Method for increasing amount of stored sugar in gramineous plant

Abstract

To provide an efficient method for increasing the amount of stored sugar in gramineous plants.SOLUTION: A method for increasing the amount of stored sugar in a gramineous plant is provided, in which the above-ground part of a cultivated gramineous plant is cut and collected, and the collected above-ground part is stored at a cold place at a temperature between 5°C and 15°C.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for increasing sugar reserves in grass plants. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, as part of measures against global warming, there have been many attempts to produce alcohol (ethanol, butanol, etc.) from various biomass made from plant resources and use it as various fuels and chemical raw materials. Generally, carbohydrate-based biomass, woody (cellulose)-based biomass, starch-based biomass, etc. are used as such biomass.

[0003] The bioalcohol production process varies depending on the type of biomass used as a raw material, but to date, in order to efficiently obtain alcohol from various types of biomass, attempts have been made widely to improve processing methods, such as biomass recovery and saccharification methods, and fermentation methods of the obtained sugars. In order to more efficiently produce biomass fuel from biomass, it is desirable to provide an effective method for ensuring a sufficient yield of energy crops that are the raw material for biobiomass and for increasing the sugar content in the crops.

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses a method for cultivating leafy root vegetables or fruit vegetables, characterized in that the roots of the leafy root vegetables or fruit vegetables are cultivated under low temperature conditions to increase the sugar content in the edible parts. Specifically, it describes harvesting leafy root vegetables at a specified time without damaging the roots, and immersing only the roots in cold water at a specified temperature for a specified period to maintain low temperature conditions.

[0005] Non-patent document 1 describes the cultivation of summer-sown sorghum as a secondary crop for preparing silage, and describes how the summer-sown sorghum has a higher sugar content because the autumn coolness reduces its respiration rate, reducing the loss of accumulated carbohydrates.

[0006] However, the cultivation method described in Patent Document 1 requires low-temperature treatment of the roots for a period of, for example, two weeks. In addition, although it does not depend as much on the outside air as the traditional cold-dampening cultivation that uses the winter cold to improve the sugar content of leafy vegetables, it is necessary to keep the entire roots under low-temperature conditions, and therefore it cannot be said to be a simple and efficient method. Non-Patent Document 1 does not aim to increase the amount of sugar reserves in the plant body or the yield of the plant body relative to the amount of seeding. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] JP 2006-320316 A [Non-patent literature]

[0008] [Non-Patent Document 1] Pasture and Horticulture, Vol. 38, No. 8, 1990, pp. 14-16 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] There is a need for a method for stably and simply increasing the amount of sugar stored in biomass crops that can be used as carbohydrate biomass, without being dependent on the surrounding environment during cultivation.

[0010] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a novel method for stably and effectively increasing the reserve sugar content in a plant body in order to obtain biomass raw materials that can be more efficiently utilized as an energy resource. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The present invention relates to a method for increasing the amount of sugar reserves in a grass family plant, comprising cutting and collecting the above-ground parts of a cultivated grass family plant, and storing the above-ground parts of the grass family plant in a cool place at 5°C to 15°C.

[0012] The storage in the cool place is preferably for 1 to 5 days.

[0013] The Gramineae plant is preferably a plant of the genus Sorghum, a plant of the genus Miscanthus, or a plant of the genus Saccharum.

[0014] The Gramineae plant is preferably a Gramineae plant of the genus Sorghum.

[0015] The grass family plant is preferably sorghum. Sorghum is an annual C4 plant / cereal of the grass family, also known as sorghum, and is also called sorghum, corn, sorgo, sudan grass, etc.

[0016] The above-ground part of the Gramineae plant is preferably removed between the heading stage and the ripening stage, because sugar accumulation occurs in the plant body after heading.

[0017] The above-ground part of the Gramineae plant is preferably excised at a position 10 cm to 30 cm from the ground.

[0018] It is preferable that the excised above-ground part of the Gramineous plant is further shredded and then stored in a cool place.

[0019] In the cultivation of the Gramineae plant, it is desirable to apply a plant activator to the Gramineae plant during cultivation, since it is believed that a further increase in the amount of stored sugar can be obtained.

[0020] When a plant activator is applied to the grass plant during cultivation, the plant activator is preferably a plant activator containing at least one compound selected from an oxo fatty acid, a derivative thereof, or a salt thereof, and a hydroxylated fatty acid, a derivative thereof, or a salt thereof.

[0021] The oxo fatty acid is preferably an unsaturated fatty acid. When the oxo fatty acid is an unsaturated fatty acid, the number of carbon atoms is preferably 4 or more. This is because the oxo fatty acid can exist more stably when the carbonyl group and the double bond in the oxo fatty acid are conjugated.

[0022] The oxo fatty acid has the following formula (I): HOOC-(R 1 )-CH=CH-C(=O)-R 2 (I) [In formula (I), R 1 R represents a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group containing 6 to 12 carbon atoms. 2 represents an alkyl group having 2 to 8 carbon atoms, which may contain one or more branches and / or double bonds. Or, the following formula (II): HOOC-(R 3 )-C(=O)-CH=CH-R 4 (II) [In formula (II), R 3 R represents a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group containing 3 to 10 carbon atoms. 4 represents a hydrocarbon group having 4 to 11 carbon atoms, which may contain one or more branches and / or double bonds. It is preferable that the oxo fatty acid is represented by the following formula:

[0023] In the formula (I), R 1 contains a double bond that forms a conjugated double bond with the double bond between the α and β carbons of the carbonyl group in formula (I), and in formula (II), R 4 It is preferred that the double bond between the α and β carbons of the carbonyl group in formula (II) forms a conjugated double bond with the double bond between the α and β carbons of the carbonyl group in formula (II).

[0024] The oxo fatty acid represented by the formula (I) and the oxo fatty acid represented by the formula (II) are preferably ketooctadecadienoic acid.

[0025] In the formula (I), R 1 is a linear or branched hydrocarbon group having 9 carbon atoms, and R 2 is an alkyl group having 5 carbon atoms, and in the formula (II), R 3 is a linear or branched hydrocarbon group having 7 carbon atoms, and R 4 However, it is preferable that the alkyl group has 7 carbon atoms and a structure of CH3-CH2-CH2-CH2-CH2-CH=CH-.

[0026] The oxo fatty acid is preferably at least one selected from the group consisting of 9-oxo-10,12-octadecadienoic acid, 13-oxo-9,11-octadecadienoic acid, 5-oxo-6,8-octadecadienoic acid, 6-oxo-9,12-octadecadienoic acid, 8-oxo-9,12-octadecadienoic acid, 10-oxo-8,12-octadecadienoic acid, 11-oxo-9,12-octadecadienoic acid, 12-oxo-9,13-octadecadienoic acid, and 14-oxo-9,12-octadecadienoic acid.

[0027] In the plant activator, it is preferable that the oxo fatty acid represented by formula (I) is 13-oxo-9,11-octadecadienoic acid, and the oxo fatty acid represented by formula (II) is 9-oxo-10,12-octadecadienoic acid.

[0028] The hydroxylated fatty acid is preferably an unsaturated fatty acid. In the case of an unsaturated hydroxylated fatty acid, the number of carbon atoms is preferably 4 or more, since it is more stable when no hydroxyl group is bonded to the carbon atoms bonded to each other by a double bond.

