Use of polyether modified short-chain siloxanes in agriculture in order to increase harvest yield

Abstract

The invention relates to the use of polyether modified short-chain siloxanes in agriculture in order to increase agronomic yield, a method for irrigation, and a kit containing at least one polyether modified short-chain siloxane, and an irrigation system.

Claims

1. A method of increasing agronomic yield comprising the steps of adding polyether-modified short-chain siloxanes of the formula (I) to an irrigation system comprising water and fertilizer, wherein the polyether-modified short-chain siloxanes of formula (I)
M.sub.aD.sub.bD′.sub.c  Formula (I) with M=R.sup.1.sub.3SiO.sub.1/2, D=R.sup.1.sub.2SiO.sub.2/2, D′=R.sup.1R.sup.2SiO.sub.2/2, where a is 2, b is from 0 to 0.5, c is from 1 to 3, R.sup.1 is independently hydrocarbyl having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms, R.sup.2 is independently a polyether radical of the formula (II)
—R.sup.3O[CH.sub.2CH.sub.2O].sub.m[CH.sub.2CH(CH.sub.3)O].sub.nR.sup.5  Formula (II) where m=from 2 to 30, n=from 0 to 10, wherein R.sup.3 are independently divalent hydrocarbyl radicals having 2 to 8 carbon atoms, R.sup.5 is independently a hydrocarbyl radical having from 1 to 16 carbon atoms or hydrogen, and, if n is greater than 0, m/n=is from 1 to 30 and for all values of n claimed, if c is greater than or equal to 1.2, c*(m+n)=from 12 to 50, and in the root region for increasing agronomic yield, wherein the method is free of herbicides, fungicides, nematicides and insecticides.

2. The method according to claim 1 used in agriculture, wherein the polyether radical of the formula (II) has a molar mass from 530 g/mol to 630 g/mol.

3. The method according to claim 1 for reducing the variability of harvest outcomes and stabilization at a higher level compared to identical irrigation without use of polyether-modified short-chain siloxanes of the formula (I), and the polyether radical of the formula (II) has a molar mass from 535 g/mol to 600 g/mol.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein an amount of from 0.25 to 100 l/ha is used with the irrigation.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the agricultural crops are implemented on any soils.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein annual, biannual, multiannual or perennial plants are cultivated.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the kit-further comprises adjuvants.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein b is 0 to 0.1, c is 1 to 2, R.sup.1 is selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, propyl or phenyl radicals.

9. The method of increasing agronomic yield by adding polyether-modified short-chain siloxanes of the formula (I) according to claim 1 to the irrigation system in a periodic manner wherein the application of polyether-modified short-chain siloxanes of the formula (I) is effected repeatedly at an interval of from 7 to 14 days.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the method of polyether-modified short-chain siloxanes of the formula (I) is non-continuous.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the method of polyether-modified short-chain siloxanes of the formula (I) is effected repeatedly at an interval of from 9 to 12 days.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the irrigation systems are selected from micro-irrigation systems.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein an amount of from 0.75 to 201/ha is used with the irrigation.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein an amount of from 1 to 121/ha is used with the irrigation.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the agricultural crops are implemented on humus-containing, sandy, clay-containing or loam-containing soils or substrates.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein b is 0 to 0.1, c is 1 to 2, R.sup.1 is selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, propyl or phenyl radicals, R.sup.2 is independently a polyether radical of the formula (II)
—R.sup.3O[CH.sub.2CH.sub.2O].sub.m[CH.sub.2CH(CH.sub.3)O].sub.nR.sup.5  Formula (II) where m=2 to 20, n=2.5 to 8, wherein: R.sup.3 is selected from the group consisting of ethylene, propylene, 1-methylpropylene, and 1,1-dimethylpropylene radical, R.sup.5 is hydrogen or methyl, and, if n is greater than 0, m/n=is 1.5 to 15 and for all values of n claimed, if c is greater than or equal to 1.2, c*(m+n)=13 to 40, in the root region for increasing agronomic yield.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein b is 0, c is from 1.0 to 1.10, R.sup.1 is a methyl radical, R.sup.2 is independently a polyether radical of the formula (II)
—R.sup.3O[CH.sub.2CH.sub.2O].sub.m[CH.sub.2CH(CH.sub.3)O].sub.nR.sup.5  Formula (II) where m=4.5 to 8.5, n=3.0 to 6.08, wherein: R.sup.3 is —CH.sub.2CH.sub.2CH.sub.2—, R.sup.5 is hydrogen or methyl, and, if n is greater than 0, m/n=is 1.9 to 2.8 and for all values of n claimed, if c is greater than or equal to 1.2, c*(m+n)=14 to 25, in the root region for increasing agronomic yield.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein b is 0, c is from 1.0 to 1.05, R.sup.1 is a methyl radical, R.sup.2 is independently a polyether radical of the formula (II)
—R.sup.3O[CH.sub.2CH.sub.2O].sub.m[CH.sub.2CH(CH.sub.3)O].sub.nR.sup.5  Formula (II) where m=3.6 to 9.9, n=3.0 to 6.08, wherein: R.sup.3 is —CH.sub.2CH.sub.2CH.sub.2—, R.sup.5 is hydrogen or methyl, and, if n is greater than 0, m/n=is 1.8 to 5 and for all values of n claimed, if c is greater than or equal to 1.2, c*(m+n)=14 to 25, in the root region for increasing agronomic yield.

Description

(1) FIG. 1 shows the number of flowers in fields A (squares), B (diamonds) and P (circles) across the batches according to Table 1.

(2) FIG. 2 shows the graph of the values from Table 2, the average number of fruits (red+green).

