Plant growth regulator, its manufacturing method, and plant growth regulator manufacturing system

Abstract

To provide a plant growth regulator and a production method thereof, capable of using easily and inexpensively, a crop plant unused material which has been discarded conventionally, as a biological resource, and capable of preventing application of a harmful effect to an ecosystem and a natural environment, and a plant growth regulator production system.SOLUTION: A plant growth regulator of the invention includes a component obtained by decomposing a crop plant unused material under a heated and compressed steam. A production method of the plant growth regulator of the invention comprises: a preparation step for storing the crop plant unused material in a closed space; a steam decomposition step for heating and compressing the crop plant unused material in the closed state by the steam for 2-5 hours under a temperature of 120°C to 149°C for decomposing the crop plant unused material; and a collection step for collecting the component decomposed by the steam decomposition step.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 13

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a plant growth regulator, a method for producing the same, and a system for producing the plant growth regulator. [Background technology]

[0002] In crop cultivation, unused materials are generated (i.e., all or part of the crop that was not shipped as an agricultural product; hereafter referred to as "unused crop materials"), such as stalks that are thinned out during the cultivation process, side shoots and fruit that are removed, residues after harvest, and non-standard products that are removed during sorting. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2009-136196 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2012-19713 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2019-42647 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Until now, unused crop materials have been discarded despite being biological resources. Therefore, there has been a demand for the development of technology that can utilize unused crop materials as biological resources in a simple and inexpensive manner.

[0005] Here, Patent Documents 1, 2, and 3 describe a method and device for extracting specific components by steam decomposing plant tissue. By using this method or device, the components obtained by decomposing plant tissue can be obtained in the form of a liquid (extract) and a solid (paste), but the effectiveness and uses of the components have not been fully elucidated. Therefore, the present inventor has conducted extensive research into a new technology for utilizing unused crop materials by applying this steam decomposition method or device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a technology that can utilize unused crop materials, which have been discarded until now, as biological resources in a simple and inexpensive manner, and that does not adversely affect the ecosystem or the natural environment, as well as a plant growth regulator, a production method therefor, and a plant growth regulator production system.

[0007] The plant growth regulator according to the present invention is While controlling the water vapor pressure as a partial pressure in the sealed space along the saturated water vapor pressure curve, the water vapor pressure and temperature are increased in the sealed space, and the space is heated and pressurized at a temperature of 120°C to 149°C for 2 to 5 hours. The plant growth regulator is characterized in that it contains components decomposed under heated and pressurized steam. As an example, the unused crop material is plum fruit, and the plant growth regulator contains itaconic acid.

[0008] This allows unused crop materials that have been discarded up until now to be used as growth regulators for new crop cultivation.

[0009] Furthermore, the method for producing a plant growth regulator according to the present invention is characterized by including a preparation step of storing unused crop material in an enclosed space, a steam decomposition step of heating and pressurizing the unused crop material in the enclosed space at a temperature of 120°C to 149°C for 2 hours to 5 hours to decompose the unused crop material with steam, and a recovery step of recovering components decomposed by the steam decomposition step.

[0010] According to this method, the tissue of unused crop materials can be decomposed in a short time in a simple and inexpensive manner to obtain a component having a plant growth regulating function (a component with plant growth regulating function). Because unused crop materials, which are natural products, are used as raw materials and the component is obtained by a hydrolysis method using water vapor, the plant growth regulator containing the component is gentle on plants and soil and does not have a detrimental effect on the natural environment.

[0011] In the steam decomposition step, it is preferable to heat and pressurize the sealed space by increasing the steam pressure and temperature in the sealed space while controlling the steam pressure as a partial pressure in the sealed space along a saturated steam pressure curve. This allows the hydrolysis reaction to proceed by steam energy. In the recovery step, it is preferable to cool the sealed space while controlling the steam pressure in the sealed space along a saturated steam pressure curve. This allows the decomposed components to be recovered while preventing water from boiling.

[0012] As another example, the unused crop material may be plum fruit, and in the steam decomposition step, the plum fruit may be decomposed to produce an itaconic acid-containing component.

[0013] In addition, the system for producing a plant growth regulator to be used in new crop cultivation from unused materials generated in crop cultivation according to the present invention comprises a water supply source, a hypochlorous acid water generation device that generates hypochlorous acid water by diluting and mixing sodium hypochlorite and hydrochloric acid with water supplied from the water supply source, a water purification device that purifies the water supplied from the water supply source, and a steam decomposition device that heats and pressurizes plants with steam to decompose them, and is characterized in that a mechanism is constructed in which the steam decomposition device heats and pressurizes the unused materials that have been cleaned and disinfected with the hypochlorous acid water generated by the hypochlorous acid water generation device, using steam generated from the water purified by the water purification device to decompose them, thereby obtaining plant growth regulating functional components.

