Powdery plant activator

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a powdery plant activator exhibiting resistance against wash-out and having excellent handleability, transportability and preservation stability. This powdery plant activator comprises at least one compound selected from oxo-fatty acids or derivatives thereof or salts thereof and hydroxylated fatty acids or derivatives thereof or salts thereof and an unsaturated fatty acid (excluding the oxo-fatty acids or the hydroxylated fatty acids).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a powdery plant activator.

Background Art

[0002] Techniques for adjusting plant growth have been developed for the purpose of improving the supply efficiency of cereal plants and horticultural plants, etc. In addition to measures such as optimizing temperature conditions, sunlight conditions, and fertilization, methods for activating plants using a plant activator having a plant growth regulating action such as growth promotion, dormancy suppression, and stress suppression have been reported.

[0003] Patent Document 1 reports a plant activator characterized by containing an oxo fatty acid derivative or a salt or ester thereof as an active ingredient. The plant activator described in Patent Document 1 has an excellent resistance induction effect and growth promotion effect on plants, but the use of this activator for inducing plant resistance and / or promoting plant growth has a problem that the persistence of the effect of the activator after application to plants may be insufficient.

[0004] From the aspect of labor saving in agricultural work, etc., the persistence of the effect of the activating component of the plant activator is also a problem. The insufficient persistence of the effect in the plant activator described in Patent Document 1 is presumably because the activator is washed away from the surface of the applied plant and may not remain on the plant body at a sufficient concentration. However, there has been no effective means for leaving the activator, and a technique for obtaining satisfactory performance in the persistence of the effect of the activating component has been strongly desired.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a plant activator that improves the persistence of effects, has a long residual effect on the applied plants, is excellent in handleability, transportability, and storage stability, and has excellent disease resistance induction effects and growth promotion effects.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The present invention relates to a powdery plant activator containing at least one compound selected from oxo fatty acids or their derivatives or their salts, and hydroxylated fatty acids or their derivatives or their salts, and unsaturated fatty acids (excluding oxo fatty acids and hydroxylated fatty acids).

[0008] The powdery plant activator in which the unsaturated fatty acid is an unsaturated fatty acid having 10 to 20 carbon atoms is preferable.

[0009] The powdery plant activator in which the unsaturated fatty acid is selected from the group of monovalent or polyunsaturated fatty acids consisting of oleic acid, linoleic acid, α-linolenic acid, γ-linolenic acid, arachidonic acid, etc. is preferable.

[0010] The powdery plant activator in which the unsaturated fatty acid is linoleic acid is preferable.

[0011] The oxo fatty acid or its derivative or its salt is represented by the following formula: HOOC-(R 1 )-CH=CH-C(=O)-R 2 (I) (In the formula, R 1 : a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group containing 6 to 12 carbon atoms, R 2 : an alkyl group having 2 to 8 carbon atoms, which may contain one or more branches and / or double bonds) The powdery plant activator which is an oxo fatty acid or its derivative or its salt having the structural formula is preferable.

[0012] The oxo fatty acid, the R of the oxo fatty acid 1 has a hydrocarbon group with 8 to 10 carbon atoms, and the R 2 is a powdered plant activator which is an oxo fatty acid having an alkyl group with 4 to 6 carbon atoms is preferred.

[0013] The oxo fatty acid, the R of the oxo fatty acid 1 is a powdered plant activator which is an oxo fatty acid containing 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) is preferred.

[0014] The oxo fatty acid, the R of the oxo fatty acid 1 is a straight-chain or branched hydrocarbon group having 9 carbon atoms, and the R 2 is a powdered plant activator which is an oxo fatty acid having an alkyl group with 5 carbon atoms is preferred.

[0015] The powdered plant activator in which the oxo fatty acid is keto octadecadienoic acid is preferred.

[0016] The powdered plant activator in which the oxo fatty acid is 13-oxo-9,11-octadecadienoic acid is preferred.

[0017] The hydroxy fatty acid or its derivative or its salt is the following formula (II) and / or (III): HOOC-(R 3 )-CH(OH)-CH(OH)-CH=CH-CH(OH)-R 4 (II) HOOC-(R 3 )-CH(OH)-CH=CH-CH(OH)-CH(OH)-R 4 (III) (In the formula, R 3 is a straight-chain or branched hydrocarbon group having 4 to 12 carbon atoms, which may contain one or more double bonds and / or OH groups, and when containing a double bond, the position of the double bond is not limited, R 4is a linear or branched hydrocarbon group having 2 to 8 carbon atoms, which may contain one or more double bonds and / or OH groups. When containing double bonds, the positions of the double bonds are not limited) A powdery plant activator which is a hydroxylated fatty acid having the structural formula of or its derivative or its salt is preferred.

[0018] The hydroxylated fatty acid is R 3 The hydrocarbon group of has 6 to 8 carbon atoms, and a powdery plant activator in which the hydrocarbon group of R 4 has 4 to 6 carbon atoms is preferred.

[0019] The hydroxylated fatty acid is R 3 is of the structure -(CH 2 ) n -(n is an integer from 4 to 12), and R 4 is of the structure C n H 2n+1 -(n is an integer from 2 to 8), and a powdery plant activator having such a structure is preferred.

[0020] The hydroxylated fatty acid is R 3 is an alkylene group with 7 carbon atoms (-(CH 2 ) 7 -), and R 4 is an alkyl group with 5 carbon atoms (CH 3 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 -), and a powdery plant activator having such a structure is preferred.

[0021] A powdery plant activator in which the hydroxylated fatty acid is hydroxyoctadecaenoic acid is preferred.