[0029] The hydroxylated fatty acid has the following formula (III) and / or (IV): HOOC-(R 5 )-CH(OH)-CH(OH)-CH=CH-CH(OH)-R 6 (III) HOOC-(R 5 )-CH(OH)-CH=CH-CH(OH)-CH(OH)-R 6(IV) [In the formula, R 5 is a linear or branched hydrocarbon group having 4 to 12 carbon atoms, which may contain one or more double bonds and / or OH groups, and when it contains a double bond, the position of the double bond is not limited; R 6 is a linear or branched hydrocarbon group having 2 to 8 carbon atoms, which may contain one or more double bonds and / or OH groups, and when it contains a double bond, the position of the double bond is not limited.

[0030] The hydroxylated fatty acid is R 5 The hydrocarbon group has 6 to 8 carbon atoms, and R 6 It is preferred that the hydrocarbon group has 4 to 6 carbon atoms.

[0031] The hydroxylated fatty acid is R 5 But -(CH2) n -(n is an integer from 4 to 12), 6 But, C n H 2n+1 The structure -(n is an integer of 2 to 8) is preferable.

[0032] The hydroxylated fatty acid is R 5 is an alkylene group having 7 carbon atoms (-(CH2)7-), and R 6 is preferably an alkyl group having 5 carbon atoms (CH3CH2CH2CH2CH2-).

[0033] The hydroxylated fatty acid is preferably hydroxyoctadecenoic acid.

[0034] The hydroxylated fatty acid is preferably 9,10,13-trihydroxy-11-octadecenoic acid or 9,12,13-trihydroxy-10-octadecenoic acid.

[0035] The plant activator may contain at least one compound selected from oxo fatty acid, its derivatives or its salts, and at least one compound selected from hydroxylated fatty acid, its derivatives or its salts. By containing both oxo fatty acid and hydroxylated fatty acid compounds, the plant activator may be more effective in promoting immunity, health, growth, and sugar production and storage.

[0036] When the plant activator contains both types of compounds, oxo fatty acid and hydroxylated fatty acid, the weight ratio of the compound consisting of oxo fatty acid, or a derivative or a salt thereof to the compound consisting of hydroxylated fatty acid, or a derivative or a salt thereof is preferably 5 to 100 for the compound consisting of hydroxylated fatty acid, or a derivative or a salt thereof, relative to 100 for the compound consisting of oxo fatty acid, or a derivative or a salt thereof. This is because if the content of the compound consisting of hydroxylated fatty acid, or a derivative or a salt thereof exceeds 100 by weight, the plant activation effect may decrease.

[0037] It is preferable that the plant activator further contains at least one selected from the group consisting of terpenes, nucleic acids, amino acids and phospholipids.

[0038] The plant activator is preferably a growth promoter for the Gramineae plant.

[0039] The plant activator is preferably an agent for increasing sugar reserves in the Gramineae plant.

[0040] The present invention further relates to a method for producing a sugar liquid, which comprises squeezing a sugar liquid from a grass plant after increasing the amount of sugar reserves in the grass plant by the method of the present invention for increasing the amount of sugar reserves in the grass plant.

[0041] The present invention also relates to the use of a sugar liquid obtained by squeezing a gramineous plant after increasing the amount of sugar reserves in the gramineous plant as a carbohydrate-based biomass.

[0042] In this specification, "9,10,13-trihydroxy-11-octadecenoic acid" is also referred to as "9,10,13-trihydroxyoctadec-11-enoic acid" or commonly known as "9,10,13-trihydroxy-11-octadecenoic acid." The structural formula of "9,10,13-trihydroxy-11-octadecenoic acid" is shown in the following structural formula (1).

[0043] [ka]

[0044] Similarly, the above-mentioned "9,12,13-trihydroxy-10-octadecenoic acid" is also written as "9,12,13-trihydroxyoctadec-10-enoic acid" or "9,12,13-trihydroxy-10-octadecenoic acid." The structural formula of "9,12,13-trihydroxy-10-octadecenoic acid" is shown in the following structural formula (2).

[0045] [ka] Effect of the Invention

[0046] According to the method of the present invention, the sugar content in a gramineous plant can be increased simply and in a relatively short period of time. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0047] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a graph showing the amount of sugar reserve in sorghum in each of the Examples and Comparative Examples stored at low temperature or room temperature. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0048] The method of the present invention for increasing the sugar content in a grass plant is characterized by increasing the content of sugar stored in the plant body (stored sugar amount) by storing the above-ground parts of a cultivated grass plant after harvest in a cool place at 5°C to 15°C.

[0049] The Gramineae plant in the present invention may be, for example, a Sorghum plant of the Gramineae family, a Miscanthus plant of the Gramineae family, or a Sugarcane plant of the Gramineae family. Specifically, the Gramineae plant in the present invention may be, for example, rice, Erianthus, barley, sugarcane, reed, Miscanthus, corn, sorghum, napier grass, switchgrass, miscanthus, and giant miscanthus, but is not limited thereto. The Gramineae plant in the present invention is a plant that can be used as a raw material for carbohydrate-based biomass. Carbohydrate-based biomass can typically be used as a raw material for ethanol fermentation, and bioethanol is produced by, for example, producing molasses by squeezing and subjecting the obtained molasses to an alcohol fermentation process.

[0050] The method of the present invention can be suitably applied to grasses, particularly to plants of the genus Sorghum, belonging to the family Gramineae. The carbohydrate-based biomass for biofuel production is preferably a non-edible biomass that does not compete with food or feed use and can be utilized as a long-term industrial resource. In one embodiment, the grasses of the present invention include sorghum, switchgrass, erianthus, napier grass, giant miscanthus, and the like.

[0051] Sorghum is a C4 plant / grain of the Gramineae family, also known as Takakibi, sorghum, sorghum, Sudan grass, etc. Sorghum is a tropical and subtropical crop that is resistant to dryness and has a high environmental adaptability that allows it to grow in areas where rice and wheat do not grow. It is also one of the herbaceous plants with high yields, as it grows in about three months and can be harvested multiple times a year. Such a plant body is considered to be one of the effective raw materials that can contribute to a stable supply of biomass ethanol. Therefore, the Gramineae plant of the present invention is preferably a sorghum plant. Sorghum has diverse morphological and ecological characteristics and is said to have large genetic variations, but the sorghum in the present invention can be of any variety or genus as long as it is a sorghum-based crop. In addition, it does not matter whether it is genetically modified or non-genetically modified. For example, the grass plant of the present invention can be grain-type sorghum, dual-purpose sorghum, sorghum-type sorghum, Sudan-type sorghum, or Sudangrass.

[0052] According to the method of the present invention, the amount of sugar stored in such a gramineous plant can be increased. The method of the present invention has the effect of significantly increasing the sugar content in the gramineous plant by storing the above-ground part of the gramineous plant after harvest in a cool place at 5°C to 15°C. Therefore, the amount of sugar stored in the gramineous plant can be effectively increased independently of environmental factors such as the temperature during cultivation. It is possible to easily provide carbohydrate-based biomass with significantly improved sugar productivity as a raw material for bioethanol. In addition, according to the method of the present invention, an increase in the amount of sugar stored in the gramineous plant is observed after a short time of 2 to 3 days, so it is considered that the energy efficiency in the production of carbohydrate-based biomass can be significantly improved. Since there is no need to change the cultivation method or cultivation environment of the plant, it is considered that this method is easy for producers to introduce.

[0053] In the present invention, the harvested grass plant is stored in a cool place at 5°C to 15°C. Specifically, the above-ground part of the cultivated grass plant is cut, cooled and stored. The above-ground part of the grass plant may be optionally dried before cooling. Drying can prevent the grass plant from decaying during transportation from the harvesting place to the storage place, for example. That is, in the method of the present invention, the cooling of the harvested grass plant does not have to be performed immediately after cutting.

