USE OF AN INORGANIC PHOSPHOR TO INCREASE THE YIELD OF CORN AND SOY CULTIVATION

Abstract

The present invention relates to the use of an inorganic phosphor to increase the yield of corn or soy cultivation promoted by the use of at least one fungicide, said inorganic phosphor exhibiting: a maximum in the emission spectrum in the range of wavelengths between 400 nm and 500 nm; an absorption Abs in the visible range which is equal to or less than 15.0%, preferably equal to or less than 10.0%, even more particularly equal to or less than 3.0%; and an internal quantum efficiency (IQE) measured in the range of wavelengths between 300 nm and 410 nm which is equal to or greater than 50.0%, more particularly greater than 75.0%, even more particularly greater than 90.0%.

Claims

1. A method, comprising applying an inorganic phosphor to increase yield of corn or soy cultivation promoted by use of at least one fungicide, said inorganic phosphor exhibiting: a maximum in emission spectrum in range of wavelengths between 400 nm and 500 nm; an absorption Abs in visible range which is equal to or less than 15.0%; and an internal quantum efficiency (IQE) measured in the range of wavelengths between 300 nm and 410 nm which is equal to or greater than 50.0%.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the inorganic phosphor is selected in the group consisting of europium-doped and/or cerium-doped aluminates; europium-doped phosphates; europium-doped halo-phosphates; europium-doped halo-silicates; europium-doped or cerium-doped silicates; europium-doped or cerium-doped nitrides and europium-doped or cerium-doped oxynitrides.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the inorganic phosphor is: an europium-doped and/or cerium-doped aluminate of formula (I):
a(M.sub.1−dM.sup.1.sub.dO).b(Mg.sub.1−eM.sup.2.sub.eO).c(Al.sub.2O.sub.3)   (I) wherein M denotes at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ba, Sr and Ca; M.sup.1 denotes Eu and/or Ce; M.sup.2 denotes at least one element selected from the group consisting of Zn and Co; and wherein a, b, c, d and e satisfy following relationships: 0.25≤a≤2.00; 0<b≤2.00; 3.00≤c≤9.00; 0≤d≤0.40 and 0≤e≤0.60; or an europium-doped aluminate of formula (II):
A.sup.1MgAl.sub.10O.sub.17   (II) wherein A.sup.l represents at least one of Ba, Sr, or Ca alone or in combination; or an europium-doped phosphate of formula (III):
ABPO.sub.4   (III) wherein: A denotes an element selected from the group consisting of Li, Na and K; B denotes an element selected from the group consisting of Ca, Mg, Ba and Sr; or an europium-doped phosphate of formula (IV):
SrB.sub.2(PO.sub.4).sub.2Eu.sup.2+  (IV) wherein B denotes Mg or Zn; or an europium-doped compound of formula (V):
B.sub.2P.sub.2O.sub.7Eu.sup.2+  (V) wherein B denotes Ca or Sr; or an europium-doped halo-phosphate of formula (VIa) or (VIb):
APO.sub.4Cl   (VIa)
A.sub.5(PO.sub.4).sub.3Cl   (VIb) wherein A denotes an element selected from the group consisting of Ca and Sr. or an europium-doped silicate of formula (VIIa) to (VIId):
A.sub.3MgSi.sub.2O.sub.8   (VIIa)
A.sub.2MgSi.sub.2O.sub.7   (VIIb)
AMgSi.sub.2O.sub.6   (VIIc)
Li.sub.2ASiO.sub.4   (VIId) wherein A denotes an element selected from the group consisting of Ba, Ca and Sr; or the cerium-doped silicate of formula BaY.sub.2Si.sub.3O.sub.10 (VIIe).

4. (canceled)

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the increase of the yield is such that (Y1−Y2)/Y2 is higher than 3.0% Y1 being the yield obtained with combined use of the inorganic phosphor and of fungicide(s) and Y2 being the yield obtained with the sole use of the fungicide(s).

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the fungicide and the inorganic phosphor are applied together in form of an agrochemical composition comprising together the inorganic phosphor and fungicide(s).

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the agrochemical composition is applied onto a foliar system of a plant.

8. The method according to claim 6 wherein the agrochemical composition is sprayed onto leaves of the plant.

9. The method according to claim 6 wherein the agrochemical composition further comprises a liquid medium that is water or a mixture of water and at least one organic fluid.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein the organic fluid is selected in the group consisting of natural or synthetic oils, in particular mineral oils, vegetable oils, fatty or non fatty alcohols, fatty acids, esters containing at least one fatty acid and/or at least one fatty alcohol.

11. The method according to claim 6 wherein the agrochemical composition further comprises at least one surfactant.

12. The method according to claim 6 wherein the agrochemical composition is in the form of a dispersion.

13. The method according to claim 6 wherein the agrochemical composition is sprayed onto leaves of the plant.

14. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

17. (canceled)

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein the absorption Abs in the visible range is equal to or less than 10.0% and the IQE is greater than 75.0%.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the absorption Abs in the visible range is equal to or less than 3.0% and the IQE is greater than 90.0%.