[0022] A powdery plant activator in which the hydroxylated fatty acid is 9,10,13-trihydroxy-11-octadecaenoic acid is preferred.

[0023] A powdery plant activator in which the hydroxylated fatty acid is 9,12,13-trihydroxy-10-octadecaenoic acid is preferred.

[0024] Note that "octadecaenoic acid" is a conventional notation (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-14539), and the above-mentioned "9,10,13-trihydroxy-11-octadecaenoic acid" is also denoted as "9,10,13-trihydroxyoctadeca-11-enoic acid" or "9,10,13-trihydroxy-11-octadecenoic acid". Similarly, the above-mentioned "9,12,13-trihydroxy-10-octadecaenoic acid" is also denoted as "9,12,13-trihydroxyoctadeca-10-enoic acid" or "9,12,13-trihydroxy-10-octadecenoic acid". In the examples, the name of the manufacturer is also indicated in parentheses. The above description applies to all "octadecaenoic acid" used in this specification, the claims, the drawings, and the abstract.

[0025] The structural formula of "9,10,13-trihydroxy-11-octadecaenoic acid" is represented by the following structural formula (1).

[0026] [Chemical formula]

[0027] The structural formula of "9,12,13-trihydroxy-10-octadecaenoic acid" is represented by the following structural formula (2).

[0028] [Chemical formula]

[0029] A powdery plant activator containing the unsaturated fatty acid is preferred, wherein the ratio of the at least one compound selected from the oxo fatty acid or its derivative or its salt and the hydroxy fatty acid or its derivative or its salt to the unsaturated fatty acid is 10% to 90% by weight.

[0030] In addition, as derivatives of the oxo fatty acid and the hydroxylated fatty acid, esters of the oxo fatty acid and the hydroxylated fatty acid are respectively desirable. Further, as salts of the oxo fatty acid and the hydroxylated fatty acid, as will be described later, for example, salts such as sodium salts, potassium salts, and ammonium salts can be used.

[0031] It is preferable that the powdery plant activator is a powdery plant activator used as a spraying agent or an immersion agent for contacting the stems, leaves, or roots of plants, or a chemical agent for soil perfusion.

[0032] It is preferable that the powdery plant activator is a powdery plant activator used for plants selected from the plants of the Brassicaceae family, Gramineae family, Leguminosae family, Solanaceae family, Rosaceae family, Amaranthaceae family, or Malvaceae family.

[0033] A method for producing a powdery plant activator containing at least one compound selected from an oxo fatty acid or its derivative or its salt and a hydroxylated fatty acid or its derivative or its salt, and an unsaturated fatty acid (excluding oxo fatty acids and hydroxylated fatty acids), which includes a step of freeze-drying to obtain a powdery form, is required.

[0034] Further, in the method for producing the powdery plant activator, at least one compound selected from an oxo fatty acid or its derivative or its salt and a hydroxylated fatty acid or its derivative or its salt, and an unsaturated fatty acid (excluding oxo fatty acids and hydroxylated fatty acids) are dispersed in water to form an aqueous dispersion, and the aqueous dispersion is frozen and depressurized to perform freeze-drying to obtain a powdery form, which is desirable.

[0035] Further, it is desirable that the aqueous dispersion contains a stabilizer.

[0036] Further, it is desirable that the stabilizer is an emulsifier.

[0037] Furthermore, it is desirable that the emulsifier be at least one selected from potassium carbonate and dipotassium hydrogen phosphate.

[0038] The powdery plant activator containing 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 of the present invention, and an unsaturated fatty acid (excluding oxo fatty acid and hydroxylated fatty acid) may be in a so-called block shape in which the powder particles aggregate to form a solid mass. As will be described later, this is because the transportability is superior to that of the liquid state.

[0039] The present invention also relates to a plant activator product in which a block-shaped plant activator containing at least one compound selected from an oxo fatty acid or its derivative or its salt and a hydroxylated fatty acid or its derivative or its salt is housed in the cup-shaped recess in a tray having a plurality of cup-shaped recesses. By adopting the form of a block-shaped plant activator product housed in the cup-shaped recess in the tray, it is considered that the handleability and transportability of the plant activator are further improved, and thus this may be preferable.

[0040] The block-shaped plant activator refers to a solid mass formed by aggregation of powders of a powdery plant activator containing at least one compound selected from an oxo fatty acid or its derivative or its salt and a hydroxylated fatty acid or its derivative or its salt. The shape of the block-shaped plant activator is not limited, and it may be spherical (e.g., true spherical, substantially true spherical, ellipsoidal, etc.), cubic, polyhedral (e.g., cubic, rectangular parallelepiped, etc.), rod-shaped (e.g., cylindrical, prismatic, etc.), flat plate-shaped, polygonal plate-shaped, and may have a design on the surface (e.g., a three-dimensional shape imitating a petal or a corolla). Further, the block-shaped plant activator may contain a colorant.

[0041] The block-shaped plant activator preferably contains an unsaturated fatty acid (excluding oxo fatty acid and hydroxylated fatty acid).

Advantages of the Invention

[0042] The powdery plant activator of the present invention has excellent disease resistance induction effect and growth promotion effect, and by effectively preventing washing-off from the plant body, it has high persistence of these effects and excellent storage stability. In addition, since it is in powder form, it is also excellent in handleability and transportability.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0043]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0044] Plant activator The plant activator of the present invention is a plant activator containing at least one compound selected from oxo fatty acids or their derivatives or their salts and hydroxylated fatty acids or their derivatives or their salts, and unsaturated fatty acids (excluding oxo fatty acids and hydroxylated fatty acids), and is characterized by being in powder form.

