Sugar composition containing antimicrobial substance and method for using same

Abstract

The present invention relates to a sugar composition containing an antimicrobial substance, and to: a formulation which exhibits enhanced biological effects on crops by minimizing the amount of sugar lost to microorganisms, including bacteria, when sugar is applied to the leaves of the crops; and a method for using same. When the plant activator containing an antimicrobial substance, of the present invention, is dissolved in water and spray-applied to the leaves, stems, and immature fruits of a plant, the physiological effects of sugar on crops, such as promotion of crop growth, enhancement of fruit sugar content, and acceleration of fruit ripening, can be maximized by preventing microorganisms inhabiting the plant leaves from utilizing the sugar first.

Description

Sugar composition containing an antimicrobial substance and method of using the same

[0001] The present invention relates to a sugar composition containing an antimicrobial substance, and to a formulation that enhances biological effects on crops by minimizing the amount of sugar lost by microorganisms, including bacteria, when sugar is sprayed on the leaves of crops, and a method of using the same.

[0002] More specifically, the present invention relates to a composition for foliar spraying of plants characterized by containing 10% by weight or more of sugar and 0.1% by weight or more of antimicrobial substances, and to a plant activator containing sugar as a main component containing antimicrobial substances and a method of using the same, wherein when the composition of the present invention is diluted in water and foliar sprayed on one or more plants selected from the group consisting of leafy vegetables, fruit vegetables, grains, and fruit trees, the proliferation of microorganisms that inhabit the leaves and consume sugar is suppressed, thereby increasing the foliar absorption rate of the sugar added together, resulting in increased sugar content of plants and fruits and increased growth or yield of crops.

[0003]

[0004] The present application claims priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0195827 filed on December 24, 2024 and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2025-0150022 filed on October 16, 2025, and all contents disclosed in the specification and drawings of said applications are incorporated by reference into the present application.

[0005] When sugar is sprayed onto plant leaves along with specific absorption-enhancing substances, it is absorbed into the leaves and translocated to the fruit, directly increasing the sugar content of the fruit and simultaneously promoting photosynthesis, thereby enhancing crop growth (Korean Registered Patent Publication No. 10-2518494). In addition, sugar loaded onto the leaves can control various plant diseases such as powdery mildew occurring in crops (Korean Registered Patent Publication No. 10-0126666), and is also effective in controlling pests such as strawberry mites (Korean Registered Patent Publication No. 10-2518494).

[0006] These sugar-containing plant activators produce various physiological effects when sprayed on the leaves and stems of crops, and the effects can be doubled by using them repeatedly at regular intervals. When the inventors diluted a sugar-based sugar content enhancer with water and sprayed it continuously on strawberry leaves at intervals of 4 to 5 days and measured the sugar content of the strawberries, it increased by 1.2 to 2.7 Brix compared to the untreated control group.

[0007] However, these sugar-containing plant activators did not always show the expected effects. For example, when sugar-containing sugar content enhancers were repeatedly sprayed on strawberries after April, when the weather warmed up, crop vegetative growth was active and plant diseases were frequent, they showed almost no effect in increasing sugar content.

[0008] After conducting numerous repeated attempts over a long period to identify the reasons why sugar-containing foliar spray formulations often failed to meet their predicted target effects, it was discovered that various microorganisms inhabiting the leaves, particularly bacteria, were one of the major causes. In other words, it was found that when sugar is sprayed onto leaves, the microorganisms already present—specifically bacteria—consume it before it can be absorbed into the leaves. As their density increases rapidly, the sugar is depleted before subsequent applications of the formulation can also show their effects.

[0009] According to the literature, plant leaves typically contain a microbial community consisting of hundreds of millions of bacteria, along with fungi such as yeasts, molds, and mushrooms. These microorganisms survive by obtaining moisture through fine water films or stomata on the leaf surface, or by utilizing plant secretions or dust as nutrients; however, it is estimated that when sugar is supplied, they utilize it first as an energy source.

[0010] Examples of bacteria frequently found in plant leaves include the following. Yeast is the most commonly found microorganism in the leaves of most crops, such as grapes, tomatoes, and strawberries. Since it is the primary microorganism responsible for alcoholic fermentation during wine production, it is presumed to be the first to consume the sugar sprayed on the leaves, and Aureobasidium is one of them. In the inventors' study on dominant microorganisms in domestic grape leaves, Monosporozyma servazzii and others were commonly found.