[0014] Furthermore, the method of the present invention for producing a plant growth regulator for use in new crop cultivation from unused material generated in crop cultivation is characterized by carrying out a cleaning and disinfection step of cleaning and disinfecting the unused material, a water purification step of purifying water, and a steam decomposition step of heating and pressurizing the washed and disinfected unused material with steam generated from the purified water to decompose it, thereby obtaining a plant growth regulating functional component from the unused material.

[0015] This system and method can create an optimal system for utilizing unused materials generated during crop cultivation in new crop cultivation. Unused materials are cleaned and disinfected, and decomposed with steam generated from purified water, preventing pathogens and pests from contaminating the plant growth regulator functional components derived from natural substances, making it possible to produce a high-quality and safe plant growth regulator. Effect of the Invention

[0016] According to the present invention, unused crop materials that have been discarded up until now can be utilized as biological resources in a simple and inexpensive manner, and a plant growth regulator can be provided that does not adversely affect the ecosystem or the natural environment. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 1A is a vertical cross-sectional view of a steam cracking apparatus, and FIG. 1B is a plan view thereof. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the configuration of a system for monitoring the progress of a steam decomposition reaction that is carried out in a pressure vessel. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram showing a procedure for performing a steam decomposition process. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram showing a procedure for performing a steam decomposition process. [Diagram 5] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the configuration of a plant growth regulator production system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] These are FT-IR spectra of plum extract (solid line) and plum acetone extract (dashed line) obtained using plums produced in Saitama Prefecture. [Figure 7] This shows the FT-IR spectrum (solid line) of plum extract obtained using plums produced in Yamanashi Prefecture and the spectrum (dashed line) of polyitaconic acid searched from an FT-IR library. [Figure 8] This shows the FT-IR spectrum (solid line) of plum extract obtained using plums produced in Yamanashi Prefecture and the spectrum of malic acid (dashed line) searched from an FT-IR library. [Figure 9]This is the FT-IR spectrum (solid line) of plum extract obtained using plums produced in Yamanashi Prefecture and the spectrum (dashed line) of Z001#50; Pokka Lemon 100 searched from the FT-IR library ("Pokka Lemon 100" is a registered trademark). [Figure 10] Photographs of rice plants grown from non-sterile seeds in tap water with or without added plant growth regulators. [Figure 11] 1 is a graph showing the expression rate of the defense-related gene PBZ1 in rice in which sterilized seeds were grown on 1 / 2 MS agar medium with or without the addition of a plant growth regulator. [Figure 12] Photographs of Arabidopsis thaliana that were germinated from non-sterile seeds in fungal-infested soil with or without added plant growth regulators and grown for 8 days. [Figure 13] 1 is a graph showing the fresh weight of Arabidopsis thaliana that was grown for 8 days after pre-germination of non-sterile seeds and transplanting them into fungal-infested soil with or without added plant growth regulators. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] Hereinafter, the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail. The plant growth regulator according to this embodiment contains a component obtained by decomposing unused crop material under heated and pressurized steam. The process of decomposing a plant by heating and pressurizing it with steam is called steam decomposition, and the details will be described later.

[0019] A plant growth regulator refers to a drug that has the effect of promoting or inhibiting plant growth (in this application, "growth" includes growth (quantitative growth such as elongation and enlargement) and development (qualitative growth such as germination and differentiation of organs), adjusting the shape and color of harvested parts (fruit, leaves, roots, etc.), and inducing resistance to pathogens and pests, thereby improving or stabilizing the quality or yield of a plant. As described above, unused crop material refers to a part (crop pieces such as residues) or the whole (whole individual such as thinned plants) of a crop body that has not been shipped as an agricultural product, and the crop is not limited. Examples of crops include celery, broccoli, tomatoes, eggplants, carrots, kidney beans, green onions, beets, corn, marigolds, blueberries, plums, peaches, etc. Below, an example will be described in which the crop is plum and the unused crop material is plum fruit.

[0020] Plums contain various organic acids, including citric acid, malic acid, oxalic acid, and tartaric acid. In particular, they contain a large amount of citric acid, which is known to have the effect of relieving fatigue. It is also known that the amount of nitrate nitrogen contained in vegetables can be reduced by irrigating or applying an organic nutrient solution containing citric acid to the vegetables (JP Patent Publication No. 2011-182658).

[0021] In the present embodiment, it was found that the component (extract) obtained by decomposing plum fruit under heated and pressurized steam contains itaconic acid, which is thought to have been separated from citric acid contained in raw plum fruit. Itaconic acid (CAS registration number 97-65-4) is known as a plant growth regulator, as shown in the "Non-target substance evaluation report Itaconic acid April 2015 Food Safety Commission". For example, as shown in the same document, itaconic acid was developed as a flower thinning agent for apples, and it is said that it has a flower thinning effect when sprayed after the completion of pollination of the terminal central flower, causing fertilization inhibition by inhibiting pollen tube growth or burning the stigma with organic acid.