[0045] "Plant activation" in the present invention means adjusting to activate or maintain the growth activities of plants in some form, and includes concepts such as growth promotion (a concept including the expansion of stems and leaves, the promotion of the growth of tubers and roots, etc.), dormancy inhibition, induction and imparting of resistance to plant stress (such as diseases), and plant growth regulation effects such as anti-aging.

[0046] The powdery plant activator of the present invention contains at least one compound selected from oxo fatty acids or their derivatives or their salts and hydroxylated fatty acids or their derivatives or their salts as an active ingredient for exhibiting such a plant activation effect. By containing such a compound or at least one compound selected from derivatives of such a compound or its salt, the powdery plant activator of the present invention can impart a growth promoting effect to plants when applied to a part of the foliage or roots of the plants. In the plant body inoculated with the powdery plant activator of the present invention, an increase in the leaf length and leaf weight, which are plant growth indices, and promotion of the growth of tubers or tuberous roots are confirmed as compared with untreated plants. Therefore, it is considered that the powdery plant activator of the present invention imparts a growth promoting effect to plants. By using the powdery plant activator of the present invention, the growth of the plant body can be promoted, leading to an increase in the yield of plant bodies such as vegetables, grains, fruits and the like. The plant growth promoting effect of the powdery plant activator of the present invention is very high, and as a result, it can bring about an excellent yield increasing effect and improved harvesting efficiency of commercial crops. Furthermore, by applying the powdery plant activator of the present invention to a part of the foliage or roots of the plants, the salicylic acid pathway related to resistance induction in the plant body can be activated, and as a result, resistance to diseases and the like can be induced in the plants.

[0047] However, as described above, although the plant activator containing an oxo fatty acid derivative or its salt or ester as an active ingredient has an excellent activation effect, before or during the time when the active ingredient can produce a sufficient effect, for example, due to rain or the like, washing away from the action position of the active ingredient may occur. In many applications including local inoculation of plant activators, such washing away of the active ingredient in the plant activator by rain, erosion and other erosive forces may significantly reduce the efficacy and duration of action of the plant activator.

[0048] The powdery plant activator of the present invention contains, in addition to at least one compound selected from the above-mentioned active ingredients, namely oxo fatty acid or its derivative or its salt and hydroxylated fatty acid or its derivative or its salt, an unsaturated fatty acid. The unsaturated fatty acid of the present invention does not include oxo fatty acid and hydroxylated fatty acid. The unsaturated fatty acid contained in the powdery plant activator of the present invention is hydrophobic and has low water solubility. As a result, the unsaturated fatty acid of the present invention can impart the property of repelling water at the inoculation site to the powdery plant activator. That is, the powdery plant activator of the present invention is hardly washed away. Further, the active ingredient, oxo fatty acid or its derivative or its salt and / or hydroxylated fatty acid or its derivative or its salt, exists so as to be included in this unsaturated fatty acid coexisting in the powdery plant activator. Therefore, the powdery plant activator of the present invention shows remarkable resistance to washing away by rain or the like, and the active ingredient adheres more strongly to the surface of the plant body such as the leaves of the plant. As a result, the duration of the activation effect of the plant activator is increased. Further, the powdery plant activator of the present invention is easy to handle and transport by having a powdery shape, and can show excellent stability in long-term storage and the like.

[0049] As the oxo fatty acid or its derivative or its salt of the present invention, the following formula: HOOC-(R 1 )-CH=CH-C(=O)-R 2 (I) (In the formula, R 1 : is a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group containing 6 to 12 carbon atoms R 2 : is an alkyl group having 2 to 8 carbon atoms, which may contain one or more branches and / or double bonds) An oxo fatty acid or its derivative or its salt having the structural formula of can be preferably used.

[0050] In one embodiment of the present invention, the number of carbon atoms of the hydrocarbon group of R in the above oxo fatty acid is 8 to 10, and R 1 ​2 The number of carbon atoms in the alkyl group is 4 to 6. In another embodiment, R in the above oxo fatty acid 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). Further, in another embodiment, R in the above oxo fatty acid 1 is a linear or branched hydrocarbon group having 9 carbon atoms, and R 2 is preferably an alkyl group having 5 carbon atoms.

[0051] Specific examples of the oxo fatty acid of the present invention include keto octadecadienoic acid. For example, examples of keto octadecadienoic acid include, but are not limited to, 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, 14-oxo-9,12-octadecadienoic acid, and their isomers.

[0052] In addition, an ester is desirable as a derivative of the oxo fatty acid. Examples of the ester of the oxo fatty acid of the present invention include, but are not limited to, methyl ester, ethyl ester, propyl ester, butyl ester, pentyl ester, isopentyl ester, octyl ester, and the like. Examples of the salt of the oxo fatty acid include ammonium salts such as ammonium salts and alkylammonium salts such as tetramethylammonium salts, alkaline earth metal salts such as calcium salts and magnesium salts, alkali metal salts such as sodium salts, lithium salts, and potassium salts, metal salts such as cobalt salts and manganese salts, and the like, but are not particularly limited as long as they are one or more agriculturally acceptable salts such as salts contained in fertilizers.