[0011] It has been reported that Sphingomonas, Pseudomonas, etc. are frequently found in strawberry leaves (Expedito Olimi et. al., Environmental Microbiome 17, 21 (2022)). In the inventors' study as well, Sphingomonas zeae, Frigoribacterium faeni, Staphylococcus horminis, etc. were dominant in domestic strawberry leaves.

[0012] Bacillus and Lactobacillus are the most common bacteria in the world and are found everywhere, including on human hands, in the mouth, and in the large intestine. They can make the leaf surface slightly acidic by consuming sugar from plant leaves to produce lactic acid.

[0013] In addition to this, Pseudomonas fluorescens is one of the most commonly found bacteria on plant leaves; while this bacterium can play a beneficial role for plants, it can also be pathogenic. For instance, while it can strengthen the plant's immune system, suppress other pathogens, or promote plant growth, it is also known to cause diseases that lead to rotting or discoloration in fruits or stems of plants such as tomatoes and bell peppers. Xanthomonas campestris is a pathogenic bacterium frequently found on plant leaves that causes a disease called leaf spot, which creates black or brown spots or patches on the leaves. This disease reduces the plant's photosynthetic capacity, causes leaves to wilt or fall off, and is known to particularly infect cruciferous plants such as cabbage, radish, and cauliflower. Erwinia amylovora is a pathogenic bacterium that infects Rosaceae plants, such as apples and pears, and causes a disease called fire blight, which makes the plant's flowers, leaves, and stems appear as if they have been burned black. Plants can die from this disease, and it is known to be highly contagious. Erichia coli breaks down sugars into glycerol or ethanol. Rhizobium converts glucose into nitrogen.

[0014] Some bacteria found on plant leaves influence each other by living in symbiosis (e.g., Phyllobacterium and Epiphytic bacterium) or parasitizing the plants. The density of these bacteria inhabiting plant leaves differs between young and old leaves, and it is estimated that their density is higher in the leaves of crops grown under rain shelters or in greenhouses. A common characteristic of these bacteria is that when sugar is sprayed on the leaves, they reproduce by feeding on the sugar, thereby acting as a factor that reduces the efficiency of sugar formulations.

[0015] Many antimicrobial substances are known to inhibit or kill plant diseases that frequently occur in plants. Recently, the variety of these substances has increased as even disinfectants commonly used in daily life are being conventionally applied to crop cultivation.

[0016] Representative active chlorine agents used as disinfectants include hypochlorite salts and chlorine dioxide, while active oxygen agents include hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid. Metal compounds used include silver nanoparticles or silver compounds (silver, silver nitrate, etc.), copper nanoparticles or copper compounds (copper sulfate, copper hydroxide, copper oxide-chlorine, etc.), and zinc nanoparticles. Cationic surfactants can also be used as disinfectants, including benzalkonium chloride, benzethonium chloride, cetyl trimethylammonium bromide, didecyl dimethylammonium chloride, and cetylpyridinium chloride. Antibiotics for agricultural use include streptomycin, oxytetracycline, caspifern, and kasugamycin.

[0017] The above active chlorine agent possesses strong oxidizing power and can kill bacteria, fungi, algae, and parasites; however, since it oxidizes organic compounds non-selectively, its use alone at low concentrations is recommended. Metals or metal compounds can form various oxidants, such as organic acids, by reacting with chemicals containing reducing groups, like reducing sugars such as glucose and fructose. Cationic surfactants, mainly composed of quaternary ammonium compounds, can kill bacteria or fungi by dissolving biological cell membranes or forming chelates with intracellular proteins, and their use is recommended at concentrations of 0.01% to 0.1%. Since frequent use of agricultural antibiotics can induce resistance in microorganisms and can also lead to resistance in humans and the environment, they are treated as pesticides, which imposes restrictions on their use.

[0018] The inventors discovered that when a sugar solution is sprayed onto leaves, microorganisms, particularly various bacteria, consume the sugar very rapidly, thereby severely reducing the sugar's effectiveness on crops. However, they found that if an antimicrobial substance that inhibits or kills said bacteria is used in combination, sufficient time is secured for the sugar to be absorbed from the leaf surface into the interior, thereby maximizing the target effect. Furthermore, they discovered that by controlling the amount of the antimicrobial substance, bacteria are killed or inhibited only during the time the sugar acts, and since the antimicrobial substance is subsequently lost, the microbial density can be restored to its original state. Based on these findings, they were able to complete a sugar composition containing an antimicrobial substance and a method for using the same.