[0022] When the extract obtained by decomposing the plum fruit under heated and pressurized steam according to the present embodiment was diluted 5,000 to 10,000 times and sprayed on cherry tomatoes, it was found that the cherry tomatoes produced seven flower buds at the stage when they would normally produce five flower buds. The extract obtained by decomposing the plum fruit by steam contains itaconic acid as well as various organic acids such as citric acid and malic acid, and polyphenols, but the liquid obtained by soaking the plum fruit in ethanol and extracting it from the ethanol shows almost no growth promotion effect on the cherry tomatoes, so it is believed that the growth of the cherry tomatoes is promoted by the action of itaconic acid in the extract obtained by decomposing the plum fruit by steam.

[0023] In addition, since the plant growth regulator of this embodiment is made from plums (plum fruits), which are natural products, it is gentle on the plants and soil in which it is used and does not destroy the natural environment.

[0024] The plant growth regulator of this embodiment is obtained by steam decomposition of plum fruit, which is unused crop material, and more specifically includes a preparation step of storing unused crop material (plum fruit) in an enclosed space, a steam decomposition step of heating and pressurizing the unused crop material (plum fruit) with steam in the enclosed space at a temperature of 120°C to 149°C for 2 to 5 hours to decompose it, and a recovery step of recovering the components decomposed by the steam decomposition step.

[0025] The above steam cracking process may employ known steam cracking methods as disclosed in Patent Documents 1, 2, and 3 and JP 2018-130112 A, but will be briefly described below. In addition, the steam cracking apparatus described in Patent Documents 1, 2, and 3 can be used as is.

[0026] FIG 1A is a vertical cross-sectional view of steam cracking apparatus 28, and FIG 1B is its plan view. Steam cracking apparatus 28 forms a cylindrical pressure vessel 2 (corresponding to a "sealed space") equipped with a lid 1 that opens and closes the hatch. A heater 3 is attached to the lower bottom and outer peripheral surface of pressure vessel 2, and the temperature inside pressure vessel 2 is detected by a temperature sensor 4. The temperatures of the bottom and the peripheral surface of pressure vessel 2 are controlled separately. A temperature detection signal inside pressure vessel 2 is transmitted to control device 5.

[0027] A pressure sensor 6 that detects the pressure inside the pressure vessel 2 and a solenoid valve 7 for controlling the pressure are attached to the lid 1. The solenoid valve 7 opens in response to a command from the control device 5 and controls the pressure inside the pressure vessel 2 by discharging the water vapor generated inside the pressure vessel 2 to the outside.

[0028] The plums, which are the material to be treated B, are placed in a basket 8 and inserted into the approximate center region of the pressure vessel 2. A tray 11 is stored at the bottom of the pressure vessel 2 for receiving the extract, which is the liquid component obtained by steam decomposition of the plums (the extract squeezed out of the plums and the condensed liquid of the soluble components that drip down the walls of the pressure vessel 2). After the steam decomposition process, a paste, which is the solid component, is obtained in the basket 8, and the liquid component (extract) and solid component (paste) correspond to the components obtained by steam decomposition of the plums (i.e., the components obtained by decomposing the plums under heated and pressurized steam).

[0029] The plums can be stored as they are in the cage 8 without removing the seeds. Furthermore, plums as unused crop material can be effectively used as discarded plums, such as bruised plums that cannot be shipped for use in pickled plums or pickled plums. Usually, about 20 to 30 percent of the plums are discarded, so being able to effectively use such discarded plums is extremely advantageous in terms of cost.

[0030] Figure 2 shows an example of the configuration of a system for monitoring the progress of the steam decomposition reaction taking place in the pressure vessel 2. The control device 5 is a computer installed in the monitoring room 9, and controls the powering on (ON, OFF) of the heater 3, setting the processing time, opening and closing the solenoid valve 7, etc. Furthermore, the control device 5 executes the function of managing all the controls and setting information required for the component extraction process C, the function of monitoring the progress of the steam decomposition reaction, and the function of monitoring the extraction progress of substances extracted by decomposing the tissues of the plums with a monitor 10, as well as collecting this data in an autosampler 12 and sampling it. The reference numeral 13 denotes a sequencer.

[0031] The control device 5 washes unused crop material (raw plum material including plum fruit) A, and, if necessary, cuts it to an appropriate size or removes unnecessary parts to produce the treated material (plum fruit) B, which is placed in pressure vessel 2 (corresponding to the "preparation process"), subjects it to component extraction process C (corresponding to the "steam decomposition process" and "recovery process"), removes the components obtained by component extraction process C (the extract obtained from tray 11 and the paste obtained from basket 8) D from pressure vessel 2, and, if necessary, subjects this to purification process E, thereby managing the process until high-purity components are obtained.

