MXPA98009390A - Composition and method for destruction of plan - Google Patents

Abstract

This invention relates to an improved composition of matter and method for drying plants, such as, for example, cotton. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved desiccant composition comprising an endothall solution, an ammonium salt, a glutamine synthellase inhibitor and optionally, an active surface agent and a method for using the composition.

Description

COMPOSITION AND METHOD FOR DESTRUCTION OF PLANTS FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to synergistically improving the desiccant activity of the endothall with an ammonium salt, a glutamine synthetase inhibitor and, optionally, an active surface agent. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Despite international concern about agricultural chemicals, the amount of such chemicals used continues to grow. Registered organic chemists have achieved widespread use throughout the world in the production of agronomic and horticultural crops. An agricultural chemical is any substance or mixture of substances that is useful to prevent, destroy, repel or mitigate any pest, or is used as a regulator of plant growth, seed protector, defoliant or desiccant. Examples of agricultural chemicals include herbicides, algicides, growth regulators of defoliating plants and desiccants. While some herbicides may also be desiccant or defoaming agents, the action required to desiccate and defoliate is different from the action required to kill a plant.

There is considerable commercial interest in both desiccants and auxiliary defoliators of crops used for vegetation management. For example, in intensive cotton cultivation, the use of defoliants is necessary for the effective use of peeling machines to recover the pod. For reasons that relate to harvesting, defoliation in the form of green parts of the leaf is preferred for pure desiccation and drying of the remaining plant, since otherwise the quality of the fiber is very adversely affected by the stains due to the residues of the dried leaves. However, insufficient drying of the plants can be a problem, especially in fields with dense growth, allowing the stem to grow back which complicates the harvest. Sequential applications of 7-10 days of separation are an option, as long as the farmer can bear the additional cost. The effectiveness of a desiccant depends on the amount applied, the method of application and the environmental conditions during the application. The objective of the grower or whoever applies the desiccant, is to achieve a desired result with the minimum amount of chemical at the lowest cost. Therefore, there is a need for an EPA approved and effective desiccant formulation that uses fewer active ingredients to reduce or avoid adverse environmental effects and to reduce the cost of application. Sometimes, it is shown that active agricultural chemicals are more effective in combination when applied individually. The result is often called "potentiation" or "synergism" because the combination demonstrates a power or level of activity that exceeds what you might expect it to have, based on a knowledge of the individual powers of the components. It is an object of the present invention to provide novel and better desiccants and defoliants and a both novel and better method for drying and defoliating plants. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a composition for application to chlorophyll-containing plants, the composition comprising (a) endothall, (b) an ammonium salt, (c) an inhibitor of glutamine synthetase, and , optionally, (d) an active surface agent. It is preferred that the formulation contains an active surface agent. In the composition, the amount of ammonium salt and glutamine inhibitor synthetosis,. they are present in an effective amount to increase the drying activity of the endothall. The present invention also provides a method for increasing the effectiveness of the endothall or a salt thereof comprising applying to plants containing chlorophyll, endothall and an amount of ammonium salt and a glutamine synthetase inhibitor, effective to increase the desiccant activity of the product. endotalus The invention provides improved performance of the endothall or a salt thereof which can conveniently result in the use of less endothall, providing both economic and environmental benefits.

