WO2005060755A1

WO2005060755A1 - Composition and method for controlling fruit production in ornamental plants

Info

Publication number: WO2005060755A1
Application number: PCT/IL2004/001156
Authority: WO
Inventors: Moshe Shemesh; Oded Shemesh
Original assignee: BOTANIC AGRICULTURAL RESEARCHES Ltd
Current assignee: BOTANIC AGRICULTURAL RESEARCHES Ltd
Priority date: 2003-12-22
Filing date: 2004-12-22
Publication date: 2005-07-07
Anticipated expiration: 2006-06-22
Also published as: IL159498A0

Abstract

A method for preventing or reducing the production of fruit in ornamental plants. The present invention teaches treating an ornamental plant with a composition containing at least one auxin and at least one gibberellin in order to reduce or prevent the production of fruit. Optionally, the composition of the present invention may also include at least one cytokinin. The method of the present invention is also useful in increasing the abscission of premature fruit from ornamental plants. Optionally and preferably the composition of the present invention is applied to the plant by drilling a hole in the plant, injecting the composition into the plant and then sealing the hole, and is applied to the plant at least once a year.

Description

COMPOSITION AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING FRUIT PRODUCTION IN ORNAMENTAL PLANTS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention is of a method for treating an ornamental plant to prevent or reduce the production of fruit by the application of a composition containing plant hormones, and in particular, for such a method in which the composition contains auxins, gibberellins and optionally cytokinins.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There are several species of Ficus trees, several of which are used as ornamental plants in most regions of Israel. The frees were imported to Israel in the early years of the 20^th century as ornamental plants, and until the 1970's tens of thousands of Ficus frees were planted. The frees were used for shade and since they are evergreen, their fruit did not ripen; instead, fruit fell from the free in an unripe state, and there was no abscission of leaves. At the beginning of the 1970's, several wasps (www.sel.barc.usda.gov. /scalenet/scalenethtm) that live in a symbiotic relationship with the Ficus frees were brought to Israel, including Platyscapa quadraticeps which is symbiotic to Ficus Religiosa and Ceratosolen arahicus which is symbiotic to Ficus Sycomorus. The symbiotic wasps cause the maturation and ripening of Ficus fruit, resulting in birds eating the fruit, abscission of ripe fruit, and hence fouled sidewalks and cars near the frees. Today, the Ficus frees are considered to be an environmental nuisance, rather than a decorative shade free. As of now, no solution for the problem introduced by the ripening and abscission of Ficus free fruits has been suggested. Plant hormones (i.e., plant-growth regulators) play an important role in controlling plant growth and development. These compounds are useful for altering a plant's life processes or structure in some beneficial way so as to enhance yield, improve quality or regulate fruit production and abscission. Growth-regulating compounds that are produced by plants are generally classified as one of five types of hormone: auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins, ethylene and Abscisic acid (ABA). One class of plant hormone, auxins and their synthetic mimics (pgec- genome.ars.usda.gov/THEOLOGIS_LAB_DIR/research_interest.html), are of particular interest. Auxin or auxin-like activity is known to affect a number of plant processes, such as cell division, rooting at the basal end of shoots, shoot elongation, apical dominance, photofropic responses and control of abscission of organs such as buds, flowers, fruits, leaves and the like, as well as control of the production of fruit. It is known that auxin moves within the free from the upper level towards the roots (www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publications.htm7SEQ_NO_l 15

=120755). Auxin travels from cell to cell being taken up on one side of the cell by influx transporters in the plasma membrane and moved out on the other side by efflux transporters - called PIN proteins - to a location where it can then be taken up by the adjacent cell. Thus, the distribution in the cell of these two types of transporter proteins establishes the direction in which auxin travels. Auxins also play a role in the abscission of leaves and fruits. The abscission of the young fruit and leaves depends on the production of ethylene, which in turn depends on the gradient of auxin between the leaf or fruit and the main branch of the plant. Young leaves and fruits produce large quantities of auxin and as long as they do so, the gradient of auxin is directed from the fruit or leaves toward the branch (i.e. there is a higher concentration at the fruit or leaves and a lower concentration at the branch), and thus there is little or no production of ethylene. When there is little ethylene in the branch, the fruit or leaves remain attached to the stem. When the fruits ripen, the auxin level produced by them declines and thus the gradient of auxin is directed from the branch toward the fruit. In this situation ethylene is produced, causing the formation of a special layer of cells — the abscission layer — at the base of the petiole or fruit stalk. Soon the petiole or fruit stalk breaks free at this point and the leaf or fruit falls to the ground. As described above, the trigger for production of the abscission layer is the hormone ethylene. The gibberellins (GAs) are tefracyclic diterpenes that occur in higher plants. Some of them . function as native regulators of plant development such as stem elongation. Unlike the classification of auxins which are classified on the basis of function, gibberellins are classified on the basis of structure as well as function. All gibberellins are derived from the ent-gibberellane skeleton. All gibberellins are acidic compounds and are therefore also called gibberellic acids (GA) with a different subscript to distinguish between them. GA's are widespread and as is currently known are ubiquitous in both flowering

