A composition for regulating plant growth, a plant growth regulator, and use thereof

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of plant growth regulator, in particular to a kind of composition for regulating plant growth, plant growth regulator and application thereof.The present application finds that quercetagetin has the function of promoting plant growth, and further provides the new use of quercetagetin in the aspect of plant growth regulator.The present application obtains plant growth regulator by compounding quercetagetin with naphthalene acetic acid and indole butyric acid, wherein quercetagetin, naphthalene acetic acid and indole butyric acid synergistically act, can effectively promote the root system growth and development and the growth of aboveground part, significantly improve the yield of fresh flowers, have obvious promoting effect on yield increase and efficiency increase of marigold planting, and have good application value and prospect in marigold agricultural production.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of plant growth regulators, and more particularly to a composition for regulating plant growth, a plant growth regulator, and its application. Background Technology

[0002] Marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) is an annual herbaceous plant belonging to the genus Tagetes in the family Asteraceae. It is widely cultivated in many regions and has significant applications in food, medicine, cosmetics, and animal feed. In recent years, abnormal global climate change has had a considerable adverse impact on the cultivation and high yield of marigolds. Therefore, there is a need to develop plant growth regulators that can mitigate the effects of environmental stress on marigold growth and promote increased yield and improved quality.

[0003] Plant growth regulators play a significant role in regulating plant growth, solving many problems that traditional agronomic methods cannot address, and making important contributions to agricultural production and development. They have become one of the main measures for increasing agricultural yield, improving quality, and enhancing efficiency. With the widespread use of plant growth regulators, their safety has received increasing attention, and international standards for residue limits are becoming increasingly stringent. Therefore, developing low-toxicity, highly effective, and environmentally friendly natural plant growth regulators is particularly important.

[0004] Most existing plant growth regulators are effective against a wide range of plants and have broad-spectrum growth-promoting effects, but their effect on marigolds is relatively poor, making it difficult to meet the needs of increased yield and efficiency for marigolds. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop plant growth regulators with better growth-promoting effects for marigolds. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention provides a composition for regulating plant growth, a plant growth regulator, and its application.

[0006] Quercetagetin (QG) is currently mainly used in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and animal feed industries, and there are no reports of it having plant growth-promoting functions. During the research and development process, this invention unexpectedly discovered that quercetagetin can promote plant growth, especially significantly promoting the growth of the above-ground parts of marigolds. Therefore, it can be used as a plant growth regulator to promote plant growth and increase yield.

[0007] Specifically, the present invention provides the following technical solutions:

[0008] In a first aspect, the present invention provides any of the following applications of quercetin:

[0009] (1) Application in the preparation of plant growth regulators or fertilizers;

[0010] (2) Application in promoting plant growth and / or increasing yield.

[0011] In the above applications, the plant is a member of the Asteraceae family.

[0012] Preferably, the plant is a plant of the genus Marigold, more preferably Marigold.

[0013] For plants in the Asteraceae family (especially marigolds), the promotion of plant growth is preferably the promotion of the growth of the above-ground parts of the plant. The increase in yield is preferably an increase in the yield of flowers.

[0014] This invention discovers that dipping marigold seedlings in quercetin for root treatment can promote the growth of the above-ground parts of marigolds and significantly increase their fresh and dry weight.

[0015] In this invention, quercetin is a natural flavonol compound that can be extracted from marigold residue, a byproduct of lutein extraction, and its chemical formula is shown in Formula I.

[0016]

[0017] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a composition for regulating plant growth, the composition comprising the following components in parts by weight: 1-3 parts of quercetin, 1-2 parts of naphthaleneacetic acid, and 1-2 parts of indolebutyric acid.

[0018] Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and indolebutyric acid (IBA) are used as active ingredients in plant growth regulators to promote rooting and growth. This invention reveals that a composition obtained by compounding quercetin with NAA and IBA in the above-mentioned proportions can not only significantly promote the growth of the above-ground parts of plants, but also promote root growth and development.

[0019] In some embodiments of the present invention, the composition comprises quercetin, naphthaleneacetic acid, and indolebutyric acid in a mass ratio of (1-2):1:1.

[0020] The quercetin used in this invention can be a soluble powder. When using quercetin powder, it is preferable to add 1%-5% of a solubilizer. The solubilizer comprises methanol and / or ethanol.