[0019] The present invention aims to develop a formulation capable of maximizing the biological effects of sugars by reducing or killing the activity of various microorganisms, particularly bacteria, inhabiting the leaf surface when a foliar spray formulation, comprising at least one sugar among reducing sugars or non-reducing sugars such as glucose, sucrose, and sucrose as a main component, is diluted in water and sprayed onto crops.

[0020] The present invention provides a plant biostimulant or plant booster (hereinafter also abbreviated as “antimicrobial substance-containing sugar composition”) containing monosaccharides or polysaccharides such as glucose, fructose, wood sugar, arabinose, galactose, mannose, maltose, and sucrose, which can kill or inhibit microorganisms, particularly bacteria.

[0021] The present invention provides a liquid formulation in which sugar, antimicrobial substances, and other additives are dissolved and mixed in water or an aqueous solution of a water-soluble organic solvent; a powdered water-soluble formulation prepared by mixing and grinding powdered sugar, antimicrobial substances, and other additives; and a granular water-soluble formulation prepared by mixing all components and then forming them into granules so that they can be used as a water-soluble formulation.

[0022] In addition, the present invention provides a method for maximizing the physiological effects of sugar on crops, such as promoting crop growth, increasing fruit sugar content, and promoting fruit ripening, by continuously spraying a preparation containing both an antimicrobial substance and sugar onto crop leaves.

[0023] When the plant activator containing the antimicrobial substance of the present invention is dissolved in water and sprayed onto the leaves, stems, and immature fruits of plants, the physiological effects of sugar on crops, such as promoting crop growth, increasing fruit sugar content, and promoting fruit ripening, are maximized by preventing microorganisms inhabiting the plant leaves from utilizing sugar first.

[0024] Figure 1 shows that when a sugar-based plant activator is sprayed on strawberry leaves four times in a row, microorganisms can multiply in large quantities.

[0025] Figure 2 is a photograph showing the inhibitory effect of a sugar composition containing an antimicrobial substance according to one embodiment of the present invention on dominant microorganisms in grape leaves as an inhibition zone on a plate medium.

[0026] Figure 3 is a photograph showing the inhibitory effect of a sugar composition containing an antimicrobial substance according to one embodiment of the present invention on strawberry leaf dominant microorganisms as an inhibition zone on a plate medium.

[0027] Figure 4 is a photograph showing the inhibitory effect of a sugar composition containing an antimicrobial substance according to one embodiment of the present invention on microorganisms in the living environment as an inhibition zone on a plate medium.

[0028] Figure 5 is a graph showing how the residual rate of sugar on the leaf surface changes when a preparation containing both sugar and an antimicrobial substance according to one embodiment of the present invention is sprayed on a strawberry leaf.

[0029] Figure 6 is a graph showing how much the sugar content and hardness of strawberries can be increased when a preparation containing both sugar and an antimicrobial substance according to one embodiment of the present invention is sprayed on strawberry leaves.

[0030] Figure 7 is a graph showing how much the sugar content of the grapes can be increased when a preparation containing both sugar and an antimicrobial substance according to one embodiment of the present invention is sprayed on Campbell grape leaves.

[0031] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail. Terms and words used in this specification and claims should not be interpreted as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, and should be interpreted in a meaning and concept consistent with the technical spirit of the present invention, based on the principle that the inventor can appropriately define the concept of the terms to best describe his invention.

[0032]

[0033] The term “leafy vegetables” used throughout this specification refers collectively to vegetables whose leaves, stems, or roots are used for food, such as napa cabbage, lettuce, spinach, crown daisy, cabbage, broccoli, mallow, chives, radish, carrot, etc., and “fruit vegetables” refers collectively to vegetables whose fruits are edible, such as strawberries, tomatoes, Korean melons, watermelons, eggplants, cucumbers, bell peppers, paprika, pumpkins, and chili peppers, and “grains” refers to all food crops that are consumed as staple foods or side dishes by humans and livestock, such as rice, wheat, barley, soybeans, and corn, and “fruit trees” refers collectively to woody and herbaceous plants whose fruits are edible, such as grapes, apples, pears, bananas, mangoes, pineapples, and kiwis.