(angiosperms) and non-flowering (gymnosperms) plants as well as ferns. They have also been isolated from lower plants such as mosses and algae, fungal species and bacterial species. 126 GA's have been isolated, most of which are probably inactive precursors or breakdown products of active gibberellins. Only little is known about gibberellin signal perception and fransduction pathways. One optional and current hypothesis is that the plant hormone gibberellin is perceived by a (probably membrane bound) receptor molecule and sends a signal via second messengers, from the plasma membrane to the nucleus. In the nucleus franscription factors are activated, and the franscription factors initiate the expression of a target gene. The product of the expressed gene regulates complex physiological reactions. Active gibberellins show many physiological effects, many dependent on the type of gibberellin present as well as the species of plant. Some of the physiological processes stimulated by gibberellins include stimulation of stem elongation, stimulation of cell division, stimulation of flowering, breaking of seed dormancy, sex expression, cause parthenocarpic (seedless) fruit development and delay of senescence in leaves and fruits. Cytokinins may be regarded as derivatives of adenine, which is a purine compound. The biological effects of cytokinins are stated to be cell division, preservation of chlorophyll, expansion of young leaves, formation of new shoots or roots, outgrowth of lateral buds, promotion of seed germination and breaking of dormancy. Cytokimns have been implicated in many plant activities, usually along with some other plant hormone such as auxin or ethylene. The combination of auxins and cytokinins influences the differentiation of the plant cells from reproductive part to vegetative part, for example being active in mitosis, chloroplast development, differentiation of the shoot meristem, differentiation of the tissues of the root, leaf formation and leaf senescence.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The background art does not teach or suggest a method for prevention or reduction of fruit production in ornamental plants such as ornamental frees. The background art also does not teach or suggest an effective way to freat an ornamental plant such that the effective ingredient is not lost in the environment of the plant. The present invention overcomes these deficiencies of the background art by providing a method for the reduction or prevention of production of fruit in ornamental plants, by application of a composition including at least one auxin and at least one gibberellin. The method is useful for reducing the production of fruit in ornamental plants, including ornamental trees such as ficus trees for example, including but not limited to Ficus benjamina, Ficus oblique, Ficus religiosa, Ficus retusa, Ficus Sicomorus, Ficus rubiginosa and Ficus elastica Abidjan, and thus solves the problem presented by the fruit of these frees. The method is also suitable for increasing abscission of premature fruit in these frees. The method of the present invention is preferably performed by applying a composition comprising at least one auxin and at least one gibberellin in an effective amount to an ornamental plant. Optionally and preferably the composition additionally includes also at least one cytokinin in an effective amount. Herein after the term "ornamental plant" refers to a plant or free, for which the main use is not the production of fruit for human consumption. An ornamental plant can optionally be used for shade, decoration, demarcation of a boundary such as for separation between properties, providing a screen for example for privacy and so forth. Examples for such ornamental trees include but are not limited to Ficus frees, Palm frees and hedges. Herein after the term "effective amount" refers to an amount of an auxin and gibberellin compound of the present invention which is sufficient to induce the desired response. In general the response is preferably to reduce the production of fruit, or optionally to at least increase the abscission of premature fruit as described above. Herein after the term "abscission" refers to the loss of organs such as leaves, flowers, fruits or other plant parts as a result of separation of the organ from the plant stem. Typically, this occurs as a result of dissolution of the abscission layer at the base of the organ, such as the leaf petiole as described above. The composition is preferably applied to the treated plant by drilling a hole in the trunk of the plant, injecting the composition into the hole and then sealing the hole so that the plant is not infected by bacteria. Preferably, the composition is applied to the plant at least once a year, selected from wintertime, spring time and summer time. More preferably, the composition is applied to the plant at least semi-seasonally. Most preferably, the composition is applied to the plant in the nighttime, thus using the natural plant metabolism to transport the active ingredients in the composition to all parts of the plant. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method for prevention or reduction of production of fruit in ornamental plants, the method comprising applying a composition containing at least one auxin and at least one gibberellin in an effective amount. Optionally and preferably, the ornamental plant is a ficus tree. Preferably, the effective amount of the auxin comprises from about 0.5 to about 20 ppm per kilogram of biomass of the plant in the used composition, and the effective amount of the gibberellin comprises from about 0.2 to about 4 ppm per kilogram of biomass of the plant in the used composition. Preferably the at least one auxin used in the composition is selected from a group containing 2,4-D acid solution, 2,4-D acid stock solution, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, 4-bromophenoxyacetic acid, a-Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), frιdole-3 -acetic acid

(IAA), Indole-3 -butyric acid (IB A), Indole-3 -butyric acid (K-IBA), frιdole-3-propionic acid, Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and p-chlorophenoxyacetic acid. Preferably the at least one gibberellin used in the composition is selected from a group containing gibberellic acid, gibberellic acid 3 solution (optionally 13,000 ppm), gibberellin A4 and gibberellin A7. Optionally and preferably, the composition further contains a cytokinin in an effective amount. Preferably the effective amount of the cytokinin comprises from about

0.005 to about 0,1 ppm per kilogram of the biomass of the plant in the used composition.

