FRUIT THINNING METHOD WITH 1-AMINOCYCLOPROPANE CARBOXYLIC ACID

Abstract

The present invention relates to fruit thinning method with 1-aminocyclopropane carboxylic acid (ACC) to reduce crop load of stone fruit trees or pome fruit trees.

Claims

1. A method to reduce crop load comprising applying an effective amount of 1-aminocyclopropane carboxylic acid, a hydrate thereof, a polymorph thereof or a salt thereof to stone fruit trees or pome fruit trees.

Description

EXAMPLES

Example 1

[0039] Binder solution is prepared by mixing binder(s), surfactant(s) and water. The binder solution is sprayed onto an ACC active ingredient and inert carrier dry powder mixture to form a wet mass. The wet mass is fed to an extruder. The extruder forces the wet mass through a die having 1.0 mm pores forming an extrudate. The extrudate is then dried resulting in a water-soluble granule comprising ACC. Composition of the water-soluble granule can be seen in Table 1, below.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Formulation Formulation Formulation Composition Example 1 Example 2 Example 3 ACC free acid 20% 30% 40% Silwet ECO spreader 0.1% 0.1% 0.1% Polysorbate 20 2.5% 2.5% 2.5% (Tween 20) Polyvinylpyrrolidone 1.1% 1.1% 1.0% Lactose to 100% to 100% to 100% % based on weight by total weight of the composition

[0040] Inert carrier-Lactose.

[0041] Surfactant-Silwet ECO spreader; polyalkyleneoxide modified heptamethyltrisiloxane, Polysorbate 20, polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate.

[0042] Binder-Polyvinylpyrrolidone.

Examples 2 and 3

[0043] Water-soluble granules comprising ACC are prepared by the process of Example 1, above. Composition of the water-soluble granules can be seen in Table 1, above.

Example 4

[0044] A water-soluble granule comprising ACC is prepared by the process of Example 1, above. Composition of the water-soluble granule can be seen in Table 2, below.

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Composition Example 4 Example 5 Example 6 Example 7 ACC free acid 40% 40% 40% 40% Silwet ECO spreader 0.1% 0.1% 0.1% Break-Thru 200 0.1% Polysorbate 20 2.5% 2.0% (Tween 20) Polyvinylpyrrolidone 1.0% 1.0% 1.0% 1.0% Brij 020 2.5% Sodium Lignosulfonate 1.0% Aerosol OT-B 2.5% Lactose to 100% to 100% to 100% to 100% % based on weight by total weight of the composition

[0045] Inert carrier-Lactose.

[0046] Surfactant-Silwet ECO spreader; polyalkyleneoxide modified heptamethyltrisiloxane, Break-Thru; Polyether trisiloxane, Polysorbate 20; polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate, Brij 020; Polyoxyethylene vegetable-based fatty ether derived from cetyl alcohol, Aerosol OT-B; Dioctyl sulfosuccinate sodium salt.

[0047] Binder-Polyvinylpyrrolidone.

Examples 5 to 7

[0048] Water-soluble granules comprising ACC are prepared by the process of Example 1, above. Composition of the water-soluble granules can be seen in Table 2, above.

Example 8

[0049] A water-soluble granule comprising ACC is prepared by the process of Example 1, above. Composition of the water-soluble granule can be seen in Table 3, below.

TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Composition Example 8 Example 9 Example10 Example 11 ACC free acid 40% 40% 40% 40% Polyvinylpyrrolidone 0.8% 0.8% 0.8% 0.8% Polysorbate 20 1.5% 1.5% 1.5% 1.5% (Tween 20) Calcium chloride 5% 10% 20% Lactose monohydrate to 100% to 100% to 100% to 100% % based on weight by total weight of the composition

[0050] Inert carrier-Lactose monohydrate, Calcium chloride.

[0051] Surfactant-Polysorbate 20; polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate.

[0052] Binder-Polyvinylpyrrolidone.

