scores for Chlorosis (scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = totally green to 5 = totally yellow) and necrosis (scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = no wounds and 5 = wounds distributed by entire leaf area). Figure 3 in the annex illustrates some examples. The leaves were also photographed on a scalemeter and measured in terms of their size and leaf area. The data are presented in table 3.

Table 3: Response of romaine lettuce plants (Lactuca sativa variety longifolia) to UV-A and UV-B radiation stress and their vegetative development under the tested alternatives.

Table 3

and totally yellow leaves, with minimal chlorophyll.

[0077] As noted above, in the aspects of chlorosis and necrosis, ultraviolet radiation caused 50% damage (scale from 1 to 5) in plants without protection (treatment 2 relative to treatment 1). It is observed that the elements of the composition of the said invention act effectively to reduce stress damage, both alone (treatments 4 and 5 versus treatment 2) and together (treatment 6) and in this case presenting synergy, to attenuate almost fully visible damage to the leaves. As for the biomass development, the treatments with the elements of the composition isolated (treatments 4 and 5) maintained development superior to the positive control (2) while under the composition (treatment 6) the plants surpassed all the other treatments. The superiority of Treatment 6 over Treatment 1 (without ultraviolet radiation) is explained by the fact that the lamp in the study also radiates the PAR frequency. The composition showed clearly superior performance to the treatment used from previous references (treatment 3) such as those given in patent application WO 2007/014826 A3, which involves nanoparticles of amorphous silica, which in these extreme conditions of ultraviolet radiation did not provide a reasonable protection to avoid necrosis or to allow normal leaf development. Example 03

[0078] The study in this example evaluated the composition performance under the invention under different levels of UV-B radiation. The UV-B component of ultraviolet radiation was adopted in this experiment because it is considered by many scholars as the most harmful or erythematous. The object cultivated plant species was Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill]. In a controlled greenhouse environment, a group of vessels was kept in isolation from UV-B radiation and another group had the vessels positioned on platforms with different proximity to the lamp generating the UV-B radiation (adjusted following the intensity measurements with the Instrutherm meter. MRU-201). Thus, UV-B radiation levels of 0, 38 and 55 kJoules/m ² /day were provided for 14 days, between stages V2 to V5 (from two to five trefoils). At each radiation level, 2 pots were used, one WITHOUT foliar application of said composition and another WITH application. In each pot, 3 plants were grown, with each plant being evaluated as a repetition. Under the disclosed invention, the aforementioned composition was tested under the formula COMP01, with a suspension containing 4.0 grams per liter of distilled water, plus a non-ionic surfactant in the recommended dose of the package insert (0.5 ml/liter) for adequate droplet scattering. The pots with application received the spraying of the composition under the invention every 5 days, starting 24 hours before the start of the radiation. The plants were evaluated for stress on the whole plant at 5, 8 and 14 days after the end of the period under radiation, following the scale given in figure 1 of the annex, producing an average data by repetition of three readings. In addition, following the evaluation at 14 days after the suspension of radiation, the leaves were extracted and photographed and evaluated individually (Individual Leaflets, as illustrated in figure 3 of the annex), under the aforementioned scale, generating an even more accurate reading of the damage caused by stress. In addition, as the literature reports that UV-B radiation negatively impacts leaf size, the leaflets of trifoliates 3 and 4 (which at the time were fully expanded and mature) were individually measured (in cm ² ) and averaged for each repetition. Finally, the root volume of each plant, of each repetition, was measured by two means: in dry weight and in volume (displacement of water after immediate immersion). The data are presented in Table 4.

Table 4: Response of soybean plants [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] to exposure under different doses of UV-B radiation, with and without application of the composition (4.0 g/liter of COMP01) for its protection, regarding the leaf damage by stress (chlorosis, necrosis, malformation), to vegetative (leaves) and root (roots) development under the tested alternatives.