[0032] Prior to the component extraction process C, the hatch of the pressure vessel 2 is opened and a small amount of water is poured into the pressure vessel 2. Next, the plum fruits B to be subjected to the component extraction process C are placed in a basket 8, which is stored in the pressure vessel 2, the hatch is closed, and the component extraction process C of the plum fruits B begins in the pressure vessel 2. In this way, from the preparation process of storing the treated material (plum fruits) B in the pressure vessel 2, the process moves to the stage of the next process, the steam decomposition process. The steps of the component extraction process C (the "steam decomposition process" and the subsequent "recovery process") will be explained with reference to Figs. 3 and 4.

[0033] Figures 3 and 4 are flow diagrams showing the procedure for carrying out the steam decomposition process. As shown in Figure 3, first, the solenoid valve 7 provided in the pipe connecting the inside and outside of the pressure vessel 2 is opened to open the pressure vessel 2 to the atmosphere, and the heater 3 is turned on (ON) (steps S1 and S2). While the pressure vessel 2 is being heated by the heater 3, the temperature (t) and pressure (P) inside the pressure vessel 2 are detected by the temperature sensor 4 and pressure sensor 6, respectively, at appropriate time intervals (step S3).

[0034] The detected temperature data and detected pressure data are transmitted to the control device 5 each time, and the control device 5 determines whether the detected temperature (t) is within a set temperature range (for example, 70°C≦t≦80°C). This set temperature range is a temperature at which the water in the pressure vessel 2 does not boil, and for safety, it is preferable to set the temperature range to 70°C to 80°C (approximately 70°C to 90°C is also acceptable).

[0035] In this embodiment, as described above, the solenoid valve 7 is opened and the pressure vessel 2 is heated by the heater 3 while being open to the atmosphere. As a result, as the water vapor pressure increases, the air in the pressure vessel 2 is expelled. Therefore, if the temperature inside the pressure vessel 2 is about 80°C, most of the air in the pressure vessel 2 is expelled, and the detected pressure (P) (actual measured pressure value) becomes almost close to the saturated water vapor pressure.

[0036] If the detected temperature (t) has not reached the set temperature range, step S3 and the above judgment are repeated. Temperature measurement should be performed at intervals of as small a temperature increase as possible (for example, about 5°C) to be safer and avoid boiling. If the detected temperature (t) reaches the set temperature, the solenoid valve 7 is closed (step S4). Heating by the heater 3 continues.

[0037] After closing the solenoid valve 7, the steam decomposition processing time is set to 2 to 5 hours (e.g., 3 hours) at an appropriate stage using a timer (not shown) (step S5). The temperature (t) and pressure (P) inside the pressure vessel 2 are detected at appropriate time intervals (or at appropriate temperature rise intervals) (step S6). The detected temperature data and detected pressure data are transmitted to the control device 5 each time, and the control device 5 substitutes the temperature value detected by the temperature sensor 4 into an approximation equation for a saturated steam pressure curve that has been input in advance, and calculates the saturated steam pressure (calculated pressure value) based on the approximation equation (step S7). As the approximation equation, the Tetens equation or the like can be used, but is not limited to this.

[0038] The control device 5 compares the calculated pressure value with the pressure value (P) (actual pressure value) detected by the pressure sensor 6, and determines whether the deviation of the actual pressure value (P) from the calculated pressure value is within a required set range (step S8). If the actual pressure value (P) deviates from the calculated pressure value by more than the set range, the output of the heater 3 is adjusted (step S9) to control the actual pressure value (P) to be as close as possible to the calculated pressure value. Note that, even at the stage leading up to step S4, the same control as in steps S6 to S9 may be performed, and the heater 3 may be controlled to be turned ON and OFF so that the actual pressure value (P) approaches the calculated pressure value. In this way, the water vapor pressure and temperature in the pressure vessel 2 are increased to heat and pressurize the pressure vessel 2 while controlling the water vapor pressure as a partial pressure in the pressure vessel 2 along the saturated water vapor pressure curve.

[0039] While controlling steps S6 to S9, as shown in FIG. 4, when the detected temperature (t) in step S6 rises to a set temperature between 120°C and 149°C, the output of heater 3 is adjusted (or turned off) (step S10) to maintain the set temperature for the time set by the timer and perform the necessary steam decomposition process.

[0040] In this embodiment, the steam decomposition process is carried out with the temperature inside the pressure vessel 2 in the range of 120°C to 149°C. If the temperature rises to 150°C or higher, the plums B will carbonize. When the timer turns off (step S11), the heater 3 is turned off (step S12). By doing as described above, it is possible to control the temperature and pressure inside the pressure vessel 2 to rise substantially along the saturated water vapor pressure curve until reaching step S12. If the temperature is even slightly higher than the saturated water vapor pressure, carbonization will occur, and if it is lower, there is a risk of impurities being liquefied and mixed in due to incomplete decomposition.

