Warm-Season Turfgrass Priming for Drought and Heat Tolerance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Turfgrass managers face challenges in maintaining high-quality turfgrass under abiotic stress conditions, particularly drought and heat, which affect playability and revenue in golf courses.
Innovation Solution
Applying a turf quality-enhancing amount of acibenzolar-s-methyl (ASM) and trinexapac-ethyl (TXP) to turfgrass, seeds, or their locus, to suppress or control abiotic stress and improve turfgrass quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If abiotic stress (drought, heat) occurs, then turfgrass quality deteriorates and playability is reduced, but applying conventional treatments may cause phytotoxicity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies acibenzolar-S-methyl and trinexapac-ethyl to turfgrass before abiotic stress events occur, priming the plant's defense mechanisms in advance. This preliminary treatment enables the turfgrass to withstand drought and heat stress more effectively when these stressors occur, maintaining quality without phytotoxicity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physiological parameters of turfgrass through chemical treatment, specifically using acibenzolar-S-methyl to induce systemic acquired resistance and trinexapac-ethyl to regulate growth. This parameter change in the plant's stress response capability allows it to maintain quality under abiotic stress conditions
2Reliability
If plant growth regulators are applied to maintain turf quality, then growth is regulated, but phytotoxicity may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite approach by combining two different plant growth regulators - acibenzolar-S-methyl (a SAR inducer) and trinexapac-ethyl (a gibberellin biosynthesis inhibitor). This combination achieves effective growth regulation and stress tolerance while reducing the phytotoxicity associated with single high-dose applications
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the growth regulation mechanism by using specific chemical compounds that alter physiological parameters - acibenzolar-S-methyl induces defense gene expression and trinexapac-ethyl reduces gibberellin levels, achieving quality maintenance with controlled phytotoxicity
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 method effectively reduces abiotic stress in warm-season turfgrasses while enhancing visual and functional quality, avoiding phytotoxicity, and maintaining healthy turf even under drought or heat stress.
Implementation Method 1
The compound acibenzolar-S-methyl (S-methyl benzo[1,2,3]thiadiazole-7-carbothioate) acts as a functional analogue of the natural signal molecule for systemic activated resistance (SAR), salicylic acid. It activates the host plant's natural defence mechanism.
Implementation Method 2
Structural mimics of 2-oxoglutaric acid, such as the acylcyclohexanediones trinexapac-ethyl and prohexadione-calcium, interfere with the late steps of gibberellin biosynthesis.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a method of controlling abiotic stress on warm-season turfgrass using an effective amount of acibenzolar- s-methyl.