[0053] As the hydroxylated fatty acid, its derivative or its salt of the present invention, the following formula (II) and / or (III) HOOC-(R 3 )-CH(OH)-CH(OH)-CH=CH-CH(OH)-R 4 (II) HOOC-(R 3 )-CH(OH)-CH=CH-CH(OH)-CH(OH)-R 4 (III) (In the formula, R 3 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. When it contains a double bond, the position of the double bond is not limited. R 4 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. When it contains a double bond, the position of the double bond is not limited) A hydroxylated fatty acid having the structural formula of or its derivative or its salt can be preferably used.

[0054] In one embodiment of the present invention, the hydrocarbon group of R 3 in the above hydroxylated fatty acid has 6 to 8 carbon atoms, and the hydrocarbon group of R 4 has 4 to 6 carbon atoms. In another embodiment, R 3 in the above hydroxylated fatty acid has a structure of -(CH 2 ) n -(where n is an integer from 4 to 12), and R 4 has a structure of C n H 2n+1 -(where n is an integer from 2 to 8). Further, in another embodiment, R 3 in the above hydroxylated fatty acid is an alkylene group having 7 carbon atoms (-(CH 2 ) 7 -), and R 4 is an alkyl group having 5 carbon atoms (CH 3 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2CH 2 is preferably (-).

[0055] Specific examples of the hydroxylated fatty acid of the present invention include hydroxyoctadecaenoic acid. For example, examples of hydroxyoctadecaenoic acid include, but are not limited to, 9,10,13-trihydroxy-11-octadecenoic acid and / or 9,12,13-trihydroxy-10-octadecenoic acid and their isomers.

[0056] In addition, an ester is desirable as a derivative of the hydroxylated fatty acid. Examples of the ester of the hydroxylated fatty acid of the present invention include, but are not limited to, methyl ester, ethyl ester, propyl ester, butyl ester, pentyl ester, isopentyl ester, octyl ester and the like. Examples of the salt of the hydroxylated fatty acid include ammonium salts such as ammonium salts and alkylammonium salts such as tetramethylammonium salts, alkaline earth metal salts such as calcium salts and magnesium salts, alkali metal salts such as sodium salts, lithium salts and potassium salts, metal salts such as cobalt salts and manganese salts, etc., but are not particularly limited as long as they are one or more agriculturally acceptable salts such as salts contained in fertilizers.

[0057] The unsaturated fatty acid of the present invention is not particularly limited, but an unsaturated fatty acid having about 10 to 20 carbon atoms may be preferable from the viewpoint of low solubility in water. For example, an unsaturated fatty acid having 18 carbon atoms is more preferable. In the unsaturated fatty acid of the present invention, the number of unsaturated bonds in its molecular structure is not limited, and it may be a monounsaturated fatty acid or a polyunsaturated fatty acid. For example, examples of the unsaturated fatty acid include, but are not limited to, unsaturated fatty acids such as oleic acid, linoleic acid, oleic acid, α-linolenic acid, γ-linolenic acid, and arachidonic acid. Further, the unsaturated fatty acid may be in any state of a free fatty acid or its salt (a generally usable salt, for example, the salts exemplified above), and one or more thereof can be selected therefrom. As the unsaturated fatty acid of the present invention, a commercially available product may be used, or a synthetic product from a commercially available compound may also be used. Further, as the unsaturated fatty acid, one kind of unsaturated fatty acid may be used, or two or more kinds may be used.

[0058] In addition, when isomers exist in the compounds exemplified in this specification, all possible isomers can be used in the present invention unless otherwise specified.

[0059] The powdered plant activator of the present invention contains at least one compound selected from at least one oxo fatty acid or its derivative or its salt and at least one hydroxylated fatty acid or its derivative or its salt, and at least one unsaturated fatty acid. That is, the unsaturated fatty acid that can be used in the present invention is not limited to the compatibility with any specific type of oxo fatty acid or its derivative or its salt or hydroxylated fatty acid or its derivative or its salt, and a wide range of unsaturated fatty acids can be used together with the oxo fatty acid or its derivative or its salt or hydroxylated fatty acid or its derivative or its salt in the powdered plant activator of the present invention. For example, the powdered plant activator of the present invention may contain at least one compound selected from at least one oxo fatty acid or its derivative or its salt selected from 13-oxoODA and 9-oxoODA and at least one hydroxylated fatty acid or its derivative or its salt selected from 9,10,13-trihydroxy-11-octadecenoic acid and / or 9,12,13-trihydroxy-10-octadecenoic acid, and at least one unsaturated fatty acid selected from oleic acid, linoleic acid, α-linolenic acid, γ-linolenic acid, and arachidonic acid. For example, the powdered plant activator of the present invention may contain at least one compound selected from keto-octadecadienoic acid or its derivative or its salt and hydroxy-octadecenoic acid or its derivative or its salt, and at least one unsaturated fatty acid selected from oleic acid, linoleic acid, α-linolenic acid, γ-linolenic acid, and arachidonic acid. For example, the powdered plant activator of the present invention may contain 13-oxo-9,11-octadecadienoic acid or its derivative or its salt and linoleic acid, or may contain 9,10,13-trihydroxy-11-octadecenoic acid and / or 9,12,13-trihydroxy-10-octadecenoic acid or its derivative or its salt and linoleic acid, or may contain 13-oxo-9,11-octadecadienoic acid and / or 9,10,13-trihydroxy-11-octadecenoic acid and / or 9,12,13-trihydroxy-10-octadecenoic acid or its derivative or its salt and linoleic acid.

[0060] In the present invention, when at least one compound selected from at least one oxo fatty acid or its derivative or its salt and at least one hydroxylated fatty acid or its derivative or its salt, and at least one unsaturated fatty acid are mixed, in order to uniformly mix them, at least one compound selected from the at least one oxo fatty acid or its derivative or its salt, at least one hydroxylated fatty acid or its derivative or its salt, and at least one unsaturated fatty acid, and a stabilizer (emulsifier) for stably existing as an emulsion in water are desirably used.