[0041] By turning off the heater 3, the system enters the recovery process stage, in which the components decomposed by the steam decomposition process are recovered. In this embodiment, the pressure vessel 2 is naturally cooled while the heater 3 is kept OFF (step S13). This natural cooling causes the temperature and pressure inside the pressure vessel 2 to drop while remaining approximately along the saturated water vapor pressure curve. In this way, the pressure vessel 2 is cooled while controlling the water vapor pressure along the saturated water vapor pressure curve. During this time, the temperature (t) inside the pressure vessel 2 is detected by the temperature sensor 4 at appropriate time intervals (step S14). When the detected temperature (t) drops to a temperature that can avoid boiling of water, for example, about 90°C, the solenoid valve 7 is opened (step S15), and the pressure vessel 2 is naturally cooled (step S16) to end the process.

[0042] In this way, even after step S12, the temperature and pressure inside the pressure vessel 2 can be controlled to decrease substantially along the saturated water vapor pressure curve. As shown in step S15, when the temperature (t) inside the pressure vessel 2 decreases to 90°C or less, the solenoid valve 7 is opened, so that the water inside the pressure vessel 2 can be reliably prevented from boiling.

[0043] If the pressure vessel 2 is large and it takes a long time for it to cool naturally in step S13, after turning off the heater 3 in step S12, the solenoid valve 7 may be opened for short periods at predetermined time intervals to release water vapor, thereby increasing the cooling rate within the pressure vessel 2.

[0044] In this case, the temperature (t) and pressure (P) inside the pressure vessel 2 are detected by the temperature sensor 4 and pressure sensor 6, respectively, and the calculated pressure at the detected temperature (t) is calculated using an approximation equation for the saturated water vapor pressure curve in the same manner as above, and the opening interval and opening time of the solenoid valve 7 are controlled so that the measured pressure (P) approaches the calculated pressure. This makes it possible to control the temperature and pressure inside the pressure vessel 2 to drop along the saturated water vapor pressure curve without boiling the water inside the pressure vessel 2, even during cooling.

[0045] In this way, itaconic acid-containing components can be produced by steam decomposition of plum fruits. A conventional method for obtaining itaconic acid involves vacuum distillation of a concentrated aqueous solution of citric acid at 200°C or higher to obtain a mixture of itaconic acid and citraconic acid or their anhydrides, and then isolating itaconic acid from this mixture, but this method has the problem of being expensive. Another conventional method involves obtaining itaconic acid by itaconic acid fermentation, but this method has the problem of taking a long time. In contrast, the steam decomposition process of this embodiment makes it possible to obtain itaconic acid in a short time in a simple and inexpensive manner from unused crop materials that have been discarded up until now. This itaconic acid-containing component can be used as a plant growth regulator as it is, but as described above, as shown in Figure 2, it may be subjected to purification treatment E as necessary, or other substances may be added.

[0046] In addition, the components obtained by steam decomposition may contain multiple types of components with plant growth regulating functions (components with plant growth regulating functions), and as an example, if the raw crop (crop used as raw material) is plum, the itaconic acid contained in the components obtained by steam decomposition of plum fruits, etc., mainly has the functions of promoting plant growth, elongation, and flower bud differentiation, while 4-hydroxy-2-pentanone and dimethyl-2-methoxysuccinate mainly have the functions of inhibiting plant elongation and elongation. It is believed that plant growth can be adjusted according to purpose by adjusting the dilution ratio and spraying time, etc.

[0047] The plant growth regulator in this embodiment is a technology that utilizes unused crop materials that have been discarded up until now as biological resources, and can be used as a growth regulator for newly cultivated crops. There are no limitations on the target crops (crops used), but since it can be used for the same crops as the raw material crops, for example, by treating unused materials generated in a farm field with the steam cracking device 28 and using them in the same farm field, low-cost agriculture can be realized in which resources for the cultivation of the next crop can be generated along with agricultural products during crop cultivation.

[0048] Next, a system 20 for producing a plant growth regulator for use in new crop cultivation from unused materials generated in crop cultivation will be described with reference to Fig. 5. The plant growth regulator production system 20 according to this embodiment includes a water supply source 22, a hypochlorous acid water generator 24 for generating hypochlorous acid water by diluting and mixing sodium hypochlorite (including sodium hypochlorite aqueous solution) and hydrochloric acid (including dilute hydrochloric acid) with water supplied from the water supply source 22, a water purification device 26 for purifying the water supplied from the water supply source 22, and a steam decomposition device 28 for heating and pressurizing plants with steam to decompose them.

[0049] The water supply source 22 may be a water supply or the like. The hypochlorous acid water generator 24 may suitably be a hypochlorous acid water generator manufactured by Technomax Co., Ltd. The water purification device 26 may be an RO water purifier or the like. The steam decomposition device 28 may be a device described in the above-mentioned Patent Documents 1, 2, and 3, and may suitably be a color difference decomposition device manufactured by Technomax Co., Ltd.