[0054] The storage period of the above-ground parts of the grass family plants at low temperature can be 1 to 5 days. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the increase in sugar content in the plant body is remarkable on the second day after storage at low temperature. The method of the present invention can efficiently increase the amount of sugar stored in the grass family plants.

[0055] In the method of the present invention, the harvest of the grass family plant can be carried out, for example, by cutting the above-ground part of the grass family plant between the heading stage and before the ripening stage. This is because sugar accumulation occurs between the heading stage and before the ripening stage. For example, in the case of sorghum, sugar accumulation typically occurs about 10 days after heading. The above-ground part can be cut off, for example, at a position 10 to 30 cm from the ground. However, the harvest time and the cutting position at the time of harvesting can vary depending on the plant body to which the method of the present invention is applied, and can be selected appropriately.

[0056] In the method of the present invention, the above-ground parts of the grass family plant may be stored at low temperature as is after harvesting, or may be further cut into pieces after harvesting and stored at low temperature. Alternatively, the above-ground parts may be cut into pieces at the time of harvesting using a chopping-type harvester or the like. In one embodiment of the present invention, the above-ground parts of the grass family plant are chopped and stored at low temperature. This improves the convenience of handling and storing the plant body, and by subjecting the plant body to the stress of cutting, various plant hormones are produced and stress responses are induced, which can further increase the sugar content in the plant body.

[0057] In plant cultivation, various cultivation methods are known for increasing the sugar content in the plant body, such as the fruit and stems and leaves, and for example, stress is applied to the plant body during cultivation, but such cultivation methods generally result in a decrease in the yield of the plant body. In the method of the present invention, the low-temperature storage is performed after harvesting, so there is no decrease in the yield. Furthermore, in the method of the present invention, the plant body is not exposed to low-temperature conditions for increasing the sugar content during cultivation, so there is no problem that the increase in the amount of stored sugar in the plant body is affected by natural weather at a specific time during cultivation. In the method of the present invention, the amount of stored sugar in the plant body can be increased without decreasing the yield of the plant body.

[0058] In the cultivation of the grass family plant of the present invention, a plant activator may be applied to the grass family plant for the purpose of promoting the growth of the grass family plant and promoting sugar production. Such a plant activator may be a plant activator that can impart a growth promoting effect and a sugar production and storage promoting effect to sorghum, that is, a plant growth promoter and / or a sugar content increase promoter. For example, such a plant activator may be a plant activator containing at least one compound selected from an oxo fatty acid or a derivative or a salt thereof and a hydroxylated fatty acid or a derivative or a salt thereof as an active ingredient. At least one compound selected from an oxo fatty acid or a derivative or a salt thereof and a hydroxylated fatty acid or a derivative or a salt thereof may be applied to a part of the stems, leaves or roots of the grass family plant. By applying the plant activator, for example, an increase in the length and weight of the stems and leaves, which are growth indicators of the plant, and an increase in the weight of the tubers or tuberous roots may be confirmed compared to an untreated plant. That is, such a plant activator can promote the growth of a grass family plant, thereby increasing the yield and increasing the sugar reserves in the grass family plant.

[0059] The oxo fatty acid in the plant activator is preferably an unsaturated fatty acid. In the case of an unsaturated oxo fatty acid, the carbon number of the unsaturated oxo fatty acid of the present invention is preferably 4 or more because the compound can exist more stably when the carbonyl group and the double bond in the oxo fatty acid are conjugated.

[0060] Examples of oxo fatty acids or derivatives or salts thereof used in the plant activator include: The following formula (I): HOOC-(R 1 )-CH=CH-C(=O)-R 2 (I) [In formula (I), R 1 R represents a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group containing 6 to 12 carbon atoms. 2 represents an alkyl group having 2 to 8 carbon atoms, which may contain one or more branches and / or double bonds. Or, the following formula (II): HOOC-(R 3 )-C(=O)-CH=CH-R 4 (II) [In formula (II), R 3 R represents a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group containing 3 to 10 carbon atoms. 4 represents a hydrocarbon group having 4 to 11 carbon atoms, which may contain one or more branches and / or double bonds. At least one selected from the group consisting of oxo fatty acids represented by the following formula (I) or their derivatives or salts can be preferably used.

[0061] In addition, the oxo fatty acid and the compound represented by the above formula (I) or (II) include all geometric isomers and stereoisomers thereof having the same structural formula. As used herein, the term "stereoisomer" can refer to any of the various stereoisomeric configurations that may exist in the compound of the present disclosure. For example, the compound represented by the formula (I) or (II) of the present disclosure contains a double bond, where the substituent can be in the E or Z configuration.

[0062] In one embodiment of the plant activator, R 1 may contain a double bond that forms a conjugated double bond with the double bond between the α and β carbons of the carbonyl group in formula (I). 4 may contain a double bond which forms a conjugated double bond with the double bond between the α and β carbons of the carbonyl group in formula (II).

[0063] For example, ketooctadecadienoic acid is a suitable example of an oxo fatty acid. 1 may be a linear or branched hydrocarbon group having 9 carbon atoms, and R 2 may be an alkyl group having 5 carbon atoms. 3 may be a linear or branched hydrocarbon group having 7 carbon atoms, and R 4 When the number of carbon atoms is 7, it preferably has a structure CH3-CH2-CH2-CH2-CH2-CH=CH-.

[0064] For example, specific examples of ketooctadecadienoic acids include 9-oxo-10,12-octadecadienoic acid (9-oxoODA), 13-oxo-9,11-octadecadienoic acid (13-oxoODA), 5-oxo-6,8-octadecadienoic acid, 6-oxo-9,12-octadecadienoic acid, 8-oxo-9,12-octadecadienoic acid, 10-oxo-8,12-octadecadienoic acid, 11-oxo-9,12-octadecadienoic acid, 12-oxo-9,13-octadecadienoic acid, and 14-oxo-9,12-octadecadienoic acid. For example, the oxo fatty acid can be 13-oxo-9,11-octadecadienoic acid or 9-oxo-10,12-octadecadienoic acid.

[0065] The oxo fatty acid derivative in the plant activator is preferably an ester, and examples of the oxo fatty acid ester of the present invention include, but are not limited to, methyl ester, ethyl ester, propyl ester, butyl ester, pentyl ester, isopentyl ester, octyl ester, etc.

[0066] The salt of the oxo fatty acid is not particularly limited as long as it is one or more agriculturally acceptable salts, for example, alkali metal salts such as sodium salts and potassium salts, ammonium salts such as ammonium salts and alkylammonium salts such as tetramethylammonium salts, etc.

[0067] The oxo fatty acid or its derivative or salt in the plant activator may contain two or more kinds of oxo fatty acid or its derivative or salt. By combining two or more kinds of oxo fatty acid, the plant activator may show a higher plant activation effect. For example, the two kinds of oxo fatty acid may be a combination of at least one oxo fatty acid represented by the above formula (I) and at least one oxo fatty acid represented by the above formula (II). For example, preferably, the two kinds of oxo fatty acid may be a combination of 9-oxo-10,12-octadecadienoic acid (9-oxoODA) and 13-oxo-9,11-octadecadienoic acid (13-oxoODA).

[0068] The plant activator may contain 13-oxo-9,11-octadecadienoic acid or its salt or derivative and 9-oxo-10,12-octadecadienoic acid or its salt or derivative as oxo fatty acid. For example, the ratio of the content of 9-oxo-10,12-octadecadienoic acid or its salt or derivative to the content of 13-oxo-9,11-octadecadienoic acid or its salt or derivative is about 0.1 to 10 by weight, preferably about 0.3 to 2.0.