Examples 9 to 11

[0053] Water-soluble granules comprising ACC are prepared by the process of Example 1, above. Composition of the water-soluble granules can be seen in Table 3, above.

Example 12

[0054] A water-soluble granule comprising ACC is prepared by the process of Example 1, above. Composition of the water-soluble granule can be seen in Table 4, below.

TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Example Example Example Example Composition 12 13 14 15 ACC free acid 40.0% 40.0% 40.0% 40.0% Break-Thru 240 0.1% 0.1% 0.1% 0.25% Polysorbate 20 2.5% 2.5% 2.5% 2.5% (Tweet 20) Polyvinylpyrrolidone 1.0% 1.0% 1.0% 1.0% Aerosol OT-B 1.0% Citric acid 1.75% 1.0% 0.5% 0.25% Lactose to 100% to 100% to 100% to 100% % based on weight by total weight of the composition

[0055] Inert carrier-Lactose.

[0056] Surfactant-Break-Thru; Polyether trisiloxane, Polysorbate 20; polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate, Aerosol OT-B; Dioctyl sulfosuccinate sodium salt.

[0057] Binder-Polyvinylpyrrolidone. pH adjuster-Citric acid.

Examples 13 to 15

[0058] Water-soluble granules comprising ACC are prepared by the process of Example 1, above. Composition of the water-soluble granules can be seen in Table 4, above.

Example 16

[0059] Aqueous stable agricultural formulations comprising ACC, water and calcium chloride, wherein the molar ratio of ACC to calcium chloride is from about 1.59:1 to about 1:2.27.

[0060] In this formulation example, ACC is present at a concentration from about 5% to about 40% w/w or from about 5% to about 25% w/w or from 5% to about 15% w/w or from about 10% w/w to about 25% w/w. In this example, the calcium chloride is present at a concentration from about 3.5% to about 75% w/w or from about 3.5% to about 35% w/w, or from about 7% to about 75% w/w. Moreover, this formulation further comprise a chelating agent, preferably, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), preferably at a concentration from about 0.1% to about 0.2% w/w.

[0061] The formulation of this example provides very stable aqueous formulations for foliar spray, drench, in-furrow and seed treatment applications.

Examples 17 and 18

[0062] In this example a liquid agricultural formulation comprising ACC HCl salt and either water or anon-aqueous solvent, wherein the formulation has a pH from 2.75.+0.0.3 to 8.5.+0.0.3. In the formulation, the ACC HCl salt is at a concentration from about 1% to about 50% w/w, preferably from about 5% to about 20% w/w. The formulations comprise a non-ionic surfactant.

[0063] In the aqueous example formulation comprising: about 5% to about 20% w/w ACC HCl salt, preferably about 13.6% w/w; about 1% to about 5% w/w polyoxyethylene alkyl ether phosphate with a degree of ethoxylation of 5 to 6 moles, preferably about 2.5% w/w; about 0.1% to about 1.5% w/w EDTA, preferably about 0.5% w/w; and water, wherein the formulation has a pH from 2.75.+0.0.3 to 8.5.+0.0.3, preferably from 4.0.+0.0.3 to 8.0.+0.0.3.

[0064] In non-aqueous agricultural formulation comprising: about 5% to about 20% w/w ACC HCl salt, preferably about 13.6% w/w; about 60% to about 90% propylene glycol, preferably about 84% w/w; and about 1% to about 5% w/w polysorbate 20, preferably about 2.0% w/w. Other possible solvents include, but are not limited to: propylene glycol and polyethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, polypropylene glycol and butyl glycol.

[0065] The formulations of this example provide very stable aqueous and non-aqueous formulations for foliar spray, drench, in-furrow and seed treatment applications.

Use of ACC for Fruit Thinning

[0066] In the following examples, the uses of ACC or its formulations for modulating fruit set are presented. These examples include but are not limiting to the rates presented.