Additional advantages of this invention will be shown in the following description and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by the practice of this invention. It should be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are illustrative and explanatory only and do not restrict the claimed invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Endotalus The endothall, including salts thereof, is a phytotoxic used to kill vegetation containing chlorophyll, or algae containing chlorophyll, in numerous industrial and non-industrial applications. The endothall is the common name of the active ingredient (7-oxabicyclo [2.2.1] heptane-2,3-dicarboxylic acid.) Contained in the agricultural products Des-i-cate® and Accelerate < s > , currently manufactured, formulated and marketed by Atochem North America (Philadelphia, Pa.). Accelerate® registers with the Enviromental Protection Agency as a growing aid for cotton production. As such, the product is applied by spraying on cotton plants 1-2 weeks before harvest. This kills the leaves and facilitates mechanical harvesting of the cotton pods. Des-i-cate35 is registered with the Environmental Protection Agency to be used as a destroyer of the potato vine and as a harvesting aid for alfalfa and clover. On most potato surfaces throughout the world, vines are chemically destroyed ("dewatered") to allow easier passage of harvesting equipment through the fields. Also, the drying of the vines increases the "fixation of the skin" on the layer tuber. The Accelerate® and Des-i-cate® products contain mixed salts of mono and di (N, N-dimethylalkylamine) from endothall. The Accelerate® and Des-i-cate® products contain 5.5 weight percent endothall. The mono- (N, N-dimethylalkylamine) sels are derived from coconut oil. In a preferred embodiment of the concentrated pesticidal composition, the endothall is the mono- (N, N-dimethylalkylamine) salt of endothall. The mono- (N, N-dimethylalkylamine) salt can be derived from coconut oil. The endothall is generally marketed as a water soluble formulation. The final endothelial formulation with auxiliaries is preferred to be a water-based solution or a stable dispersion in water and in the application concentration. The amount of the endothall in the formulation as applied by spray solution is usually in the range of about 0.1 to about 0.6 percent, preferably 0.12 to 0.25 percent by weight based on the weight of the total formulation. The amount of applied endothall will vary from approximately 0.1 12 to 2.24 kg / hec. but preferably it will be from about 0.28 to 1.12 kg / hec. , more preferably of about 0.561 kg / hec. Ammonium salt The addition of ammonium sulfate to the endothall composition is known. However, ammonium has a maximum level at which it can be maintained in a plant and, additionally, the ammonium present in the plant is rapidly converted to non-toxic metabolites. The conversion of ammonium to non-toxic nitrogenous metabolites is initiated by glutamine synthetase. Ammonium salts useful in the present invention include those which while dissolving provide the ammonium ion, for example, chloride, nitrite, nitrate, sulfate and phosphate. The amount of ammonium salts in the formulation as applied by spray solution is usually in the range from about 0.1 to about 6 percent, preferably from 0. 5 to 2.0 weight percent based on the total weight of the formulation. Glutamine synthetase inhibitor Glutamine synthetase (GS) is a plant enzyme that plays a central role in the assimilation of ammonium and in the regulation of nitrogen metabolism. In most plants GS is, via the route glutamine synthetase / glutamine synthetase, the only efficient way to detoxify ammonia. GS catalyses the glutamine formation of glutamic acid and ammonia in a reaction initiated by the hydrolysis of ATP to ADP and inorganic phosphate. The amide nitrogen of glutamine provides the nitrogen source for many biosynthetic reactions, including a central role for GS in nitrogen metabolism. The inhibition of GS prevents the biosynthesis of glutamine, thus avoiding the detoxification of ammonia. Therefore, a GS inhibitor, as used in the present invention, will conceal the metabolism of ammonium to non-toxic metabolites. The term "glutamine synthetase inhibitor" includes any inhibitor, competitive or non-competitive, that significantly eliminates the glutamine synthetase activity of a plant cell of a given species. The GS inhibitors useful in the present invention include, for example, methionine sulfoxima, tabatoxin-B-lactimate, phosphinothricins, such as glufosinate and bialaphos, oxetin and 5,5-hydroxylysine, as well as other glutamic acid analogs. The amount of GS inhibitor in the formulation when applied by spray solution is preferably the amount necessary to maintain the ammonium ion present in the plant at the maximum level which increases the effect of the endothall. The preferred amount is 50 to 800 ppm, more than about 75 to 500 ppm is preferred, even more preferred is about 80 to 200 ppm. Active Surface Agent Surface active agents are preferably used in the composition and process of the present invention. Surface active agents can effect many properties of the formulation such as solubility, volatility, specific gravity, corrosivity, efficacy and freezing and flash points. The formulations will generally contain one or more surface active agents to promote rapid dispersion of the synergistic components in aqueous medium to form stable spray suspensions. The amount of the active surface in a formulation as applied by spray solution is usually on the scale of about 0.1 to about 6 percent, preferably 0.5 to 2.0 percent by weight based on the weight of the total formulation. The term "active surface agent" is meant to include surfactants, wetting agents, dispersing agents, emulsifying agents and the like. Such active surface agents, including those suitable for agricultural applications, are well known and are referred to in the U.S. Patent. Number 2,547,724, Columns 3 and 4, for detailed examples of it. Particularly preferred are the polyoxyalkylene mono-fatty acid salts of sorbitan, such as polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate marketed under the trademark Tween, especially Tween 20 and Tween 80. Desiccant Composition A desiccant composition, according to the invention, may further comprise water or organic solvents. Aqueous compositions are preferred, such as solutions or dispersions.