[0069] The origin of the oxo fatty acid or its derivative or salt used in the plant activator is not particularly limited. The oxo fatty acid or its derivative or salt such as ketooctadecadienoic acid contained in the plant activator may be obtained by chemical synthesis, or may be produced by using a microorganism or may be obtained by acting an enzyme derived from a microorganism on a substrate such as a fatty acid. The plant activator may contain at least one compound selected from the oxo fatty acid or its derivative or salt and the hydroxylated fatty acid or its derivative or salt at a desired concentration. For example, when an oxo fatty acid produced by a microorganism is used as the oxo fatty acid, a mixture containing an oxo fatty acid may be used.

[0070] The hydroxylated fatty acid in the plant activator is preferably an unsaturated fatty acid. In the case of an unsaturated hydroxylated fatty acid, the number of carbon atoms of the unsaturated hydroxylated fatty acid of the present invention is preferably 4 or more, since the unsaturated hydroxylated fatty acid can exist more stably as a compound if no hydroxyl group is bonded to the carbon atoms bonded to each other by a double bond.

[0071] The hydroxylated fatty acid or its derivative or salt thereof for use in the plant activator is preferably a fatty acid represented by the following formula (III) and / or (IV): HOOC-(R 5 )-CH(OH)-CH(OH)-CH=CH-CH(OH)-R 6 (III) HOOC-(R 5 )-CH(OH)-CH=CH-CH(OH)-CH(OH)-R 6 (IV) [In the formula, R 5 is a linear or branched hydrocarbon group having 4 to 12 carbon atoms, which may contain one or more double bonds and / or OH groups, and when it contains a double bond, the position of the double bond is not limited; R 6is a linear or branched hydrocarbon group having 2 to 8 carbon atoms, which may contain one or more double bonds and / or OH groups, and when it contains a double bond, the position of the double bond is not limited. A hydroxylated fatty acid having the structural formula: or a derivative or salt thereof can be suitably used.

[0072] In one embodiment of the plant activator, R in the hydroxylated fatty acid 5 The hydrocarbon group has 6 to 8 carbon atoms, and R 6 In another embodiment, the hydrocarbon group of R in the hydroxylated fatty acid has 4 to 6 carbon atoms. 5 is -(CH2) n -(n is an integer from 4 to 12), 6 is C n H 2n+1 -(n is an integer of 2 to 8). 5 is an alkylene group having 7 carbon atoms (-(CH2)7-), and R 6 is preferably an alkyl group having 5 carbon atoms (CH3CH2CH2CH2CH2-).

[0073] Hydroxylated fatty acids include, in particular, hydroxyoctadecenoic acids, such as, but not limited to, 9,10,13-trihydroxy-11-octadecenoic acid and / or 9,12,13-trihydroxy-10-octadecenoic acid and their isomers.

[0074] In addition, as the derivative of hydroxylated fatty acid, ester is preferable. Examples of ester of hydroxylated fatty acid in plant activator include, but are not limited to, methyl ester, ethyl ester, propyl ester, butyl ester, pentyl ester, isopentyl ester, octyl ester, etc. In addition, examples of salt of hydroxylated fatty acid include ammonium salt such as alkyl ammonium salt such as ammonium salt, tetramethylammonium salt, etc., alkaline earth metal salt such as calcium salt, magnesium salt, etc., alkali metal salt such as sodium salt, lithium salt, potassium salt, etc., cobalt salt, manganese salt, etc., but are not particularly limited as long as it is one or more kinds of salts that are agriculturally acceptable, such as salts contained in fertilizers, etc.

[0075] In addition, when at least one compound selected from the hydroxylated fatty acids or their derivatives or salts exemplified in this specification has isomers, all isomers that may exist can be used in the plant activator, unless otherwise specified.

[0076] In addition, the plant activator may further contain at least one compound selected from the group consisting of terpenes, nucleic acids, amino acids, and phospholipids, in addition to at least one compound selected from oxo fatty acids or derivatives or salts thereof and hydroxylated fatty acids or derivatives or salts thereof.

[0077] Terpenes are precursors in the biosynthesis of gibberellin, a plant hormone that has physiological effects such as germination induction, vegetative growth, increased grain yield, promotion of flower bud formation and ovary growth, and the effect of enhancing the action of auxin, which promotes plant growth and cell division. Any terpene can be suitably used as the terpene, but monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, diterpenes and their derivatives are preferred. In particular, preferred examples include monoterpenes such as α-pinene, β-pinene, sylvestrene and limonene, which are core substances of plant hormones. Terpineol may also be included. Terpineol includes its isomers α-terpineol, β-terpineol and γ-terpineol, but α-terpineol is more preferred. However, for example, terpineol that is usually available on the market may be a mixture of α-terpineol as the main component, β-terpineol, and γ-terpineol, i.e., a mixture of isomers can be used as it is as long as it mainly contains α-terpineol. Pine oil containing α-pinene as the main component can be preferably used.

[0078] Nucleic acids are precursors in the biosynthesis of various plant hormones, such as cytokinins. Application of nucleic acids can increase the biosynthesis of plant hormones in the plant. Cytokinins are plant hormones that promote cell division in plants and have physiological effects such as greening of leaves, promoting plant growth, inhibiting flower and pod abscission, promoting pod elongation, and increasing seed weight and / or number per individual.

[0079] As used herein, the term "nucleic acid" refers to at least one selected from a nucleic acid base, a nucleoside, a ribonucleotide, and a deoxyribonucleotide. That is, the plant activator contains, as an active ingredient, at least one compound selected from an oxo fatty acid or a derivative or a salt thereof and a hydroxylated fatty acid or a derivative or a salt thereof, as well as at least one selected from a nucleic acid base, a ribonucleoside, a ribonucleotide, and a deoxyribonucleotide.

[0080] The nucleic acids contained in the plant activator are precursors in the biosynthesis of plant hormones that control various biological reactions and promote the elongation and growth of plants, cell division, flower bud formation, germination, root formation, ovary growth, etc. Therefore, by containing nucleic acids in the plant activator, in addition to the plant growth effect of at least one compound selected from oxo fatty acids or derivatives or salts thereof and hydroxylated fatty acids or derivatives or salts thereof, the biosynthesis of such plant hormones in the plant to which it is applied can be further increased.

[0081] The nucleic acid to be used is not particularly limited, and may be any of the following: five common nucleic acid bases, i.e., adenine, guanine, thymine, cytosine, and uracil; five nucleosides, i.e., adenosine, guanosine, thymidine, cytidine, and uridine; five ribonucleosides; and fifteen ribonucleotides in which one to three phosphates are ester-linked to these five ribonucleosides (AMP (adenosine monophosphate), ADP (adenosine diphosphate), ATP (adenosine triphosphate), GMP (guanosine monophosphate), GDP (guanosine diphosphate), GTP (guanosine triphosphate), and TMP (thymidylic acid / thymidine phosphate). ), TDP (thymidine diphosphate), TTP (thymidine triphosphate), CMP (cytidine monophosphate), CDP (cytidine diphosphate), CTP (cytidine triphosphate), UMP (uridine monophosphate), UDP (uridine diphosphate), UTP (uridine triphosphate), or 15 types of deoxyribonucleotides in which the hydroxyl group at the 2nd position of the ribose of these ribonucleotides has been replaced with hydrogen (dAMP, dADP, dATP, dGMP, dGDP, dGTP, dTMP, dTDP, dTTP, dCMP, dCDP, dCTP, dUMP, dUDP, dUTP), 5-methyluridine (m 5 U), and the like, and may also be a mixture of two or more of these.

