Cyclopropene Composition with Metal-Complexing Agents
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing compositions containing cyclopropenes and water often experience reduced activity, which limits their effectiveness in blocking ethylene's detrimental effects on plants, such as premature death and stunted growth.
Innovation Solution
A composition comprising cyclopropenes and metal-complexing agents, which can include chelating agents like EDTA and molecular encapsulating agents like cyclodextrins, is used to enhance the activity of cyclopropenes by reducing interactions with metal ions in water, thereby maintaining their effectiveness in blocking ethylene's effects on plants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If cyclopropenes are mixed with water for delivery to plants, then the delivery method is simple and cost-effective, but the activity of cyclopropenes is reduced due to interactions with metal ions in water
Solution Approach 1:
Metal-complexing agents serve as intermediaries that bind to metal ions in water, preventing these ions from interacting with and deactivating cyclopropenes. The metal-complexing agent captures the harmful metal ions through chelation, allowing cyclopropenes to maintain their biological activity while still being delivered via simple water-based formulations.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful metal ions are effectively extracted or removed from the water-cyclopropene system by introducing metal-complexing agents. These agents selectively bind to metal ions, separating them from cyclopropenes and preventing the deactivating interactions that would otherwise occur in aqueous environments.
2Reliability
If metal-complexing agents are added to maintain cyclopropene activity, then the effectiveness of blocking ethylene is improved, but the composition becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes parameters such as the concentration of metal-complexing agents, the molar ratio between metal-complexing agent and cyclopropene, and the selection of specific metal-complexing agents to achieve maximum effectiveness while minimizing formulation complexity. By carefully controlling these parameters, the composition maintains high reliability without excessive complexity.
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 use of metal-complexing agents and molecular encapsulating agents in the composition significantly improves the release and activity of cyclopropenes, effectively preventing ethylene-induced damage to plants, as demonstrated by increased cyclopropene availability and efficacy in plant treatment tests.
Implementation Method 1
one or more metal-complexing agents
Implementation Method 2
molecular encapsulating agents like cyclodextrins
Data Source
AI summary
A composition is provided that contains a cyclopropene and a metal-complexing agent. Also provided is a method that includes contacting such compositions to plants or plant parts.