Table 4

[0079] The UV-B radiation dose levels in this example are challenging, as they represent +50% to +100% that taken as a reference for mid-summer cultivation. The damage caused by UV-B radiation in the challenge treatments (treatment 3 and 5 (under UV-B radiation and not applied) compared to treatment 1 (control, without UV-B radiation and not applied)) were severe, in the order of 35 % to 48% of leaf damage, from -34% to -48% in leaf size and from -45% to roots. The composition (COMP01), according to the invention, was effective in mitigating to a large extent the growing damage to the shoot and completely avoided damage to the root system.

[0080] It is clarified that the small deviation in stress (from 1 to 1.5 on a scale of 1 to 5) in treatment 1, of plants not exposed to UV-B radiation, is due to a period of 30 hours in that the pots were not irrigated, which caused symptoms in the leaves due to water deficit (which resemble those caused by radiation). Thus, surprisingly, the composition of the invention, once on the leaves, also acts beneficially in preserving the water and turgor of the leaves in a situation of water stress. Example 04

[0081] The following example was carried out under field conditions, with corn (Zea mays L.) in the municipality of Holambra - SP, Brazil, Sitio Palha Grande. Sowing was carried out on November 27, 2019, with the hybrid cultivar PHI 3707 VYH in an area of 9 hectares, being harvested in early April 2020. The area treated with the composition COMP03 under the invention, involving a plot of 3 hectares in the central strip of the total area and the remaining 6 hectares were left untreated and taken as a control area. The stages of maize development, as well as the critical moments for defining its productive potential, are widely agreed, as for example in the publications of Iowa State University (Abendroth, LJ et al, 2011. Corn Growth and Development. Iowa State University. At URL https://store.extension.iastate.edu/product/6065) or from EMBRAPA (Magalhaes, PC, Durães, FOM, 2006. Physiology of Corn Production. Embrapa Sete Lagoas. Circular Technique 76), which identify the period between the V3 (three leaves) and V8 (eight leaves) stages as highly sensitive to stress, as it is when the entire structure of the organs reproductive plants inside the culm is already differentiated, above the soil surface and being defined. Thus, in this experiment, the test area was subjected to two applications with the composition under the invention, at 19 and 25 days after the emergence of germinated seedlings, that is, in V4 and V6, with COMP03 at a dose of 1.0 liter per hectare, suspended in a volume of water of 100 liters/ha. The UV index data were recorded daily from the INPE consultation (at URL http://satelite.cptec.inpe.br/uv/) as well as the rainfall index with INMET (National Institute of Meteorology at URL http ://www.inmet.gov.br/portal/) and, with the analysis of both data, a weekly stress index on the area of the experiment was qualified. Table 5 below gathers these data for the period of the initial eight weeks of crop development, which involves the complete vegetative period.

Table 5: Vegetative development cycle of the corn crop under the experiment, resulting stress levels and moments and the protective treatment.

Table 5

[0082] The harvest of all plots, with a combine, resulted in productivity of 8040 kg/ha in the control area and 9060 kg/ha in the treated area, that is, an increase of 12.7%, as a result of the protection carried out to the abiotic stresses in the most sensitive stages, coincident with high UV radiation and potentiated by water deficit concomitant. A sample of 10 ears was randomly taken from each area and evaluated, resulting in 29 grains per row in the control area and 35 in the treated area. Seventy days after the applications, in week N14, whole plants were removed from both areas and a photographic record was made, in which the attenuation of the effects of stress by the use of the composition can still be clearly observed (figure 04 in the annex). The hypothesis that the result was a nutritional effect of the elements of the composition is not supported because the Silica of the composition is inert, as well as the insoluble Zinc Oxide in foliar use. In this sense, the two-year study on corn nutrition by the MS Foundation (Dirceu Luiz Broch and Sidnei Kuster Ranno, 2009. Technology and Production: Safrinha Corn and Winter Crops 2009. MS Foundation) concludes that only the soluble form of Zinc and applied at high doses of 300 g/ha of the element, it provides some effect on productivity, varying between zero and 240 kg/ha. As for manganese, it is rare for corn to respond positively to foliar nutrition with it, as seen in a large 2014 study by the University of Iowa (Antonio P. Mallarino, 2014. Corn and soybean yield responses to micronutrients fertilization. 2014 Integrated Crop Management Conference - Iowa State University) which in a network of 65 tests over 2 years, in 3 types of soils of pH and OM (which can generate Mn deficiency), showed that there is no effect on corn productivity by Manganese.

