Fallen leaf accelerant for Rayleigh apple and application thereof
A leaf-fall promoter for Ruixue apples was prepared by combining urea, γ-aminobutyric acid and trehalose, which solved the problem of leaf drop in Ruixue apples, enhanced the tree's cold resistance, and achieved a safe and effective leaf-fall effect without affecting the tree's growth in the following year.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- NORTHWEST A & F UNIV
- Filing Date
- 2026-01-30
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-12
AI Technical Summary
Existing technologies are insufficient to effectively promote leaf drop in Ruixue apple trees while simultaneously enhancing the tree's cold resistance, leaving no residue on the tree, and not affecting its growth and development the following year.
Using urea, γ-aminobutyric acid and trehalose as the main components, combined with penetrants and spreading agents, a wettable powder or aqueous solution of Ruixue apple leaf drop promoter is prepared, which promotes leaf drop by spraying the diluent.
It achieves timely leaf drop of Ruixue apple trees, enhances the tree's cold resistance, leaves no residue on the tree, does not affect the tree's growth and development the following year, and is low in cost and easy to use.
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention belongs to the field of apple cultivation technology, and in particular relates to a leaf-fall promoter for Ruixue apples and its application. Background Technology
[0002] Ruixue apples grow vigorously and have difficulty stopping growth and shedding leaves in autumn. In cold winter regions, they are prone to serious problems such as shoot dieback, desiccation, and tree death. Usually, based on special needs, it is necessary to treat Ruixue apples by removing or promoting leaf drop. Such needs include (1) avoiding frost damage and desiccation. Because Ruixue apples grow vigorously and their leaves have a strong tolerance to low temperatures, during the slow cooling period after fruit harvest in autumn, the leaves cannot age and fall off as quickly as other varieties, making them extremely susceptible to sudden and precipitous low temperature damage. After the leaves and autumn shoots are frozen, they will lose a lot of water and consume a lot of nutrients to repair the damaged tissues, resulting in insufficient nutrient storage in the tree and affecting the tree's growth and flowering and fruit setting in the following year. (2) facilitating winter pruning. If the leaves do not fall off, it will bring many inconveniences to observing the tree structure and performing specific pruning techniques, reducing pruning efficiency. (3) requiring autumn transplanting. In production areas with more rainfall in autumn, autumn transplanting can significantly improve the survival rate of trees. Removing leaves before transplanting can effectively reduce the loss of water from the tree and ensure the survival of the plant. (4) It is convenient to lift seedlings from the nursery and put them into storage. After the leaves fall, it is convenient to lift seedlings, sort them, bundle them and put them into storage.
[0003] Manual leaf removal is currently the main method for inducing leaf drop in Ruixue apple trees, but it is inefficient and costly. Manual leaf removal also leads to significant nutrient loss from the apple leaves, resulting in insufficient nutrient reserves in the tree and impacting bud break and growth the following year. Furthermore, manual leaf removal causes mechanical damage to the tree, exacerbating water loss and increasing the probability of branch canker and other diseases.
[0004] Chemical defoliation techniques are widely used in field crops and garden plants. Commonly used defoliants include potassium iodide, herbicides (diuron or thiamethoxam), and ethephon. However, the inherent drawbacks of using potassium iodide, herbicides, and ethephon to remove leaves make them unsuitable for specific needs. For example, potassium iodide is expensive, herbicides can cause plant death, and ethephon's effectiveness is unstable, affecting later growth. Therefore, these ingredients either cause significant damage to the tree and pose safety hazards, or their effectiveness is unstable, and thus they are not widely used in fruit trees.
[0005] Therefore, it is crucial to develop a targeted, environmentally friendly defoliant that can simultaneously enhance the tree's resistance to stress. Summary of the Invention
[0006] The technical problem to be solved by this invention is to design a leaf drop promoter for Ruixue apples and its application. This promoter can effectively promote timely leaf drop, significantly enhance the tree's cold resistance, and leave no residue on the tree, without affecting the growth and development of the following year, thereby solving the existing technical problems.