The invention also provides a concentrated formulation comprising (a) endothall; (b) an ammonium salt; (c) a glutamine synthetase inhibitor; and optionally, (d) an active surface agent. It is preferred that the formulation contains an active surface agent and (d) solvent. It is preferred that the formulation contains surface active agents. More often concentrated formulations are diluted with water before application. The concentrated pesticidal formulation itself may also contain water, preferably up to about 20 to 50% water. However, regardless of the dilution, the ratio of the components based on the amount of endothall will be as follows: endotalo - 1 part; Ammonium salt - 5 to 15 parts, glutamine synthetase inhibitor - 0.05-0.5 parts; and active surface agent, from 0 to 15; preferably 5 to 15 parts. The solvent may be a substituted or unsubstituted C ^ C alcohol or substituted or unsubstituted d-C6 glycol. The solvent may be ethanol, propanol, butylene glycol, propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, hexylene glycol, glycerin, diethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, monomethyl ether, ethyl acetate, ethyl alcohol, mono-alcohol, methyl di- and triacetate, sorbitol, butanol, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, isobutyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, polyethylene glycol (as defined in 21 CFR 172.260 (a)) n-propanol , n-methyl pyrrolidone, tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol and propylene glycol monomethyl ether. Preferred solvents are propylene glycol and dipropylene glycol. Additives Other materials, salts, additives, and / or auxiliaries such as oils, surface tension reducing agents, solvents, activators, stabilizers, thickeners, foaming or anti-foaming agents, emulsifiers and dispersants known in the art can be added to the composition or concentrated formulations. Examples of suitable wetting and dispersing agents are non-ionic aromatic polyethylene glycol ethers, such as Antarox A-400, alkyl aryl polyether alcohol type emulsifiers such as Triton X-100, sulfonated purified lignins such as Reax 45A and Reax45L . Formulations containing one or more of any suitable suspending agents, such as, for example, methylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, magnesium hydroxide gel, bentonite, Veegum, attapulgite clays, hydroxypropyl guar gum, aluminum hydroxide gel and if milar. The suspending agents will generally be employed in an amount of about 5 to about 30% by weight based on the weight of the total formulation, and preferably in an amount of about 15 to 25% by weight. The aluminum oxide hydroxide containing from about 2 to about 20% by weight, preferably from about 40 to about 10% by weight, the aluminum hydroxide will be employed as the preferred suspending agent for the formulations of this invention. Any suitable freeze-thaw agent can also be employed in the formulations of this invention, if desired, and is generally present in an amount of about 1 to about 10% by weight based on the weight of the total formulation. Suitable freeze-thaw agents may be mentioned, for example, urea, polyhydric alcohols such as glycerol, polyethylene glycol, glucose, sucrose and the like, as well as water-soluble non-toxic polymeric agents such as dextran, polyvinylpyrrolidone and the like. . For use in the formulations of this invention, propylene glycol is preferred. Suitable defoaming agents can also be employed, if desired, and when employed, an amount of about 0.001 to about 0.5% by weight based on the weight of the total formulation is used. Any agent against adequate foam formation can be employed such as, for example, a 50% by weight solution of 2,4,7,9-tetramethyl-5-decin-4,7-diol known as Surfynol 104-E. Method of Application The invention also provides a method for increasing the effectiveness of the endothall or a salt thereof comprising the application of the endothall to the plants containing chlorophyll and an amount of ammonium salt and glutamine synthetase inhibitor to increase the activity Endothall desiccant. The concentrated formulations can be diluted with water to form stable solutions. These stable solutions can be applied to chlorophyll-containing plants using conventional agricultural spray equipment. The desiccant composition is preferably applied to an exposed portion of the plant. The ammonium salt, the glutamine synthetase inhibitor and the endothall or a salt thereof can be applied simultaneously or separately and in any order. In a preferred embodiment, the ammonium salt, glutamine synthetase inhibitor, optional surface active agent and endothall are simultaneously applied in the form of an aqueous composition containing all the components. The plant can be any vegetation that contains chlorophyll and is preferably a commercial or garden crop. For example, the preferred crop can be selected from potato edulis, cotton plant plants, hops, alfalfa and clover. In a further preferred embodiment, the crop is selected from cotton plant and plant vines. Application Information In accordance with this invention, the drying activity of the endothall is markedly enhanced. Subsequently, the application rates of ta as well as approximately 0.22 kg / hec. at around 1 .12 kg / hec. , preferably of approximately 0.44 kg / hec. at around 0.67 kg / hec. and more preferably of about 0.5 kg / hec. at around 0.6 kg / hec. , of endothall can now be used together with an effective amount of desiccant potential of the ammonium-containing salt, of approximately 1.12 kg / hec. at around 5.6 kg / hec. , preferably of approximately 2.2 kg / hec. at around 4.4 kg / hec. , and the glutamine synthetase inhibitor, approximately 0.01 1 kg / hec. at around 0.1 1 kg / hec. , preferably 0.022 kg / hec. at around 0.056 kg / hec. Preferably, the surface active agent is also present at a concentration of about 1.12 kg / hec. at around 5.6 kg / hec. preferably about 2.24 kg / hec. at around 4.48 kg / hec. For spraying purposes, the ingredients are generally dispersed or suspended in a sufficient amount of water or a vegetable oil such as soybean oil, cottonseed oil and the like to give full and uniform coverage of the cotton foliage and the spray mixture is It can be advantageously applied by air or ground equipment. Although it is convenient to apply the components simultaneously in a formulation, each can be applied substantially simultaneously in separate formulations with the effect of a combined application. The compositions according to the invention are obtained in the known manner by the intimate and / or molded mixing of the three synergistic components with suitable inert vehicles, with or without the addition of dispersants, suspending agents or solvents which are inert towards the active components. Concentrates of the pre-mix such as, for example, wettable powders, slurries and liquid suspension concentrates. To prepare the tank mixes, 3.68 liters of said composition can be diluted with, from about 7.56 liters to about 37.8 liters of water for aerial spraying and from about 37.8 liters to about 151.2 liters of water for ground spraying equipment. The following examples provide additional illustrations demonstrating the improved cotton dryer response obtained from the application of the two synergistic components. Examples 1 and 2The cotton plants were grown in 15.24 cm plastic pots filled with PromixBX (Premier Horticultural Inc.) supplemented with modified Hoagland nutrient solution. The plants grew in a room of growth of type of entrance maintained to a photoperiod of 14 hours giving an intensity of light of at least 500μmol / m2 / s at the height of the plant. The temperature in the growth chamber was maintained at approximately 30 ° C during the day and at 28 ° C during the night, and the average relative humidity remained at almost 70%. The fully expanded primary leaves of the one-month-old plants were treated with 200 μl of different test solutions. At least four sheets per replicate were used for each treatment. After application of the test solution, the plants were placed back into the growth chamber. The plants were classified for several stages of aging and drying one day, two days and three days after treatment. The effects were visually classified between 0-10. A classification of zero occurred when there were no observable effects, and a classification of 10 occurred when the leaves dried completely. Intermediate classifications were given based on the aging / desiccation grades and the area of the affected leaf.