[0083] The following are examples with experimental results obtained with the use of said invention with regard to biotic stresses potentiated or not by ultraviolet radiation.

[0084] In the field of biotic stress of economic relevance in agriculture, in regions of high incidence of ultraviolet radiation, the best example involves the Asian Soybean Rust fungus ( Phakopsora pachyrhizi H. Sydow & P. Sydow), which causes losses of 10% to 90% when it occurs. In Brazil, one of the world's largest soybean producers, this disease is particularly limiting. Until now, there was a consensus among specialists that high temperatures and a favorable rainfall regime would favor the occurrence and consequent severity of the fungus. Under this consensus, EMBRAPA researchers, led by Guilherme AS Megeto, studied 12,591 records of the occurrence of the disease under 45 climatic variables (previous situations of temperature and precipitation) and published in 2014 an article proposing a predictive model with 108 rules under such variables, which results in a 78% accuracy for the occurrence of the disease (Decision tree for classification of occurrences of Asian rust in commercial crops based on meteorological variables. Eng. Agríc., Jaboticabal, v.34, n.3, p.590-599, May/Jun. 2014).

[0085] The authors of the present invention, investigating the effects of stresses caused by ultraviolet radiation, considered the hypothesis that the damage caused by this to the plant could weaken it to the point of allowing the installation and greater severity of the fungus. Based on this hypothesis, the daily data of ultraviolet radiation generated by INPE - National Institute for Space Research (at http://satelite.cptec.inpe.br/uv/) on the areas of South America and, on the other On the other hand, the occurrences of outbreaks from Asian Rust to Soybean, in the same periods and areas, published by the Anti-Rust Consortium (at www.consorcioantiferrugem.net/#/main). A surprisingly positive correlation was found in this investigation. To test this hypothesis, the controlled study, given under example 5 below, was carried out. Example 05

[0086] Soybean plants were grown side by side under three situations of exposure to ultraviolet radiation: (A) ambient UV (plants under the sun), (B) artificial UV (UV-B+UV-A) and (C) no UV. Plants in situation (B) and (C) were protected from solar radiation by anti-UV plastic film, as well as for additional isolation of plants in situation (C). The study was installed on 02/22/2019, and during the 60 days of plant cultivation, measurements of ambient ultraviolet radiation indicated average daily doses of 24 kJoules/m ² of UV-B radiation and 889 k Joules/m ² of UV-A radiation. For the controlled environment (B) the artificial radiation was adjusted to produce a dose of 25 k Joules/m ² of UV-B radiation and 907 k Joules/m ² of UV-A radiation for 31 days. Under the disclosed invention, said composition was tested under the above specified formulas COMP01 and COMP02. In the case of the second formula, there is the presence, additional and optional of the composition under the invention, of the element Manganese, which aims to complement within the leaf the attenuation of abiotic stress, from the cellular physiological machinery as an antioxidant promoter. In situation (B) the plants were subjected to doses of ultraviolet radiation from the V2 to R3 stage for 11 days, followed by an interval of 5 days and again for another 20 days. The treatments with the formulas under said composition were applied 06 times in this period, from 02 hours before exposure to ultraviolet radiation and then every 5 days apart. The plants were subjected to two inoculations with uredospores of the fungus (obtained from the South and Southeast regions of Brazil), the first at 13 days after starting treatments and exposure to ultraviolet radiation and the second 12 days after the first. In each inoculation, the amount of inoculum was increased, starting from soybean leaves under intense severity (> 50%) and in sporulation, in an amount of approximately 20 leaves with inoculum for each inoculated plant. The uredospores of the fungus were extracted from the leaves with a wet brush of distilled water with surfactant, added in steps of volumes every 30 minutes and sprayed repeatedly on all plants. At 14 days after the second inoculation, the leaflets (individual leaves of a trefoil) were extracted from the plants, in order from trefoil 1 to trefoil 6, photographed on the upper (adaxial) and lower (abaxial) faces and then evaluated in percentage of severity for each leaflet following the Scale proposed in 2006 by Godoy et al (Diagrammatic Scale for Assessment of Soybean Rust Severity. Fitopatol. Bras. 31(1), Jan. - Feb. 2006) according to figure 5 in the annex. For analysis and presentation of data from Ferrugem, the severities in the range of trefoils 2 to 5 were considered, as they are the most susceptible. The damage to leaves under stress was also evaluated, according to the scale given in figure 1 of the annex, at 12, 30 and 40 days after exposure to ultraviolet radiation began and consolidated by repetition; the impact on the development of the aerial part of the plant by measuring the total leaf area per plant; by measuring root development in terms of spatial volume and water retention capacity after rehydration. Ratings are an average of 3 replicates (1 plant = 1 replicate). The results are shown in Table 6 below.