[0007] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides a leaf drop promoter for Ruixue apples, which is applied to the leaves of Ruixue apples to cause the leaves to fall off the tree. It includes a main component and adjuvants. The main component includes urea, γ-aminobutyric acid and trehalose. The adjuvants include a penetrant and a spreading agent.
[0008] Furthermore, in this invention, the main components, by weight percentage, contain 5% to 9% urea; 30 mM to 70 mM γ-aminobutyric acid; and 20 mM to 60 mM trehalose.
[0009] Furthermore, in this invention, the urea content is 7%, the concentration of γ-aminobutyric acid is 50 mM, and the concentration of trehalose is 40 mM.
[0010] Furthermore, in this invention, the penetrant is an organosilicon surfactant, and the spreading agent is orange peel essential oil. The content of the penetrant is 0.5% to 2.0% by weight, and the weight ratio of the penetrant to the spreading agent is 5:1 to 15:1.
[0011] Furthermore, in this invention, the penetrant is silicone oil or dimethicone copolymer polyol.
[0012] Furthermore, in this invention, the content of the penetrant is 1.0%, and the weight ratio of the penetrant to the spreading agent is 10:1.
[0013] Furthermore, in this invention, the dosage form is a wettable powder or an aqueous solution.
[0014] The present invention also provides a method for promoting leaf drop in Ruixue apple trees, using the aforementioned leaf drop promoter, specifically including the following steps: Step S1: Prepare diluent: Dilute the leaf fall promoter with water.
[0015] Step S2: Spray the diluent: Spray the obtained diluent evenly on the leaves of the Ruixue apple tree, making the leaves fully wet.
[0016] Furthermore, in step S1, the weight ratio of the leaf-falling promoter to water during dilution is 1:6 to 1:7.
[0017] Furthermore, in step S2 of this invention, the number of spraying operations is 2 to 3 times, with an interval of 7 to 14 days between each spraying.
[0018] Compared with existing technologies, the leaf-fall promoter of Ruixue apples of the present invention has the following beneficial effects: The main components and concentrations selected in this invention will not harm Ruixue apple trees. The concentrations of each component in this invention are more suitable for the leaf fall of Ruixue apples. The urea and concentration used in this invention can accelerate nitrogen return from Ruixue leaves; the γ-aminobutyric acid and concentration used can improve the tree's cold resistance; and the trehalose and concentration used can increase the soluble sugar content of the tree, improving its frost resistance. The leaf-fall promoter formulation provided by this invention is easy to prepare, easy to use, and low in cost. The leaf-fall promoter formulation provided by this invention, after 2-3 applications, can achieve a better leaf fall effect than other techniques such as natural leaf fall and pure urea treatment. The leaf-fall promoter formulation provided by this invention will not affect the germination and tree growth in the following year. Detailed Implementation
[0019] The leaf drop promoter for Ruixue apples in this embodiment is applied to the leaves of Ruixue apples to cause the leaves to fall off the tree. It includes a main component and adjuvants. The main component includes urea, γ-aminobutyric acid and trehalose. The adjuvants include a penetrant and a spreading agent.
[0020] In this embodiment, preferably, the main components, by weight percentage, contain 5% to 9% urea, 30 mM to 70 mM γ-aminobutyric acid, and 20 mM to 60 mM trehalose.
[0021] In this embodiment, preferably, the urea content is 7%, the γ-aminobutyric acid concentration is 50 mM, and the trehalose concentration is 40 mM.
[0022] Urea can promote nitrogen return from apple leaves, accelerate the formation of the abscission layer in the petiole, and promote leaf drop. However, the effective concentration of urea for leaf drop varies greatly among different species and varieties. If the concentration is too low, it will not promote nutrient return or leaf drop, while if the concentration is too high, it will cause leaf burn and increase damage to the tree. After years of experiments, it has been determined that a urea content of 5% to 9% can effectively promote leaf drop in Ruixue apple trees. Preferably, the optimal content for leaf drop in Ruixue apples is 7%.
