Stable and Water-Soluble Plant Growth Regulator Liquid Compositions and Methods for Use of Same

Abstract

Soluble and stable liquid compositions containing a plant growth regulator selected from the group consisting of cytokinin and a gibberellin, an acid solubilizer such as citric acid, tartaric acid or glycolic acid and a solvent; as well as methods for making and using the composition are disclosed. The compositions improve solubility, handling, stability, safety, as well as activity improvements such as improved plant growth, yield, fruit thinning or sizing and quality. The compositions are soluble and stable by adding an ethoxylated alkyl alcohol wherein the growth regulator is 6-benzyladenine (6-BA) or forchlorfenuron (CPPU) and the ethoxylated alcohol surfactant is C12-15 alkyl alcohol in propylene glycol. The compositions may also contain a cytokinin such as 6-benzyladenine (6-BA) or forchlorfenuron (CPPU) that is increased in solubility and activity and by synergistically combined with GA₃ or GA₄A₇ as well as in storage stability by adding an antioxidant. The compositions are formulated in a ready-to-mix formulation.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention is directed to soluble and stable liquid compositions including at least one plant growth regulator, at least one acid solubilizer, at least one surfactant adjuvant, and at least one solvent; as well as methods for making and using the compositions. The soluble liquid composition advantageously improves the preparation, the storage stability, the handler safety and the performance of a plant growth regulator formulation for spray application, as such composition is highly soluble in use dilutions, is easily metered, can be more highly concentrated and is dust-free. A presently preferred soluble liquid composition includes at least one plant growth regulator selected from the group consisting of an adenine cytokinin, an acid solubilizer selected from the group consisting of citric acid, tartaric acid and glycolic acid, a dilution solubilizer comprising a nonionic and / or anionic surfactant blend and a solvent comprising propylene gly...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0023] The invention is also directed to a method of regulating plant growth comprising the step of treating soil, a seed or a plant with an effective growth-regulating amount of the composition described above. The composition of the present invention may be formulated as a ready-to-mix formulation that is diluted in water and spray-applied in order to improve plant growth, yield, fruit thinning, fruit sizing, flowering and quality. The plant is preferably a fruit bearing plant, as for example one that produces grapes, apples, pears, peaches, cherries, lemons, limes, oranges, pistachio or tangerines.

[0024] The invention is also directed to a method of preparing a soluble liquid plant growth regulator formulation comprising the steps of mixing th

Problems solved by technology

Each of the conventional types of formulations has disadvantages, so research to provide improved plant growth regulator formulations continues.

Due to diterpenoid structure of gibberellins containing double bonds and cyclic lactone, they are less stable in liquid form, especially in water.

Gibberellin and cytokinin solution formulations are disadvantageous in several respects.

The solutions, such as those of 6-BA in propylene glycol or THFA, are less concentrated due to low solubility of actives, and GA4+A7 have limited stability due to oxidation or chemical degradation.

The result is that current GA4+A7 products have a limited shelf life due to 10-15% loss per year.

Of the currently used solvents, isopropyl alcohol and methyl alcohol offer severe disadvantages such as flammability and toxicity, which lead to restrictions in manufacturing, packaging, labeling, transportation, and warehousing of such solutions.

A more powerful THFA solvent has to be used in some of the 6-BA formulations, however, THFA is considered corrosive to the eye and skin.

Moreover, low solubility of cytokinins in propylene glycol does not permit preparation of high potency solution formulations.

These low strength solution formulations also require larger packaging, more storage space, and higher associated transportation, warehousing, and container disposal costs.

Due to very low solubility and undesirable hydrolysis, it has not been possible to formulate gibberellins or cytokinins in aqueous systems.

The primary disadvantage of wettable powder and soluble powder formulations is that they tend to produce dust upon handling, such as when pouring, transferring or measuring them.

This dust may pose health hazards.

Further, powder formulations tend to wet poorly and also solubilize slowly upon addition to water.

Formation of lumps or partially solubi

Images