Optionally and preferably the cytokinin is selected from a group containing Zeatin, N6-

Benzoyladenine and Thidiazuron. Optionally and preferably, the composition is applied to the ornamental plant at least once a year. More preferably, the application time is selected from a group containing winter time, spring time and summer time. Most preferably, the composition is applied to the plant during the night. Optionally and preferably, the quantity of the composition applied to the ornamental plant is determined according to at least one property of the plant, selected from a group including but not limited to the biomass of the plant, the location of the plant, the quantity of fruit produced by the plant, the number of branching points in the plant and the height of the lowest branching point in said plant. Optionally and preferably the application of the composition to the ornamental plant further comprises drilling a hole in the plant, applying the composition via the drilled hole and shutting the hole. Preferably, the composition increases the abscission of premature fruit from said ornamental plant. According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention there is provided a method for applying a composition for prevention or reduction of production of fruit in ornamental plants, comprising applying the composition containing at least one auxin and at least one gibberellin to the plant on at least a semi-seasonal basis. Optionally and preferably the semi-seasonal basis includes wintertime, spring time and summer time. The exact time of the semi-seasonal basis is determined according to at least one property of the environment of the plant, selected from a group including but not limited to the area of growth of the plant, the climate in that area, the altitude in that area, the time of seasonal change and the average temperature during and prior to the application of the composition to the plant. Most preferably, the composition is applied to the plant during the night. According to yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method for applying a composition for prevention or reduction of production of fruit to ornamental plants, the composition containing at least one auxin and at least one gibberellin, the method comprising drilling a hole in the ornamental plant, applying the composition to the plant and sealing the hole. Optionally and preferably the depth of drilling is determined according to the quantity of said composition to be applied, and/or according to at least one property of the ornamental plant selected from a group including by not limited to the size of the trunk, the quantity of resin produced by the plant and the rate of resin production by the plant. Optionally and preferably the angle of drilling is determined according to at least one property of the plant, for example the location of xylem in the plant. Optionally and more preferably the location of drilling is determined according to at least one property of the plant, selected from a group including but not limited to the shape of the plant, the age of the plant, the history of the plant and the height of the lowest branching point in the plant. Preferably, the hole is sealed by inserting a conical cork into the hole. Optionally and preferably the width of the cork is in the range of from about 15 to about 19 millimeters. According to further preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a use of a chemical composition comprising at least one auxin and at least one gibberellin for preventing or reducing fruit development. According to an additional preferred embodiment of the present invention there is provided a composition for preventing or reducing the production of fruit in ornamental plants, comprising at least one auxin and at least one gibberellin in an effective amount.

Optionally and preferably the composition further comprises at least one cytokinin in an effective amount. Preferably, the effective amount of the auxin comprises from about 0.5 to about 20 ppm per kilogram of biomass of the ornamental plant in the composition and the effective amount of the gibberellin comprises from about 0.2 to about 4 ppm per kilogram of biomass of the plant in the composition. Optionally and preferably the effective amount of said cytokinin comprises from about 0.005 to about 0.1 ppm per kilogram of biomass of the plant in the composition. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, suitable methods and materials are described below. All publications, patent applications, patents, and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. In case of conflict, the patent specification, including definitions, will control.

