Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
2171254
APPLICANTS: André Grégoire and Gérard Lupien, of Canadian
citizenship,
RESIDENCES: of Mr André Grégoire being 66 Des Bocages,
Laval, Qc, Canada H7W 4Yg
and of Gérard Lupien: 270 Boulevard Cartier,
Apt 813, Laval, Qc, Canada H7N 5R3
A method and a product to destroy and inhibit plant growth,
and products therefrom
This invention relates to a method and products to
destroy and inhibit plant growth, and a plant resulting
therefrom.
This invention relates in particular to such a method
and product for undesirable plants such as ragweed, poison
ivy, dandelion, clover, bedstraw, wild parsley, millet,
thistle, English daisy, and knotweed, having a greater
sodium chloride content on the surface of the plant, than
inside said plant, particularly ragweed plants containing at
least 0.1 gram of sodium chloride.
As far as Applicant is aware, chemical herbicides are
used to eliminate, destroy or inhibits plant growth such as
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those known under the trade marks: Killer 245 T herbicide,
and Tool Gum herbicide.
A search conducted in Chemical Abstracts by the inven-
tors, fails to reveal any herbicide containing an aqueous
solution of sodium chloride. They are not aware either of
any method to destroy or inhibit plant growth with an a-
queous solution of sodium chloride.
The aim of this invention is to use a natural her-
bicide, and in a particular embodiment to a natural method
cooperating in the reduction of hay fevers.
The invention aims at destroying and inhibiting plant
growth of plants having deleterious effects to health such
as ragweed, or of other plants undesirable for one reason or
another.
Broadly stated the invention is directed to a method to
destroy and inhibit plant growth, which comprises spraying
an aqueous solution containing sodium chloride, over a
plant, said aqueous solution having from 1 to 358 grams of
sodium chloride per lOoO grams of water.
The invention is also directed to an herbicide contain-
ing an aqueous solution of from 1 to 358 grams of sodium
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chloride per 1000 grams of water.
The invention is also directed to a plant selected from
the group consisting of:
ragweed, poison ivy, dandelion, clover, bedstraw, wild
parsnip, millet, thistle, English daisy, and knotweed,
said plant having surface and an inside,
said plant having a greater sodium chloride content on
the surface of the plant, than inside said plant,
said plant preferably containing at least 0.1 gram of
sodium chloride.
Further embodiments of the invention will be described
herein below.
The method to destroy and inhibit plant growth com-
prises spraying an aqueous solution containing from 1 to 358
grams of sodium chloride, over a plant,
the aqueous solution having from 1 to 358 grams of
sodium chloride per 1000 grams of water.
Preferably, the aqueous solution has 120 + 25 grams of
sodium chloride per 1000 grams of water. Higher concentra-
tions may have a detrimental effect on some other plants:
for instance grass.
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If a weak concentration of sodium chloride is used over
a year period, several treatments may be required, but from
1 to 3 is generally sufficient. While a stronger concentra-
tion may require only a single treatment and even less over
a year period.
Spraying is conducted most effectively when the plant
is grown up, but before the appearance of the pollen. Pre-
ferably such a spraying is conducted until the plant is
soaked wet:
For example with ragweed, the plants may be generally
at least 4-6 inches, and though less preferred may even be
12-15 inches in height, or thereabouts. For a plant of such
a height, from 40 to 50 ml of aqueous solution of sodium
chloride sprayed over each plant, is generally sufficient to
destroy the plant. Plants having 12-15 inches may already
have delivered some pollen, and smaller plants of 4-6 inches
may still hide roots preparing themselves to mature into
future plants. Such solutions are preferably aqueous solu-
tions having 120 + 25 grams of sodium chloride per 1000
grams of water.
Preferably, spraying is conducted between the third
week of July and the end of August when the weather is warm.
In such a case, only one treatment may be necessary, as the
plant receiving the sodium chloride, generally becomes white
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or whitish, drooping or withering, and drying out, in a
matter of half a day, say a matter of about five hours,
dying but standing still. After half a day, if the leaves of
the plant so treated, are not drooping or withering, and
drying out, another treatment may immediately be carried
out.
Such a treatment may be unnecessary in the year to
come, as for all practical purposes, the specie, for in-
stance ragweed, may have disappeared.
If the plant is smaller, or the treatment conducted out
of the optimum season for destroying undesirable plants or
plants having deleterious effects, or the sodium chloride
solution was weak, two or three treatments may be required
during a year.
That third week of July and the end of August cor-
responds to the most effective period for climax correspond-
ing to the Montreal area, but may be earlier under warmer
climax further south.
Although ragweed is discussed herein above as a prefer-
red specie, since its pollen is responsible for hay fever,
this method is also useful for the destruction of other
species such as poison ivy, dandelion, clover, bedstraw,
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wild parsnip, millet, thistle, English daisy, and knotweed.
In general, the plant so treated, has a greater sodium
content on the surface of the plant: that is over the leaves
and the stem which is in the open air. This could be tested
by washing the stem in the open air with the leaves, and the
washing the crushed stem and leaves, and measuring the
sodium content of the two washings.
The behaviour to the treatment of Applicants herbicide,
is different from one specie to another: For instance, when
spraying is conducted over poison ivy, the plant becomes
brown and dries out after the treatment.
The beauty of this method is that the effect on grass
is only temporary: the grass becoming yellow in contact with
the herbicide, to eventually return to its greener state.
thereafter.
As a tentative explanation only, which should not be
used to construe Applicant's invention, it would appear that
the weeds are protected or coated with an epicuticular wax.
This wax is found in greater amount in leaves than in bran-
ches, and absent in roots. An acid soil enhances formation
of this wax. Upon spaying an aqueous solution of sodium
chloride, the plant or weed would loose out at least some of
the wax, allowing the sap to evaporate until complete drying
of the weed.
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This method should be the answer to people being en-
vironment conscious, since it overcomes the use of her-
bicides having unsafe chemicals.
In a preferred embodiment, the plant so treated, con-
tains at least 0.1 gram of sodium chloride. This is par-
ticularly true for ragweed.
In order to carry out the method applicant has invented
an herbicide containing an aqueous solution of from 1 to 358
grams of sodium chloride per 1000 grams of water. In a
preferred embodiment, the herbicide contains from 120 + 25
grams of sodium chloride per 1000 grams of water. This
herbicide is particularly effective for ragweed and thereby
substantially reducing hay fever.
In a particular embodiment, from 0.5 to 0.6 liter of a
solution having from 95 to 145 grams of sodium chloride per
1000 grams of water, sprayed per square foot of land, has
been found most effective.
While some of the preferred embodiments have been
described herein above, it is to be understood that the
invention is not to be construed as limited to these prefer-
red embodiments, as many modifications and variations are
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,
possible within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
