Chelating Agent–Blad Peptide Combinations for Plant Pathogen Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current chemical pesticides used for controlling plant pathogens have adverse environmental impacts and face issues of low potency, narrow spectrum of activity, and pathogen resistance, necessitating a more effective and environmentally friendly solution.

Innovation Solution

Combining a chelating agent, such as EDTA, with an antimicrobial agent like the Blad polypeptide to enhance the effectiveness against plant pathogenic microorganisms, either in a single composition or administered separately, to inhibit or kill these pathogens.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If chemical pesticides are used to control plant pathogens, then pathogen control is achieved, but environmental harm increases and pathogen resistance develops

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepathogen control efficacyVSAvoidenvironmental harm

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical parameters of the antimicrobial agent by combining it with a chelating agent, which alters the agent's interaction with metal ions and enhances its efficacy against plant pathogens, allowing reduced doses that minimize environmental harm

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite antimicrobial formulation by combining an antimicrobial agent with a chelating agent, resulting in a synergistic effect that improves pathogen control while reducing the need for high concentrations of individual chemicals, thus lowering environmental impact

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If conventional antimicrobial agents are used, then pathogen control is achieved, but potency is low and spectrum of activity is narrow

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepathogen control efficacyVSAvoidspectrum of activity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The chelating agent acts as an intermediary that enhances the antimicrobial agent's ability to interact with and disrupt pathogen cell membranes, broadening the spectrum of activity and increasing potency against diverse plant pathogens

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If higher concentrations of antimicrobial agents are used to overcome resistance, then pathogen control is improved, but environmental impact increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepathogen control efficacyVSAvoidenvironmental impact

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The combination with a chelating agent changes the pharmacological parameters of the antimicrobial agent, enhancing its binding affinity and cellular penetration, which allows effective pathogen control at lower concentrations that reduce environmental impact

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The combination significantly enhances the antimicrobial activity, allowing for reduced concentrations of the Blad polypeptide to effectively inhibit or kill a wide range of plant pathogens, thereby reducing environmental impact and overcoming resistance issues.

Implementation Method 1

a chelating agent can synergistically potentiate the effectiveness of antimicrobial agents that are effective against a plant pathogenic microorganism

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectChelation:

Data Source

PatentUS12377128B2Use of chelating agent and peptide antimicrobial compounds

Publication Date: 2025.08.05 CONSUMO EM VERDE - BIOTECHA DAS PLANTAS

AI summary

The inventors provide the use of a chelating agent and an antimicrobial agent that is effective against a plant pathogenic microorganism to inhibit the growth of and/or kill a plant pathogenic microorganism on a plant; the use of a chelating agent to increase the activity of an antimicrobial that is effective against a plant pathogenic microorganism; a method of inhibiting the growth of and/or killing a plant pathogenic microorganism comprising administering to a plant in need thereof a chelating agent and an antimicrobial agent that is effective against a plant pathogenic microorganism; and a method of increasing the activity of an antimicrobial that is effective against a plant pathogenic microorganism comprising using said antimicrobial with a chelating agent. Also provided is a composition comprising a chelating agent and an antimicrobial agent that is effective against a plant pathogenic microorganism, use of said composition to inhibit the growth of and/or kill a plant pathogenic microorganism on a plant, and a method of inhibiting the growth of and/or killing a plant pathogenic microorganism comprising administering to a plant in need thereof said composition. Further provided is the use of a composition comprising an antimicrobial polypeptide comprising Blad or an active variant thereof to kill, or inhibit the growth of, a plant pathogenic bacterium on a plant, and a method of killing, or inhibiting the growth of, a plant pathogenic bacterium on a plant, said method comprising administering to said plant a composition comprising an effective amount of an antimicrobial polypeptide comprising Blad or an active variant thereof.