[0061] As the stabilizer (emulsifier), at least one selected from potassium carbonate and dipotassium hydrogen phosphate can be used.

[0062] Since the powdery plant activator of the present invention contains unsaturated fatty acids, the washing-off of the plant activator from the inoculated plant is minimized. Moreover, in the powdery plant activator of the present invention, due to the coexistence of unsaturated fatty acids, the excellent disease resistance induction effect and growth promotion effect by at least one compound selected from the active ingredients for the activation effect, namely oxo fatty acid or its derivative or its salt and hydroxylated fatty acid or its derivative or its salt, are not reduced or lost. In addition, unsaturated fatty acids do not have an adverse effect on the plant body to which they are applied. As a result, the efficacy and the lifespan of the plant activator can be enhanced. Therefore, with the powdery plant activator of the present invention, the application frequency of the plant activator to the plant body can be reduced, and also the application amount of the plant activator itself can be reduced.

[0063] As described above, the powdered plant activator of the present invention is a powdered plant activator containing at least one compound selected from naturally occurring oxo fatty acids or derivatives or salts thereof and hydroxylated fatty acids or derivatives or salts thereof, and natural unsaturated fatty acids. Therefore, the powdered plant activator of the present invention is also very excellent in that it has a low environmental impact.

[0064] In the powdery plant activator of the present invention, the unsaturated fatty acid and at least one compound selected from oxo fatty acids or their derivatives or their salts and hydroxylated fatty acids or their derivatives or their salts as active ingredients for the activation effect, for example, the ratio of at least one compound selected from oxo fatty acids or their derivatives or their salts and hydroxylated fatty acids or their derivatives or their salts to the unsaturated fatty acid is preferably contained at about 90% or less by weight ratio. If the ratio of at least one compound selected from oxo fatty acids or their derivatives or their salts and hydroxylated fatty acids or their derivatives or their salts to the unsaturated fatty acid is greater than 90%, the content of the hydrophobic component in the powdery plant activator is small, and there is a risk that washing-off cannot be effectively prevented. Also, the unsaturated fatty acid and at least one compound selected from oxo fatty acids or their derivatives or their salts and hydroxylated fatty acids or their derivatives or their salts as active ingredients for the activation effect, for example, the ratio of at least one compound selected from oxo fatty acids or their derivatives or their salts and hydroxylated fatty acids or their derivatives or their salts to the unsaturated fatty acid is preferably contained at about 10% or more by weight ratio. If the ratio of at least one compound selected from oxo fatty acids or their derivatives or their salts and hydroxylated fatty acids or their derivatives or their salts to the unsaturated fatty acid is less than 10%, the amount of the active ingredient for the activation effect in the powdery plant activator is small, and there is a risk that the plant activation effect becomes insufficient. For example, the ratio of at least one compound selected from oxo fatty acids or their derivatives or their salts and hydroxylated fatty acids or their derivatives or their salts to the unsaturated fatty acid in the powdery plant activator is about 10% or more and about 90% or less by weight ratio. By containing the active ingredient for the activation effect and the unsaturated fatty acid in such a ratio in the powdery plant activator, a good activation effect and resistance to washing-off can be obtained.

[0065] The powdered plant activator of the present invention is a dried product formed into a powder shape using a normal drying method. Preferably, the drying can be carried out, for example, by a freeze-drying method. That is, preferably, the powdered plant activator of the present invention can be a powder of a freeze-dried product. Further, the powdered plant activator of the present invention may be a ground or crushed product of a freeze-dried product.

[0066] The freeze-drying process for obtaining the powdered plant activator of the present invention can be carried out using commercially available freeze-drying equipment. Since freeze-drying is a low-temperature treatment, the functionality of the active ingredients in the powdered plant activator of the present invention is less likely to be impaired. The freeze-drying process of the present invention includes a vacuum freeze-drying treatment. Due to the decompression effect, ice is sublimated into water vapor without passing through the liquid phase, so that the active ingredients in the powdered plant activator of the present invention can be well retained. Further, the freeze-drying process of the present invention may include a step of pre-freezing the composition containing the active ingredient into a frozen form before the vacuum freeze-drying treatment. Also, as described above, optionally, after the freeze-drying process of the present invention, a step of adjusting the freeze-dried product into a powder, such as grinding or crushing the freeze-dried product, may be carried out.

[0067] For example, the freeze-drying process of the present invention may include a step of mixing at least one compound selected from at least one oxo fatty acid or its derivative or its salt and at least one hydroxylated fatty acid or its derivative or its salt, and at least one unsaturated fatty acid with water as a dispersion medium to prepare an aqueous dispersion. When mixing, it is desirable to add at least one stabilizer (emulsifier) selected from the above-mentioned potassium carbonate and dipotassium hydrogen phosphate to emulsify the aqueous dispersion.

[0068] It is desirable to perform lyophilization of this aqueous dispersion by setting the freezing temperature to -45°C or lower and the degree of vacuum to 600 Pa or lower. A lyophilized product with a water content reduced to about 5% or less, preferably about 3% or less, can be obtained. The resulting lyophilized product, or optionally the lyophilized product adjusted to a powder after lyophilization, is in powder form, preferably a powder with an average particle diameter (D50) of the powder particles of about 100 μm or less. Note that the average particle diameter of the particles can be measured, for example, by the light scattering method.