[0050] In the plant growth regulator manufacturing system 20 according to the present embodiment, the steam decomposition device 28 heats and pressurizes the unused material that has been cleaned and disinfected with hypochlorous acid water generated by the hypochlorous acid water generator 24, using steam generated from purified water by the water purification device 26 to decompose it, and obtains plant growth regulator functional components. This is an optimal mechanism for using unused materials generated in crop cultivation for new crop cultivation. As a result, the unused material is first cleaned and disinfected with hypochlorous acid water (cleaning and disinfection process), and then steam decomposed with steam generated from purified water through a water purification process (steam decomposition process) to obtain plant growth regulator functional components. Therefore, it is possible to prevent pathogens and pests from being mixed into the components derived from natural products, and it is possible to produce a high-quality and safe plant growth regulator. EXAMPLES

[0051] Using the steam cracking apparatus 28 shown in Figures 1 and 2, steam cracking of plum fruits was carried out according to the processing procedure shown in Figures 3 and 4. In steps S2 and S3, the pressure vessel 2 was heated with the solenoid valve 7 open (open to the atmosphere) until the temperature inside the pressure vessel 2 rose to about 80°C. Thereafter, the solenoid valve 7 was closed and heating was continued (step S4), until the temperature inside the pressure vessel 2 rose to 132°C (pressure of about 3.0 atm) and was maintained at this temperature for about 4 hours.

[0052] Next, the heater 3 was turned off and the pressure vessel 2 was allowed to cool naturally. When the temperature inside the pressure vessel 2 had dropped to about 90°C, the solenoid valve 7 was gradually opened, air was introduced into the pressure vessel 2, and the pressure vessel 2 was allowed to cool further naturally. No liquid boiled inside the pressure vessel 2. After the pressure vessel 2 was cooled, the liquid content (extract) and solid content (paste) inside the pressure vessel 2 were collected. In this example, the liquid content (extract) was used as a plant growth regulator.

[0053] Figures 6 to 9 show the FT-IR spectra (vertical axis is absorbance) of the above extract obtained by decomposing plum fruits under heated and pressurized steam (hereafter referred to as "plum extract"), and the acetone extract obtained by slicing plum fruits and soaking them in acetone for one day or more (hereafter referred to as "plum acetone extract"). The analysis was carried out at the Industrial Technology Testing Institute of the Minami Shinshu Iida Industrial Center, a public interest incorporated foundation, using a microscopic Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer IRT-5000 (manufactured by JASCO Corporation).

[0054] Figure 6 shows the spectra of the plum extract (solid line) and plum acetone extract (dashed line) obtained from plums produced in Saitama Prefecture. The FT-IR analysis showed that the peaks in the wavenumber range of 2600 to 3600 cm -1 Carboxylic acid hydroxyl group near 3300cm -1 -NH group nearby, 1720cm -1 , 1410cm -1 Carboxylic acid and carboxylic hydroxyl groups near 1650cm -1 Amide group near 1000~1100cm -1From these spectra, it is presumed that the mixture is composed of substances with hydroxyl and ether groups, carboxylic acids, and substances with amide groups.

[0055] It is known that plums contain a significant amount of citric acid as an acid component. In the plum extract and plum acetone extract in Figure 6, -1 , 1700cm -1 , and 1100 cm -1 This is presumably due to a spectral change resulting from the fact that plum extract, that is, the extract obtained by decomposing plum fruits under heated and pressurized steam, has its acid components highly decomposed, and in particular, part of the citric acid is decomposed into itaconic acid.

[0056] Figure 7 shows the FT-IR spectrum (solid line) of the plum extract obtained using plums from Yamanashi Prefecture and the spectrum (dashed line) of polyitaconic acid (HU#559;POLY(ITACONIC ACID)) searched from the FT-IR library. As is clear from Figure 7, the trends of these two spectra are almost identical, and it is presumed that the plum extract contains polyitaconic acid. As can be seen from the solid lines in Figures 6 and 7, the FT-IR spectra of the plum extract obtained from plums from Saitama Prefecture and the plum extract obtained from plums from Yamanashi Prefecture are almost identical, so it is presumed that the components are almost the same even if the plums are from different places of origin.

[0057] Figure 8 shows the FT-IR spectrum (solid line) of the plum extract obtained from plums produced in Yamanashi Prefecture and the spectrum (dashed line) of malic acid (HP#2907; S(-)-hydroxysuccinic acid) searched from the FT-IR library. As is clear from Figure 8, the trends of both spectra are almost identical, and it is inferred that the plum extract contains malic acid.