[0034] Furthermore, in this specification, “foliar spray” refers to preparing an aqueous solution by diluting a sugar composition in water and spraying it onto the leaves, stems, immature fruits, etc. of plants. This is a concept distinct from treatment applied to soil or plant roots.

[0035]

[0036] To solve the above problem, the present invention provides a sugar composition for spraying on plant stems and leaves containing an antimicrobial substance, characterized by comprising 10% by weight or more of sugar and 0.1% by weight or more of an antimicrobial substance. Furthermore, it is more preferable to contain 0.1 to 10% of the antimicrobial substance.

[0037]

[0038] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the sugar may be one or more selected from the group consisting of glucose, fructose, xylose, arabinose, galactose, mannose, and sucrose. As long as the raw sugar contains no more than 10% of impurities that remain on the surface without being absorbed internally when a composition containing sugar and an antimicrobial substance is diluted in water and sprayed on plant leaves, the sugar can be used as a raw material without being highly purified. Examples include purified anhydrous sugar, hydrated sugar containing water as crystals, and high-concentration syrup. Additionally, hydrolysates of sugar-based biomass extract concentrates such as sugarcane, sugar beet, corn stalks, and sweet sorghum, molasses remaining after sugar recovery or hydrolysates of molasses, fermented sugars from plant biomass raw materials, and hydrolysates of seaweed can also be used.

[0039]

[0040] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the antimicrobial substance may be a cationic surfactant, and more preferably, a cationic surfactant having a quaternary ammonium.

[0041] According to one embodiment of the present invention, an antimicrobial substance capable of inhibiting or killing microorganisms, particularly bacteria, is a cationic surfactant having a quaternary ammonium, such as benzalkonium chloride (BC), benzethonium chloride (BZC), benzyldimethylhexadecylammonium chloride (BHC), cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CT), cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC), cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAC), dodecyltrimethylammonium chloride (DTAC), didecyldimethylammonium chloride (DDAC), hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (HTAC), hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HB), etc., but is not limited thereto as long as it has bactericidal power.

[0042]

[0043] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the composition may further include a sugar absorption enhancing substance.

[0044] The sugar composition containing the antimicrobial substance of the present invention may contain various surfactants to promote sugar absorption in plant leaves, enhance crop leaf adhesion, or enhance fungicidal activity, and the type thereof is not limited as long as it helps in the performance of the formulation. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the surfactant may be one or more selected from the group consisting of polyoxyethylene aliphatic alcohol ether, polyoxyethylene fatty acid ester, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester, and polyoxyethylene sucrose fatty acid ester.

[0045]

[0046] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the sugar composition containing the antimicrobial substance may further include inorganic salts within a range that does not impair the physicochemical stability of the formulation in order to promote the flow within the plant body after foliar absorption of the sugar, promote the production of chlorophyll, or maintain the spray droplets in an aqueous solution state or absorb moisture after foliar spraying to promote foliar absorption of the sugar, and the inorganic salts may be water-soluble salts composed of potassium salts, calcium salts, magnesium salts, etc., more specifically, one or more selected from the group consisting of potassium chloride, potassium sulfate, potassium carbonate, potassium phosphate, potassium nitrate, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, magnesium sulfate, etc.

[0047]

[0048] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the plant may be one or more selected from leafy vegetables, fruit vegetables, grains, or fruit trees.

[0049]

[0050] In addition, the present invention provides a sugar composition for spraying on plant leaves containing an antimicrobial substance, characterized by comprising: the above-mentioned sugar composition for spraying on plant leaves containing an antimicrobial substance; and one or more liquids selected from water or water-soluble organic solvents.

[0051]

[0052] When a sugar composition containing the antimicrobial substance of the present invention is prepared as a liquid formulation, the solvent is mainly non-ionic water, and a water-soluble organic solvent may be included to promote the dissolution of additives and the physicochemical stability of the formulation, examples of which include glycerol, ethanol, methylpropylene glycol, butyl triglycol, and methylpropylene diglycol.

[0053]

[0054] According to one embodiment of the present invention, all components of the sugar composition may be mixed together in the form of powder, or all components of the sugar composition may be mixed and granulated to be easy to use as a water-soluble agent.