[0069] The "powder" of the powdered plant activator of the present invention may mean solid particles including granular, flaky, pellet-like, granular, etc. The powdered plant activator of the present invention may be in a form in which the powders aggregate with each other to form a solid lump (i.e., a block). The shape of the block is not particularly limited, and examples include spherical (e.g., true spherical, substantially true spherical, ellipsoidal, etc.), cubic, polyhedral (e.g., cubic, rectangular parallelepiped, etc.), rod-like (e.g., cylindrical, prismatic, etc.), flat plate-like, and polygonal plate-like. However, the shape and size can be appropriately changed.

[0070] For example, the block-shaped plant activator may have a design on its surface (e.g., a three-dimensional shape imitating a petal or a corolla), and may also contain a coloring agent. As a method for aggregating the powders of the powdered plant activator of the present invention, any method including known molding methods described later can be adopted.

[0071] Also, the powdered plant activator of the present invention may be made into a shape suitable for use, such as by using a specific container during lyophilization. For example, the aqueous dispersion prepared as described above is filled into the depressions of a tray for lyophilization, particularly a tray having a plurality of depressions, and subjected to lyophilization, so that the block-shaped plant activator is contained in the tray. It is considered that the occurrence of problems such as chipping and cracking during the transportation of the block-shaped plant activator can be suppressed. By making the plant activator into a block shape and further containing them in a tray, a plant activator with improved transportability and simplicity in use while maintaining the activity of the plant activator can be supplied.

[0072] Examples of such trays include trays made of cold-resistant resins that can withstand freeze-drying. The cold-resistant resin is not particularly limited, but for example, polypropylene or the like can be preferably used. For example, trays with about 1 to 50 depressions can be used, and the entire tray may be sealed by adhering a film or the like to the tray surface after freeze-drying. It is considered that deterioration due to moisture absorption of the contained plant activator can be prevented. The block-shaped plant activator can be opened in a field or the like by peeling off the film on a desired number of blocks from the tray, taking out the blocks, and then dispersing and dissolving the blocks in a predetermined amount of water to obtain a liquid plant activator, which can be sprayed on a field or the like. Thus, in the plant activator product of the present invention, a plant activator with further improved handleability can be supplied.

[0073] Note that as the tray used in the plant activator product of the present invention, as shown in the photograph of FIG. 4, a commercially available resin ice tray can be used. By using such a commercially available ice tray, the plant activator product can also be easily manufactured.

[0074] The powdery plant activator of the present invention may contain, if necessary, an excipient or a carrier suitable for use as a plant activator. These additive components are not particularly limited as long as they are agriculturally acceptable agents. Further, components usually used in colorants, agricultural formulations, etc., other than excipients and carriers, may be further contained. Also, the powdery plant activator of the present invention may contain an ionic or non-ionic surfactant, emulsifier, dispersant, defoaming agent, penetration promoter, humectant, ionic or non-ionic wetting agent, antifreezing agent, preservative, antioxidant, etc.

[0075] The powdery plant activator of the present invention may be in the form of a powder compact. When forming a compact, for example, known methods such as a press molding method or an extrusion molding method can be used. Further, the shape and size of the compact are not particularly limited, and those suitable for the use, purpose of use, etc. can be designed. For example, the powdery plant activator may be in the form of a tablet, or may be molded to improve the design property of the appearance. For example, the powdery plant activator can be molded into a block shape or the like with a design such as the shape of various flowers. Further, depending on the place of use, etc., unevenness or the like for expressing a design such as a pattern may be formed on the surface.

[0076] The powdery plant activator of the present invention can be applied to plants by any method. For example, the powdery plant activator of the present invention can be used as a wettable powder suspended in water, and for example, it may be used as a spray agent that contacts the stems, leaves or roots of plants. Further, the powdery plant activator of the present invention may be used as a dipping agent or a soil perfusion agent. The specific application method can be appropriately selected depending on the cultivated plant to be applied and the usage form, but for example, surface treatments such as ground liquid spraying, ground solid spraying, aerial liquid spraying, aerial solid spraying, liquid surface spraying, in-facility application, soil mixing application, soil perfusion application, coating treatment, seedling box application, single flower treatment, plant base treatment, etc. can be exemplified. In the plants to which it is applied, the powdery plant activator of the present invention imparts a plant growth promoting effect and resistance to stresses such as diseases to the plants. The powdery plant activator of the present invention is particularly preferably used in the application for treating the stems and leaves of cultivated plants among the above application methods in that it has a high resistance to being washed off.

[0077] The plants to which the powdery plant activator of the present invention can be applied are not particularly limited, and it can be preferably used for plants in general. For example, it can be preferably applied to plants of the Brassicaceae family, Poaceae family, Fabaceae family, Solanaceae family, Rosaceae family, Amaranthaceae family, or Malvaceae family. Further, the plants to be applied are not limited to wild-type plants, and may be, for example, mutants or transformants. Also, the varieties of each plant are not particularly limited.

Examples

[0078] The present invention will be described based on examples, but the present invention is not limited only to the examples.

