Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Non-Toxic Plant Agent Compositions and Methods and Uses Thereof
[001] This application claims the benefit of priority and the filing date of
U.S. Provisional Patent
Application 62/208,662, filed on August 22, 2015, the content of which is
hereby incorporated by reference
in its entirety.
[002] Agriculture is of the upmost importance to the world. Not only does
agriculture essential to
providing foodstuffs world-wide it is of critical economic importance to the
economy of most, if not all
countries. Three factor that can impact the yields of agricultural crops are
plant disease, unfavorable growth
conditions and cultivation inefficiency.
[003] Losses from infectious plant diseases can have catastrophic humanitarian
impact, where crop
losses result in hunger, famine and starvation. In addition losses from plant
diseases also can have a
significant economic effect, causing decreased revenue for crop producers and
distributors and higher
prices for consumers. In situations where infectious plant disease-control
methods are absent or limited,
annual losses of 30% to 50% are common for major crops. Conventional plant
agent technologies based
on agricultural chemicals have improved agricultural productivity. However,
agricultural chemical use has
fallen into disfavor due to its negative consequences such as, e.g., increased
cost to consumers and
decreased revenue for crop producers and distributors. In addition, there is
increasing public concerns
regarding the negative impacts of agricultural chemicals on the environment.
As such, protection of
agriculturally important crops from plant diseases is crucial in improving
crop yields.
[004] Crop plants in different ecosystems around the world are also exposed to
unfavorable growing
conditions that negatively affect the health and vigor of the plants. These
less than ideal conditions are
typically due to soil or weather conditions, or various stresses including
extremes of temperature,
disadvantageous relationships between moisture and oxygen, toxic substances in
the soil or atmosphere,
and an excess or deficiency of an essential mineral. Such factors can reduce
productivity of the crops to a
greater or lesser degree, even under good growing conditions. As such,
improving growing conditions of
agriculturally important crops is important in improving crop yields.
[005] Lastly, increased global population growth together with a concomitant
decrease in land used for
agriculture has increased the pressure to not only optimized crop productivity
but also increase cultivation
efficiency. In addition, demand for enhanced crop yields will only increase as
both increases world-wide
population growth and decreases in agriculture land used continues. As such,
enhanced productivity of
agriculturally important crops is vital in improving crop yields.
[006] Accordingly, there is a great need for an environmentally-friendly
treatments that will increase the
health and vigor of plants, whether the plants are stressed by plant disease,
by poor growing conditions, or
even when the plants are healthy and/or grown under favorable conditions, but
increased cultivation
efficiency and productivity is needed. Such treatments should also reduce the
amounts of, if not completely
dispense with, agricultural chemicals in order to safeguard human welfare and
the environment.
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SUMMARY
[007] Aspects of the present specification disclose plant agent compositions.
The disclosed plant agent
compositions comprises a treated fermented microbial supernatant and one or
more nonionic surfactants.
The disclosed plant agent compositions may further comprise one or more
anionic surfactants. The
disclosed plant agent compositions are biodegradable and non-toxic to humans,
mammals, plants and the
environment.
[008] Aspects of the present specification disclose a plant agent kit. The
disclosed plant agent kit
comprises a plant agent composition disclosed herein and instructions for how
to use the compositions to
improve the health and vigor of plants.
[009] Aspects of the present specification disclose methods of controlling a
plant disease. The disclosed
methods comprises applying an effective amount of a plant agent composition
disclosed herein to one or
more plants and/or one or more locations where control of a plant disease is
desired.
[010] Aspects of the present specification disclose methods of increasing
plant growth and/or fruit
production. The disclosed methods comprises applying an effective amount of a
plant agent composition
disclosed herein to one or more plants and/or one or more locations where
increase in plant growth and/or
fruit production is desired.
[011] Aspects of the present specification disclose uses of a plant agent
composition for controlling a
plant disease. The disclosed uses comprises applying an effective amount of
the plant agent composition
disclosed herein to one or more plants and/or one or more locations where
control of a plant disease is
desired.
[012] Aspects of the present specification disclose uses of a plant agent
composition for increasing plant
growth and/or fruit production. The disclosed uses comprises applying an
effective amount of a plant agent
composition disclosed herein to one or more plants and/or one or more
locations where increased plant
growth and/or fruit production is desired.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[013] A plant becomes diseased when it is continuously disturbed by some
causal agent that results in
an abnormal physiological process that disrupts a plant's normal structure,
growth, function, or other
activities. This interference with one or more of a plant's essential
physiological or biochemical systems
elicits characteristic pathological conditions or symptoms. Plant diseases are
caused by a pathogenic
organism such as a fungus, bacterium, mycoplasma, virus, viroid, nematode, or
parasitic flowering plant.
An infectious agent is transmissible, being capable of reproducing within or
on its host and spreading from
one susceptible host to another. Plant diseases can be broadly classified
according to the nature of their
primary causal agent. Such primary causal agents include viruses,
microorganisms like fungi and bacteria,
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and animals like nematodes. However, one difficulty in treating a plant
disease caused by such primary
causal agents is that they are typically protected from the environment by
some sort of structure. These
protective structures not only essential in maintaining the health of these
causal agents, but also helpful in
shielding these causal agents from compounds designed to destroy them.
[014] A complete virus particle, known as a virion, consists of nucleic acid
surrounded by a protective
coat of protein called a capsid. The capsid encloses the genetic material of
the virus and consists of several
oligomeric structural subunits made of protein called protomers. Some viruses
are enveloped, meaning
that the capsid is coated with a lipid membrane known as the viral envelope.
The envelope is acquired by
the capsid from an intracellular membrane in the virus host; examples include
the inner nuclear membrane,
the golgi membrane, and the cell's outer membrane.
[015] Microorganisms such as, e.g., bacterium, mycoplasma (bacteria without a
cell wall) and certain
fungi, secrete a polymeric conglomeration of biopolymers, generally composed
of extracellular nucleic
acids, proteins, and polysaccharides, that form a matrix of extracellular
polymeric substance (EPS). The
EPS matrix embeds the cells causing the cells to adhere to each other as well
as to any living (biotic) or
non-living (abiotic) surface to form a sessile community of microorganisms
referred to as a biofilm or slime
layer. A biofilm colony can also form on solid substrates submerged in or
exposed to an aqueous solution,
or form as floating mats on liquid surfaces.
[016] There are five stages of biofilm development, initial attachment,
irreversible attachment, maturation
I, maturation ll and dispersion. Biofilm formation initially begins with the
attachment of free-floating
planktonic microorganisms to a surface. These first colonists adhere to the
surface initially through weak,
reversible adhesion via van der Weals forces. If not immediately separated
from the surface, these first
colonists become permanently anchored through secretion of the EPS matrix and
formation of cell adhesion
structures such as pili (irreversible attachment). Once colonization has
begun, the biofilm grows through a
combination of cell division of embedded microorganisms and new recruitment
(Maturation I and II). In
addition to the extracellular biopolymers secreted by the microorganisms, a
biofilm can also incorporate
material from the surrounding environment, including but not limited to
minerals, soil particles, and biological
components. Maturation I and ll is where the biofilm is established and may
only change in shape and
size. The final stage of biofilm formation is known as dispersion, where
microorganisms are released from
the biofilm to enter the planktonic growth phase in order to spread and
colonize new surfaces.
[017] Microorganisms living in a biofilm are physiologically distinct and
have significantly different
properties from free-floating planktonic microorganisms of the same species.
One reason for these
differences is because the biofilm protects the microorganisms from the
environment and allows them to
cooperate and interact in various ways. For example, a biofilm increased the
resistance of microorganisms
to detergents and antibiotics. In addition, lateral gene transfer is greatly
facilitated in biofilms and leads to
a more stable biofilm structure. Microorganisms within a biofilm can also
communicate with each other via
quorum sensing (QS) using products such as N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL). As
such, biofilms play
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essential and critical roles in protecting microorganisms by insulating them
from potentially harmful
interactions with the environment.