In addition, the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention is herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. With specific reference now to the drawings in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the preferred embodiments of the present invention only, and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the invention in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be embodied in practice- In the drawings: FIG. 1 is a flow chart of an exemplary method of application for the present invention. FIG. 2 shows the chemical formulas of auxins optionally used for the method of the present invention. FIG. 3 shows the chemical formulas of gibberellins optionally used for the method of the present invention. FIG. 4 shows the chemical formulas of cytokinins optionally used for the method of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention is of a method for prevention or reduction of production of fruit in ornamental plants, by applying a composition containing a plurality of plant hormones in an effective amount to the plant. The composition is optionally and preferably applied to the trunk of the ornamental plant by drilling a hole in the trunk. An additional optional effect of the method of the present invention is the increasing of abscission of premature fruit in ornamental plants, for example in ficus trees. The invention includes compositions containing at least one auxin and at least one gibberellin; without wishing to be limited by a single hypothesis, these hormones are believed to cause cells in the plant to change their behavior and to enable the auxin hormone to move upwards. The combination has been shown to be effective in stopping the Ficus free fruit from ripening. Optionally and preferably, a third component, known as a cytokinine (such as zeatin) is added to the composition. A possible hypothesis as to the action of the composition is by interfering with auxin transport, and not changing the gibberellin activity. It was found that the application of the above mixture of 3 plant hormones, including at least one gibberellin, at least one auxin and at least one cytokinin , stops the fruit in ficus frees from ripening, possibly due to the changes in auxin franslocation as described above. The present invention optionally and preferably provides a method for reducing or preventing the production of fruit in ornamental plants. The method preferably includes applying a composition containing at least one auxin and at least one gibberellin in an effective amount. Optionally and more preferably, the composition additionally includes also at least one cytokinin in an effective amount. The method of the present invention is preferably applied to Ficus frees, including but not limited to Ficus benjamina, Ficus oblique, Ficus religiosa, Ficus retusa, Ficus Sicomorus, Ficus rubiginosa and Ficus elastica Abidjan. However, the present invention may optionally be applied to other ornamental plants, such as palm frees for example. One important ingredient of the composition for use in the method of the present invention is an effective amount of at least one auxin. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the auxin used is optionally and preferably A- Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) or Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). However, the method of the present invention may optionally be practiced using any of a large variety of auxins including but not limited to 2,4-D acid solution, 2,4-D acid stock solution, 2,4- dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, 4-bromophenoxyacetic acid, a-Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), Indole-3 -butyric acid (DBA), Indole-3 -propionic acid, Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and p-chlorophenoxyacetic acid. The chemical formulas for several of the detailed auxins are shown in figure 2. Another important ingredient of the composition is an effective amount of at least one gibberellin. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the gibberellin used is optionally and preferably gibberellic acid (GA3). However, the method of the present invention may optionally be practiced using any of a large variety of gibberellins including but not limited to gibberellin A3 solution (optionally 13,000 ppm), gibberellin A4 and gibberellin A7. The chemical formulas for several of the detailed gibberellins are shown in figure 3. According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, preferably the amount of auxin in the composition comprises from about 0.01 to about 5 ppm per kilogram of the free's biomass, and more preferably from about 1 to about 3 ppm per kilogram of the free's biomass. Preferably the amount of gibberellin in the composition comprises from about 0.01 to about 3 ppm per kilogram of the tree's biomass, and more preferably from about 0.1 to about 2 ppm per kilogram of the free's biomass. All amounts are given as weight per weight percent. However, the exact quantity of each of the hormones is preferably determined according to at least one property of the composition or according to at least one property of the treated plant, and preferably also according to the season in which the plant is treated. Optional properties include but are not limited to the exact type of hormone used, the free species and the environment in which the free is found (including for example the climate, altitude and so forth). According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the composition optionally and preferably includes in addition to an auxin and a gibberellin also at least one cytokinin. The preferred cytokinin used for the present invention is N6-

Benzoyladenine, but optionally other cytokinins may be used, such as zeatin and thidiazuron. The chemical formulas for several of the detailed cytokinins are shown in figure 4. Preferably the amount of cytokinin in the composition comprises from about