Example 19

Applications to Stonefruit or Stonefruit Hybrids

[0067] Applications to stonefruit include, but are not limited to Apricot, Sweet and Tart Cherry, Nectarine, Peach, Plum, Chickasaw plum, Damson Plum, Japanese plum, Plumcot, Fresh Prune. Depending on cultivar, orchard conditions, application timing, and grower objectives, one or more of the following benefits will be associated with ACC are fruit thinning and/or enhanced return bloom

[0068] Use directions: Apply 300 to 600 ppm of ACC using sufficient spray volume to ensure complete tree coverage.

[0069] Note: Direct 80% of the spray into the upper rd of the tree canopy. Use higher rates in orchards that have a history of being difficult to thin and in varieties known to be difficult to thin. Do not apply ACC if temperatures are expected to fall below 32 F or exceed 90 F on the day of application.

Example 20

Applications to Pome Fruit

[0070] Depending on cultivar, orchard conditions, application timing, and grower objectives, one or more of the following benefits will be associated with ACC: Fruit thinning or Enhanced return bloom.

[0071] Use directions: Apply 200 to 400 ppm of ACC or its formulations using sufficient spray volume to ensure complete tree coverage. ACC can be applied in the period from full bloom until the average diameter of the king fruitlets is 25 mm. ACC is most active when king fruitlet diameter is 15-20 mm.

[0072] Note: Direct 80% of the spray into the upper rd of the tree canopy. Use higher rates in orchards that have a history of being difficult to thin, in varieties known to be difficult to thin, and in cool weather situations. Use ACC in a program with other thinning products, but do not apply ACC as a tank mix partner with other thinning products. Consider reducing the rate of application if temperatures are expected to exceed 90 F. on the day of application. Allow 7-10 days to observe the effect of any thinning product before making another application.

Example 21

[0073] A spray liquid is obtained by mixing any one of the formulations of Examples 1-15, above, with water so that the concentration of ACC is 100 ppm. The spray liquid is sprayed on Babygold #5 peach trees at bloom as a target fruit. In that case the spray volume is 1000 L/ha. An acceptable chemical thinning agent is one that gives a substantial and relatively consistent reduction in crop load by the dose of ACC.

Examples 22-27

[0074] The application is performed in the same manner as example 19, except that a target fruit, the concentration of ACC in the spray liquid, application volume of the spray liquid, and/or application timing are changed as shown in Table 5, below.

[0075] An acceptable chemical thinning agent is one that gives a substantial and relatively consistent reduction in crop load by each dose of ACC.

TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 Concentration Application Example of ACC in volume of the Target Application name spray liquid spray liquid fruit timing Test 100 ppm 1000 L/ha Babygold #5 bloom Example 4 Test 100 ppm 1000 L/ha Babygold #5 shuck split Example 5 Test 100 ppm 1000 L/ha Babygold #5 late shuck fall Example 6 Test 100 ppm 1000 L/ha Babygold #5 petal fall Example 7 Test 100 ppm 1000 L/ha Babygold #5 l0 nm fruit Example 8 stage Test 100 ppm 1000 L/ha Babygold #5 20 nm fruit Example 9 stage

Example 28

[0076] Effect of ACC concentration on fruit set (number of fruit per shoot) of Sugar May peaches and Sweet Dream peaches when applied at full bloom

TABLE-US-00006 TABLE 6 ACC Concentration Number of Fruit Per Shoot (parts per million) Sugar May Sweet Dream 0 3.3 16 300 0.7 12 600 0.3 9 900 0.1 6

Example 29

[0077] Effect of ACC concentration on modulating fruit set (number of fruit per 100 flower clusters) of Gala apples when applied at petal fall (BBCH67), 10 mm fruit diameter, or 20 mm fruit diameter.

TABLE-US-00007 TABLE 7 Time of Application ACC Concentration Petal 10 mm fruit 20 mm fruit (parts per million) Fall diameter diameter 0 130 224 117 125 89 450 96 108 46 900 72 63 12