[018] Larger organisms also are protected from the environment by some sort of
structure. Nematodes
have a cuticle, a polymerized, proteinacious extracellular matrix. The cuticle
of nematodes is formed when
a mostly syncial epidermal cell layer, termed hypodermis, secretes various
proteins from its apical
membranes that are then extensively cross-linked by peroxidases on the outer
surface of the hypodermis
to form a cuticle. The major component of this flexible cuticle are members of
the collagen superfamily and
cuticlins, a highly cross-linked insoluble class of proteins. Overlying the
cuticle is the lipid-rich, trilaminar
epicuticle that is itself overlaid by a loosely associated, glycoprotein-rich,
negatively charged surface coat
(or glycocalyx). This multi-functional extracellular structure creates a
highly impervious barrier that protects
nematodes from desiccation and pathogenic infection as well as creates a
structural framework that
maintains its body morphology and integrity, prevents mechanical damage by
environmental insults, and
enables locomotion via attachments to body-wall muscles. As such, the nematode
cuticle plays essential
and critical roles in preserving the integrity of the animal and its
interactions with the environment.
[019] Thus, protective structures present in primary causal agents of plant
diseases, such as, e.g.,
viruses, bacteria, fungi and nematodes is not only essential for the survival
of these agents, but also
protects them from the environment. Thus, a treatment that disrupts or
otherwise destroys a protective
structure of a primary causal agents of plant diseases would be of great
benefit.
[020] Plants, or green plants, are multicellular eukaryotes of the kingdom
Plantae that form the clade
Viridiplantae. Green plants includes the flowering plants, conifers and other
gymnosperms, ferns,
clubmosses, hornworts, liverworts, mosses and the green algae, but exclude the
red and brown algae, the
fungi, archaea, bacteria and animals. Plants are characterized by obtaining
most of their energy from
sunlight via photosynthesis using chloroplasts. Chloroplasts contain
chlorophylls a and b, which gives
them their green color. Plants are also characterized by having a thick cell
wall of cellulose, a central
vacuole for storage, plastids for storage of pigments, sexual reproduction,
modular and indeterminate
growth, and an alternation of generations, although asexual reproduction is
also common.
[021] A typical plant is structurally organized into two primary divisions,
the root system and the shoot
system. The root system is usually underground and comprises primary and
lateral roots as well as
modified stem structures such as tubers and rhizomes. This system functions to
anchor a plant in the soil,
absorb water and nutrients from the ground, transport water and nutrients
throughout a plant, store food
produce certain hormones. The shoot system is usually above ground and
comprises stems, leaves and
the reproductive organs. This system functions to elevate a plant above the
soil, conduct photosynthesis,
conduct reproduction, transport water and nutrients throughout a plant, store
food and produce hormones.
[022] Plants containing vascular tissues which distribute resources throughout
plant are referred to as
vascular plants. Vascular plants, also known as tracheophytes, are defined as
those land plants that have
lignified vascular tissues (the xylem) for conducting water and minerals
throughout a plant and specialized
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non-lignified vascular tissues (the phloem) to conduct products of
photosynthesis. Vascular plants include
the clubmosses, horsetails, ferns, gymnosperms (including conifers) and
angiosperms (flowering plants).
Scientific names for the group include Tracheophyta and Tracheobionta.
[023] Xylem is a vascular tissue that on maturity is composed of dead cells.
Xylem provides unidirectional
transport of xylem sap from the roots up to and throughout a plant. Xylem sap
includes water, soluble
mineral nutrients and inorganic ions, although it can contain a number of
organic chemicals as well.
Movement of xylem sap through xylem is passive, relying on capillary action to
provide the force that
establishes an equilibrium configuration that counteracts gravity. This
capillary action is achieved
principally through two mechanisms, transpirational pull and root pressure.
Transpirational pull is due to a
surface tension created by evaporation of water from the surfaces of cells in
the leaves which causes a
negative pressure in the xylem that generates enough force to pulls xylem sap
upwards from the roots and
soil. Root pressure is due to osmosis created by the more negative water
potential of the root cells relative
to the soil due to higher solute concentrations which causes a positive
pressure that forces xylem sap up
the xylem towards the leaves.
[024] Phloem comprises living vascular tissue composed of 1) conducting cells
called sieve elements
that form tubes; 2) parenchyma cells, including both specialized companion
cells or albuminous cells and
unspecialized cells; and 3) supportive cells, such as fibres and sclereids
that provide mechanical support.
Sieve elements lack a nucleus and have very few organelles, so they rely on
companion cells or albuminous
cells for most of their metabolic needs. Phloem provides multi-directional
transport of photosynthate (or
sap) made by the photosynthetic areas of a plant (principally the leaves) to
all other parts of a plant where
needed, especially the non-photosynthetic parts of a plant, such as the roots,
or into storage structures,
such as tubers or bulbs. Photosynthate is a water-based solution rich is
sugars and other soluble organic
nutrients made during photosynthesis. Movement of photosynthate through the
phloem is driven by positive
hydrostatic pressures. This process is termed translocation, and is
accomplished by a process called
phloem loading and unloading. Cells in a sugar source "load" a sieve-tube
element by actively transporting
solute molecules into it. This causes water to move into the sieve-tube
element by osmosis, creating
pressure that pushes the sap down the tube. In sugar sinks, cells actively
transport solutes out of the sieve-
tube elements, producing the opposite effect.
[025] The root system is the organ of a plant that typically lies below the
surface of the soil. Structurally,
a root is composed of an epidermis, a cortex, an endodermis, a pericycle and a
vascular system. The
epidermis is the outer layer of cells. The cortex is the primary structural
tissue of the root bound on the
outside by the epidermis and on the inside by the endodermis. The endodermis
separates the cortex from
the pericycle, the tissue from which lateral (or branch) roots arise from. In
the center of a root is the vascular
tissue comprised of xylem and phloem. A root system comprises a primary root,
lateral roots and root hairs
and can be divided into three regions of growth. A zone of maturation is the
portion of the root system that
comprises the mature portion of the primary root, lateral roots and root hairs
that is absorbing water and
nutrients from the soil and transporting them through the xylem into the shoot
system. The zone of
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elongation is where newly divided cells are enlarging. The meristematic zone
is composed of the root tip
meristem and the root cap and is the zone where cell division and new cell
growth occurs.
[026] Root hairs are absorptive unicellular extensions of epidermal cells of a
root. These tiny, hair-like
structures function as the major site of water and mineral uptake. There are
beneficial microorganisms
associated with root hairs which form a beneficial, symbiotic relationship
with a plant. Mycorrhizae are soil
fungi that appear to expand the root's contact with the soil profile,
enhancing water and nutrient uptake.
Rhizobium is a soil bacterium that make atmospheric nitrogen available to
plants, typically by forming
nodules on the roots of plants.
[027] The proper transportation of both xylem sap and photosynthate is
essential for a plant's survival.
As such, facilitation of this transportation process will benefit the health
of a plant. For example, improved
absorption at the root hairs results in increased amounts of water, minerals
and other nutrients needed by
a plant for growth. Likewise, better xylem sap and photosynthate flow through
the vascular tissue ensures
for effective and efficient synthesis of compounds and energy needed to
sustain and continue plant growth.
[028] On the other hand, any impediment that disrupts or halts the movement of
xylem sap and
photosynthate affects the health of a plant. For example, disturbance of
transpirational pull due to high
temperatures, high humidity, darkness or drought dramatically decrease the
negative water pressure in the
xylem resulting in poor flow of xylem sap. Likewise, disturbance of root
pressure due to poor water and
nutrient absorption by root hairs due to unfavorable environmental conditions
can significantly reduce the
positive water pressure in the xylem resulting in poor flow of xylem sap. As
another example, disruption of
photosynthate flow in phloem results in poor distribution of nutrients. In any
of these case, such flow
disruptions can result in wilting, withering, stunted grow and reduced
reproduction as well as increased
susceptibility to plant diseases and unfavorable environmental conditions.
With respect to agricultural, such
flow disruptions ultimately result in reduced yields of crops. Thus, a
treatment that facilitates, maintains or
enhances xylem sap and photosynthate flow in xylem and phloem respectively
would be of great benefit.
[029] Irrigation is the artificial application of water to the land or
soil. It is used to assist in the growing of
agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed
soils in dry areas and during
periods of inadequate rainfall. Irrigation also has a few other uses in crop
production, which include
protecting plants against frost, suppressing weed growth and preventing soil
consolidation. In contrast,
agriculture that relies only on direct rainfall is referred to as rain-fed or
dryland farming.