Table 6: Effect of formulas of the composition under the invention on abiotic (damage to vegetative and reproductive structure) and biotic (pathogenic fungus) stresses of soybean under UV-B and UV-A radiation)

Table 6

[0087] The greater impacts on the plant by ambient solar radiation (treatment 1) compared to the artificial one (treatment 2) are expected, since the full dose of rays at each wavelength of the spectrum (from 290 to 390nm) is expected in the environment. , while the lamps emulate rays at peaks within the range, in the case of UV-B radiation at 305nm and UV-A radiation at 365nm.

[0088] The data obtained in this experiment supported the hypothesis of the authors of the present invention, that the intensity and dose of ultraviolet radiation weakens and exposes the plant more, in this case soybean, to the Asian Soybean Rust fungus, which is a discovery. In treatment 1 under full solar ultraviolet radiation at all wavelengths (290 to 400nm), high severity was observed, comparable to what occurs in commercial crops not treated with fungicides. In treatment 2, under artificial ultraviolet radiation at wavelengths of 305nm (UV-B) and 365nm (UV-VA), the severity was also high. On the other hand, having totally suppressed ultraviolet radiation, even without treatment against the fungus, the severity was reduced by 80% (treatment 5 vs treatment 1). For this biotic stress, which is now shown to be related to the health of the plant impacted by ultraviolet radiation, the treatment method with the composition proved to be effective in attenuating the severity of the fungus, having been more effective the greater its effect in protecting the plant from abiotic damage (leaves, biomass, root). In another aspect, as mentioned in the literature, the number of pods (fruits) was negatively impacted by ultraviolet radiation in the order of 35% (treatment 1 and 2 vs treatment 5), and under the method by using the composition , especially with the formula used in treatment 4, fruiting losses were remedied.

[0089] The data obtained by the authors of this invention demonstrate for the first time the correlation between the incidence of ultraviolet radiation and the severity of the Asian Soybean Rust fungus, a disease of great importance in producing countries, especially in Brazil. In accordance with the data in Table 6, use of the composition reduced disease severity while protecting the host plant from radiation. Thus, an embodiment under the invention is the method of attenuating the severity of infection by Asian Soybean Rust, by prior attenuation of damage from ultraviolet radiation, by means of external application of protectors against said radiation with or without association with specific fungicide treatments.

[0090] Annually, the EMBRAPA Soybean Research Center publishes the performance results of fungicides for this important disease in soybean crops. In the publication referring to the 2018/19 crop, by Godoy and collaborators (Efficiency of fungicides for the control of Asian soybean rust, ( Phakopsora pachyrhizi), in the 2018/19 crop. Embrapa Soja. Technical Circular 148. July, 2019), a A total of 13 commercial products and 10 new ones in the registration phase were evaluated in 25 field experiments, whose results were from a control level of 50% to 80% of the disease (reduced the severity from 75% to up to 15%), that is, , total control is not obtained and, therefore, there is still a loss of productivity. Thus, an achievement under the present invention is the method of associating specific fungicides to the composition, aiming to increase the efficiency index in the fight against pathogenic fungi by multiple means: direct fungistatic and indirect action via improvement in the intrinsic resistance of the plant.

