Plant Defense Elicitor Composition for Fungal Disease Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Crops frequently suffer from fungal, bacterial, and viral diseases such as Cercospora leaf spot, downy mildew, powdery mildew, and botrytis, with conventional fungicides leading to resistance issues.
Innovation Solution
A composition containing Brassinosteroids, Chitin, and/or their derivatives is used to elicit plant self-defense mechanisms, providing effective protection against these diseases without inducing fungicide resistance, with 24-epibrassinolide and derivatives of Chitin and Chitosan being key components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional fungicides are used to protect plants against diseases, then disease protection is achieved, but fungicide resistance develops
Solution Approach 1:
The composition utilizes plant's own self-defense mechanisms by eliciting systemic resistance through Brassinosteroids and Chitin/Chitosan derivatives. The plant actively produces defense responses (phytoalexins, ROS, cell wall reinforcement) without external fungicide dependency, thereby eliminating resistance development while maintaining disease protection.
Solution Approach 2:
Brassinosteroids and Chitin/Chitosan derivatives act as intermediary substances that trigger and modulate the plant's innate immune system. These intermediaries bridge the gap between pathogen detection and defense activation, enabling effective disease protection through enhanced plant immunity rather than direct fungicidal action.
2Reliability
If Chitin and Chitosan alone are used to trigger plant defense, then some protection is achieved, but the results are not as effective as chemical fungicides
Solution Approach 1:
The composition merges Brassinosteroids with Chitin and/or Chitosan derivatives to create a synergistic formulation. This combination integrates two distinct mechanisms: BR-induced hormonal regulation of defense responses and Chitin/Chitosan-triggered pattern recognition, achieving superior protection compared to either component alone while maintaining natural safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs a composite biological formulation combining different natural substances (Brassinosteroids, Chitin, Chitosan) that work together to enhance plant defense. This composite approach leverages the complementary strengths of each component, achieving effective disease control comparable to or exceeding chemical fungicides without their resistance issues.
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 composition effectively triggers systemic defense responses in plants, offering synergistic protection against a range of fungal, bacterial, and viral diseases, including Cercospora leaf spot, downy mildew, and botrytis, while managing fungicide resistance.
Implementation Method 1
BRs work as an elicitor of plant's self defense mechanisms against plant diseases (e.g., fungal diseases, Cercospora leaf spot, downy mildew, powdery mildew and Botrytis diseases)
Implementation Method 2
Plants recognize the fragments of Chitin and Chitosan and trigger plant's systemic defense responses and controlled expending of fungal spreading
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure includes a method of protecting crops from a variety of fungal, bacterial and viral diseases, especially from Cercospora leaf spots, downy mildews, powdery mildews and Botrytis diseases by the seed treatment and/or irrigation and/or the foliar application of multiple components compositions. The compositions contain at least two elicitors of systemic plant self-defenses, including RBs and Chitin or Chitosan or their derivatives.