[0055] In the sugar composition containing the antimicrobial substance of the present invention, the proportion of sugar is 10% or more of the total formulation, and it is preferable not to exceed 90% when considering additives such as the antimicrobial substance and surfactants. Among the sugar-containing plant activators, it is preferable to include the antimicrobial substance in an amount of 0.05 to 10% in the formulation to maintain a concentration with fungicidal activity when the sugar composition is diluted with water before spraying on crops, and it is more preferable to include an amount of 0.1 to 5% when considering phytotoxicity to crops.

[0056] The sugar composition containing the antimicrobial substance of the present invention may be prepared as a liquid using water as the main solvent, or as a powdered aqueous solution by pulverizing all components. In addition, it may also be prepared as a granular aqueous solution by granulating the powder.

[0057]

[0058] A sugar composition containing an antimicrobial substance according to one embodiment of the present invention can be foliar sprayed for the purpose of increasing the sugar content of fruits, increasing plant growth, or increasing yield.

[0059] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the sugar-antimicrobial material composition of the present invention, which contains 10% or more of sugar and 0.1 to 10% of an antimicrobial material, is preferably used by dissolving it in water to prepare an aqueous solution with a sugar concentration of 10,000 mg / L or less, and the sugar aqueous solution is preferably to contain 10 mg / L to 1,000 mg / L of an antimicrobial material.

[0060]

[0061] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, so that those skilled in the art can easily implement them. In particular, the technical concept, core components, and operation of the present invention are not limited by this. Furthermore, the content of the present invention may be implemented in various different forms of equipment and is not limited to the embodiments and examples described herein.

[0062]

[0063] <Example 1> Preparation of a liquid plant activator containing an antimicrobial substance and sugar

[0064] Main sugar components include glucose (Samjeon Sunyak, Korea), fructose (Sigma, USA), wood sugar (Sigma, USA), arabinose (Sigma, USA), galactose (Sigma, USA), mannose (Sigma, USA), maltose (Junsei Chemicals Co, Japan), sucrose (Junsei Chemicals Co, Japan), and high fructose (Daesang Corporation, Korea); antimicrobial substances include benzalkonium chloride (BC), benzethonium chloride (BZC), cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CT), cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC), dodecyltrimethylammonium chloride (DTAC), hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (HTAC), hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HB), cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CT), didecyldimethylammonium chloride (DDAC), and benzyldimethylhexadecylammonium chloride (BHC). A plant activator containing antimicrobial substances with the composition shown in Table 1 below was prepared by dissolving a mixture of polyoxyethylene aliphatic alcohol ether (PFE, Hannong Chemical, Korea) and polyoxyethylene fatty acid ether (PFA, Hannong Chemical, Korea) as surfactants, and various salts that help with crop growth, such as potassium nitrate, potassium sulfate, calcium nitrate, and potassium phosphate, in non-ionized water.

[0065]

[0066] Preparation No. Composition (g / 1,000g Aqueous Solution) Sugar (300g) Antimicrobial Substance (20g) Surfactant (40g) Inorganic Salt (20g) Solvent (620g) 1-1 Glucose BCPFE + PFA Potassium Nitrate Non-ionic Water 1-2 High Fructose BZCPFE + PFA Potassium Nitrate Non-ionic Water 1-3 Sucrose CTABPFE + PFA Potassium Nitrate Non-ionic Water 1-4 Glucose CCPFE + PFA Potassium Sulfate Non-ionic Water 1-5 High Fructose DTACPFE + PFA Potassium Sulfate Non-ionic Water 1-6 Sucrose HTACPFE + PFA Potassium Sulfate Non-ionic Water 1-7 Glucose HTABPFE + PFA Calcium Nitrate Non-ionic Water 1-8 High Fructose CTPFE + PFA Calcium Nitrate Non-ionic Water 1-9 Sucrose DDACPFE + PFA Calcium Nitrate Non-ionic Water 1-10 Glucose BHCPFE + PFA Potassium Phosphate Non-ionic Water

[0067] <Example 2> Preparation of a plant activator powder aqueous solution containing an antimicrobial substance and sugar

[0068] 1 g of benzalkonium chloride (BC) and 1 g of benzethonium chloride (BZC) as antimicrobial substances were each adsorbed onto 9 g of finely ground anhydrous glucose powder and dried. 6 g of a mixture of polyoxyethylene aliphatic alcohol ether (PFE, Hannong Chemical, Korea) and polyoxyethylene fatty acid ether (PFA, Hannong Chemical, Korea) was mixed with 24 g of anhydrous glucose powder. 20 g of the above antimicrobial substance adsorbate, 30 g of the anhydrous glucose mixture of PFE and PFA, 4 g of potassium phosphate, and 46 g of anhydrous glucose were placed in a small grinder and lightly ground to prepare a sugar composition water-soluble agent containing antimicrobial substances.