[0021] The naphthaleneacetic acid and indolebutyric acid used in this invention can be soluble solvents. In addition to containing naphthaleneacetic acid or indolebutyric acid, the soluble solvent also contains a solvent. Water is the preferred solvent.

[0022] Thirdly, the present invention provides any of the following applications of the compositions described above:

[0023] (1) Application in the preparation of plant growth regulators or fertilizers;

[0024] (2) Application in promoting plant growth and / or increasing yield.

[0025] In the above applications, the plant is a member of the Asteraceae family.

[0026] Preferably, the plant is a plant of the genus Marigold, more preferably Marigold.

[0027] Preferably, promoting plant growth includes promoting the growth of the above-ground parts of the plant and the growth of the root system. The increase in yield is preferably an increase in flower yield.

[0028] Fourthly, the present invention provides a plant growth regulator, the plant growth regulator comprising quercetin or a composition comprising the above-described.

[0029] In some embodiments of the present invention, the active ingredients of the plant growth regulator include quercetin and a rooting agent.

[0030] The plant rooting agent may be a compound or composition, including but not limited to commercially available plant rooting agents, indoleacetic acid, indolebutyric acid, naphthaleneacetic acid, sodium nitrophenolate, etc.

[0031] In some embodiments of the present invention, the active ingredient of the plant growth regulator comprises the above-described composition for regulating plant growth.

[0032] Optionally, in addition to the active ingredient, the plant growth regulator may also contain excipients permitted in the field of plant growth regulators, such as solvents and solubilizers.

[0033] Fifthly, the present invention provides a method for promoting plant growth and / or increasing yield, the method comprising: applying quercetin or the composition described above or the plant growth regulator to the plant.

[0034] In the above method, the plant is a plant of the Asteraceae family.

[0035] Preferably, the plant is a plant of the genus Marigold, more preferably Marigold.

[0036] Preferably, the application is performed at the end of the seedling stage and before transplanting; and / or after transplanting.

[0037] Preferably, when applied at the end of the seedling stage and before transplanting, the application method is root dipping treatment.

[0038] Preferably, when applying quercetin, the concentration of quercetin used in root dipping treatment is 150-300 mg / L.

[0039] When applying the composition, the concentration of quercetin used in the root dipping treatment is 100-300 mg / L, the concentration of naphthaleneacetic acid is 100-200 mg / L, and the concentration of indolebutyric acid is 100-200 mg / L.

[0040] Preferably, the root dipping treatment time is 10s-30s.

[0041] This invention, through experimental verification, has shown that dipping marigold seedlings in quercetin before transplanting, after the seedling stage, significantly promotes the growth of the above-ground parts of the marigold, under normal seedling management. Dipping marigold seedlings in the aforementioned composition, under normal seedling management, significantly promotes the elongation of root organs and tissues, promotes root growth, and allows seedlings to quickly adapt to the soil environment, while also significantly promoting the growth of the above-ground parts. In field trials, under normal field management, it significantly increases the yield of marigold flowers. Preventative treatment of marigold seedling roots before environmental stress can enhance the plant's resistance to environmental stress, enabling normal growth under stress conditions. By promoting plant growth or preventing plant diseases, it can enhance the seedlings' resilience, making them more adaptable to new growing environments during transplanting, increasing transplant survival rates, and ultimately improving crop yield or quality. Applying quercetin or the above-described combination or the plant growth regulator to marigold seedlings after transplanting can alleviate the climatic stress on marigolds and improve their tolerance to environmental stress.

[0042] The beneficial effects of this invention include at least the following: This invention discovers that quercetin has the function of promoting plant growth, thus providing a new application for quercetin as a plant growth regulator. Dipping marigold seedlings in quercetin before transplanting significantly increases the above-ground yield of marigolds. Furthermore, quercetin is a non-toxic and harmless natural product derived from marigold flowers, making it a green and environmentally friendly plant-derived growth regulator. Due to the high yield, wide availability, and good stability of marigolds, quercetin has good application value and prospects in agricultural production, and is of great significance from the perspectives of ecological protection and nutritional safety.