[0079] <Preparation of Powdery Plant Activator> Example 1 As at least one compound selected from oxo fatty acids or their derivatives or their salts and hydroxylated fatty acids or their derivatives or their salts, 13-oxo-9,11-octadecadienoic acid (13-oxoODA) ((9Z,11E)-13-oxo-9,11-octadecadienoic acid, manufactured by Cayman Chemical) which is keto octadecadienoic acid was used. Also, as the unsaturated fatty acid, linoleic acid (primary linoleic acid of Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Corporation) was used. To 1 g of linoleic acid, 0.1 g of 13-oxoODA and 1 g of potassium carbonate were added and mixed (the ratio of oxo fatty acid to linoleic acid = 10%). This mixture was dispersed in water to prepare a 20 mL aqueous solution (aqueous dispersion). The prepared aqueous solution (aqueous dispersion) was put into a 30 mL brown bottle (inner surface inactivated) and frozen at -80°C overnight. This frozen product was freeze-dried using a vacuum freeze dryer (the internal vacuum degree of the vacuum freeze dryer was 15 Pa, the trap temperature was -45°C, and drying was carried out for 40 hours). A test powdery plant activator of Example 1 with a dry weight of 1.82 g was obtained. Example 2 13-oxoODA was used as the oxo fatty acid and linoleic acid was used as the unsaturated fatty acid in the same manner as in Example 1. To 0.5 g of linoleic acid, 0.45 g of 13-oxoODA and 1 g of potassium carbonate were added and mixed (the ratio of oxo fatty acid to linoleic acid = 90%). Using this mixture, a 20 mL aqueous solution (aqueous dispersion) was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, and freeze-drying was carried out to obtain a test powdery plant activator of Example 2. Example 3 As at least one compound selected from oxo fatty acids or their derivatives or their salts and hydroxy fatty acids or their derivatives or their salts, hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid, 9,10,13-trihydroxy-11-octadecadienoic acid (manufactured by Larodan Fine Chemicals, 9(S),10(S),13(S)-trihydroxy-11(E)-octadecenoic acid (in English notation 9(S),10(S),13(S)-trihydroxy-11(E)-octadecenoic acid)), and 9,12,13-trihydroxy-10-octadecadienoic acid (manufactured by Larodan Fine Chemicals, 9(S),12(S),13(S)-trihydroxy-10(E)-octadecenoic acid (in English notation 9(S),12(S),13(S)-trihydroxy-10(E)-octadecenoic acid)) were used as a mixture mixed at a ratio of 2:1. First, 0.067 g of 9(S),10(S),13(S)-trihydroxy-11(E)-octadecenoic acid, 0.033 g of 9(S),12(S),13(S)-trihydroxy-10(E)-octadecenoic acid, 1.0 g of linoleic acid (primary linoleic acid of FUJIFILM Wako Pure Chemical Corporation) as an unsaturated fatty acid, and 1 g of potassium carbonate were mixed (the ratio of hydroxy fatty acid to linoleic acid = 10%). Using this mixture, a 20 mL aqueous solution (aqueous dispersion) was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, and lyophilization was performed to obtain a powdered plant activator for testing in Example 3. Example 4 In the same manner as in Example 3, a 2:1 mixture of 9(S),10(S),13(S)-trihydroxy-11(E)-octadecenoic acid and 9(S),12(S),13(S)-trihydroxy-10(E)-octadecenoic acid as hydroxy fatty acids, and linoleic acid as an unsaturated fatty acid were used. To 0.5 g of linoleic acid, 0.45 g of this hydroxy fatty acid mixture and 1 g of potassium carbonate were added and mixed (the ratio of hydroxy fatty acid to linoleic acid = 90%). Using this mixture, a 20 mL aqueous solution (aqueous dispersion) was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, and lyophilization was performed to obtain a powdered plant activator for testing in Example 4. Comparative Example 1 Using 0.1 g of 13-oxoODA of Example 1 and 1 g of potassium carbonate, 20 mL of an aqueous solution (aqueous dispersion) was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, and lyophilization was performed to obtain a test powdery plant activator of Comparative Example 1 that does not contain linoleic acid. Comparative Example 2 0.067 g of 9(S),10(S),13(S)-trihydroxy-11(E)-octadecenoic acid, 0.033 g of 9(S),12(S),13(S)-trihydroxy-10(E)-octadecenoic acid, and 1 g of potassium carbonate were each mixed, and 20 mL of an aqueous solution (aqueous dispersion) was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, and lyophilization was performed to obtain a test powdery plant activator of Comparative Example 2 that does not contain linoleic acid.

[0080] <Evaluation method> The test powdery plant activators prepared in Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2 above were tested and evaluated by the following method.

[0081] <Water repellency test> In the test powdery plant activators of Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2 that do not contain unsaturated fatty acids described above, a water repellency test against water was performed. The water repellency test was performed using each test powdery plant activator (1 mg) dispersed in water (0.5 mL). The water for the water repellency test was ion-exchanged water. In the water repellency test, first, a resin plate made of polypropylene was prepared, and spinach leaves with a length of about 15 cm were fixed to this resin plate. On the spinach leaves, 5 μL of each test powdery plant activator dispersed in water was stretched and applied with a spatula in a width of 1 cm in the length direction, and dried to form an evaluation surface for each test powdery plant activator. The resin plate with the spinach leaves fixed was fixed to a jig so that the inclination angle of the evaluation surface with respect to the horizontal was 24 degrees, and 50 μL of ion-exchanged water was dropped from a position 2.5 cm above each evaluation surface along the length direction of the spinach leaves so as to pass through the evaluation surface, and the time required for the water to flow down a section of 11.5 cm including the evaluation surface (1 cm) from the dropping position on the spinach leaves was measured. The results are shown in Figure 1.

[0082] As shown in Fig. 1, when the evaluation surface of the test powdery plant activator (Examples 1 to 4) containing unsaturated fatty acids was involved, water flowed down quickly. That is, it was found that the surface coated with the test powdery plant activator containing unsaturated fatty acids had high water repellency.