[0069]

[0070] <Example 3> Preparation of a water-soluble plant activator granule formulation containing an antimicrobial substance and sugar

[0071] The powder composition of Example 2 above is 80 o A sugar-based granular water-soluble agent containing an antimicrobial substance was prepared by placing it in an extrusion granulator heated to C and granulating it into granules with a diameter of 2 mm.

[0072]

[0073] <Comparative Example 1> Preparation of a plant activator liquid formulation not containing antimicrobial substances

[0074] A plant activator that does not contain antimicrobial substances was prepared by dissolving fructose (Sigma, USA) as the main sugar, a mixture of polyoxyethylene aliphatic alcohol ether (PFE, Hannong Chemical, Korea) and polyoxyethylene fatty acid ether (PFA, Hannong Chemical, Korea) as surfactants, and potassium nitrate in non-ionized water, with the composition shown in Table 2 below.

[0075]

[0076] Formulation No. Composition (g / 1,000g aqueous solution) Sugar (300g) Antimicrobial substance Surfactant (30g) Inorganic salt (20g) Solvent (650g) C High fructose-PFE+PFA Potassium nitrate non-ionic water

[0077] <Test Example 1> Microbial proliferation by repeated treatment of strawberry leaves with the sugar composition

[0078] Preparation C of Control Example 1 was diluted with 125 times the amount of water and sprayed onto harvest-season strawberry (Seolhyang) leaves four consecutive times at intervals of 3 and 4 days. Three days after the last spraying, strawberry leaves were collected, cut into circular shapes with a diameter of 6.2 cm, and placed in 50 ml Falcon tubes. As a control, strawberry leaves that had not been sprayed with the sugar preparation were prepared in the same manner. 50 ml of sterile distilled water was added, and the mixture was washed by shaking vigorously for 30 seconds, followed by centrifugation. 40 g of TSB was dissolved in 1 liter of distilled water, autoclaved, and poured into plastic Petri dishes to prepare agar plates. 100 microliters of the leaf washing solution were added to the plates, spread, and incubated at a constant temperature of 28°C for 48 hours. After incubation, the colonies formed on each dish were observed, and the results are shown in Figure 1.

[0079] Figure 1 demonstrates that microorganisms can proliferate in large quantities on the surface of strawberry leaves through the continuous spraying of sugar preparations, and that the sprayed sugars are naturally their food source.

[0080]

[0081] <Test Example 2> Inhibitory effect of a sugar composition containing an antimicrobial substance on microorganisms in agar plates

[0082] 40g of TSA was dissolved in 1 liter of distilled water, autoclaved, and a specific amount poured into a Petri dish to prepare a plate medium. On this medium, 100µl of four types of microorganisms—Monosporozyma servazzii isolated from grape leaves and liquid cultured, and Staphylococcus hominis, Frigoribacterium faeni, and Sphingomonas zeae isolated from strawberry leaves and liquid cultured—were dispensed onto each plate and spread using a sterile glass rod. A sterile paper disc (Φ 6 mm) was attached to prepare a plate medium for microbial inhibition testing as shown in Fig. 1. A specific amount of the antimicrobial substance from Example 1 and a sugar-containing plant activator were diluted with sterile water and absorbed at each concentration. After incubating at 28°C for 48 hours in a constant temperature and humidity chamber, a clear inhibition zone around the colony was identified as a microbial inhibition effect, and photographs of the case were shown in Figure 2 for the grape dominant microorganism and Figure 3 for the strawberry dominant microorganism.

[0083]

[0084] Monosporozyma servazzii in Fig. 2 is a dominant microorganism in grape leaves, and although it was not inhibited by a mixture of penicillin and streptomycin (PE), the three sugar preparations tested showed a distinct inhibitory effect depending on the concentration. Fig. 3 shows three dominant microorganisms isolated from strawberry leaves, which were well inhibited by the antimicrobial substance-containing sugar composition of Example 1 tested.