[030] The goal of irrigation is to supply an entire field uniformly with
water, so that each plant has the
amount of water it needs, neither too much nor too little. Overhead or
sprinkler irrigation is a system where
water is distributed under high pressure through a piped network to one or
more central locations within a
field and distributed by overhead sprinklers or guns. Sprinklers can also be
mounted on platforms that can
be manually or automatically moved to different regions of the field. Center
pivot, traveling sprinkler, lateral
move and wheel line irrigation are types of overhead irrigation methods.
Localized irrigation is a system
where water is distributed under low pressure through a piped network, in a
pre-determined pattern, and
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applied as a small discharge to each plant or adjacent to it. Drip, spray or
micro-sprinkler and bubbler
irrigation are types of localized irrigation methods. Localized irrigation
methods can be the most water-
efficient methods of irrigation because they deliver only the amount of water
needed and minimize
evaporation and runoff.
[031] Most commercial and residential irrigation systems are in ground"
systems, meaning that
everything is buried in the ground. With the pipes, sprinklers, emitters
(drippers), and irrigation valves being
hidden, it makes for a cleaner, more presentable landscape without garden
hoses or other items having to
be moved around manually. This does, however, create some drawbacks in the
maintenance of a
completely buried system.
[032] Irrigation can lead to a number of problems. For example, the piped
network of overhead and
localized irrigation systems can become clogged due to growth of algae and
other microorganisms creating
biofilms, leading to aberrant water distribution. Such poor water distribution
can cause unfavorable growing
conditions that negatively affect the health and vigor of a plant. For
example, inconsistent water distribution
lead to an under or over irrigation of portions of a field due to unequal
uniformity in distribution, increase
soil salinity with consequent toxic salt build-up on soil surface due to under
irrigation, crop failure due to
under or over irrigation and increase prevalence in plant diseases. Thus, a
treatment that facilitates,
maintains or enhances water flow in localized and overhead irrigation systems
would be of great benefit.
[033] Without wishing to be limited by its theory, the presently disclosed
plant agent compositions
dissolve, disperse, or otherwise disrupt one or more components of the
protective structures present on
the causal agents of plant diseases, like viruses, bacteria, fungi and
nematodes, resulting in their death
through disruption of one or more essential physiological processes. This
mechanism of action is tied to
the ability of a plant agent composition disclosed herein to breach or
otherwise rupture the capsid of viruses,
the biofilms of microorganisms and the lipid-based membrane epicuticle layer
of a nematode's cuticle.
Methods of applying a disclosed plant agent compositions is effected thorough
an external exposure, either
by direct application to the causal agent, indirectly by treating a location
where the causal agent will become
exposed to a disclosed plant agent composition, or any other method that
exposes the causal agent to the
disclosed plant agent compositions in a manner that provides adequate
disruption of one or more
components of the protective structures present on the causal agents and
subsequent death through
disruption of an essential physiological process.
[034] In addition, without wishing to be limited by its theory, the
presently disclosed plant agent
compositions improve absorption by root hairs, improve xylem sap flow through
xylem and improve
photosynthate flow in phloem, resulting in improved transport of water and
nutrients that will maintain and/or
enhance the health and vigor of plants. This mechanism of action is tied to
the ability of a plant agent
compositions disclosed herein to increase uptake of water, minerals and other
nutrients from the soil,
increase the capillary action and/or hydrostatic pressure in xylem, and/or
increase synthesis of compounds
and energy, resulting in sustained and continued plant growth and/or enhanced
health and vigor of a plant.
Methods of applying a disclosed plant agent compositions is effected thorough
an external exposure, either
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by direct application to a plant, indirectly by treating a location where a
plant will become exposed to a
disclosed plant agent composition, or any other method that exposes a plant to
the disclosed plant agent
compositions in a manner that improves the absorption of water, minerals and
other nutrients, improves the
transportation of these raw materials throughout a plant and/or improves the
synthesis of compounds and
energy needed to sustain and continue plant growth.
[035] Similarly, without wishing to be limited by its theory, the presently
disclosed plant agent
compositions dissolve, disperse, or otherwise remove one or more components
that disrupt xylem sap flow
in xylem and/or photosynthate flow in phloem, resulting in improved transport
of water and nutrients that
will maintain and/or enhance the health and vigor of plants. This mechanism of
action is tied to the ability
of a plant agent composition disclosed herein to dissolve or otherwise remove
one or more components
blocking the channels of xylem and phloem. Methods of applying a disclosed
plant agent compositions is
effected thorough an external exposure, either by direct application to a
plant, indirectly by treating a
location where a plant will become exposed to a disclosed plant agent
composition, or any other method
that exposes a plant to the disclosed plant agent compositions in a manner
that provides adequate
disruption of one or more components blocking xylem sap and/or photosynthate
flow and subsequent
improved transport of water and nutrients throughout a plant. In an
embodiment, one or more components
blocking xylem sap flow and/or photosynthate flow includes biofilm.
[036] Furthermore, without wishing to be limited by its theory, the presently
disclosed plant agent
compositions dissolve, disperse, or otherwise remove one or more components
that disrupt water flow in a
pipeline network of an irrigation system, resulting in improved water
distribution that will maintain and/or
enhance the health and vigor of plants. This mechanism of action is tied to
the ability of a plant agent
compositions disclosed herein to dissolve or otherwise remove one or more
components blocking the
pipeline network. Methods of applying a disclosed plant agent compositions is
effected thorough an
external exposure, either by direct application to the pipeline network of an
irrigation system, or any other
method that exposes the pipeline network to the disclosed plant agent
compositions in a manner that
provides adequate removal of one or more components blocking the pipeline
network and subsequent
improved water transport throughout the pipeline network. In an embodiment,
one or more components
blocking a pipeline network includes biofilm.
[037] Regardless of the theory of operation, the disclosed plant agent
compositions and methods and
uses offer an alternative means that does not rely on chemicals toxic to
humans or the environment. Rather,
a plant agent compositions and methods and uses disclosed herein act by
exploiting an inherent process
to improve raw material absorption and transport as well as improve synthesis
of growth-sustaining
compounds and energy. Similarly, a plant agent compositions and methods and
uses disclosed herein act
by exploiting a natural vulnerability of the causal agent to its environment,
one or more components blocking
xylem sap and/or photosynthate flow in a plant, or one or more components
blocking water flow in an
irrigation system. In addition, the components of the disclosed plant agent
compositions been proven to
be substantially non-toxic to man and domestic animals and which have minimal
adverse effects on wildlife
and the environment.
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[038] Aspects of the present specification disclose, in part, a plant agent
composition. A plant agent
composition disclosed herein comprises a treated fermented microbial
supernatant and one or more non-
ionic surfactants. The treated fermented microbial supernatant lacks any live
microorganisms such as
yeast or bacteria, and additionally, lacks any active enzymes, activatable pro-
enzymes, or any enzymatic
activity. Additionally, a plant agent composition itself lacks any live
microorganisms such as yeast or
bacteria, and additionally, lacks any active enzymes, activatable pro-enzymes,
or any enzymatic activity.
[039] In an aspect of this embodiment, a plant agent composition disclosed
herein comprises, e.g., about
75% to about 99% of treated fermented microbial supernatant and about 1%-25%
of one or more non-ionic
surfactants. In another aspect of this embodiment, a plant agent composition
disclosed herein comprises,
e.g., about 80% to about 97% of treated fermented microbial supernatant and
about 3%-20% of one or
more non-ionic surfactants. In yet another aspect of this embodiment, a plant
agent composition disclosed
herein comprises, e.g. , about 85% to about 95% of treated fermented microbial
supernatant and about 5%-
15% of one or more non-ionic surfactants. In still another aspect of this
embodiment, a plant agent
composition disclosed herein comprises, e.g., about 87% to about 93% of
treated fermented microbial
supernatant and about 7%-13% of one or more non-ionic surfactants. In another
aspect of this
embodiment, a plant agent composition disclosed herein comprises, e.g., about
88% to about 92% of
treated fermented microbial supernatant and about 8%-12% of one or more non-
ionic surfactants. In
another aspect of this embodiment, a plant agent composition disclosed herein
comprises, e.g., about 89%
to about 91% of treated fermented microbial supernatant and about 9%-11% of
one or more non-ionic
surfactants.