[0043] This invention provides a plant growth regulator by compounding quercetin with naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and indolebutyric acid (IBA). The synergistic effect of quercetin with NAA and IBA not only improves seedling survival and rooting rates, facilitating seedling production and transplanting, but also effectively promotes root development and above-ground growth. Dipping marigold seedlings in this plant growth regulator before transplanting increases the fresh weight of both the above-ground plant and roots by over 20%, and significantly increases flower yield. This invention significantly promotes increased production and efficiency in marigold cultivation, addressing the problem of poor yield and efficiency of existing plant growth regulators for Asteraceae plants. Furthermore, it offers advantages such as ease of use, no complex treatment steps, simple operation, and ease of implementation, demonstrating significant application value and promising prospects in marigold agricultural production. Detailed Implementation

[0044] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the technical solutions of this invention will be clearly and completely described below. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0045] The quercetin used in the following examples is commercially available.

[0046] The commercially available rooting agents used in the following examples are commercially available rooting agents with the following active ingredient content (5%): indolebutyric acid 2.5%; naphthaleneacetic acid 2.5%, acidity ≤20%.

[0047] Example 1

[0048] This embodiment provides a composition for regulating plant growth, the composition comprising the following components in parts by weight: 2 parts quercetin, 1 part naphthaleneacetic acid, and 1 part indolebutyric acid.

[0049] Example 2

[0050] This embodiment provides a composition for regulating plant growth, the composition comprising the following components in parts by weight: 1 part quercetin, 1 part naphthaleneacetic acid, and 1 part indolebutyric acid.

[0051] Experimental Example 1

[0052] In this experiment, marigold seedlings were treated with root-dipping therapy using quercetin and the compositions from Examples 1 and 2, respectively, to examine their effects on the growth of marigold roots and above-ground parts. Details are as follows:

[0053] Marigold seeds were sown and cultivated. When the marigold seedlings grew to a stem diameter of about 0.3cm, a plant height of 15-20cm, and had 3-4 true leaves (i.e., before transplanting), marigold seedlings with uniform plant and root growth were selected. Rooting agents were applied to the seedlings using quercetin (QG, 250mg / L concentration for root dipping), commercially available rooting agents (after experimental testing, diluted 200 times for root dipping, with concentrations of naphthaleneacetic acid 125mg / L and indolebutyric acid 125mg / L), and a combination of commercially available rooting agents and quercetin (concentration of quercetin for root dipping). Seedlings were treated with a variety of root-dipping agents, including: 250 mg / L quercetin, 125 mg / L naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), 125 mg / L indolebutyric acid (IBA); a combination of NAA and IBA (125 mg / L NAA and IBA for root-dipping treatment); the composition of Example 1 (250 mg / L quercetin, 125 mg / L NAA, IBA for root-dipping treatment); and the composition of Example 2 (125 mg / L quercetin, 125 mg / L NAA, IBA for root-dipping treatment). Root-dipping was a rapid 10-second dip, while the control group received no root-dipping treatment. Ten seedlings were planted in 13 cm diameter nutrient pots and grown for 15 days. Root growth and above-ground growth were measured for each treatment, and the results are shown in Table 1.

[0054] Table 1. Results of fresh and dry weight tests of above-ground and underground parts of marigold seedlings after root dipping.

[0055] Comparison 5.25±0.43a 0.57±0.05a 5.83±0.32a 0.55±0.02a Commercially available rooting agents 5.03±0.72a 0.59±0.04a 7.52±0.66b 0.71±0.03b Commercially available rooting agent + QG 6.45±0.42b 0.69±0.03b 6.73±0.46b 0.65±0.02b QG 6.35±0.36b 0.68±0.02b 5.57±0.45a 0.51±0.04a Naphthaleneacetic acid + Indolebutyric acid 5.33±0.43a 0.52±0.03a 5.56±0.59a 0.57±0.03a The composition of Example 1 6.37±0.27b 0.65±0.01b 7.32±0.63b 0.75±0.05b The composition of Example 2 6.41±0.25b 0.67±0.02b 7.41±0.61b 0.79±0.06b

[0056] Note: Different lowercase letters in the same column indicate significant differences (p < 0.05), the same applies below. Data in the table are mean ± standard deviation (n = 3). The same applies below.