RESULTS s > DISCUSSION OF RESULTS The mixtures of Example 1 and 2, [endothall (300 ppm), ammonium sulfate (0.3%), glufosinate, (50 ppm and 150 ppm) and 0.1% Tween] have significantly more potent desiccation of the leaves. of cotton one day after the application of any of the chemicals alone or any combination that excludes the endothall, ammonium sulfate or glufosinate (except for Comparative A which contained 1000 ppm of endothall instead of 300 ppm of Examples 1 and 2) . The combination of 300 ppm of the endothall with 150 ppm of glufosinate, including 0.3% of ammonium sulfate, (Example 1) produced very strong drying effect which was equal to the effect of the treatment which included 1000 ppm of endothall and 1% of sulphate of ammonium but without glufosinate (Comparative A). The synergism between 300 ppm of endothall and 0.3% of ammonium sulfate (Example 1) was clear even with a low concentration (40 ppm) of glufosinate (Example 2). Within one day after the application of the test solutions, Comparative D, Example 1 and Example 2, more than three times stronger drying effect occurred when 150 ppm glufosinate was included in the endothall formulation (300 ppm of endothall and 0.3% of ammonium sulfate); and more than twice as strong an effect occurred when 50 ppm glufosinate was used. It is also clear from the results that the effects of endothall and glufosinate were markedly reduced in the absence of an ammonium sulfate. Ammonium sulfate with surfactant (Comparative J) produced little effect. Therefore, the results clearly show that a combination of endothall, an ammonium salt and a glutamine synthetase inhibitor are important for the most effective desiccation of the leaves. Any of the chemicals in this combination, however, when applied alone (or in combinations where one of the active ingredients is lacking (endothall, ammonium sulfate or glufosinate)) does not produce a powerful drying effect as their combination. Examples 3 to 5 and Comparative Example L A field test was carried out on separation cotton by applying the compositions of the invention and a comparative composition with a field sprayer. The test area of the field was divided into small points (1/100 parts of 0.4 hectares) and marked with plastic labels. Test solutions containing different concentrations of glufosinate were prepared before the spray application. The spray nozzles were kept within 1 5.2 cm above the level of the plant to minimize dripping from the spray due to wind. Temperatures at the test site at the time of application and the 7 day period afterwards were approximately 72.2-76.2 ° C during the afternoon and between 52.2-62.2 during the night.