0.0005 to about 0.1 ppm per kilogram of the free's biomass, and more preferably from about 0.001 to about 0.05 ppm per kilogram of the free's biomass. The composition contains at least one auxin, preferably NAA, in aqueous solution and at least one gibberellin, preferably GA3, in aqueous solution. Optionally and preferably, the composition additionally contains at least one cytokinin, preferably N6- Benzoyladenine, and an additional auxin, preferably DBA, in powder form. The composition is preferably prepared by mixing all the components together. Numerous solvents may optionally be used as carriers for the active compounds of the present invention, for example water or an organic solvent, as long as the solvent causes no harm to the treated plant. Mixtures of water and organic solvents, either as solutions or emulsions, can also optionally be employed as inert carriers for the active compounds. The compositions of the present invention may also optionally include adjuvants or carriers such as talc, pyrophyllite, synthetic fine silica, attapulgus clay (attaclay), kieselguhr, chalk, diatomaceous earth, lime, calcium carbonate, bentonite, fuller's earth, cottonseed hulls, wheat flour, soybean flour pumice, tripoli, wood flour, walnut shell flour, redwood flour and lignin. In addition, it may optionally be desirable to incorporate a surfactant and /or a wetting agent in the compositions of the present invention. Such wetting agents may be employed in both solid and liquid compositions. The wetting agent can be anionic, canonic or nonionic in character. Typical classes of wetting agents include alkyl sulfonate salts, alkylaryl sulfonate salts, alkyl sulfate salts, alkylamide sulfonate salts, alkylaryl polyether alcohols, fatty acid esters of polyhydric alcohols and the alkylene oxide addition products of such esters, and addition products of long chain mercaptans and alkylene oxides. The volume (and concentration) of the composition that is applied to the plant may optionally and preferably be determined according to at least one property of the composition or of the plant. Optional such properties include the exact type of auxin and gibberellin included in the composition, the biomass of the plant, the location of the plant, the quantity of fruit produced by the plant, the number of branching points in the plant and the height of the lowest branching point. Aside from these properties, the volume (concentration) of the composition applied is also optionally and preferably determined by the number of previous treatments. The first treatment of a certain plant will optionally and preferably include the introduction a larger volume of the composition than a subsequent treatment to the same plant. External factors to the plant such as season, climate, altitude and so forth are also preferably considered in the preparation and administration of the composition of the present invention. According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the composition is preferably applied to the plant by drilling a hole in the plant, which may be for example a Ficus tree. The hole is drilled in the trunk of the free, the composition is then inserted into the hole, and finally the hole is sealed to prevent any bacteria from infecting the free. Optionally and preferably, thiabendazole is added to the composition as a fungicide, to further protect the free from being infected. The hole is optionally sealed using a conical cork, with a diameter in range of 15 - 19 millimeter for example. Drilling into the free is more efficient than infroducing the active ingredient by spraying an aqueous solution onto the canopy of the plant, or applying it to the soil for uptake by the plant roots, as less of the active ingredients is lost to the environment of the tree, and as shown below if applied correctly the plant remains healthy and unharmed. In addition, drilling makes it possible to reach the xylem and phloem of the plant, providing for better distribution of the active ingredients to all the parts of the plant. The application of the composition may optionally be divided into several drilling times, depending on at least one property of the composition or of the plant. Optional properties according to which the number of times the plant is drilled in order to introduce the composition may optionally and preferably include the volume of the composition that needs to be inserted into the plant, the circumference of the trunk, the biomass of the plant or on the specific type of plant being treated. A larger volume of composition being introduced into the plant will require more drilling holes (drilling locations). According to a more preferred embodiment of the present invention, the depth of drilling is determined according to at least one property of the composition or of the plant. Optionally and preferably, when a large quantity of the composition is inserted into the free the drilling is to a deeper part in the free in order to reduce the number of times the free is drilled. In plants with a small trunk the drilling is also optionally and preferably deeper, to reduce the number of holes created in the plant. Also in plants that produce a large amount of resin, or in which the flow of resin is fast, the drilling is optionally and preferably deeper, in order to increase the penetrability of the composition, and to insure it does not flow out of the plant with the resin. According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the location in which the plant is drilled is preferably determined according to at least one property of the composition or of the plant, including the shape or structure of the plant, the age of the plant or the plant history. In a plant, for example a Ficus free, where the trunk has a branching point near the ground, each resulting trunk is optionally and preferably treated as if it were a separate free. A free in which the first branching point is over a meter above the ground, is optionally and preferably treated once in a location lower than the branching point, but is optionally and preferably monitored a large number of times. A tree in which the branching point is over 1.5 meters over the ground is treated as a free with no branching point in the trunk, and is optionally and preferably drilled in a single location, and monitored as every other plant would be. According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the angle in which the drilling device is inserted into the plant optionally depends on the type of plant being treated. For example, different Ficus frees have different structures for the xylem and phloem vascular systems. In frees in which the xylem is near the surface of the trunk, the drilling device is optionally and preferably inserted in an acute angle, whereas in frees in which the xylem is located deeper in the trunk, the angle of insertion of the drilling device is preferably more obtuse. Optionally and more preferably, application of the composition to the plant is performed at least once a year. Most preferably, the composition is applied to the plant on at least a semi-seasonal basis, and further most preferably it is applied in the wintertime, in the springtime and in the summer time. The exact application time is dependent on at least one property of the environment in which the plant is grown. Optional such properties include but are not limited to altitude, climate, area of plant growth, time of seasonal change and the average temperature during and prior to the freatment of the plant. In order to enhance the movement of the active ingredients of the composition toward the roots and toward the plant canopy by using the natural night metabolism of the plant, the composition is optionally and preferably applied to the plant at night. The first injection of the composition into the plant is optionally and preferably performed in the beginning of the winter, before the plant undergoes the first cold snap and after the autumn fruit production has finished. This injection increases the concentration of auxins in the upper part of the free, and therefore increases the ethylene production and changes the direction of auxin flow, thus preventing the production of fruit. Optionally and preferably, a second injection of the composition to the plant is performed in the springtime.

Additional objects, advantages, and novel features of the present invention will become apparent to one ordinarily skilled in the art upon examination of the following examples, which are not intended to be limiting. Additionally, each of the various embodiments and aspects of the present invention as delineated hereinabove and as claimed in the claims section below finds experimental support in the following examples. EXAMPLES Reference is now made to the following examples, which together with the above descriptions, illustrate the invention in a non limiting fashion.