(3) FIG. 3 shows the graph of the values from Table 2, the average mass of the fruits in kg (red+green).

EXAMPLES

(4) General Methods and Materials:

(5) TABLE-US-00001 Compound Product description PES 1 M (PE) = 565 g/mol, R.sup.5 = hydrogen; index c of the formula (I) = 1.13 PES 2 M (PE) = 580 g/mol, R.sup.5 = hydrogen; index c of the formula (I) = 1.01

(6) Field Trials to Ascertain the Increase in Agronomic Yield

(7) The test system chosen for the increase in yield was the growing of tomatoes. Tomatoes are complicated to grow, since they are susceptible to various effects during growth. An increase in yield in this high-value segment is therefore particularly desirable.

(8) Outdoor Trial

(9) The open-air field trials were conducted at three sites under comparable meteorological conditions with two different soil types. One soil type was a heavy soil type consisting predominantly of clay (fields A and B) which is prone to waterlogging, and the other was a loose soil also consisting predominantly of clay (field P). Tomatoes were planted with a plant density of about 31 000 plants per hectare, a distance between the plants in a line of 0.35 m, a distance of 0.4 m in the twin lines and a distance between the twin rows of 1.8 m. The irrigation, fertilization and applications of the test substances were effected by droplet irrigation at 1.6 l/h with an outlet every 40 cm. The applications were effected 10 days/20 days/37 days/47 days and 57 days after the seedlings had been planted. The application frequency and volumes were varied such that the final amounts were between 3 and 10 l/ha. Four months after the planting, the tomatoes were harvested. The following data were determined in order to determine the harvest and the effect of the product: the number of flowers per plant and the number and weight of red and green tomatoes.

(10) Each of the three trials consisted of 5 batches, one of which was the control where the plants did not receive the application. Each batch consisted of 20 plants (10 plants×2).

(11) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 1 Definition of the batches, test substance PES 1 Amount per Batch Number Application days application 1 0 none 2 3 day 10, day 37, day 57 1 l/ha 3 5 day 10, day 20, day 37, day 47, day 57 1 l/ha 4 3 day 10, day 37, day 57 2 l/ha 5 5 day 10, day 20, day 37, day 47, day 57 2 l/ha

(12) The agronomic yields were determined for each of the five trial batches per trial. The averages of the two repeats in each case were calculated and documented.

(13) TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 2 Yields from fields A, B and P with batches 1 to 5 of Table 1, mass in kg Number Mass Number Mass Number Mass Number Mass Number Mass Batch 1 2 3 4 5 Field A Flowers 95 98 102 101 98 Red fruit 40 2.95 43 3.83 42 3.88 42 3.85 41 3.95 Green fruit 4 0.13 6 0.41 5 0.36 5 0.408 5 0.42 Field B Flowers 130 152 148 160 158 Red fruit 50 4.6 58 5.2 57 5.08 57 5.01 58 5.8 Green fruit 5 0.23 10 0.65 8 0.6 9 0.71 10 0.52 Field P Flowers 150 163 158 160 161 Red fruit 50 4.8 54 5.45 53 5.5 55 5.01 54 5.25 Green fruit 12 1.08 15 1.25 14 1.23 15 1.2 15 1.15

(14) Field A and field B differ in the intensity of soil cultivation prior to the setting of the plants.

(15) Field A was a soil that had only been superficially loosened in the region of roughly 5 cm, while field B had been intensively cultivated down to a depth of about 20 cm.

(16) FIG. 1 shows a dose effect in the number of flowers in field B. In this case, for the triple treatment with 2 l/ha, the most flowers were counted. The average rise in the number of flowers in all three fields is 10%. The increase in the number of flowers indicates a possible extension of the harvest period, as a result of which it was possible to increase the rise in yield shown below even further.

(17) In the determination of agronomic yield via the number and weight of the fruits, it was not possible to observe any dose effect. Therefore, the effects of all applications were combined and presented. Use of a total of 3 l/ha in this example was sufficient to achieve a distinct increase in yield.

(18) FIG. 2 shows the average values from Table 2 (number of fruits, red+green), with the dashed bar representing the control and the diagonal striped bar according to the use. On average, the number of fruits harvested from the plants treated with PES 1 was 13% higher than the number of fruits harvested from the control plants without treatment.

(19) FIG. 3 shows that the average weight of fruits harvested (red+green) from the plants treated with PES 1 was 24% higher on average than that of the fruits from the control plants.

(20) Greenhouse Trial

(21) In a greenhouse, tomatoes of the Cherokee variety were grown in a soil that consisted of 78% sand, 16% loam and 6% clay.

(22) The plant density was about 25 000 plants per hectare, planted a distance between the plants in a line of 0.4 m, a distance of 0.8 m in the twin lines, and a distance between the twin lines of 2 m.

(23) The watering, fertilization and applications of the test substances were affected by droplet watering at 1 l/h with an outlet every 15 cm. The application was effected once on the 10th day after the planting of the seedlings. The amounts corresponded to 1 l/ha. 17 weeks after planting, the tomatoes were harvested. The number and weight of the tomatoes were determined, in order to determine the harvest and the effect of the products.

(24) Each of the three trials consisted of 4 batches, with each batch consisting of 14 plants (7 plants×2). PES 1 and PES 2 were applied, and all batches including the control were treated identically, for example in relation to applications of fertilizer.

(25) TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 3 Fruit yields after application of PES 1 and PES 2, average values from 4 plots Total mass Individual fruit Number [g] mass [g] Control 17 1777 101.2 PES 1 24.5 2412 100.6 PES 2 26.8 2880 108.4

(26) The experiment shows the advantageous use of the polyether-modified short-chain siloxanes of formula (I) according to the use.