The treated points were visually classified for the degree of desiccation three days and seven days after the application. The treated points were classified between 0-10 for the observed degree of desiccation. A rating of 0 indicated no drying, while a rating of 10 indicated complete drying (100%). Plants sprayed with a solution (Example 3) containing 100 ppm of glufosinate (0.03 kg / hec.), 1% of ammonium sulfate (3.6 kg / hec.), 1505 ppm of endothall (0.56 kg / hec.) And 1 % of Tween 20 (3.6 kg / hec.) and diluted with water to achieve a volume that agrees with an application rate of 372.00 liters / hectares, showed 83% of desiccation after three days and 100% of desiccation after 7 days. Plants sprayed with a solution (Example 4) containing 200 ppm glufosinate (0.03 kg / hec.), 1% ammonium sulfate (3.6 kg / hec.), 2000 ppm endotalus (0.50 kg / hec.) And 1% Tween 20 (3.6 kg / hec.) And diluted with water to achieve a volume that agrees with an application rate of 372 liters / hectare showed 83% desiccation after three days and almost complete drying (98%, possibly the spray may have fallen a little due to the wind) after 7 days. Plants sprayed with a solution (Example 5) containing 400 ppm glufosinate (O.Oe kg / hec.), 1% ammonium sulfate (3.6 kg / hec.), 1505 ppm endotalus (0 50 kg / hec. .) and 1% Tween 20 (3.6 kg / hec.) and diluted with water to achieve a volume that accords with an application rate of 372 liters / hectare showed 90% desiccation after three days and 100% drying after 7 days. At adjacent points that received a composition (Comparative Example L) containing only 1505 ppm of endothall (0.56 kg / hec.) And 1.5% of ammonium sulfate (5.6 kg / hec.), Only 63% of desiccation was observed after 3 days and 70% desiccation after 7 days. This field test shows that the addition of glufosinate, ammonium sulfate and Tween 20 to the endothall surprisingly improves the efficiency of endotate as a plant desiccant for cotton crops, so much that complete drying of the separation cotton can be achieved.