EXAMPLE 1 GENERAL EXAMPLE OF THE METHOD OF APPLICATION An exemplary, illustrative description of a method of freatment according to the present invention is provided herein below with regard to the flow chart of Figure 1. As a non-limiting example, the flow chart relates to freatment of a free, such as a Ficus free. In stage 1, the exact type of tree is determined, in order to correctly determine the type of freatment that should be given to the tree. The free height and circumference are measured in stage 2, and according to the found height and circumference, the biomass of the free is then approximated in stage 3. In stage 4, different properties of the free are optionally determined. Optionally and preferably the properties include the location of the free, the structure of the free, the quantity of fruit produced by the free and the location of branching points in the free trunk. Additionally, the time of application of the composition to the free is preferably determined (stage 5). A tree is treated at least once a year, and more preferably is treated at least semi-seasonally. The exact time of application is preferably determined according to at least one property of the free environment as described above. The first injection of the composition into the free is optionally and preferably performed in the beginning of the winter, before the plant undergoes the first cold snap and after the autumn fruit production has finished. Optionally and preferably, a second injection of the composition to the plant is performed in the springtime. Subsequent injections may optionally be applied to the free in the beginning of summer, and at the end of summer. Optionally and preferably, the composition is applied to the free at night, in order to enhance the distribution of the active ingredients to all parts of the free by using the free's natural night metabolism. Next, the dosage of the composition given to the free must be determined (stage

6). Determining the dosage of the composition preferably includes determining the exact type of hormones included in the composition, the proportion of each of the included hormones in the composition, and the volume of the composition which is to be applied to the free. The dosage of the composition is preferably determined according to at least one property of the free, as found in the stages described above. Optional such properties include the biomass of the free as approximated in stage 3, the location of the free, the quantity of fruit produced by the free, the number of branching points in the free trunk and the height of the lowest branching point. Aside for these properties, the volume of the composition applied is also optionally and preferably determined by the number of previous freatments. The first freatment of a certain plant will optionally and preferably include the introduction a larger volume of the composition than a subsequent treatment to the same plant. Once the dosage of the composition to be applied to the free is determined as described above, different drilling parameters are optionally and preferably determined (Stage 7). The drilling parameters optionally include the location, depth and angle of drilling that will be used to apply the composition, and are determined according to at least one property of the free. For example, the depth of drilling may optionally determined according to the flow of resin from the tree. In frees that produce a large amount of resin, the drilling is preferably deeper to ensure that the active ingredients are sufficiently absorbed in the free, before being drained out with the resin. The angle of drilling may optionally and preferably be determined according to the location of the xylem in the free trunk. It is known that different families of frees, and even different types with in the same family (such as different types of Ficus frees), have a different structure of the vascular system. In frees in which the xylem is near the surface of the trunk, the drilling device is optionally and preferably inserted in an acute angle, whereas in frees in which the xylem is located deeper in the trunk, the angle of insertion of the drilling device is preferably more obtuse. Regarding determining the preferred location for drilling, the structure of the free is preferably considered for such a determination. For example, for trees in which the first branching point in the trunk is near the ground, each of the branches is optionally and preferably treated as if it were a separate free and is drilled separately, whereas for frees in which the first branching point is over a meter high the different branches are treated as one unit, and the free is only drilled in one location. When the aforementioned parameters have preferably been determined, the composition is applied into the free (stage 8). In order to apply the composition into the free, a hole is preferably drilled in the free trunk according to the previously determined parameters, and the composition is then inserted into the hole. The hole is then closed with a conical cork, so that bacteria will not infect the free. Optionally and preferably a decision is made regarding subsequent freatment to the free (stage 9). As mentioned above, the tree is preferably treated at least semi- seasonally, and therefore is preferably treated more than once. If a subsequent freatment is decided upon, the process is repeated from stage 5, by determining the timing of the next application of the composition. However, in a case of subsequent freatment no drilling parameters are determined and no drilling is performed (skipping stages 7 and 8), as the composition is injected into the tree by removing the conical cork, inserting the composition, and resealing the hole with the same cork. If necessary, the hole is preferably renewed by using a round metal file with sharp metal teeth in order to remove the dry resin protecting the hole, instead of re-drilling in the free. EXAMPLE 2 PREPARATION OF THE COMPOSITION In order to prepare the composition of the present invention, optionally and preferably the specific hormones for the composition are initially determined, in addition to the quantity of each hormone used. Moreover, the volume of the composition to be applied to the tree is determined as described above in Example 1. The appropriate quantity of the hormones is then dissolved in a solvent, to obtain the volume appropriate for freatment to the plant, as previously described. Numerous solvents may optionally be used as carriers for the active ingredients of the present invention, for example water or an organic solvent, as long as the solvent causes no harm to the treated plant. Mixtures of water and organic solvents, either as solutions or emulsions, can also be employed as inert carriers for the active compounds. The active compounds of the present invention may also optionally include adjuvants or carriers such as talc, pyrophyllite, synthetic fine silica, attapulgus clay (attaclay), kieselguhr, chalk, diatomaceous earth, lime, calcium carbonate, bentonite, fuller's earth, cottonseed hulls, wheat flour, soybean flour pumice, tripoli, wood flour, walnut shell flour, redwood flour and lignin. In addition, it may be desirable to incorporate a surfactant and /or a wetting agent in the compositions of the present invention. Such wetting agents may be employed in both solid and liquid compositions. The wetting agent can be anionic, cationic or nonionic in character. Typical classes of wetting agents include alkyl sulfonate salts, alkylaryl sulfonate salts, alkyl sulfate salts, alkylamide sulfonate salts, alkylaryl polyether alcohols, fatty acid esters of polyhydric alcohols and the alkylene oxide addition products of such esters, and addition products of long chain mercaptans and alkylene oxides.