20. The method according to claim 10 wherein the fatty alcohols and the fatty acids contain from 8 to 32 carbon atoms.

Description

EXAMPLES

Preparation of an Aqueous Dispersion of Particles of BAM (Dispersion DA)

[0105] An aqueous dispersion of particles of BAM of formula Ba.sub.0.9Eu.sub.0.1MgAl.sub.10O.sub.17 was prepared with the quantities given in Table I, using the following protocol: [0106] Rhodoline 226/35 was added in water and mixed until an homogeneous solution is obtained; [0107] then, the BAM particles were added and mixed until the dispersion is homogeneous; [0108] finally, Rhodopol 23 was added and mixed until the dispersion is homogeneous. The mechanical agitator used was a IKA RW20 model with naval propeller stirrer.

[0109] The BAM used exhibits the following properties: [0110] an internal quantum efficiency (IQE) which is 95%; [0111] an absorption Abs which is 98% at 320 nm; and [0112] a maximum in the emission spectrum at 450 nm.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE I Chemical Quantity Component Name Supplier Role (g) wt % BAM Solvay active 264 22% ingredient Rhodoline acrylic Solvay dispersant 24  2% 226/35 polymer solution Rhodopol xanthan Solvay rheology 168 14% 23 (2 wt % in gum modifier water) water — — liguid 744 62% medium

Example A: Process According to the Invention (Corn)

[0113] The experiments were performed on corn. Sowing of the seeds began in March in Brazil: [0114] seeds: K9105 VIP3 from KVS (more information on: https://www.kws-sementes.com.br/aw/Produtos/Milho/K-9105-VIP3/˜ieni/); [0115] distribution of 4 seeds/meter; [0116] depth of 5 cm.

[0117] The experiments disclosed in Table II were performed: [0118] with no fungicide and no BAM: see comp. ex. A1; [0119] with a dispersion (noted D0) containing a fungicide but no BAM: see comp. ex. A2; [0120] with a dispersion (noted D1) containing a fungicide and various amounts of BAM. D1 was obtained by mixing D0 and variables amounts of DA.

Composition of the Agrochemical Composition D0

[0121] 0.8 L/ha of a fungicide composition commercialized by BASF under the brand Ativum. This fungicide composition contains 81 g/L of pyraclostrobin (CAS N°175013-18-0), 50 g/L of epoxiconazole (CAS N°133855-98-8) and 50 g/L of fluxapyroxad (CAS N°907204-31-3); [0122] 0.5 L/ha of mineral oil which is an adjuvant for the fungicide is commercialized by BASF under the brand Assist; [0123] 100 L/ha of water.

Composition of the Agrochemical Composition D1

[0124] 0.8 L/ha of Ativum; [0125] 0.5 L/ha of Assist; [0126] dispersion A (various amounts); [0127] 100 L/ha of water.

[0128] The agrochemical compositions were sprayed on corn (one foliar application done together with the fungicide at 50 days after planting). The amount of corn harvested was determined after the crop.

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE II amount of dispersion DA sprayed bags of corn increase Examples dispersion (L/ha) per ha yield (%) comp. none / 68.8 ex. A1 comp. D0 (fungicide / 84.8 0% ex. A2 only) Ex. A1 D1 (fungicide + 0.5 87.5 3% BAM) Ex. A2 D1 (fungicide + 1.0 92.1 9% BAM) Ex. A3 D1 (fungicide + 1.5 90.5 7% BAM) Ex. A4 D1 (fungicide + 2.0 89.7 6% BAM)

[0129] As can be seen with the results of Table II, an increase of the yield (3-9%) is observed with dispersions A1-A4 containing both the fungicide and BAM.

Example B: Process According to the Invention (Soy)

[0130] The experiments were performed on soy. The amount of soy harvested was determined after the crop. Sowing of the seeds began in October in Brazil: [0131] seeds: Monsoy 5917 (more information on: https://monsoy.com.br/pt-br/variedades/variedades/variedades-detail-temple.html/m5917ipro.html) [0132] distribution of 12 seeds/meter; [0133] depth of 3 cm.

TABLE-US-00003 TABLE III amount of dispersion DA sprayed bags of soy increase Examples dispersion (L/ha) per ha yield (%) Comp. none / 46.8 / ex. B1 Comp. D0 (fungicide / 64.2 / ex. B2 only) Ex. B1 DA (BAM only) 1.0 64.6 38% compared to Comp ex. B1 Ex. B2 D1 (fungicide +  0.25 65.2 1.6% BAM) compared to Comp ex. B2 Ex. B3 D1 (fungicide + 0.5 65.8 2.5% BAM) compared to Comp ex. B2 Ex. B4 D1 (fungicide + 1.0 72.1 12.3% BAM) compared to Comp ex. B2

[0134] As can be seen with the results of Table III, the dispersion of BAM alone improves the yield (Ex. B1) in a comparable way to the fungicide (Comp. ex. B2). The combination of the fungicide and BAM also leads to a synergy (see ex. B4 and ex. B1).