[0082] By containing nucleic acid in addition to at least one compound selected from oxo fatty acid, or a derivative thereof or a salt thereof, and hydroxylated fatty acid, or a derivative thereof or a salt thereof, the plant activator further enhances the activation effect and yield increasing effect, particularly the effect of increasing sugar storage, of at least one compound selected from oxo fatty acid, or a derivative thereof or a salt thereof, and hydroxylated fatty acid, or a derivative thereof or a salt thereof. Since nucleic acid is a naturally occurring compound, it places a low burden on the environment, and the inclusion of nucleic acid in the plant activator does not have a detrimental effect on the plant to which it is applied.

[0083] Amino acids are important nitrogen sources and building blocks of proteins that have a wide variety of functions in plant metabolism: they can be used as metabolites and precursors involved in the biosynthesis of various enzymes and plant hormones, as well as precursors of various secondary compounds.

[0084] The amino acid used in the plant activator is not particularly limited, and may be appropriately selected from isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, valine, histidine, tyrosine, cysteine, aspartic acid, asparagine, serine, glutamic acid, glutamine, proline, glycine, alanine, and arginine, or may be a mixture of two or more of these.

[0085] Phospholipids have the effect of enhancing cell membrane repair, for example, in plant activators. The phospholipids may be naturally occurring phospholipids or synthetic phospholipids. For example, naturally occurring phospholipids include soybean lecithin, egg lecithin, hydrogenated soybean lecithin, hydrogenated egg lecithin, sphingosine, ganglioside, and phytosphingosine, and may also be a mixture of two or more of these. Synthetic phospholipids include diacylglycerol, phosphatidic acid, phosphocholine, phosphoethanolamine, phosphoglycerol, phosphoserine, mixed chain phospholipid, lysophospholipid, PEGylated phospholipid, and may also be a mixture of two or more of these.

[0086] In the plant activator, at least one compound selected from the group consisting of terpenes, nucleic acids, amino acids, and phospholipids may be contained in the plant activator in a ratio of about 500 times or less by weight relative to the content of at least one compound selected from oxo fatty acids or their derivatives or salts, and hydroxylated fatty acids or their derivatives or salts. The preferred concentration of at least one compound selected from the group consisting of terpenes, nucleic acids, amino acids, and phospholipids that may be contained in the plant activator may depend on the state of the plant body to which it is applied, and the lower limit of the concentration of at least one compound selected from the group consisting of terpenes, nucleic acids, amino acids, and phospholipids is not particularly limited, but it is preferable that the content is about 1 times or more by weight relative to the content of at least one compound selected from oxo fatty acids or their derivatives or salts, and hydroxylated fatty acids or their derivatives or salts. For example, the proportion of at least one compound selected from the group consisting of terpenes, nucleic acids, amino acids and phospholipids may be about 5 to 450 times the weight ratio of the content of at least one compound selected from oxo fatty acids or derivatives or salts thereof and hydroxylated fatty acids or derivatives or salts thereof.

[0087] Such a plant activator may be applied in various dosages depending on the cultivation state and growth stage of the grass plant to which it is applied, the application time and application method of the plant activator, etc. Also, the content of the active ingredient in the plant activator may be appropriately set according to the appropriate application amount for the grass plant. For example, in the plant activator, at least one compound selected from oxo fatty acid or its derivative or its salt and hydroxylated fatty acid or its derivative or its salt may be used at a concentration of 10 mg / L or less. If the application concentration of at least one compound selected from oxo fatty acid or its derivative or its salt and hydroxylated fatty acid or its derivative or its salt exceeds 10 mg / L, there is a risk of causing phytotoxicity to the grass plant. The lower limit of the concentration of at least one compound selected from oxo fatty acid or its derivative or its salt and hydroxylated fatty acid or its derivative or its salt is not particularly limited, but 0.01 mg / L or more is preferable. For example, the plant activator can be applied to a grass family plant under conditions in which the concentration of at least one compound selected from an oxo fatty acid or a derivative or a salt thereof and a hydroxylated fatty acid or a derivative or a salt thereof is approximately 0.02 to 10 mg / L.

[0088] The plant activator may contain, as necessary, a compatible surfactant and / or a diluent or carrier suitable for use as a plant activator. For example, the diluent may improve the dispersibility of at least one compound selected from the oxo fatty acid or its derivative or its salt and the hydroxylated fatty acid or its derivative or its salt in a solvent. In addition, in order to improve the solubility and dispersibility of the oxo fatty acid derivative used in the present invention in the diluent, a surfactant such as a dispersing agent or a wetting agent may be contained. These added components are not particularly limited as long as they are agriculturally acceptable agents that are usually used in pesticide formulations. In addition, the plant activator may further contain components that are usually used in pesticide formulations other than the surfactant, diluent, and carrier, such as freeze-thaw stabilizers, biocides, preservatives, pigments, dyes, colorants, buffers or pH adjusters or neutralizers, foam inhibitors or defoamers, ultraviolet absorbers, ultraviolet scattering agents, spreading agents for increasing the spreading power on plants or soil, binders, antioxidants, and stabilizers. Such agents are commercially manufactured and available through various companies. In this specification, the term "agriculturally acceptable agent" refers to an agent known and acceptable in the art for the preparation of a composition for agricultural or horticultural use. The plant activator may further contain a component beneficial to plants, such as one or more fertilizer components, in addition to at least one compound selected from an oxo fatty acid or a derivative or a salt thereof and a hydroxylated fatty acid or a derivative or a salt thereof.

[0089] The plant activator used in the present invention may contain at least one compound selected from oxo fatty acid or its derivative or its salt and hydroxylated fatty acid or its derivative or its salt, and the origin thereof is not particularly limited. Oxo fatty acid such as ketooctadecadienoic acid or its derivative or its salt, and hydroxylated fatty acid such as hydroxyoctadecenoic acid or its derivative or its salt may be obtained by chemical synthesis, or may be produced by using a microorganism or may be obtained by acting an enzyme derived from a microorganism on a substrate such as fatty acid. The plant activator may contain at least one compound selected from oxo fatty acid or its derivative or its salt and hydroxylated fatty acid or its derivative or its salt at a desired concentration. For example, when oxo fatty acid or hydroxylated fatty acid derivative produced by using a microorganism is used as the oxo fatty acid derivative or hydroxylated fatty acid derivative, a mixture containing oxo fatty acid and / or hydroxylated fatty acid derivative may be used as the plant activator. When the mixture contains a biosurfactant secreted by a microorganism, it may be possible to improve the dispersibility of the plant activator without the addition of the aforementioned additive components. In cases where the oxo fatty acid or its derivative, or the hydroxylated fatty acid or its derivative is itself insoluble or poorly soluble, it may be possible to emulsify it with the biosurfactant and disperse it in water.

[0090] By applying a plant activator containing at least one compound selected from an oxo fatty acid, or a derivative or a salt thereof, and a hydroxylated fatty acid, or a derivative or a salt thereof, to a grass family plant, the growth of the grass family plant is promoted, the weight and length of the above-ground part of the grass family plant, i.e., the stems and leaves per plant individual, are increased, and the amount of sugar produced and stored in the stems and leaves of the grass family plant is increased, thereby increasing the amount of sugar stored in the plant body.