[0058] FIG. 9 shows the FT-IR spectrum (solid line) of plum extract obtained using plums from Yamanashi Prefecture and the spectrum (dashed line) of Z001#50; Pokka Lemon 100 searched from the FT-IR library. "Pokka Lemon 100" is a registered trademark and is made from 100% concentrated reconstituted lemon juice manufactured by Pokka Sapporo Food & Beverage Co., Ltd. According to the 2020 edition (8th edition) of the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan, 100 g of lemon juice contains 90.5 g of water and 6.7 g of organic acid, of which 6.5 g is citric acid and 0.2 g is malic acid. As is clear from FIG. 9, the two spectra are almost identical in their tendencies, and it is inferred that the plum extract contains citric acid.

[0059] In addition, the components of the plum extract and plum acetone extract obtained from plums grown in Saitama Prefecture, as well as the plum extract obtained from plums grown in Yamanashi Prefecture, were analyzed by gas chromatography. The analysis was carried out at the Industrial Technology Testing Institute of the Minami Shinshu Iida Industrial Center, a public interest incorporated foundation. PTAH (Phenyltrimethyl Ammonium Hydroxide) was used as the methyl ester derivatizing agent.

[0060] The analysis conditions are as follows: <gc> Injection volume: 10μl Method:40℃3min-10℃ / min-240℃5min(Run Time:28min) Injection:240℃ Split Flow:3ml DB-WAX 30m, 0.25mm, 0.25μm Scan time:2~28min, m / z30~550EI+

[0061] As a result, 4-methylitaconate was detected in both plum extracts obtained by decomposing plums under heated and pressurized steam, but 4-methylitaconate was not detected in the plum acetone extract (graph not shown). From the above, it was found that the plum extract obtained by decomposing plums under heated and pressurized steam contains itaconic acid, which is a decomposition of part of the citric acid contained in the plums.

[0062] As mentioned above, when this plum extract was diluted 5,000 to 10,000 times and sprayed on cherry tomatoes, it was found that they produced seven flower buds at a stage when they would normally produce five flower buds. The extract obtained by decomposing plums under heated and pressurized steam contains itaconic acid as well as various organic acids such as citric acid and malic acid, and polyphenols, but the liquid obtained by soaking plums in ethanol and extracting them shows almost no growth-promoting effect on cherry tomatoes, so it is believed that the growth of cherry tomatoes is promoted by the action of the itaconic acid in the plum extract obtained by decomposing plums with steam.

[0063] In addition, in the above-mentioned gas chromatographic analysis, in addition to 4-methyl itaconate, 4-hydroxy 2-pentanone, dimethyl-2-methoxysuccinate, etc. were detected in the plum extract obtained by decomposing the plum fruit under heated pressurized steam. These 4-hydroxy 2-pentanone and dimethyl-2-methoxysuccinate are known to have a plant dwarfing function. In fact, during the long rainy season, cherry tomatoes do not produce flower buds and their stems grow long and thin (elongated). However, when the above-mentioned plum extract was diluted and sprayed on cherry tomatoes during the long rainy season, it was confirmed that the elongation of the stems was suppressed and the stems became thicker. It is also considered that itaconic acid has a function of suppressing the elongation of plants during this period. From the above facts, the plum extract obtained by decomposing the plum fruit under heated pressurized steam contains various components and has a plant growth regulating function, which promotes growth at some times and suppresses growth at other times during the process of plant growth. It is believed that by adjusting the dilution ratio and spraying time of the plum extract, it is possible to adjust plant growth according to the purpose.

[0064] Furthermore, by subjecting plums to steam decomposition, a liquid fraction (extract) and a solid fraction (paste) are obtained. The solid fraction contains the same physiologically active substance (hydroxymethylfurfural) as commercially available plum extract, i.e., a paste made by boiling down plum pulp, and is expected to be used as a preventive agent for lifestyle-related diseases. EXAMPLES

[0065] Using the steam decomposition apparatus 28 shown in Figs. 1 and 2, beets (whole plant), corn (caryopsis), celery (root), and marigold (whole plant) were steam decomposed according to the processing procedures shown in Figs. 3 and 4 to obtain the respective extracts. Hereinafter, each extract will be referred to as "beet extract", "corn extract", "celery extract", and "marigold extract". As plant growth regulators, 1000-fold and 10000-fold diluted solutions of each extract were prepared. The prepared plant growth regulators were added to rice (variety: Koshihikari) seeds and Arabidopsis seedlings, and their effects were confirmed in comparison with those without the addition (comparative example).

[0066] First, sterilized rice seeds were cultivated for 10 days in sterilized water. The sterilized water was added with 1000-fold or 10,000-fold diluted beet extract, corn extract, celery extract, and marigold extract. According to this, the rice plants to which any of the extracts had been added showed growth (plant height, solid weight, root weight) equivalent to or better than that of rice plants without the extracts. Since no adverse effects were observed on the growth of rice plants in a sterile environment, i.e., an environment free of other external factors, it is assumed that steam decomposition does not produce any components that adversely affect crop growth.