[040] Aspects of the present specification disclose, in part, a fermented
microbial supernatant. A
fermented microbial supernatant disclosed herein can be prepared by culturing
a yeast strain, a bacterial
strain, or a combination of both a yeast strain and a bacterial strain in a
fermenting medium comprising a
sugar source, a malt and a magnesium salt. In an aspect of this embodiment,
only a single yeast strain is
used in a fermenting medium. In another aspect of this embodiment, two or more
different yeast strains
are used in a fermenting medium. In yet another aspect of this embodiment,
only a single bacterial strain
is used in a fermenting medium. In still another aspect of this embodiment,
two or more different bacterial
strains are used in a fermenting medium. In another aspect of this embodiment,
one or more different yeast
strains are used in conjunction with one or more different bacteria in a
fermenting medium. In yet another
aspect of this embodiment, two, three, four, five or more different yeast
strains are used in conjunction with
two, three, four, five or more different bacteria in a fermenting medium.
[041] A sugar source includes, without limitation, sucrose from molasses, raw
cane sugar, soybeans or
mixtures thereof. Molasses generally contains up to about 50% sucrose in
addition to reducing sugars
such as glucose and maltase as well as ash, organic non-sugars and some water.
The presence of the
sugars of the type found in the molasses is important in encouraging the
activity of the enzymes and the
yeast bacteria by which they are produced. Although the untreated cane
blackstrap molasses is preferred,
other molasses such as beet molasses, barrel molasses and the like may also be
used as a natural source
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of the materials required for the enzymatic fermentation. The amount of
molasses useful in preparing a
fermenting medium disclosed herein is between 40% and about 80% by weight, and
preferably between
about 55% and about 75% by weight. It will be appreciated that specific
amounts of the molasses utilized
may be varied to yield optimum compositions desired.
[042] Raw cane sugar is a sugar product which has not been refined and which
contains residual
molasses as well as other natural impurities. Although it is not clearly
understood, it has been found that
the presence of raw sugar in the fermentation reaction yields significantly
improved properties as compared
to the use of refined sugars which contain residual chemicals used in the
decolorization and final purification
and refinement which may have some deleterious effect on the yeast and malt
enzymes. It has been found
that optimum biological and enzymatic properties of the disclosed fermenting
medium are improved where
a portion of the fermentable materials present in the mixture comprises raw
sugar. The amount of raw cane
sugar useful in preparing a fermenting medium disclosed herein may be about
10% and about 40% by
weight, and preferably between about 10% and about 30% by weight. It will be
appreciated that specific
amounts of the raw cane sugar utilized may be varied to yield optimum
compositions desired.
[043] The essential enzymes which advantageously contribute to the
fermentation reaction are provided
by the malt and the yeast and/or bacteria. The specific malt utilized is
preferably a diastatic malt which
contains enzymes including diastase, maltase and amylase. The malt also is
believed to improve the activity
of the yeast and/or bacteria in addition to contributing to the overall
potency and activity of the enzymatic
composition within the final product mixture. The amount of malt useful in
preparing a fermenting medium
disclosed herein may be between about 3% and about 15% by weight, and
preferably between about 7%
and about 12% by weight. It will be appreciated that specific amounts of the
malt utilized may be varied to
yield optimum compositions desired.
[044] Fermentation is a metabolic process that results in the breakdown of
carbohydrates and other
complex organic substances into simpler substances like sugars, acids, gases
or alcohol. Fermentation
can occurs in yeast, bacteria and mold. Fermentation includes ethanol
fermentation and lactic acid
fermentation. Lactic acid fermentation includes homolactic fermentation and
heterolactic fermentation.
[045] A yeast refers to any fermentation fungi that can be produce the needed
enzymes for a fermentation
reaction that results in, for example the conversion of carbohydrates into
carbon dioxide and alcohols. A
number of enzymes are produced by the active yeast during the fermentation
reaction and include both
hydrolytic and oxidative enzymes such as invertase, catalase, lactase,
maltase, carboxylase and others.
Yeast include yeast strains useful in food processing fermentation, such as,
e.g. , bean-based fermentation,
dough-based fermentation, grain-based fermentation, vegetable-based
fermentation, fruit-based
fermentation, honey-based fermentation, dairy-based fermentation, fish-based
fermentation, meat-based
fermentation and tea-based fermentation. A non-exhaustive list of particular
yeast genera useful in a
fermentation reaction disclosed herein include, but is not limited,
Brettanomyces, Candida, Cyberlindnera,
Cystofilobasidium, Debaryomyces, Dekkera, Fusarium, Geotrichum, Issatchenkia,
Kazachstania,
Kloeckera, Kluyveromyces, Lecanicillium, Mucor, Neurospora, Pediococcus,
Penicillium, Pichia, Rhizopus,
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Rhodosporidium, Rhodotorula, Saccharomyces, Schizosaccharomyces,
Thrichosporon, Torulaspora,
Torulopsis, Verticillium, Yarrowia, Zygosaccharomyces and Zygotorulaspora.
Species of yeast useful in a
fermentation reaction disclosed herein belong to, without limitation A non-
exhaustive list of particular yeast
species useful in a fermentation reaction disclosed herein includes, but is
not limited, B. anomalus, B.
bruxellensis, B. claussenfi, B. custersianus, B. naardenensis, B. nanus, C.
colliculosa, C. exiguous, C.
humicola, C. kefyr, C. krusei, C. miller", C. mycoderma, C. pelliculosa, C.
rugose, C. stellate, C. tropicalis,
C. uti/is, C. valida, C. vini, C. zeylanoides, Cb. mrakii, Cs,
infirmominiatum, D. hansenfi, D. kloeckeri, Dk.
anomala, Dk. bruxellensis, F. domesticum, G. candidum, I. orientalis, K.
exigua, K. unispora, KI. africana,
KI. apis, KI. javanica, Ku. lactis, Ku. marxianus, Ku. marxianus, L. lecanfi,
M. hiemalis, M. plumbeus, M.
racemosus, M. racemosus, N. intermedia, P. cerevisiae, Pn. album, Pn.
camemberti, Pn. caseifulvum, Pn.
chrysogenum, Pn. commune, Pn. nalgiovense, Pn. roqueforti, Pn. solitum, Pi.
fermentans, R. microspores,
Rs. infirmominiatum, Rt. glutinis, Rt. minuta, Rt. rubra, S. bayanus, S.
boulardii, S. carlsbergensis, S.
cerevisiae, S. eubayanus, S. paradoxus, S. pastorianus, S. rouzfi, S. uvarum,
Sc. pombe, Th. beigelii, T.
delbrueckii, T. franciscae, T. pretoriensis, T. microellipsoides, T. globosa,
T. indica, T. maleeae, T.
quercuum, To. versatilis, V. lecanfi, lipolytica, Z. bailii, Z. bisporus,
Z. cidri, Z. fermentati, Z. florentinus,
Z. kombuchaensis, Z. lentus, Z. me//is, Z. microellipsoides, Z. mrakii, Z.
pseudorouxii and Z. rouxii and Zt.
florentina. A preferred yeast is Saccharomyces cerevisiae commonly available
as bakers yeast.
[046] Bacteria refer to any fermentation bacteria that can be produce the
needed enzymes for a
fermentation reaction that results in, for example the production of alcohols
like ethanol or acids like acetic
acid, lactic acid and/or succinic acid. A non-exhaustive list of particular
bacterial genera useful in a
fermentation reaction disclosed herein include, but is not limited,
Acetobacter, Arthrobacter, Aerococcus,
Bacillus, Bifidobacterium, Brachybacterium, Brevibacterium, Barnobacterium,
Carnobacterium,
Corynebacterium, Enterococcus, Escherichia, Gluconacetobacter, Gluconobacter,
Hafnia, Halomonas,
Kocuria, Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, Leuconostoc, Macrococcus, Microbacterium,
Micrococcus, Neisseria,
Oenococcus, Pediococcus, Propionibacterium, Proteus, Pseudomonas,
Psychrobacter, Salmonella,
Sporolactobacillus, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Streptomyces,
Tetragenococcus, Vagococcus,
Weissells and Zymomonas. A non-exhaustive list of particular bacterial species
useful in a fermentation
reaction disclosed herein includes, but is not limited, A. aceti, A. fabarum,
A. lovaniensis, A. malorum, A.
orientalis, A. pasteurianus, A. pasteurianus, A. pomorum, A. syzygii, A.
tropicalis, Ar. arilaitensis, Ar.