[0057] The above results indicate that, compared with the control group, the fresh and dry weight of the aboveground parts of marigold seedlings significantly increased after root dipping with quercetin, demonstrating that quercetin effectively promotes the growth of the aboveground parts of marigold plants. Similarly, adding quercetin to commercially available rooting agents also significantly increased the fresh and dry weight of the aboveground parts of marigold seedlings. After root dipping marigold seedlings with the compositions of Examples 1 and 2, the fresh and dry weights of both the aboveground and root parts of the marigolds significantly increased. Compared with other groups, the growth of the aboveground and underground parts of the marigold seedlings was most balanced, showing the best growth-promoting effect. This indicates that quercetin, naphthaleneacetic acid, and indolebutyric acid can work synergistically to simultaneously promote the growth of both the aboveground and root parts of marigold plants.

[0058] Experiment Example 2

[0059] In this experiment, commercially available rooting agents and the compositions from Examples 1 and 2 were used to treat marigold seedlings by root dipping, followed by field trials, as detailed below:

[0060] Marigold seeds were sown and cultivated. When the marigold seedlings grew to a stem diameter of about 0.3 cm, a plant height of 15-20 cm, and had 3-4 true leaves (i.e., before transplanting), marigold seedlings with uniform plant and root growth were selected. The seedlings were then treated with a commercially available rooting agent and the compositions of Examples 1 and 2, respectively, by root dipping. For the root dipping treatment, each preparation was used according to the following dosages: Commercially available rooting agent: diluted 200 times; Composition of Example 1: quercetin concentration of 250 mg / L, naphthaleneacetic acid concentration of 125 mg / L, and indolebutyric acid concentration of 125 mg / L; Composition of Example 2: quercetin concentration of 125 mg / L, naphthaleneacetic acid concentration of 125 mg / L, and indolebutyric acid concentration of 125 mg / L. The root-dipping treatment involved rapid root dipping for 10 seconds, while the control group did not undergo root-dipping treatment. Each group consisted of 120 seedlings, which were transplanted into the ground for cultivation. The yield during the flowering period was measured.

[0061] Marigold seedlings were planted in Shitoushan Industrial Park, Tengchong City in 2023 after root dipping. The weight of fresh marigold flowers harvested on different dates is shown in Table 2.

[0062] Table 2. Harvesting weight of fresh marigold flowers

[0063]

[0064] The above results indicate that marigold seedlings treated with commercially available rooting agents, the compositions of Examples 1 and 2 (root dipping), and the total yield of fresh flowers were all higher than the control group, especially the yield of the first four rounds of flowers. Among them, the root dipping treatment using the composition of Example 1 resulted in higher yields of fresh flowers in each round and the total yield compared to the treatment with commercially available rooting agents, demonstrating the best yield-increasing effect. The effect of Example 2 was second best, but both were superior to commercially available rooting agents.

[0065] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A composition for regulating plant growth, characterized in that, The active ingredient of the composition consists of the following components in parts by weight: 1-3 parts of quercetin, 1-2 parts of naphthaleneacetic acid, and 1-2 parts of indolebutyric acid.

2. A plant growth regulator, characterized in that, The plant growth regulator includes the composition of claim 1.

3. Application of quercetin in promoting plant growth and / or increasing yield; The plant in question is marigold; The applications include: Apply quercetin to the plant; The application is to be performed at the end of the plant seedling stage and before the seedlings are transplanted. The application method is root dipping treatment, and the concentration of quercetin used in the root dipping treatment is 150-300 mg / L.

4. The use of the composition of claim 1 in promoting plant growth and / or increasing yield; The plant in question is marigold; The applications include: The composition is applied to the plant; The application is to be performed at the end of the plant seedling stage and before the seedlings are transplanted. The application method is root dipping treatment, and the concentration of quercetin used in the root dipping treatment is 100-300 mg / L, the concentration of naphthaleneacetic acid is 100-200 mg / L, and the concentration of indolebutyric acid is 100-200 mg / L.

5. A method for promoting plant growth and / or increasing yield, characterized in that, The method includes: applying quercetin or the composition of claim 1 to the plant; The plant in question is marigold; The application is to be performed at the end of the plant seedling stage and before the seedlings are transplanted. The application method is root dipping treatment; When applying quercetin, the concentration of quercetin used for root dipping treatment is 150-300 mg / L. When applying the composition according to claim 1, the concentration of quercetin used in the root dipping treatment is 100-300 mg / L, the concentration of naphthaleneacetic acid is 100-200 mg / L, and the concentration of indolebutyric acid is 100-200 mg / L.

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