EXAMPLE 3 TREATMENT OF FICUS RUBIGINOSA This Example demonstrates the use of the composition of the present invention for reduction of production of fruit in Ficus Rubiginosa plants. Ficus Rubiginosa frees were treated with an aqueous solution containing 100 grams of NAA, 0.072 grams of IBA, 0.4 grams of N6-benzoyladeninen and 20 grams of gibberellic acid per liter. In addition, the solution contained 0.4 grams of thiabendazole used as a fungicide, to prevent infection of the treated frees. The freatment was given at four different times in a single year, to four frees. Each of the different frees received a different quantity of the solution at each application, and a control tree did not receive any freatment at all. The solution was applied to the frees by drilling into the tree trunk, inserting the solution into the drilled hole and sealing the hole with a conical cork as described above. Each free was drilled once at the time of the first application of the composition, and the hole was renewed by using a round metalwork file with sharp metal teeth in order to remove the dry resin protecting the hole. The details of the experiment and of the approximated free biomasses are detailed in TABLE 1 below.

TABLE 1

The results of the experiment are brought in Table 2, detailing the average number of fruit per branch found in each free one day after the freatment was given.

TABLE 2

Application of the composition of the present invention to Ficus Rubiginosa frees was clearly effective in reducing the production of fruit in these trees relative to the control free. However, in Tree 4, in the second freatment, a large abscission of leaves from the free occurred, which may be due to the high concenfration of the composition applied to this free in the first freatment. Additionally, in tree 4 there was a large reduction in the production of fruit after the first application of the compound, but by the time of the third and fourth applications the production of fruit was once again at a high level. Without wishing to be limited by a single hypothesis, this may be due to a rebound effect, which happened because in the first application of the composition to the tree a large volume of the composition was introduced, and in later stages a much smaller volume was introduced to this free.

EXAMPLE 4 LONG TERM TREATMENT OF FICUS RETUSA This evaluation demonstrates the use of the composition of the present invention for reduction of production of fruit in Ficus Retusa plants. A Ficus Retusa free with a biomass of 900 kilograms was freated with an aqueous solution containing 100 grams of NAA, 0.072 grams of IB A, 0.4 grams of N6- benzoyladenine and 20 grams of gibberellic acid per liter, hi addition, the solution contained 0.4 grams of thiabendazole used as a fungicide, to prevent infection of the freated free. The freatment was given over a period of five years, each time applying to the tested free 100 CC of the above-mentioned solution. The composition was applied to the free 3 times each year, in the end of autumn, the spring and the summer, wherein the exact dates were defined according to the properties of the environment in which the tree is grown as described above. The solution was applied to the free by drilling into the tree trunk, inserting the solution into the drilled hole and sealing the hole with a conical cork as described above. The free was drilled once at the time of the first application of the composition, and the hole was renewed by using a round metalwork file with sharp metal teeth in order to remove the dry resin protecting the hole. The health of the free was also checked at the time of each application. A free is defined healthy if it has green leaves, is producing new leaves and the drilling hole is clean and has no bacteria or discoloring around it. Further proof to the health of the free was provided when several frees including the freated free were pruned, and no difference was observed between the freated free and the other pruned frees. The results of the experiment are shown in Table 3. TABLE 3

As can be seen in the displayed results, the freated free remained healthy throughout the freatment period, and the production of fruit was greatly reduced. The chemical ingredients used in the composition may be unhealthy for the tree in certain concentrations, but it is clear that the quantities taught in the method of the present invention are safe for the free, as is the drilling system for inserting the composition into the free. Additionally, the average number of fruit per branch remained substantially the same during the treatment years, and was much lower than the average number of fruit measured in the beginning of the experiment.

It is appreciated that certain features of the invention, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention, which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable subcombination.