[0085]

[0086] <Test Example 3> Inhibitory Effect of Living Environment Microorganisms by Sugar Composition Containing Antimicrobial Substance

[0087] The inhibitory effect of each antimicrobial substance on living environment microorganisms such as yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), E. coli, and Lactobacillus spp. was tested in a manner similar to Test Example 2 and is shown in Figure 4.

[0088]

[0089] As can be seen in Figure 4, the cationic surfactant selected in the present invention is found everywhere in the living environment and is therefore highly likely to be found in crop leaves. Furthermore, it exhibited excellent inhibitory effects against yeast, E. coli, and lactic acid bacteria, which can degrade product quality during storage or distribution by being occasionally mixed into the product when manufacturing sugar-containing plant active agents. Therefore, it can be seen that it is useful not only for enhancing the plant activity of sugars by inhibiting microorganisms in crop leaves but also as a preservative to prevent product spoilage.

[0090]

[0091] <Test Example 4> Measurement of the microbial inhibitory effect of a sugar composition containing an antimicrobial substance on strawberry leaves

[0092] After mixing the culture solutions of three types of microorganisms—Staphylococcus hominis, Frigoribacterium faeni, and Sphingomonas zeae—the mixture was diluted 100-fold with sterile water containing 100 mg / L of glucose and a wetting agent (Dongbang Wetting Agent, Korea) and sprayed onto the surface and underside of the leaves of 20 fruiting strawberry plants (variety name Seolhyang) to thoroughly wet them. Three days after the first treatment, only the wetting agent (Dongbang Wetting Agent, Korea) was added to the culture solution of the three types of microorganisms and diluted 100-fold with sterile water, and sprayed again. After the moisture on the leaves had dried, the sugar preparation C of Comparative Example 1, which does not contain microorganism inhibitors, was diluted 125-fold with non-ionized water and sprayed onto the leaves of 10 strawberry plants that were not sprayed with the microorganism culture solution and 20 strawberry plants that were sprayed with the microorganism culture solution, ensuring that the surface and underside were thoroughly wetted. These were used as the control group (indicated as control group) and the microorganism inoculation group (indicated as microorganism inoculation group), respectively. Sugar preparation 1 of Example 1, containing a microbial inhibitor, was diluted 125-fold with non-ionized water and sprayed onto the leaves of 10 strawberry plants sprayed with a microbial culture solution, ensuring that both the surface and underside were thoroughly wetted. These were used as microbial inoculum plots (indicated as microbial inhibition plots) sprayed with the microbial inhibitor. These strawberry pots were placed in a greenhouse and cultivated using normal drip nutrient solution. After spraying the aqueous solution and drying for 1 hour, one leaf was collected from each strawberry pot after 1, 3, and 5 days. The strawberry leaves were washed with 6 ml of an acetonitrile aqueous solution (acetonitrile:non-ionized water = 3:7) for 2 minutes and then analyzed by HPLC to calculate the residual sugar content compared to immediately after spraying. The results are shown in Figure 5.

[0093]

[0094] In the test group where only the formulation of Example 1 containing a sugar absorption-enhancing substance was sprayed without first spraying the microbial culture solution, the sugar residue rate on the strawberry leaf surface decreased to approximately 59%, 25%, and 14% after 1, 3, and 5 days, respectively; in contrast, the microbial treatment group decreased to 45%, 2%, and 1%, reflecting the sugar consumption rate by microorganisms. On the other hand, the test group sprayed with the sugar formulation of Example 1 containing a microbial inhibitor showed a decrease in sugar residue rate almost similar to the control group without the microbial culture solution, clearly demonstrating a microbial inhibition effect.

[0095]

[0096] <Test Example 5> Measurement of the effect of a sugar composition containing an antimicrobial substance on increasing strawberry sugar content

[0097] In late April, a test plot of Seolhyang strawberries was set up in a strawberry greenhouse where the temperature was maintained at 15 degrees Celsius or higher even at night. The plant activator containing antimicrobial substance No. 4 of Example 1 was diluted 250-fold and sprayed three consecutive times at intervals of 3 and 4 days. Three days after the three sprayings, 30 strawberries were collected, and among them, 10 strawberries with average size and average color intensity were selected to measure the sugar content of the fruit. Strawberries were collected in the same manner from the untreated control group, where no sugar content enhancer was applied, and test samples were selected. The strawberry fruits were placed in a mesh bag, crushed, and juiced. The sugar content was measured using a refractive index refractometer (Atago), and the sugar content of the untreated control group and the treatment group was compared and shown in Figure 6.