[0023] Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a four-carbon non-protein amino acid that has been shown to participate in various physiological and biochemical metabolic processes in plant cells, and can improve the tolerance of apples to low temperatures. A concentration of 30 mM to 70 mM of GABA can effectively improve the low-temperature resistance of Ruixue apple leaves (especially young autumn shoots). Preferably, the optimal concentration of GABA is 50 mM. When used in combination with urea, it can appropriately prolong the nitrogen reflux time and increase the nitrogen reflux rate.
[0024] Trehalose is a protective metabolite that is typically produced by plants in response to environmental stresses, effectively enhancing their resistance. A trehalose concentration of 20 mM to 60 mM can increase the water content bound to the branches of *Echeveria elegans*, reducing the risk of branch dieback. Preferably, the optimal concentration of trehalose is 40 mM.
[0025] In this embodiment, preferably, the penetrant is an organosilicon surfactant and the spreading agent is orange peel essential oil. The content of the penetrant is 0.5% to 2.0% by weight, and the weight ratio of the penetrant to the spreading agent is 5:1 to 15:1.
[0026] In this embodiment, the penetrant is preferably silicone oil or dimethicone copolymer polyol.
[0027] Preferably, in this embodiment, the content of the penetrant is 1.0%, and the weight ratio of the penetrant to the spreading agent is 10:1.
[0028] Urea, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and trehalose are all water-soluble substances, and are easily washed off the leaves, especially in the Loess Plateau region where there is heavy rainfall in autumn. To prolong the adhesion time of the active ingredients on the leaves, orange peel oil is selected as a spreading agent. Simultaneously, to promote the absorption of the active ingredients by the leaves, a penetrant is used. The penetrant can be selected from components suitable for wetting, penetration, and spreading. In this embodiment, organosilicon is selected as the penetrant, such as silicone oil (e.g., polyether-modified silicone oil), dimethyl polysiloxane copolymer, etc., with the content controlled between 0.5% and 2.0%. Preferably, the optimal content of the penetrant is 1.0%.
[0029] In this embodiment, the preferred dosage form is a wettable powder or an aqueous solution.
[0030] This embodiment also provides a method for promoting leaf drop in Ruixue apple trees, using the aforementioned leaf drop promoter, specifically including the following steps: Step S1: Prepare diluent: Dilute the leaf fall promoter with water.
[0031] In this embodiment, preferably, during dilution in step S1, the weight ratio of the leaf-falling promoter to water is 1:6 to 1:7.
[0032] Step S2: Spray the diluent: Spray the obtained diluent evenly on the leaves of the Ruixue apple tree, making the leaves fully wet.
[0033] In this embodiment, preferably, during step S2, the spraying is performed 2-3 times, with an interval of 7-14 days between each application. The diluent should be applied on a sunny day. If it rains within 5 hours after spraying, the efficacy will be reduced, and re-spraying may be necessary. Example 1
[0034] In this embodiment, the main components of the Ruixue apple leaf fall promoter contain 5% urea by weight; 40 mM γ-aminobutyric acid; 30 mM trehalose; and among the adjuvants, the penetrant is silicone oil (such as polyether-modified silicone oil) or dimethicone copolymer polyol, the spreading agent is orange peel essential oil, and the penetrant content is 0.5% by weight, the weight ratio of penetrant to spreading agent is 5:1, and the dosage form is a wettable powder.
[0035] Prepare a diluent using the above-mentioned leaf-fall accelerator. Dilute the leaf-fall accelerator with water at a weight ratio of 1:7. Spray the resulting diluent evenly onto the leaves of the Ruixue apple tree, ensuring the leaves are thoroughly wetted. Repeat the spraying three times, with each application spaced 10 days apart.