[0091] The plant activator is applied to a grass plant by any method that can contact the roots, stems, leaves, etc. of the plant body. For example, the plant activator can be applied to a grass plant as a spray or immersion agent that is contacted with the stems, leaves, or roots of the plant, for example, a wettable powder that is suspended in water and used, or a soil drenching agent. The specific application method can be appropriately selected depending on the cultivation form of the cultivated plant to be applied, and can be applied by, for example, ground liquid spray, ground solid spray, aerial liquid spray, aerial solid spray, liquid surface spray, indoor application, soil mixing application, soil drenching application, surface treatment such as coating treatment, seedling box application, single flower treatment, plant base treatment, etc., so that no special equipment is required for the use of the plant activator, and the plant growth promoting effect and the storage sugar increasing effect can be given to the plant body in the cultivation of the grass plant by a simple method.

[0092] By applying such a plant activator to a gramineous plant, the crop weight of the gramineous plant can be increased, and the sugar production amount of the plant body per weight can be increased. Therefore, when the gramineous plant stored in a cool place by the method of the present invention is a gramineous plant treated with a plant activator, it can be an excellent carbohydrate biomass material from which a significantly increased amount of sugar can be obtained, compared with a gramineous plant cultivated without using a plant activator and then stored at room temperature. In particular, when the gramineous plant is sorghum, sorghum is a high-yielding herbaceous plant that grows in about three months from sowing and can be harvested multiple times a year, and is therefore considered to be a promising gramineous plant as a biomass ethanol fermentation material. By applying the method of the present invention, it can be provided as a highly efficient and excellent energy crop with improved production amount per area and per year.

[0093] The method of the present invention makes it possible to stably provide carbohydrate-based biomass with a high amount of stored sugar per individual. From a gramineous plant whose sugar content has been increased by the method of the present invention, alcohol such as bioethanol can be produced by any known method. Gramineous plants whose sugar content has been increased by being stored according to the method of the present invention after harvesting are typically squeezed for sugar from their stems, etc. The sugar-containing sugar solution thus obtained can be directly fermented to produce alcohol, etc.

[0094] The technology of producing ethanol from sugar solution from carbohydrate biomass has been established, and can be carried out by fermenting the sugar solution with microorganisms such as yeast. For example, the Gramineae plant with increased sugar storage amount by the method of the present invention is appropriately cut and crushed to a size that is easy to squeeze using a mill or a cutter-type crusher, and then squeezed by a device having a juice squeezing mechanism such as a screw press, a filter press, a belt press, or a roll juicer. The juice obtained by this is a sugar solution containing sugars, and after appropriate addition of nutrients and the like to this juice, a microorganism capable of producing the desired fermentation product derived from carbohydrate biomass such as alcohol is inoculated and a fermentation reaction is carried out. The microorganism is not particularly limited, and yeast, bacteria, and the like can be used. Specifically, for ethanol production, the sugar solution can be fermented using yeast belonging to the genus Saccharomyces, such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, or bacteria belonging to the genus Zymomonas, such as Zymomonas mobilis, to produce ethanol. The produced ethanol can be extracted, for example, by distillation.

[0095] In addition, when the squeezed juice contains a large amount of cellulose or lignocellulose, which is a complex of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, the squeezed juice may be subjected to various treatment steps before being subjected to the fermentation process. Such treatment steps include a hydrolysis step for decomposing and softening lignin and decomposing cellulose and hemicellulose, an enzymatic saccharification step for decomposing the cellulose and hemicellulose contained in the hydrolyzate from the hydrolysis step into monosaccharides or oligosaccharides, and a separation and / or purification step. The treatment methods for these treatment steps are known, and the treatment method and treatment conditions can be appropriately selected depending on the component distribution in the squeezed juice, the target product, etc. Next, the sugar liquid containing the saccharification product after saccharification can be subjected to a fermentation step for producing ethanol or a petroleum alternative product. EXAMPLES

[0096] The present invention will be described based on examples, but the present invention is not limited to only the examples.

[0097] Preparation of plant activators that promote plant growth and sugar content (Production Example 1) As a raw material containing fatty acids, 580 g of linoleic acid with a purity of 90% (manufactured by NOF Corp.) was used, to which 216 g of potassium carbonate (manufactured by FUJIFILM Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.), 280 g of dipotassium hydrogen phosphate (manufactured by FUJIFILM Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.), and 13,000 mL of distilled water were added to prepare a test solution. The pH of the test solution at this time was 9.0.

[0098] 40 mg of lipoxygenase (Nacalai Tesque, Inc., soybean-derived) was added to the test solution, and the mixture was reacted at 15°C for 3 hours while being aerated with oxygen and stirred, and then the reaction mixture was placed in a 90°C water bath for 90 minutes. The resulting reaction solution was designated as Liquid A. 35 mL of phosphoric acid (FUJIFILM Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.) was added to 6500 mL of Liquid A to adjust the pH to 7.0. The liquid was reacted at 50°C for 22 hours while being aerated with oxygen and stirred, and then the reaction mixture was placed in a 90°C water bath for 2 hours. The resulting reaction solution was designated as Liquid B.

[0099] The entire amount of solution A and the entire amount of solution B obtained above were mixed, and the resulting mixture was used as a standard substance, 13-oxoODA (13-oxo-9,11-octadecadienoic acid), 9-oxoODA (9-oxo-10,12-octadecadienoic acid), and 9,10,13-trihydroxy-11-octadecenoic acid (9,10,13-trihydroxy-11-octadecenoic acid), all manufactured by Cayman Chemical Co., Ltd. 9,12,13-trihydroxy-10-octadecenoic acid and 9,12,13-trihydroxy-10-octadecenoic acid were used. 2 The amounts were quantified by LC-MS using spectral analysis. In addition, ketooctadecadienoic acid (13-oxoODA, 9-oxoODA) was detected at a UV wavelength of 272 nm, and trihydroxyoctadecaenoic acid was detected at a UV wavelength of 210 nm, using the absolute calibration curve method.

[0100] The combined yield of 13-oxoODA was 3.7% for isomers such as (E,E) and (E,Z). The yield of 9-oxoODA was 1.7%. The combined yield of 9,10,13-trihydroxy-11-octadecenoic acid and 9,12,13-trihydroxy-10-octadecenoic acid was 1.2% (peaks could not be separated by LC-MS), and the recovery of linoleic acid was 84.1%.

[0101] 0.66 mL of the mixture of solutions A and B obtained above was diluted with ion-exchanged water to 2000 mL to prepare spray solution (plant growth and sugar content increase promoter solution) 1. The concentration of 13-oxoODA in spray solution 1 was 0.0617 ppm, the concentration of 9-oxoODA was 0.0283 ppm, and the combined concentration of 9,10,13-trihydroxy-11-octadecenoic acid and 9,12,13-trihydroxy-10-octadecenoic acid was 0.02 ppm.

[0102] (Production Example 2) A solution of 16.8 mg of ground nucleic acid granules (nucleic acid extracted from salmon milt (adenine, adenosine, adenosine monophosphate (AMP), guanine, guanosine, guanosine monophosphate (GMP), thymine, thymidine, thymidine monophosphate (TMP), 5-methyluridine, cytosine, cytidine, cytidine monophosphate (CMP), uracil, uridine, uridine monophosphate (UMP): manufactured by Kenkou Oendan Co., Ltd.) was dissolved in 2000 mL of spray solution (plant growth and sugar content increase promoter solution) 1 prepared in the same manner as in Production Example 1, to prepare spray solution 2.

[0103] Plant Cultivation Test Example 1 1 kg of sorghum seeds (variety: Compost Sorghum (Snow Brand Seed Co., Ltd.)) were soaked in water and left to absorb water at room temperature for one day to induce germination. The seeds were then sown in an open field in Nago City, Okinawa Prefecture, in two rows of 40 locations with 8 seeds per location and 7.5 cm between plants.