[0098]

[0099] The sugar content of strawberries treated with the antibacterial activity-enhancing agent was 2 Brix higher than that of the non-antibacterial agent, which could be seen as a result of inhibiting the sugar utilization of microorganisms.

[0100]

[0101] <Test Example 6> Measurement of the effect of an antimicrobial substance-containing sugar composition on glucose concentration enhancement

[0102] On July 30, when the day and night temperatures ranged from 24 to 32 degrees Celsius, a sugar content enhancement test plot consisting of five vines was prepared at an 8-year-old Campbell Early grape farm. The plant activator containing the antimicrobial substance 4 of Example 1 was diluted 250 times with water and sprayed three times consecutively at 7-day intervals. 28 days after the first spraying, grapes were harvested and juiced, and the sugar content was measured using a refractive index refractometer and compared with the control group, as shown in Figure 7.

[0103]

[0104] The sugar content of the grapes treated with the antimicrobial activity sugar content-enhancing agent was 1.7 Brix higher than the control group and 0.5 Brix higher than the non-antimicrobial agent, indicating that inhibiting the sugar utilization rate of microorganisms has the effect of increasing the sugar content of the grapes.

[0105]

[0106] A sugar composition containing such antimicrobial substances can maintain its function by temporarily suppressing microorganisms already inhabiting the crop leaves when used as a foliar spray for crop cultivation.

Claims

1. Sugar at least 10% by weight; and A sugar composition for spraying on plant stems and stems containing an antimicrobial substance, characterized by containing 0.1% by weight or more of an antimicrobial substance.

2. In Claim 1, A sugar composition for spraying on plant stems and stems containing an antimicrobial substance, characterized in that the above sugar is one or more selected from the group consisting of glucose, fructose, xylose, arabinose, galactose, mannose, and sucrose.

3. In Claim 1, A sugar composition for plant foliage spraying containing an antimicrobial substance, characterized in that the antimicrobial substance is a cationic surfactant.

4. In Claim 3, A sugar composition for plant foliage spraying containing an antimicrobial substance, characterized in that the above-mentioned cationic surfactant is a cationic surfactant having a quaternary ammonium.

5. In Claim 4, A sugar composition for plant foliage spraying containing an antimicrobial substance, characterized in that the cationic surfactant having the above-mentioned quaternary ammonium is one or more selected from benzalkonium chloride, benzethonium chloride, benzyldimethylhexadecylammonium chloride, cetyltrimethylammonium chloride, cetylpyridinium chloride, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, dodecyltrimethylammonium chloride, didecyldimethylammonium chloride, hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride, or hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide.

6. In Claim 1, The above composition is a sugar composition for plant foliage spraying containing an antimicrobial substance, characterized by further including a sugar absorption-enhancing substance.

7. In Claim 6, A sugar composition for plant foliage spraying containing an antimicrobial substance, characterized in that the above sugar absorption-enhancing substance is one or more of polyoxyethylene aliphatic alcohol ether, polyoxyethylene fatty acid ester, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester, or polyoxyethylene sucrose fatty acid ester.

8. In Claim 1, The above composition is a sugar composition for plant foliage spraying containing an antimicrobial substance, characterized by further including inorganic salts.

9. In Claim 8, A sugar composition for plant foliage spraying containing an antimicrobial substance, characterized in that the above-mentioned inorganic salts are one or more selected from potassium chloride, potassium sulfate, potassium carbonate, potassium phosphate, potassium nitrate, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, or magnesium sulfate.

10. In Claim 1, A sugar composition for foliar spraying containing an antimicrobial substance, characterized in that the above-mentioned plant is one or more selected from leafy vegetables, fruit vegetables, grains, or fruit trees.

11. A composition according to any one of claims 1 to 10; and A sugar composition for plant foliage spraying containing an antimicrobial substance, characterized by comprising one or more liquids selected from water or water-soluble organic solvents.

12. A powdered aqueous solution for plant foliar spraying, characterized in that all components of the sugar composition according to any one of claims 1 to 10 are mixed together in powder form.

13. A granular aqueous solution of a sugar composition for foliar application to plants, characterized in that all components of the sugar composition according to any one of claims 1 to 10 are mixed and granulated to be easy to use as an aqueous solution.

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