[0036] The leaves of Ruixue apples begin to fall off 30 days after the first spraying, and more than 80% can fall off 60 days after the first spraying. The germination and tree growth in the following year are not affected. Example 2
[0037] In this embodiment, the main components of the Ruixue apple leaf fall promoter include 7% urea by weight percentage; 50 mM γ-aminobutyric acid; 40 mM trehalose; and in the adjuvants, the penetrant is dimethicone copolymer polyol, and the spreading agent is orange peel essential oil. By weight percentage, the penetrant content is 1.0%, the weight ratio of penetrant to spreading agent is 10:1, and the formulation is an aqueous solution.
[0038] Prepare a diluent using the above-mentioned leaf-fall accelerator. Dilute the leaf-fall accelerator with water at a weight ratio of 1:6. Spray the resulting diluent evenly onto the leaves of the Ruixue apple tree, ensuring the leaves are thoroughly wetted. Apply twice, with a 10-day interval between each application.
[0039] The leaves of Ruixue apples begin to fall off 20 days after the first spraying, and more than 80% can fall off 50 days after the first spraying. The germination and tree growth in the following year are not affected. Example 3
[0040] In this embodiment, the main components of the Ruixue apple leaf fall promoter include 8% urea by weight percentage; 30 mM γ-aminobutyric acid; 60 mM trehalose; and in the adjuvants, the penetrant is silicone oil (such as polyether-modified silicone oil), and the spreading agent is orange peel essential oil. By weight percentage, the penetrant content is 1.5%, the weight ratio of penetrant to spreading agent is 15:1, and the dosage form is a wettable powder.
[0041] Prepare a diluent using the above-mentioned leaf-fall accelerator. Dilute the leaf-fall accelerator with water at a weight ratio of 1:7. Spray the resulting diluent evenly onto the leaves of the Ruixue apple tree, ensuring the leaves are thoroughly wetted. Repeat the spraying three times, with a seven-day interval between each application.
[0042] The leaves of Ruixue apples begin to fall off 28 days after the first spraying, and more than 80% can fall off 57 days after the first spraying. The germination and tree growth in the following year are not affected. Example 4
[0043] In this embodiment, the main components of the Ruixue apple leaf fall promoter contain 9% urea by weight; 70 mM γ-aminobutyric acid; 50 mM trehalose; and among the adjuvants, the penetrant is silicone oil (such as polyether-modified silicone oil), and the spreading agent is orange peel essential oil. By weight percentage, the penetrant content is 2.0%, the weight ratio of penetrant to spreading agent is 8:1, and the formulation is an aqueous solution.
[0044] Prepare a diluent using the above-mentioned leaf-fall accelerator. Dilute the leaf-fall accelerator with water at a weight ratio of 1:6. Spray the resulting diluent evenly onto the leaves of the Ruixue apple tree, ensuring the leaves are thoroughly wetted. Apply twice, with an 8-day interval between each application.
[0045] The leaves of Ruixue apples begin to fall off 24 days after the first spraying, and more than 80% can fall off 55 days after the first spraying. The germination and tree growth in the following year are not affected. Example 5
[0046] In this embodiment, the main components of the Ruixue apple leaf fall promoter include 6% urea by weight; 40 mM γ-aminobutyric acid; 20 mM trehalose; and dimethicone copolymer polyol as the penetrant and orange peel essential oil as the spreading agent. The penetrant content is 0.8% by weight, the weight ratio of penetrant to spreading agent is 12:1, and the formulation is an aqueous solution.
[0047] Prepare a diluent using the above-mentioned leaf-fall accelerator. Dilute the leaf-fall accelerator with water at a weight ratio of 1:6. Spray the resulting diluent evenly onto the leaves of the Ruixue apple tree, ensuring the leaves are thoroughly wetted. Apply twice, with an interval of 14 days between each application.