Bergerei, Ar. Globiformis, Ar. nicotianae, Ar. variabilis, B. cereus, B.
coagulans, B. licheniformis, B. pumilus,
B. sphaericus, B. stearothermophilus, B. subtilis, B. adolescentis, B.
anima/is, B. bifidum, B. breve, B.
infantis, B. lactis, B. Ion gum, B. pseudolongum, B. thermophilum, Br.
alimentarium, Br. alimentarium, Br.
tyrofermentans, Br. tyrofermentans, By. aura ntiacum, By. casei, By. linens,
C. divergens, C.
maltaromaticum, C. piscicola, C. ammoniagenes, Co. casei, Co.flavescens, Co.
mooreparkense, Co.
variabile, E. faecalis, E. faecium, G. azotocaptans, G. diazotrophicus, G.
entanfi, G. europaeus, G. hansenfi,
G. johannae, G. oboediens, G. xylinus, Gl. oxydans, H. alvei, HI. elongate, K.
rhizophila, K. rhizophila, K.
varians, K. varians, L. acetotolerans, L. acidifarinae, L. acidipiscis, L.
alimentarius, L. brevis, L. bucheri, L.
cacaonum, L. casei, L. cellobiosus, L. collinoides, L. composti, L.
coryniformis, L. crispatus, L. curvatus, L.
delbrueckii, L. dextrinicus, L. diolivorans, L. fabifermentans, L. farciminis,
L. fermentum, L. gasseri, L.
ghanensis, L. hammesfi, L. harbinensis, L. helveticus, L. hilgardii, L.
homohiochfi, L. jensenfi, L. johnsonfi,
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L. kefiranofaciens, L. kefiri, L. kimchi, L. kisonensis, L. kunkeei, L. mali,
L. manihotivorans, L. mindensis, L.
mucosae, L. nagelii, L. namuresis, L. nantesis, L. nodensis, L. oeni, L.
otakiensis, L. panis, L. parabrevis,
L. parabuchneri, L. paracasei, L. parakefiri, L. paralimentarius, L.
paraplantarum, L. pentosus, L. perolens,
L. plantarum, L. pobuzihfi, L. pontis, L. rapi, L. reuteri, L. rhamnosus, L.
rossiae, L. sakei, L. salivarius, L.
sanfranciscensis, L. satsumensis, L. secaliphilus, L. senmaizukei, L.
siliginis, L. similis, L. spicheri, L.
suebicus, L. sunkii, L. tucceti, L. vaccinostercus, L. versmoldesis, L.
yamanashiensis, Lc. lactis, Lc.
raffinolactis, La carnosum, La citreum, La fa//ax, La holzapfelii, La inhae,
La kimchi, La lactis, La
mesenteroides, La palmae, La Pseudomesenteroides, M. caseolyticus, Mb.
foliorum, Mb gubbeenense,
Mc. luteus, Mc. lylae, P. acidilactici, P. pentosaceus, P. acidipropionici, P.
freudenreichfi, P. jensenfi, P.
thoenfi, Pr. vulgaris, Ps. fluorescens, Py. celer, S. camosus, S. condiment,
S. equorum, S. fieurettii, S.
piscifermentans, S. saphrophyticus, S. sciuri, S. simulans, S. succinus, S.
vitulinus, S. warneri, S. xylosus,
St. cremoris, St. gallolyticus, St. salivarius, St. thermophiles, St. griseus,
T. halophilus, T. koreensis, W.
beninensis, W. cibaria, W. fabaria, W. ghanesis, W. koreensis, W.
paramesenteroides, W. thailandensis,
and Z. mobilis.
[047] Mold refer to any fermentation mold that can be produce the needed
enzymes for a fermentation
reaction that results in, for example the production of alcohols like ethanol
or acids like acetic acid, lactic
acid and/or succinic acid. A non-exhaustive list of particular mold genera
useful in a fermentation reaction
disclosed herein include, but is not limited, Aspergillus. A non-exhaustive
list of particular mold species
useful in a fermentation reaction disclosed herein includes, but is not
limited, A. acidus, A. fumigatus, A.
niger, A. oryzae, and A. sojae.
[048] It will be appreciated that actual amounts of the various types of
enzymes produced will be
dependent on a number of factors including the types of molasses and sugar
used in preparing the
fermentation mixture. However, again it is believed that, in utilizing the
molasses and raw sugar, optimum
enzyme yields and activity are obtained. In an embodiment, the amount of yeast
useful in preparing a
fermenting medium disclosed herein may be between about 0.2% and about 5% by
weight, and preferably
between about 1% and about 3% by weight. It will be appreciated that specific
amounts of the yeast utilized
may be varied to yield optimum compositions desired.
[049] The presence of a small amount of inorganic catalyst such as a magnesium
salt enhances the
activity of the enzymes not only during the fermentation reaction but
thereafter in the product composition
in attacking and decomposing the organic waste materials. A preferred
magnesium salt is magnesium
sulfate. The amount of magnesium salt useful in preparing a fermenting medium
disclosed herein may be
between about 0.1% and about 5% by weight, and preferably between about 1% and
about 3% by weight.
It will be appreciated that specific amounts of the magnesium salt utilized
may be varied to yield optimum
compositions desired.
[050] To prepare a fermented microbial supernatant, the molasses, sucrose and
magnesium salt are
added to a suitable amount of warm water. Although the specific amount of
water used is not particularly
critical, typically suitable amounts of water are from about 2 to about 20
times the total weight of the other
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ingredients of the fermenting medium used in the fermentation reaction. This
amount of water is sufficient
to facilitate easy admixture as well as to activate the yeast, bacterial
and/or mold and dissolve the other
materials. In addition, the temperature of the water cannot be too hot such
that the heat inactivates the malt
and yeast enzymes needed for fermentation. Thus, for example, water
temperatures greater than about
65 C must be avoided and preferred temperatures are between about 25 C to
about 45 C. The use of
cold water may result in unduly slow fermentation reaction rates and, thus,
should also be avoided where
increased reaction rates are desired. After the molasses, sugar and magnesium
salt are effectively mixed
and dissolved, the malt and the yeast are added, the mixture stirred and
allowed to set until fermentation
is essentially complete. The reaction time may be between about 2 and about 5
days at temperatures
between about 20 C and about 45 C. Completion may be readily ascertained by
noting that the
effervescence of the reacting mixture has substantially subsided. At the end
of the fermentation reaction,
the fermented microbial culture is centrifuged to remove the "sludge" formed
during the fermentation. The
resulting fermentation supernatant (typically about 90% to about 98% by
weight) is collected for subsequent
treatment.
[051] A fermented microbial supernatant contains bio-nutrients, minerals and
amino acids. Bio-nutrients
are typically present in an amount of from about 0.01% to about 1% of the
total weight of fermented
microbial supernatant. Each individual bio-nutrient is typically present in an
amount of from about
0.00001% to about 0.01% of the total weight of fermented microbial
supernatant. Examples of bio-nutrients
include, without limitation, biotin, folic acid, glucans like a-glucan and 13-
glucan, niacin, insotil, pantothenic
acid, pyridoxine, riboflavin and thiamine. In aspects of this embodiment, a
fermented microbial supernatant
disclosed herein comprises, e.g., about 0.00001% to about 0.0011% of biotin,
about 0.0006% to about
0.016% of folic acid, about 0.005% to about 15% of niacin, about 0.01% to
about 1% of insotil, about
0.00017% to about 0.017% of pantothenic acid, about 0.0006% to about 0.016% of
pyrodoxine, about
0.002% to about 0.023% of riboflavin and about 0.001% to about 0.02% of
thiamine. In other aspects of
this embodiment, a fermented microbial supernatant disclosed herein comprises,
e.g., about 0.00006% to
about 0.0006% of biotin, about 0.001% to about 0.011% of folic acid, about
0.01% to about 0.1% of niacin,
about 0.08% to about 0.18% of insotil, about 0.002% to about 0.012% of
pantothenic acid, about 0.001%
to about 0.011% of pyrodoxine, about 0.007% to about 0.017% of riboflavin,
about 0.003% to about 0.013%
of thiamine. In yet other aspects of this embodiment, a fermented microbial
supernatant disclosed herein
comprises, e.g., about 0.00012% to about 0.0006% of biotin, about 0.001% to
about 0.011% of folic acid,
about 0.01% to about 0.1% of niacin, about 0.08% to about 0.18% of insotil,
about 0.003% to about 0.013%
of pantothenic acid, about 0.001% to about 0.011% of pyrodoxine, about 0.008%
to about 0.017% of
riboflavin, about 0.003% to about 0.013% of thiamine. In still other aspects
of this embodiment, a fermented
microbial supernatant disclosed herein comprises, e.g., about 0.00009% to
about 0.0003% of biotin, about
0.004% to about 0.008% of folic acid, about 0.03% to about 0.07% of niacin,
about 0.11% to about 0.15%
of insotil, about 0.006% to about 0.01% of pantothenic acid, about 0.004% to
about 0.008% of pyrodoxine,
about 0.01% to about 0.014% of riboflavin, about 0.006% to about 0.010% of
thiamine.