[0083] Therefore, when an aqueous solution (aqueous dispersion) of a powdery plant activator containing unsaturated fatty acids is applied such that the ratio of an oxo fatty acid or its derivative or its salt or a hydroxylated fatty acid or its derivative or its salt to the unsaturated fatty acids is 10% to 90% by weight ratio, the resistance of the powdery plant activator in contact with a fluid (water) is suppressed. As a result, the powdery plant activator applied to the plant body has resistance to being washed away by rain or the like that continues to fall after application. As a result, the powdery plant activator of the present invention has an active ingredient that does not easily flow down and adheres to the surface of the plant body such as the leaves of the plant for a longer time, and thus the duration of the plant activation effect can be increased.

[0084] <Particle size distribution measurement> The particle size distribution of the test powdery plant activator of Example 1 was measured using a laser diffraction / scattering particle size distribution measuring device (MT3300EX manufactured by Microtrac) in a measurement range of 0.1 to 10,000 μm and with a particle size standard of volume basis. The test powdery plant activator was subjected to freeze-drying, followed by coarse pulverization, and then subjected to particle size distribution measurement. The results of the particle size distribution obtained for Example 1 are shown in Fig. 2. The particle size of D50 was 88.66 μm.

[0085] <Production of block-shaped plant activator> Example 5 An aqueous solution (aqueous dispersion) prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 was poured into the recesses 3 of a cold-resistant polypropylene tray 1 having ten cup-shaped (U-bottom) recesses 3 (10 mL / recess) shown in Fig. 3, 6 mL at a time, and frozen overnight at -80°C. This frozen product was freeze-dried using a vacuum freeze dryer (internal vacuum degree of the vacuum freeze dryer: 15 Pa, trap temperature: -45°C, drying time: 40 hours). After freeze-drying, a polypropylene film (not shown) was placed on the surface of the tray 1 and heat-sealed at 150°C to adhere the tray 1 and the polypropylene film, thereby sealing each recess 3 with the polypropylene film. A block-shaped plant activator in a form in which ten blocks of the plant activator were accommodated in the polypropylene tray 1 was obtained.

[0086] From the above results, it can be seen that the powdery plant activator of the present invention has a high plant activation effect with excellent persistence and resistance to washing-off, and is a powdery plant activator with improved handleability and transportability.

Explanation of Reference Signs

[0087] 1 Tray 3 Recess

Claims

1. A powdered plant activator comprising at least one compound selected from an oxo fatty acid or a salt thereof and a hydroxylated fatty acid or a salt thereof, and an unsaturated fatty acid (excluding oxo fatty acid and hydroxylated fatty acid), wherein the oxo fatty acid is 13-oxo-9,11-octadecadienoic acid, and the hydroxylated fatty acid is 9,10,13-trihydroxy-11-octadecenoic acid and / or 9,12,13-trihydroxy-10-octadecenoic acid.

2. 2. The powdered plant activator according to claim 1, wherein the unsaturated fatty acid is an unsaturated fatty acid having 10 to 20 carbon atoms.

3. 3. The powdered plant activator according to claim 2, wherein the unsaturated fatty acid is an unsaturated fatty acid selected from the group consisting of mono- or polyunsaturated fatty acids consisting of oleic acid, linoleic acid, α-linolenic acid, γ-linolenic acid, and arachidonic acid.

4. 4. The powdered plant activator according to claim 3, wherein the unsaturated fatty acid is linoleic acid.

5. The powdered plant activator according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the unsaturated fatty acid is contained such that a ratio of the at least one compound selected from the oxo fatty acid or its salt and the hydroxylated fatty acid or its salt to the unsaturated fatty acid is 10% to 90% by weight.

6. 5. The powdered plant activator according to claim 1, which is used as a spray or immersion agent to be brought into contact with the stems, leaves or roots of a plant, or as a soil drenching agent.

7. The powdered plant activator according to any one of claims 1 to 4, which is used for a plant selected from the group consisting of Brassicaceae, Poaceae, Leguminosae, Solanaceae, Rosaceae, Amaranthaceae, and Malvaceae plants.

8. A method for producing a powdered plant activator containing at least one compound selected from an oxo fatty acid or a salt thereof and a hydroxylated fatty acid or a salt thereof, and an unsaturated fatty acid (excluding oxo fatty acid and hydroxylated fatty acid), the method comprising a freeze-drying step to obtain a powder, wherein the oxo fatty acid is 13-oxo-9,11-octadecadienoic acid, and the hydroxylated fatty acid is 9,10,13-trihydroxy-11-octadecenoic acid and / or 9,12,13-trihydroxy-10-octadecenoic acid.

9. 9. A method for producing a powdered plant activator as described in claim 8, comprising dispersing at least one compound selected from an oxo fatty acid or a salt thereof, a hydroxylated fatty acid or a salt thereof, and an unsaturated fatty acid (excluding oxo fatty acid and hydroxylated fatty acid) in water to obtain an aqueous dispersion, freezing the aqueous dispersion, and subjecting it to freeze-drying under reduced pressure to obtain a powder.

10. The method for producing a powdered plant activator according to claim 9, wherein the aqueous dispersion contains a stabilizer.

11. The method for producing a powdered plant activator according to claim 10, wherein the stabilizer is an emulsifier.

12. The method for producing a powdered plant activator according to claim 11, wherein the emulsifier is at least one selected from the group consisting of potassium carbonate and dipotassium hydrogen phosphate.

13. The powdered plant activator according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the powdered plant activator is in the form of a block formed by agglomeration of powder particles.

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