Although the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims. All publications, patents and patent applications mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated in their entirety by reference into the specification, to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated herein by reference. In addition, citation or identification of any reference in this application shall not be construed as an admission that such reference is available as prior art to the present invention.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A method for prevention or reduction of production of fruit in ornamental plants, the method comprising applying a composition containing at least one auxin and at least one gibberellin in an effective amount.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said ornamental plant is a ficus tree.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said effective amount of said at least one auxin comprises from about 0.5 to about 20 ppm per kilogram of biomass of said plant in said composition.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said effective amount of said at least one gibberellin comprises from about 0.2 to about 4 ppm per kilogram of biomass of said plant in said composition.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said at least one auxin is selected from a group containing 2,4-D acid solution, 2,4-D acid stock solution, 2,4- dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, 4-bromophenoxyacetic acid, a-Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), Indole-3 -acetic acid (IAA), Indole-3 -butyric acid (IB A), Indole-3 -butyric acid (K-IBA), Indole-3 -propionic acid, Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and p- chlorophenoxyacetic acid.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein said at least one gibberellin is selected from a group containing gibberellic acid, gibberellic acid 3 solution (optionally 13,000 ppm), gibberellin A4 and gibberellin A7.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said composition contains a cytokinin in an effective amount.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said effective amount of said cytokinin comprises from about 0.005 to about 0.1 ppm per kilogram of biomass of said plant in said composition.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said cytokinin is selected from a group containing Zeatin, N6-Benzoyladenine and Thidiazuron.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said composition is applied to said ornamental plant at least once a year.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said application time is selected from a group containing winter time, spring time and summer time.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said composition is applied to said plant during the night.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the quantity of said composition applied to said ornamental plant is determined according to at least one property of said plant.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said property comprises the biomass of said plant.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said property comprises the location of said plant.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said property comprises the quantity of fruit produced by said plant.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein said property comprises the number of branching points in said plant.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein said property comprises the height of the lowest branching point in said plant.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein said application of said composition to said ornamental plant further comprises: drilling a hole in the plant; applying said composition via said hole; and shutting said hole;

20. The method of claim 1, wherein. said composition increases the abscission of premature fruit from said ornamental plant.

21. A method for applying a composition for prevention or reduction of production of fruit in ornamental plants, the method comprising applying the composition containing at least one auxin and at least one gibberellin to the plant on at least a semi- seasonal basis.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said at least a semi-seasonal basis includes wintertime, spring time and summer time.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said at least semi-seasonal basis is determined according to at least one property of the environment of said plant, selected from a group including area of growth of said plant, climate in said area, altitude in said area, time of seasonal change and the average temperature during and prior to said application of said composition to said plant.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein said composition is applied to said plant during the night.

25. A method for applying a composition for prevention or reduction of production of fruit to ornamental plants, said composition containing at least one auxin and at least one gibberellin, the method comprising; drilling a hole in said ornamental plant; applying said composition to said plant; and sealing said hole in said ornamental plant.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the depth of said drilling is determined according to the quantity of said composition to be applied.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the depth of said drilling is determined according to at least one property of said ornamental plant.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said property of said ornamental plant comprises the size of the trunk.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein said property of said ornamental plant comprises the quantity of resin produced by said plant.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein said property of said ornamental plant comprises the rate of resin production by said plant.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein the angle of said drilling is determined according to at least one property of said ornamental plant.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said property of said ornamental plant comprises the location of xylem in said plant.

33. The method of claim 25, wherein the location of said drilling is determined according to at least one property of said ornamental plant.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein said property of said ornamental plant comprises the shape of said plant.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein said property of said ornamental plant comprises the age of said plant.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein said property of said ornamental plant comprises the history of said plant.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein said property of said ornamental plant comprises the height of the lowest branching point in said plant.

38. The method of claim 25, wherein said sealing said hole comprises inserting a conical cork into said hole.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the width of said conical cork is in the range of from about 15 to about 19 millimeters.

40. A use of a chemical composition comprising at least one auxin and at least one gibberellin for preventing or reducing fruit development.

41. A composition for preventing or reducing the production of fruit in ornamental plants, the composition comprising at least one auxin and at least one gibberellin in an effective amount.

42. The composition of claim 41 further comprising at least one cytokinin in an effective amount.

43. The composition of claim 41 wherein said effective amount of said at least one auxin comprises from about 0.5 to about 20 ppm per kilogram of biomass of said ornamental plant in said composition.

44. The composition of claim 41 wherein said effective amount of said at least one gibberellin comprises from about 0.2 to about 4 ppm per kilogram of biomass of said ornamental plant in said composition.

45. The composition of claim 42, wherein said effective amount of said cytokinin comprises from about 0.005 to about 0.1 ppm per kilogram of biomass of said ornamental plant in said composition.

46. A method for preventing or reducing fruit development, substantially as described in the text and figures herein.

7. A composition for preventing or reducing fruit development, substantiallybed in the text and figures herein.