[052] Minerals are typically present in an amount of from about 0.1% to about
20% of the total weight of
fermented microbial supernatant. Each individual mineral is typically present
in an amount of from about
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0.0001% to about 5% of the total weight of fermented microbial supernatant.
Examples of minerals include,
without limitation, calcium, chromium, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphate,
potassium, sodium and zinc.
In aspects of this embodiment, a fermented microbial supernatant disclosed
herein comprises, e.g., about
0.02% to about 0.3% of calcium, about 0.000002% to about 0.0016% of chromium,
about 0.000009% to
about 0.0014% of copper, about 0.00005% to about 0.02% of iron, about 0.001%
to about 1.3% of
magnesium, about 0.2% to about 14% of phosphate, about 0.4% to about 16% of
potassium, about 0.2%
to about 15% of sodium and about 0.08% to about 13% of zinc. In other aspects
of this embodiment, a
fermented microbial supernatant disclosed herein comprises, e.g., about 0.07%
to about 0.21% of calcium,
about 0.000007% to about 0.0011% of chromium, about 0.00004% to about 0.0009%
of copper, about
0.0001% to about 0.015% of iron, about 0.005% to about 0.9% of magnesium,
about 0.7% to about 9% of
phosphate, about 0.9% to about 11% of potassium, about 0.7% to about 10% of
sodium and about 0.3%
to about 8% of zinc. In yet other aspects of this embodiment, a fermented
microbial supernatant disclosed
herein comprises, e.g., about 0.05% to about 1% of calcium, about 0.0001% to
about 0.0009% of chromium,
about 0.00006% to about 0.0007% of copper, about 0.0001% to about 0.013% of
iron, about 0.005% to
about 1% of magnesium, about 0.1% to about 7% of phosphate, about 0.5% to
about 9% of potassium,
about 0.5% to about 8% of sodium and about 0.5% to about 6% of zinc. In still
other aspects of this
embodiment, a fermented microbial supernatant disclosed herein comprises,
e.g., about 0.12% to about
0.16% of calcium, about 0.0002% to about 0.0006% of chromium, about 0.00009%
to about 0.0004% of
copper, about 0.0006% to about 0.01% of iron, about 0.01% to about 0.4% of
magnesium, about 1% to
about 4% of phosphate, about 2% to about 6% of potassium, about 1% to about 5%
of sodium and about
0.8% to about 3% of zinc.
[053] Amino acids are typically present in an amount of from about 20% to
about 60% of the total weight
of fermented microbial supernatant. Each individual amino acid is typically
present in an amount of from
about 0.1% to about 15% of the total weight of fermented microbial
supernatant. Examples of minerals
include, without limitation, alanine, arginine, aspartic acid, cysteine,
glutamic acid, glycine, lysine,
methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, and threonine. In aspects of this
embodiment, a fermented
microbial supernatant disclosed herein comprises, e.g., about 0.2% to about
16% of alanine, about 0.09%
to about 15% of arginine, about 0.4% to about 18% of aspartic acid, about
0.003% to about 5% of cysteine,
about 0.5% to about 20% of glutamic acid, about 0.09% to about 15% of glycine,
about 0.09% to about
15% of lysine, about 0.002% to about 5% of methionine, about 0.09% to about
15% of phenylalanine, about
0.09% to about 15% of proline, about 0.09% to about 15% of serine and about
0.09% to about 15% of
threonine. In other aspects of this embodiment, a fermented microbial
supernatant disclosed herein
comprises, e.g., about 0.7% to about 11% of alanine, about 0.5% to about 10%
of arginine, about 0.9% to
about 13% of aspartic acid, about 0.008% to about 1.2% of cysteine, about 1%
to about 15% of glutamic
acid, about 0.5% to about 10% of glycine, about 0.8% to about 12% of lysine,
about 0.2% to about 1.6% of
methionine, about 0.5% to about 10% of phenylalanine, about 0.5% to about 10%
of proline, about 0.5% to
about 10% of serine and about 0.5% to about 10% of threonine. In yet other
aspects of this embodiment,
a fermented microbial supernatant disclosed herein comprises, e.g., about 0.5%
to about 9% of alanine,
about 0.5% to about 8% of arginine, about 1% to about 11% of aspartic acid,
about 0.01% to about 2% of
cysteine, about 3% to about 13% of glutamic acid, about 0.5% to about 8% of
glycine, about 1% to about
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10% of lysine, about 0.3% to about 3% of methionine, about 0.5% to about 7% of
phenylalanine, about
0.5% to about 7% of proline, about 0.5% to about 7% of serine and about 0.5%
to about 7% of threonine.
In sill other aspects of this embodiment, a fermented microbial supernatant
disclosed herein comprises,
e.g., about 2% to about 6% of alanine, about 1% to about 5% of arginine, about
4% to about 8% of aspartic
acid, about 0.03% to about 0.7% of cysteine, about 6% to about 10% of glutamic
acid, about 1% to about
5% of glycine, about 3% to about 7% of lysine, about 0.7% to about 1.1% of
methionine, about 1% to about
5% of phenylalanine, about 1% to about 5% of proline, about 1% to about 5% of
serine and about 1% to
about 5% of threonine.
[054] Aspects of the present specification disclose, in part, a treated
fermented microbial supernatant. A
treated fermented microbial supernatant is one that is processed in a manner
that denatures, kills or
otherwise destroys any remaining live yeast, active enzymes contributed by the
yeast and malt as well as
any other microorganism or enzymes contributed by another source present in a
fermented microbial
supernatant disclosed herein. Non-limiting examples, of useful treatment
procedures include a boiling
process using high temperatures, an autoclaving process using high
temperatures and high pressure or an
irradiation process by exposing the supernatant to ionizing radiation, or any
other sterilization process that
denatures, kills or otherwise destroys any remaining live yeast, active
enzymes contributed by the yeast
and malt as well as any other microorganism or enzymes contributed by another
source present in a
fermented microbial supernatant disclosed herein. Furthermore, the above
treatment processes could be
used alone, in combination with one another, or in combination with a
pasteurization process, a chemical
sterilization process and a sterile filtration process to denature, kill or
otherwise destroys proteins such as
enzymes and microorganisms such as yeast, bacteria and/or mold present the
fermentation supernatant
disclosed herein. All the methods discussed above are processes known to a
person of ordinary skilled in
the art as these are routinely used in the food preparation and/or
sterilization arts.
[055] The treated fermented microbial supernatant can then be stored in liquid
form for subsequent use.
Alternatively, the treated fermented microbial supernatant can be spray dried
by methods known in the art
to produce a dry powder. The dry powder form can also be stored for subsequent
use.
[056] Any amount of treated fermented microbial supernatant disclosed herein
may be used in a
disclosed plant agent composition, with the proviso that the amount is useful
to practice the methods
disclosed herein. Factor used in determining an appropriate amount include,
e.g., whether the treated
fermented microbial supernatant is in liquid or powder form, the particular
commercial source of the treated
fermented microbial supernatant, the particular method used to produce the
treated fermented microbial
supernatant, whether a plant agent composition is produced as a concentrate or
as a ready as is product,
and the dilution factor desired when preparing plant agent composition from a
concentrate. Typically, a
larger amount of a liquid form of the treated fermented microbial supernatant
will be required relative to a
dry powder form.