Example 6

[0091] This experiment was carried out in soybean field conditions, with the composition coded COMP01, aiming to measure the effects on grain yield under an alternative with the use of the composition combined with the phytosanitary management employed to contribute to the effectiveness of fungicides against Asian Soybean Rust. The study was installed in the Municipality of Rio Verde - GO, Brazil, Fazenda Rio Verdinho, on two different cultivars (varieties), planted in the second half of November 2018, whose vegetative stage occurred in December, the reproductive stage in January and the harvest in first half of February. An area called “A, with Cultivar BMX Foco IPRO was divided into plots 1 (standard used by the farmer taken as a reference) and 2 (experimental area with the composition); in the same way, the other area called “B, with Cultivar BMX Bónus IPRO, was divided into plots 1 and 2. While plots 1 involve an extensive cultivated area, plots 2, in each situation, occupied a test surface of 4000m ² . In the area dedicated to the use of the composition, the applications were made aiming to attenuate the abiotic stresses caused by ultraviolet radiation as well as to favor the effectiveness of fungicides against Asian Rust. Thus, the composition was used three times in areas 2A and 2B (in Table 7 below with the name “Experimental Area”): once in the vegetative stage of the crop, in the V4 stage (40 DAP - Days After Planting), and twice in the reproductive phase in association with fungicides (at 53 DAP combined with Azoxystrobin + Cyproconazole and then at 68 DAP combined with Azoxystrobin + Benzovindiflupyr). The dose of the composition was 500 grams/ha of the formula COMP01 plus a non-ionic surfactant in the package insert. In the reference areas 1A and 1B (in Table 7 below with the name “Agriculturist Standard”), both applications were carried out with the same fungicides and at the same moments of the reproductive phase (at 53 DAP with Azoxystrobin + Cyproconazole and then, at 68 DAP with Azoxystrobin + Benzovindiflupyr). The UV index obtained from data published by INPE (National Institute for Space Research) reached attenuated maximums between 11 and 12 in December 2018 and 12 to 14 in January 2019, all classified as Extremely High. At the time of collection, 6 samples of 5m ² (replications) were taken in the reference area (1) and also in the experimental area (2). The grains had their moisture measured and yield was estimated for the same dry weight index. In Table 7 below, the average data of productivity and treatments.

Table 7: Effect of the use of the COMP01 composition on soybean productivity, in a preventive management system for abiotic stresses from ultraviolet radiation and as an alternative to complement the control of biotic stress caused by Asian soybean rust.

Table 7

[0092] The cycle (beginning of flowering and maturation of grains) of plants in all cases (1 or 2) remained unchanged for each cultivar (A or B). The data indicate that the results of increased productivity occurred in a similar way and independently of the genetics of the cultivar used. Observations in the plots where the composition was used found an appearance of smoother leaves and plants tending to have more vigor.

[0093] Cultivated plants are subject to predatory attack caused by several orders of insect pests that impair the productivity of crops, so it is common to use insecticide molecules to reduce the infestation of such insects when they reach a level of economic damage. Pests chewing plant parts (herbivores) are especially important because they destroy the leaf area or whole fruits, among them those of the order Lepidoptera (caterpillars). Example 07 below brings data from a study carried out under controlled conditions, following typical protocols for evaluating the effectiveness of insecticides, in which it is observed that the component for three species of high relevance in agriculture.

Example 07

[0094] This study was carried out under controlled conditions and greenhouse and laboratory. Soybean plants were grown in pots until they reached the V3 stage, when they were sprayed with the following treatments: water only (Check Negative); REF01 in a dose of 12 ml/liter of water (Reference in the state of the art); Decis 25 EC insecticide (Deltamethrin 25 g ai/l) at a dose of 4 ml/liter of water (Check Positive) and; insoluble crystalline S1O2 and in microparticle size at a dose of 3 g/liter of water, as contained and qualified in the composition (COMPn). The doses of REF01 and S1O2 were calculated to be equivalent to the final content of the element Si. Leaflets of the treated plants were collected and placed in a Petri dish on moistened filter paper, then infested with larvae of Lepidoptera species and incubated for 5 days until the evaluation. To simulate the most adverse conditions (deterioration of the applied product and larger larvae), the leaves were collected at two times: 06 hours and 4 days after application, and in the first time (Table 8A) the infested larvae were 3-4 mm ( first instar) and in the second season (Table 8B) were 4 to 8 mm (second instar). For each pest and time tested, a total of 04 leaves (four) were used, each one serving as a repetition. The species studied were Chrysodeixis includens, Spodoptera frugiperda and Helicoverpa armigera, all of great importance in agriculture (Soybean, Cotton, Corn, Beans, etc.), reared and characterized in the diet since oviposition. Leaf consumption (defoliation) and larval size were evaluated.