[0067] Next, non-sterile rice seeds were cultivated for 10 days in tap water. The tap water was supplemented with 1000-fold or 10,000-fold diluted beet extract, corn extract, celery extract, and marigold extract. Under pathogen stress conditions, rice plants supplemented with any of the extracts showed equal or superior growth compared to rice plants without the extracts, and as shown in Figure 10, the 10,000-fold diluted celery extract and the 10,000-fold diluted marigold extract showed particularly superior growth.

[0068] Next, sterilized rice seeds were cultivated on 1 / 2 MS agar medium for 8 days. A 10,000-fold diluted solution of beet extract, a 10,000-fold diluted solution of celery extract, and a 10,000-fold diluted solution of marigold extract were added to the medium. In a nutrient-rich environment, the rice plants to which the extracts were added showed slightly better growth than the rice plants without the extracts, but no significant differences were observed. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 11, the expression rate of PBZ1, a defense-related gene, was improved in the rice plants to which the extracts were added compared to the rice plants without the extracts. The expression rate was about 2 times in the 10,000-fold diluted solution of celery extract, about 6 times in the 10,000-fold diluted solution of marigold extract, and about 24 times in the 10,000-fold diluted solution of beet extract, and it is possible that a PBZ1 inducer was produced by steam decomposition. As an example, it is known that the expression of PBZ1 has the effect of suppressing the infection of rice blast disease, and it is thought that the disease can be suppressed by using the components obtained by steam decomposition treatment.

[0069] Next, unsterilized Arabidopsis seeds were sown in soil in which filamentous fungi had proliferated, germinated in an incubator at a constant temperature, and cultivated for 8 days. Beet extract, corn extract, celery extract, and marigold extract diluted 1000 times or 10000 times were added to the soil. As shown in Figure 12, all Arabidopsis plants without the extract turned yellow and withered. In contrast, a certain number of Arabidopsis plants with the extract added continued to grow without withering, and produced green leaves.

[0070] Next, unsterilized seeds of Arabidopsis were germinated at constant temperature in an incubator, then transplanted into soil in which filamentous fungi had proliferated and cultivated for 8 days. The soil was added with 1000-fold or 10,000-fold diluted beet extract, celery extract, and marigold extract. As shown in Table 1 and Figure 13, the Arabidopsis to which the extracts were added had an average fresh weight of about 1.2 times larger (4.04 mg) than that to which no extracts were added (3.30 mg), and the addition of the extracts promoted growth. Individually, the growth was slightly inferior to that of the one without extracts when diluted 1000 times with celery extract, but the growth was equivalent when diluted 1000 times with beet extract, and all other extracts showed superior growth. In addition, the growth of beets, celery, and marigold was superior to that of the one without extracts when diluted 10,000 times. This suggests that plant growth can be tailored to the purpose by adjusting the dilution rate of the components during steam decomposition treatment.

[0071] [Table 1] [Explanation of symbols]

[0072] 1 Lid, 2 Pressure vessel, 3 Heater, 4 Temperature sensor, 5 Control device, 6 Pressure sensor, 7 Solenoid valve, 8 Cage, 9 Monitoring room, 10 Monitor, 11 Tray, 12 Autosampler, 13 Sequencer, 20 Plant growth regulator manufacturing system, 22 Water supply source, 24 Hypochlorous acid water generator, 26 Water purification device, 28 Steam decomposition device < / gc>

Claims

1. It contains components that are decomposed by heated and pressurized steam from unused crop materials, The unused crop material is plum fruit, The plum fruit contains itaconic acid in the components decomposed under heated and pressurized steam. A plant growth regulator characterized by:

2. A system for producing a plant growth regulator for use in new crop cultivation from unused materials generated in crop cultivation, A water source; A hypochlorous acid water generating device for generating hypochlorous acid water by diluting and mixing sodium hypochlorite and hydrochloric acid with water supplied from the water supply source; A water purification device that purifies water supplied from the water supply source; A steam decomposition device that heats and pressurizes plants with steam to decompose them, The steam decomposition device heats and pressurizes the unused material that has been cleaned and disinfected with the hypochlorous acid water generated by the hypochlorous acid water generation device, using steam generated from the purified water by the water purification device to decompose the material, thereby obtaining a plant growth regulating functional component. A plant growth regulator manufacturing system comprising:

3. A method for producing a plant growth regulator for use in new crop cultivation from unused materials generated in crop cultivation, comprising: A cleaning and disinfecting process for cleaning and disinfecting the unused material; A water purification process for purifying water; A steam decomposition process is carried out in which the washed and disinfected unused material is decomposed by heating and pressurizing it with steam generated from the purified water, Obtaining a plant growth regulating component from the unused material A method for producing a plant growth regulator, comprising the steps of:

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