[057] In aspects of this embodiment, the amount of treated fermented microbial
supernatant used is, e.g. ,
about 0.5% by weight, about 1.0% by weight, about 1.5% by weight, about 2.0%
by weight, about 2.5% by
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weight, about 3.0% by weight, about 3.5% by weight, about 4.0% by weight,
about 4.5% by weight, about
5.0% by weight, about 6.0% by weight, about 7.0% by weight, about 7.5% by
weight, about 8.0% by weight,
about 9.0% by weight or about 10.0% by weight. In other aspects of this
embodiment, the amount of treated
fermented microbial supernatant used is, e.g., at least 0.5% by weight, at
least 1.0% by weight, at least
1.5% by weight, at least 2.0% by weight, at least 2.5% by weight, at least
3.0% by weight, at least 3.5% by
weight, at least 4.0% by weight, at least 4.5% by weight, at least 5.0% by
weight, at least 6.0% by weight,
at least 7.0% by weight, at least 7.5% by weight, at least 8.0% by weight, at
least 9.0% by weight or at least
10.0% by weight. In yet other aspects of this embodiment, the amount of
treated fermented microbial
supernatant used is, e.g., at most 0.5% by weight, at most 1.0% by weight, at
most 1.5% by weight, at most
2.0% by weight, at most 2.5% by weight, at most 3.0% by weight, at most 3.5%
by weight, at most 4.0% by
weight, at most 4.5% by weight, at most 5.0% by weight, at most 6.0% by
weight, at most 7.0% by weight,
at most 7.5% by weight, at most 8.0% by weight, at most 9.0% by weight or at
most 10.0% by weight. In
still other aspects of this embodiment, the amount of treated fermented
microbial supernatant used is
between, e.g., about 0.1% to about 2.5% by weight, about 0.1% to about 3.0% by
weight, about 0.1% to
about 3.5% by weight, about 0.1% to about 4.0% by weight, about 0.1% to about
5.0% by weight, about
0.5% to about 2.5% by weight, about 0.5% to about 3.0% by weight, about 0.5%
to about 3.5% by weight,
about 0.5% to about 4.0% by weight, about 0.5% to about 5.0% by weight, about
1% to about 2.5% by
weight, about 1% to about 3.0% by weight, about 1% to about 3.5% by weight,
about 1% to about 4.0% by
weight, about 1% to about 5.0% by weight, about 1% to about 6.0% by weight,
about 1% to about 7.0% by
weight, about 1% to about 8.0% by weight, about 1% to about 9.0% by weight or
about 1% to about 10.0%
by weight.
[058] In other aspects of this embodiment, the amount of treated fermented
microbial supernatant used
is, e.g., about 15.0% by weight, about 20.0% by weight, about 25.0% by weight,
about 30.0% by weight,
about 35.0% by weight, about 40.0% by weight, about 45.0% by weight, about
50.0% by weight, about
55.0% by weight, about 60.0% by weight, about 65.0% by weight, about 70.0% by
weight, about 75.0% by
weight, about 80.0% by weight, about 85.0% by weight or about 90.0% by weight.
In yet other aspects of
this embodiment, the amount of treated fermented microbial supernatant used
is, e.g., at least 15.0% by
weight, at least 20.0% by weight, at least 25.0% by weight, at least 30.0% by
weight, at least 35.0% by
weight, at least 40.0% by weight, at least 45.0% by weight, at least 50.0% by
weight, at least 55.0% by
weight, at least 60.0% by weight, at least 65.0% by weight, at least 70.0% by
weight, at least 75.0% by
weight, at least 80.0% by weight, at least 85.0% by weight or at least 90.0%
by weight. In still other aspects
of this embodiment, the amount of treated fermented microbial supernatant used
is, e.g., at most 15.0% by
weight, at most 20.0% by weight, at most 25.0% by weight, at most 30.0% by
weight, at most 35.0% by
weight, at most 40.0% by weight, at most 45.0% by weight, at most 50.0% by
weight, at most 55.0% by
weight, at most 60.0% by weight, at most 65.0% by weight, at most 70.0% by
weight, at most 75.0% by
weight, at most 80.0% by weight, at most 85.0% by weight or at most 90.0% by
weight.
[059] In other aspects of this embodiment, the amount of treated fermented
microbial supernatant used
is between, e.g., about 5% to about 7.5% by weight, about 5% to about 10% by
weight, about 5% to about
15% by weight, about 5% to about 20% by weight, about 5% to about 25% by
weight, about 5% to about
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30% by weight, about 5% to about 35% by weight, about 5% to about 40% by
weight, about 5% to about
45% by weight, about 5% to about 50% by weight, about 5% to about 55% by
weight, about 5% to about
60% by weight, about 5% to about 65% by weight, about 5% to about 70% by
weight, about 5% to about
75% by weight, about 5% to about 80% by weight, about 5% to about 85% by
weight, about 5% to about
90% by weight, about 5% to about 95% by weight, about 10% to about 15% by
weight, about 10% to about
20% by weight, about 10% to about 25% by weight, about 10% to about 30% by
weight, about 10% to
about 35% by weight, about 10% to about 40% by weight, about 10% to about 45%
by weight, about 10%
to about 50% by weight, about 10% to about 55% by weight, about 10% to about
60% by weight, about
10% to about 65% by weight, about 10% to about 70% by weight, about 10% to
about 75% by weight,
about 10% to about 80% by weight, about 10% to about 85% by weight, about 10%
to about 90% by weight,
about 10% to about 95% by weight, about 15% to about 20% by weight, about 15%
to about 25% by weight,
about 15% to about 30% by weight, about 15% to about 35% by weight, about 15%
to about 40% by weight,
about 15% to about 45% by weight, about 15% to about 50% by weight, about 15%
to about 55% by weight,
about 15% to about 60% by weight, about 15% to about 65% by weight, about 15%
to about 70% by weight,
about 15% to about 75% by weight, about 15% to about 80% by weight, about 15%
to about 85% by weight,
about 15% to about 90% by weight, about 15% to about 95% by weight, about 25%
to about 25% by weight,
about 25% to about 30% by weight, about 25% to about 35% by weight, about 25%
to about 40% by weight,
about 25% to about 45% by weight, about 25% to about 50% by weight, about 25%
to about 55% by weight,
about 25% to about 60% by weight, about 25% to about 65% by weight, about 25%
to about 70% by weight,
about 25% to about 75% by weight, about 25% to about 80% by weight, about 25%
to about 85% by weight,
about 25% to about 90% by weight, about 25% to about 95% by weight, about 25%
to about 30% by weight,
about 25% to about 35% by weight, about 25% to about 40% by weight, about 25%
to about 45% by weight,
about 25% to about 50% by weight, about 25% to about 55% by weight, about 25%
to about 60% by weight,
about 25% to about 65% by weight, about 25% to about 70% by weight, about 25%
to about 75% by weight,
about 25% to about 80% by weight, about 25% to about 85% by weight, about 25%
to about 90% by weight,
about 25% to about 95% by weight, about 30% to about 35% by weight, about 30%
to about 40% by weight,
about 30% to about 45% by weight, about 30% to about 50% by weight, about 30%
to about 55% by weight,
about 30% to about 60% by weight, about 30% to about 65% by weight, about 30%
to about 70% by weight,
about 30% to about 75% by weight, about 30% to about 80% by weight, about 30%
to about 85% by weight,
about 30% to about 90% by weight, about 30% to about 95% by weight, about 35%
to about 40% by weight,
about 35% to about 45% by weight, about 35% to about 50% by weight, about 35%
to about 55% by weight,
about 35% to about 60% by weight, about 35% to about 65% by weight, about 35%
to about 70% by weight,
about 35% to about 75% by weight, about 35% to about 80% by weight, about 35%
to about 85% by weight,
about 35% to about 90% by weight, about 35% to about 95% by weight, about 40%
to about 45% by weight,
about 40% to about 50% by weight, about 40% to about 55% by weight, about 40%
to about 60% by weight,
about 40% to about 65% by weight, about 40% to about 70% by weight, about 40%
to about 75% by weight,
about 40% to about 80% by weight, about 40% to about 85% by weight, about 40%
to about 90% by weight,
about 40% to about 95% by weight, about 45% to about 50% by weight, about 45%
to about 55% by weight,
about 45% to about 60% by weight, about 45% to about 65% by weight, about 45%
to about 70% by weight,
about 45% to about 75% by weight, about 45% to about 80% by weight, about 45%
to about 85% by weight,
about 45% to about 90% by weight, about 45% to about 95% by weight, about 50%
to about 55% by weight,
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about 50% to about 60% by weight, about 50% to about 65% by weight, about 50%
to about 70% by weight,
about 50% to about 75% by weight, about 50% to about 80% by weight, about 50%
to about 85% by weight,
about 50% to about 90% by weight, about 50% to about 95% by weight, about 55%
to about 60% by weight,
about 55% to about 65% by weight, about 55% to about 70% by weight, about 55%
to about 75% by weight,
about 55% to about 80% by weight, about 55% to about 85% by weight, about 55%
to about 90% by weight,
about 55% to about 95% by weight, about 60% to about 65% by weight, about 60%
to about 70% by weight,
about 60% to about 75% by weight, about 60% to about 80% by weight, about 60%
to about 85% by weight,
about 60% to about 90% by weight, about 60% to about 95% by weight, about 65%
to about 70% by weight,
about 65% to about 75% by weight, about 65% to about 80% by weight, about 65%
to about 85% by weight,
about 65% to about 90% by weight, about 65% to about 95% by weight, about 70%
to about 75% by weight,
about 70% to about 80% by weight, about 70% to about 85% by weight, about 70%
to about 90% by weight,
about 70% to about 95% by weight, about 75% to about 80% by weight, about 75%
to about 85% by weight,
about 75% to about 90% by weight, about 75% to about 95% by weight, about 80%
to about 85% by weight,
about 80% to about 90% by weight, about 80% to about 95% by weight, about 85%
to about 90% by weight,
about 85% to about 95% by weight or about 90% to about 95% by weight.