Table 8A: Efficacy of soybean foliar treatment with crystalline S1O2 on lepidopteran voracity and development. Infestation 6 hours after treatment. Mean consumption of 4 infested leaflets and mean size of all larvae in the set of 4 replicates.

Table 8 A

Table 8B: Efficacy of soybean foliar treatment with crystalline S1O2 on lepidopteran voracity and development. Infestation 4 days after treatment. Average consumption of 4 infested leaflets and average size of all larvae in the set of 4 replicates.

Table 8B

The above data show that the new S1O2 component in the compositions according to the present invention is effective in reducing the voracity of chewing pests, being superior to that provided by Silicon in the soluble form reported in the state of the art. The use of insoluble crystalline S1O2 and microparticle size reduced pest voracity between 50 and 70% and reduced pest size development by 30 to 35%. In the case of the species S. frugiperda, the insoluble crystalline S1O2 and microparticle size had an efficacy close to that of a recognized insecticide, and this species is considered polyphagous (attacks numerous plant species) and has a great capacity to develop resistance to insecticides and proteins. Bt, according to a publication by IRAC experts (at https://www.irac-online.org > spodoptera-frugiperda-resistance, accessed 9/4/2019). The recommended way to mitigate pest resistance is the rotation of different modes of action (MoA) of insecticides used in agricultural production and even the association of multiple modes of action. Thus, an embodiment of the present invention is the method of associating specific insecticides to the composition, aiming to increase the effectiveness rate in combating herbivorous insects by multiple modes of action.

Claims

claims

1. Composition to attenuate abiotic and biotic stresses in plants, characterized by comprising Silicon Dioxide microparticles in crystalline, insoluble and inert form, said Silicon Dioxide microparticles having a size between 1 and 70 microns.

Composition according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises insoluble Zinc Oxide.

Composition according to claim 2, characterized in that the weight/weight ratio of S1O2 and ZnO is between 80:20 and 60:40.

Composition according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises the mineral Manganese, provided by a molecule or compound in a soluble and absorbable form by plant leaves, and the content of the manganese element being between 1:4 to 1 :20 (w/w) in relation to the weight of S1O2.

5. Composition according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it also comprises mineral nutrients of foliar applicability, vegetable or mineral antioxidants, organic or inorganic sunscreens, mineral oils, vegetable oils, biocides, pesticides, vegetable hormones up to the maximum limit of 70% by weight of additives in relation to the weight of S1O2.

6. Composition according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it contains a total weight/weight between 900 gr/kilo and 999 gr/kilo associated with solid adjuvants and surfactants components.

7. Composition according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it contains a total weight/volume between 1 gr/liter and 800 gr/liter in a suspension associated with emollient components and suspenders of insoluble particles in the medium, stabilizers and preservatives and surfactants.

8. Method to alleviate abiotic and biotic stresses in plants, to preserve or increase the productivity and quality of annual or perennial cultivated plants, characterized by spraying on the exposed parts of the plant a solution of the composition as defined in claim 1.

Method, according to claim 8, for mitigating physical and physiological conditions caused under abiotic stress by UV-B and UV-A ultraviolet radiation characterized by spraying on plant parts exposed to direct and diffuse isolation, from the initial development of plants.

Method, according to claim 8, for mitigating the severity of pathogenic fungi increased by the damage caused by UV-B and UV-A ultraviolet radiation to cultivated plants, characterized by carrying out preventive sprays before the risk of infection.

Method, according to claim 8, to attenuate the voracity of herbivorous insect pests to cultivated plants, characterized by carrying out sprays from the initial incidence of the target pest in its neonatal phase.