[0104] Twenty days after sowing, each seeding site was thinned out and / or replanted to one plant to ensure uniform growth at each site. After thinning, 1.6 mL of water was sprayed on the leaves of each plant.

[0105] Three months after foliar spray, the above-ground parts of the sorghum were cut and harvested. The above-ground parts were cut at a position 10 to 30 cm from the ground. The harvested above-ground parts were transported to Ogaki City, Gifu Prefecture, and cut into 20 cm pieces. Each cut above-ground part was then finely chopped into 2 cm pieces.

[0106] The chopped samples were stored for 1, 2, or 5 days in a thermostatic chamber (LTI-601SD, Tokyo Rikakikai Co., Ltd.) set at 10°C. The sample taken immediately after chopping was designated as the sample taken at time 0. The sugar content per weight of each sample after storage was measured. The above-ground part was cut into 20 cm pieces, and measurements were taken separately for each sample, with the average value being regarded as the sugar content per plant.

[0107] The sugar content was determined by freezing the stored samples at -80°C for one day, then immersing them in 10 times the weight of ion-exchanged water and heating them at 95°C for 15 minutes to extract them, and analyzing the extract obtained.

[0108] Example 2 Sorghum was sown, thinned, and replanted to ensure uniform growth at each location in the same manner as in Example 1. After thinning, 1.6 mL of the spray solution 1 produced in Production Example 1 was sprayed onto the leaves of each plant.

[0109] Three months after the application, the above-ground parts of the sorghum were harvested and samples of the above-ground parts of the sorghum were prepared in the same manner as in Example 1. After storage at 10° C., the sugar content per weight was measured in the same manner as in Example 1.

[0110] Example 3 Sorghum was sown, thinned, and replanted to ensure uniform growth at each location in the same manner as in Example 1. After thinning, 1.6 mL of the spray solution 2 produced in Production Example 2 was sprayed onto the leaves of each plant.

[0111] Three months after the application, the above-ground parts of the sorghum were harvested and samples of the above-ground parts of the sorghum were prepared in the same manner as in Example 1. After storage at 10° C., the sugar content per weight was measured in the same manner as in Example 1.

[0112] Comparative Example 1 Sorghum was sown, thinned, and replanted to ensure uniform growth at each location in the same manner as in Example 1. After thinning, 1.6 mL of water was sprayed on the leaves of each plant.

[0113] Three months after the application, the above-ground parts of the sorghum were harvested and samples of the above-ground parts of the sorghum were prepared in the same manner as in Example 1. After storage at room temperature (25° C.), the sugar content per weight was measured in the same manner as in Example 1.

[0114] Comparative Example 2 Sorghum was sown, thinned, and replanted to ensure uniform growth at each location in the same manner as in Example 1. After thinning, 1.6 mL of the spray solution 1 produced in Production Example 1 was sprayed onto the leaves of each plant.

[0115] Three months after the application, the above-ground parts of the sorghum were harvested and samples of the above-ground parts of the sorghum were prepared in the same manner as in Example 1. After storage at room temperature (25° C.), the sugar content per weight was measured in the same manner as in Example 1.

[0116] Comparative Example 3 Sorghum was sown, thinned, and replanted to ensure uniform growth at each location in the same manner as in Example 1. After thinning, 1.6 mL of the spray solution 2 produced in Production Example 2 was sprayed onto the leaves of each plant.

[0117] Three months after the application, the above-ground parts of the sorghum were harvested and samples of the above-ground parts of the sorghum were prepared in the same manner as in Example 1. After storage at room temperature (25° C.), the sugar content per weight was measured in the same manner as in Example 1.

[0118] Analysis of sugar reserves in plants The sugar content in the extract was determined by the following analytical method.

[0119] The analysis was performed using an LC-MS / MS device (LC part: DIONEX Ultimate3000, MS / MS part: Q Exactive Focus: Thermo Fisher Scientific Co., Ltd.) under the following conditions. Column = Aclaim PR-MS 2.1 mm φ × 150 mm (Thermo Fisher Scientific Co., Ltd.), solvent = 60% acetonitrile / acetic acid water → 100% acetonitrile / acetic acid water, flow rate = 0.25 mL / min, column temperature = 40 ° C, detection UV 190 nm, introduction = sample liquid 2 μL. Qualitative analysis was performed using inulin (Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Co., Ltd.) as a standard substance, and the amount of sugar was quantified by the peak intensity area of ​​UV absorption detected during the retention time of 2 to 10 minutes.

[0120] The results of the sugar content analysis of Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3 are shown in FIG. 1. In Examples 1 to 3, which were stored at a low temperature (10°C), an increase in sugar content was observed after one day of low-temperature storage, and it can be seen that the amount of stored sugar in the chopped samples of the aboveground part increased during storage. In Comparative Examples 1 to 3, which were stored at room temperature (25°C), no increase in sugar content was observed, clearly indicating that the sugar content-increasing effect of the method of the present invention is induced by low-temperature storage. The sugar content-increasing effect by low-temperature storage reached a maximum after two days of low-temperature storage. In other words, the method of increasing sugar content of the present invention is a highly productive method that can easily increase sugar content in a short period of time. The sugar content-increasing effect by the conventional technology of cultivating the roots under low-temperature conditions was observed after 10 days to 2 weeks, and this result indicates that the method of the present invention has a significantly excellent sugar content-increasing effect.

[0121] Examples 2 and 3 and Comparative Examples 2 and 3, in which a plant activator, which is a plant growth and sugar content increase promoter liquid, was applied during cultivation, showed higher sugar contents than Example 1 and Comparative Example 1, in which the plant activator was not applied. Even when the plant activator was applied during cultivation, the sugar content was further increased by performing the low-temperature storage of the present invention (Examples 2 and 3) compared to storage at room temperature (Comparative Examples 2 and 3). In Examples 2 and 3, in which the plant activator was applied during cultivation, the weight per plant before storage was 33.86g and 36.14g, respectively, which was significantly increased compared to the weight per plant before storage of 23.00g in Example 1, in which the plant activator was not applied during cultivation. In other words, it can be seen that the application of the plant activator promotes plant growth. In addition, as shown in FIG. 1, the sugar content of Examples 2 and 3, in which the plant activator was applied during cultivation, was higher on the 0th day of storage than the sugar content of Example 1, in which the plant activator was not applied during cultivation. Therefore, it can be seen that the application of the plant activator increased the amount of stored sugar in the plant body during cultivation. Furthermore, a comparison between Example 2 and Example 3 showed that the use of a plant activator (spray solution 2) containing nucleic acid further promoted plant growth and increased stored sugar during cultivation. These results shown in Figure 1 make it clear that the method of the present invention can exhibit an excellent sugar content-increasing effect even on plants in which the application of a plant activator promoted plant growth and increased stored sugar during cultivation.

[0122] The method of the present invention is a method that can efficiently increase the sugar content in a grass plant while ensuring sufficient plant yield. Furthermore, by applying a plant activator, which is an agent for promoting plant growth and increasing sugar content, to a grass plant during cultivation and then applying the method of the present invention after harvesting, it is possible to significantly increase both the yield and the amount of stored sugar per weight of the grass plant.

Claims

1. A method for increasing the amount of sugar reserves in a grass family plant, comprising cutting and recovering the above-ground parts of a cultivated grass family plant, and storing the above-ground parts of the grass family plant in a cool place at 5°C to 15°C.

2. 2. The method for increasing sugar reserves in a Gramineae plant according to claim 1, wherein the storage in a cool place is for 1 to 5 days.