Claims (14)

1. CLAIMS 1. A composition for application to algae or plants containing chlorophyll and comprising (a) endothall or a salt thereof, (b) an ammonium salt, (c) an inhibitor of glutamine synthetase, and optionally, (d) ) an active surface agent. The composition of claim 1, wherein the ammonium salt is ammonium chloride, ammonium nitrite, ammonium sulfate or ammonium phosphate. The composition of claim 1, wherein the glutamine synthetase inhibitor is methionine sulfoxine, tabatoxin-B-lactimate, phosphinotricins, oxetin and 5,5-hydroxy sine. 4. The composition of claim 1, wherein the glutamine synthetase inhibitor is glufosinate. 5. The composition of claim 1, wherein the surface active agent is a surface active agent. 6. The composition of claim 1, in a solution suitable for spray application to algae or plants comprising (a) from 0.1 to 0.6 percent based on the weight of the total formulation, endotalus or salt thereof, (b) from 0.1 to 0.6 percent based on the weight of the total formulation, of an ammonium salt, (c) from 50 to 400 ppm of a glutamine synthetase inhibitor, and (d) from 0 to 6 percent based in the weight of the total formulation, of endothall of an active surface agent. 7. The composition of claim 1, in formulation wherein for each endothelial part the formulation contains from 5 to 15 parts of an ammonium salt, 0.05-0.5 parts of a glutamine synthetase inhibitor and from 0 to 15 parts of an active surface. 8. A method for increasing the effectiveness of drying of the endothall or salt thereof when applied to chlorophyll-containing plants, the method comprising concurrently with it an effective amount of (a) an ammonium salt, (b) an inhibitor of glutamine synthetase, and optionally, an active surface agent. The method of claim 8, wherein the ammonium salt is ammonium chloride, ammonium nitrite, ammonium sulfate or ammonium phosphate. The method of claim 8, wherein the glutamine synthetase inhibitor is methionine sulfoxine, tabatoxin-B-lactimate, phosphinothricins, oxetine and 5,5-hydroxy sine. The method of claim 8, wherein the glutamine synthetase inhibitor is glufosinate. The method of claim 8, wherein the surface active agent is a surfactant. The method of claim 8, wherein the composition is in a solution suitable for spraying application for the algae or the plant comprising: (a) from 0.1 to 0.6 percent based on the weight of the total formulation, endothall or a salt thereof, (b) from 0.1 to 0.6 percent based on the weight of the total formulation, of an ammonium salt, (c) from 50 to 400 ppm of a glutamine synthetase inhibitor, and (d) from 0 to 6 percent based on the weight of the total formulation, of endothall of an active surface agent. The method of claim 8, wherein the composition is a formulation wherein for each endothelial part the formulation contains from 5 to 15 parts of an ammonium salt, 0.05-0.5 parts of a glutamine synthetase inhibitor and 0 to 15 parts of an active surface agent. 1 5. The method of claim 8, where the plant is cotton, potato vine, alfalfa or clover. RESU MEN This invention relates to an improved composition of matter and method for drying plants, such as, for example, cotton. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved desiccant composition comprising an endothall solution, an ammonium salt, a glutamine synthetase inhibitor, and optionally, an active surface agent and a method for using the composition.