[0048] The leaves of Ruixue apples begin to fall off 27 days after the first spraying, and more than 80% can fall off 58 days after the first spraying. The germination and tree growth in the following year are not affected. Example 6
[0049] In this embodiment, the main components of the Ruixue apple leaf fall promoter contain 8% urea by weight; 60 mM γ-aminobutyric acid; 45 mM trehalose; and the penetrant is silicone oil (such as polyether-modified silicone oil), and the spreading agent is orange peel essential oil. The penetrant content is 1.6% by weight, the weight ratio of penetrant to spreading agent is 10:1, and the formulation is a wettable powder.
[0050] Prepare a diluent using the above-mentioned leaf-fall accelerator. Dilute the leaf-fall accelerator with water at a weight ratio of 1:6. Spray the resulting diluent evenly onto the leaves of the Ruixue apple tree, ensuring the leaves are thoroughly wetted. Repeat the spraying three times, with each application spaced 12 days apart.
[0051] The leaves of Ruixue apples begin to fall off 22 days after the first spraying, and more than 80% can fall off 54 days after the first spraying. The germination and tree growth in the following year are not affected.
[0052] Many specific details have been set forth in the foregoing description to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, the above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and the present invention can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed above. Furthermore, any person skilled in the art can make many possible variations and modifications to the technical solutions of the present invention, or modify them into equivalent embodiments, using the methods and techniques disclosed above, without departing from the scope of the present invention. Any simple modifications, equivalent changes, and modifications made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention, without departing from the content of the present invention, shall still fall within the protection scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A defoliant for *Ruixue* apple trees, applied to the leaves of *Ruixue* apple trees to induce leaf drop from the tree, characterized in that: It includes a main component and an auxiliary agent, wherein the main component includes urea, γ-aminobutyric acid and trehalose, and the auxiliary agent includes a penetrant and a spreading agent.
2. The leaf-fall promoter for Ruixue apples according to claim 1, characterized in that: Of the main components, the content of urea is 5% to 9% by weight; the concentration of γ-aminobutyric acid is 30 mM to 70 mM; and the concentration of trehalose is 20 mM to 60 mM.
3. The *Ruixue* apple leaf-fall promoter according to claim 2, characterized in that: The urea content is 7%, the γ-aminobutyric acid concentration is 50 mM, and the trehalose concentration is 40 mM.
4. The leaf-fall promoter for Ruixue apples according to claim 1, characterized in that: The penetrant is an organosilicon surfactant, and the spreading agent is orange peel essential oil. The content of the penetrant is 0.5% to 2.0% by weight, and the weight ratio of the penetrant to the spreading agent is 5:1 to 15:
1.
5. The leaf-fall promoter for Ruixue apples according to claim 4, characterized in that: The penetrant is silicone oil or dimethicone copolymer polyol.
6. The leaf-fall promoter for Ruixue apples according to claim 4, characterized in that: The content of the penetrant is 1.0%, and the weight ratio of the penetrant to the spreading agent is 10:
1.
7. The leaf-fall promoter for Ruixue apples according to claim 1, characterized in that: Its dosage form is a wettable powder or an aqueous solution.
8. A method for promoting leaf drop in Rue Xue apple trees, characterized in that: The leaf-fall promoter used according to any one of claims 1-7 specifically includes the following steps: Step S1: Prepare the diluent: Dilute the leaf fall promoter with water; Step S2: Spray the diluent: Spray the obtained diluent evenly on the leaves of the Ruixue apple tree, making the leaves fully wet.
9. The method for promoting leaf drop in Rue Snow apple trees according to claim 8, characterized in that: When diluting in step S1, the weight ratio of the leaf-falling promoter to water is 1:6 to 1:
7.
10. The method for promoting leaf drop in Rue Snow apple trees according to claim 8, characterized in that: When spraying in step S2, the number of sprays is 2 to 3, with an interval of 7 to 14 days between each spray.