3. 2. The method for increasing the amount of sugar reserves in a Gramineae plant according to claim 1, wherein the Gramineae plant is a plant of the genus Sorghum, a plant of the genus Miscanthus, or a plant of the genus Saccharum.

4. 4. The method for increasing the amount of sugar reserves in a Gramineae plant according to claim 3, wherein the Gramineae plant is a plant of the genus Sorghum of the family Gramineae.

5. 5. The method for increasing the amount of sugar reserves in a gramineous plant according to claim 4, wherein the gramineous plant is sorghum.

6. 2. The method for increasing the amount of sugar reserves in a gramineous plant according to claim 1, wherein the above-ground part of the gramineous plant is removed during the period from the heading stage to before the ripening stage.

7. 2. The method for increasing the amount of sugar reserves in a grass plant according to claim 1, wherein the above-ground part of the grass plant is excised at a position 10 cm to 30 cm from the soil line.

8. 2. The method for increasing the amount of sugar reserves in a grass plant according to claim 1, wherein the excised above-ground part of the grass plant is further shredded and then stored in a cool place.

9. 2. The method for increasing sugar reserves in a grass plant according to claim 1, further comprising applying a plant activator to the grass plant during said cultivation.

10. 10. The method for increasing sugar reserves in a grass plant according to claim 9, wherein the plant activator comprises at least one compound selected from an oxo fatty acid or a derivative or a salt thereof, and a hydroxylated fatty acid or a derivative or a salt thereof.

11. The oxo fatty acid has the following formula (I): P.S. 1 )-CH=CH-C(=O)-R 2 (I) [In formula (I), R 1 R represents a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group containing 6 to 12 carbon atoms. 2 represents an alkyl group having 2 to 8 carbon atoms, which may contain one or more branches and / or double bonds. Or, the following formula (II): P.S. 3 )-C(=O)-CH=CH-R 4 (II) [In formula (II), R 3 R represents a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group containing 3 to 10 carbon atoms. 4 represents a hydrocarbon group having 4 to 11 carbon atoms, which may contain one or more branches and / or double bonds. The method for increasing the amount of sugar stored in a gramineous plant according to claim 10, wherein the formula is

12. In the formula (I), R 1 contains a double bond that forms a conjugated double bond with the double bond between the α and β carbons of the carbonyl group in formula (I), and In the formula (II), R 4 The method for increasing sugar reserves in a grass family plant according to claim 11, wherein the double bond formed between the α and β carbons of the carbonyl group in formula (II) is a double bond that forms a conjugated double bond with the double bond between the α and β carbons of the carbonyl group in formula (II).

13. 13. The method for increasing sugar reserves in a Gramineae plant according to claim 12, wherein the oxo fatty acid represented by formula (I) and the oxo fatty acid represented by formula (II) are ketooctadecadienoic acid.

14. In the formula (I), R 1 is a linear or branched hydrocarbon group having 9 carbon atoms, and R 2 is an alkyl group having 5 carbon atoms; and In the formula (II), R 3 is a linear or branched hydrocarbon group having 7 carbon atoms, and R 4 But, it has 7 carbon atoms and is CH 3 -CH 2 -CH 2 -CH 2 -CH 2 The method for increasing the amount of sugar stored in a Gramineae plant according to claim 12, wherein the sugar has a structure of -CH=CH-.

15. The method for increasing sugar reserves in a grass family plant according to claim 10, wherein the oxo fatty acid is at least one selected from the group consisting of 9-oxo-10,12-octadecadienoic acid, 13-oxo-9,11-octadecadienoic acid, 5-oxo-6,8-octadecadienoic acid, 6-oxo-9,12-octadecadienoic acid, 8-oxo-9,12-octadecadienoic acid, 10-oxo-8,12-octadecadienoic acid, 11-oxo-9,12-octadecadienoic acid, 12-oxo-9,13-octadecadienoic acid and 14-oxo-9,12-octadecadienoic acid.

16. The method for increasing sugar reserves in a Gramineae plant according to claim 14, wherein the oxo fatty acid represented by formula (I) is 13-oxo-9,11-octadecadienoic acid, and the oxo fatty acid represented by formula (II) is 9-oxo-10,12-octadecadienoic acid.

17. 11. The method for increasing sugar reserves in a grass plant according to claim 10, wherein the hydroxylated fatty acid is an unsaturated fatty acid.

18. The hydroxylated fatty acid is represented by the following formula (III) and / or (IV): P.S. 5 )-CH(OH)-CH(OH)-CH=CH-CH(OH)-R 6 (III) P.S. 5 )-CH(OH)-CH=CH-CH(OH)-CH(OH)-R 6 (IV) [In the formula, R 5 is a linear or branched hydrocarbon group having 4 to 12 carbon atoms, which may contain one or more double bonds and / or OH groups, and when it contains a double bond, the position of the double bond is not limited; R 6 is a linear or branched hydrocarbon group having 2 to 8 carbon atoms, which may contain one or more double bonds and / or OH groups, and when it contains a double bond, the position of the double bond is not limited.

19. The hydroxylated fatty acid is R 5 The hydrocarbon group has 6 to 8 carbon atoms, R 6 19. The method for increasing sugar reserves in a Gramineae plant according to claim 18, wherein the hydrocarbon group has 4 to 6 carbon atoms.

20. The hydroxylated fatty acid is R 5 But -(CH 2 ) n -(n is an integer from 4 to 12), R 6 But, C n H 2n+1 20. The method for increasing sugar reserves in a Gramineae plant according to claim 19, wherein n is an integer of 2 to 8.

21. The hydroxylated fatty acid is R 5 is an alkylene group having 7 carbon atoms (-(CH 2 ) 7 -) and R 6 is an alkyl group having 5 carbon atoms (CH 3 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 21. The method for increasing the amount of sugar reserves in a Gramineae plant according to claim 20, wherein

22. 11. The method for increasing sugar reserves in a grass plant according to claim 10, wherein the hydroxylated fatty acid is hydroxyoctadecenoic acid.

23. 22. The method for increasing sugar reserves in a Gramineae plant according to claim 21, wherein the hydroxylated fatty acid is 9,10,13-trihydroxy-11-octadecenoic acid or 9,12,13-trihydroxy-10-octadecenoic acid.

24. The method for increasing sugar reserves in a grass plant according to claim 10, comprising at least one compound selected from an oxo fatty acid or a derivative thereof or a salt thereof, and at least one compound selected from a hydroxylated fatty acid or a derivative thereof or a salt thereof.

25. The method for increasing sugar reserves in a Gramineae plant according to claim 24, wherein the weight ratio of the compound consisting of the oxo fatty acid, or a derivative thereof, or a salt thereof to the compound consisting of the hydroxylated fatty acid, or a derivative thereof, or a salt thereof is 5 to 100 per 100 of the compound consisting of the oxo fatty acid, or a derivative thereof, or a salt thereof.

26. 11. The method for increasing sugar reserves in a Gramineae plant according to claim 10, wherein the plant activator further comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of terpenes, nucleic acids, amino acids and phospholipids.

27. The method for increasing the amount of sugar reserves in a gramineous plant according to claim 10, wherein the plant activator is a growth promoter for the gramineous plant.

28. The method for increasing the amount of sugar reserves in a Gramineae plant according to claim 10, wherein the plant activator is an agent for increasing the amount of sugar reserves in the Gramineae plant.

29. A method for producing a sugar liquid, comprising: increasing a sugar reserve amount in a gramineous plant by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 28; and then squeezing the sugar liquid from the gramineous plant.

30. Use of the sugar liquid obtained by the method according to claim 29 as carbohydrate-based biomass.

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