[060] Aspects of the present specification disclose, in part, a surfactant.
Surfactants are compounds that
lower the surface tension of a liquid, allowing easier spreading, and lowering
of the interfacial tension
between two liquids, or between a liquid and a solid. Either a single
surfactant may be mixed with the
buffered solution disclosed herein, or a plurality of surfactants may be mixed
with the buffered solution
disclosed herein. Useful surfactants, include, without limitation, ionic
surfactants, zwitterionic (amphoteric)
surfactants, non-ionic surfactants, or any combination therein. The surfactant
used in a method disclosed
herein can be varied as appropriate by one skilled in the art and generally
depends, in part, on the particular
buffer being used, the protein being eluted, and the conductivity values being
employed.
[061] Ionic surfactants include anionic surfactants. Anionic surfactants
include ones based on permanent
functional groups attached to the head, such as, e.g., sulfate, sulfonate,
phosphate carboxylates) or pH
dependent anionic surfactants. Anionic surfactants include, without
limitation, alkyl sulfates like ammonium
lauryl sulfate and sodium lauryl sulfate (SOS); alkyl ether sulfates like
sodium laureth sulfate and sodium
myreth sulfate; docusates like dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate; sulfonate
fluorosurfactants like
perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorobutanesulfonate;
alkyldiphenyloxide Disulfonates like
DOWFA)(TM 2A1 (Disodium Lauryl Phenyl Ether Disulfonate), DOWFA)(TM 3B2
(Disodium Decyl Phenyl
Ether Disulfonate), DOWFA)(TM Cl OL (Disodium Decyl Phenyl Ether Disulfonate),
DOWFA)(TM 2EP, and
DOWFA)(TM 8390 (Disodium Cetyl Phenyl Ether Disulfonate); potassium phosphate
polyether esters like
TRITON TM H-55 and TRITON TM H-66; alkyl benzene sulfonates; alkyl aryl ether
phosphates; alkyl ether
phosphates; alkyl carboxylates like fatty acid salts and sodium stearate;
sodium lauroyl sarcosinate;
carboxylate fluorosurfactants like perfluorononanoate and perfluorooctanoate;
and Sodium Hexyldiphenyl
Ether Sulfonate (OOWFA)(TM C6L).
[062] Ionic surfactants also include cationic surfactants. Cationic
surfactants include ones based on
permanent or pH dependent cationic surfactants, such as, e.g., primary,
secondary or tertiary amines.
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Cationic surfactants include, without limitation, alkyltrimethylammonium salts
like cetyl trimethylammonium
bromide (CTAB) and cetyl trimethylammonium chloride (CTAC); cetylpyridinium
chloride (CPC);
polyethoxylated tallow amine (POEA); benzalkonium chloride (BAC); benzethonium
chloride (BZT); 5-
Bromo-5-nitro-1,3-dioxane; dimethyldioctadecylammonium chloride; and
dioctadecyldimethylammonium
bromide (DODAB), as well as pH-dependent primary, secondary or tertiary amines
like surfactants where
the primary amines become positively charged at pH greater than 10, or the
secondary amines become
charged at pH less than 4, like octenidine dihydrochloride. Other useful
anionic surfactants include bio-
based anionic surfactants, including, without limitation, STEPONOL AM 30-KE,
an ammonium lauryl
sulfate, and STEPONOL EHS, a sodium 2-ethyl hexyl sulfate. Such bio-based
surfactants are not
synthetic molecules, but instead are anionic biosurfactants derived from
organic matter such as plants.
[063] Zwitterionic surfactants are based on primary, secondary or tertiary
amines or quaternary
ammonium cation with a sulfonate, a carboxylate, or a phosphate. Zwitterionic
surfactants include, without
limitation, 3-[(3-Cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate (CHAPS);
sultaines like
cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine; betaines like cocamidopropyl betaine; or
lecithins.
[064] Non-ionic surfactants are less denaturing and as such are useful to
solubilize membrane proteins
and lipids while retaining protein-protein interactions. Nonionic surfactant
include polyether nonionic
surfactants, polyhydroxyl nonionic surfactants and biosurfactants. Nonionic
surfactant include alcohol
ethoxylates, alkylphenol ethoxylates, phenol ethoxylates, amide ethoxylates,
glyceride ethoxylates, fatty
acid ethoxylates, and fatty amine ethoxylates. A nonionic surfactant disclosed
herein may have the general
formula of H(OCH2CH2)x0C61-14R1, (OCH2CH2)x0R2, or H(OCH2CH2)x0C(0)R2, wherein
x represents the
number of moles of ethylene oxide added to an alkyl phenol and/or a fatty
alcohol or a fatty acid, R1
represents a long chain alkyl group and, R2 represents a long chain aliphatic
group. In aspects of this
embodiment, R1 is a C7-C10 alkyl group and/or R2 is a C12-C20 aliphatic group.
Other useful non-ionic
surfactants include bio-based non-ionic surfactants, including, without
limitation, STEPOSOL MET-10U, a
metathesis-derived, nonionic surfactant that is an unsaturated, short chain
amide. Such bio-based
surfactants are not synthetic molecules, but instead are non-ionic
biosurfactants derived from organic
matter such as plants.
[065] Non-limiting examples of surfactants include polyoxyethylene glycol
sorbitan alkyl esters (or
ethoxylated sorbital esters) like polysorbate 20 sorbitan monooleate (TWEEN
20), polysorbate 40 sorbitan
monooleate (TWEEN 40), polysorbate 60 sorbitan monooleate (TWEEN 60),
polysorbate 61 sorbitan
monooleate (TWEEN 61), polysorbate 65 sorbitan monooleate (TWEEN 65),
polysorbate 80 sorbitan
monooleate (TWEEN 80), polysorbate 81 sorbitan monooleate (TWEEN 81) and
polysorbate 85 sorbitan
monooleate (TWEEN 85); sorbital esters like sorbitan monooleate, sorbitan
monolaurate, sorbitan
monopalmitate, sorbitan monostearate and sorbitan tristearate; polyglycerol
esters like glycerol
monooleate, glycerol monolaurate, glycerol monopalmitate, glycerol
monostearate, glycerol trioleate,
glycerol ricinoleate, glycerol tristearate, mono diglycerides and glycerol
triacetate; ethoxylated polyglycerol
esters; alkyl glucosides like arachidyl glucoside, C12-20 alkyl glucoside,
caprylyl/capryl glucoside, cetearyl
glucoside, coco-glucoside, ethyl glucoside and lauryl glucoside. decyl
glucoside; ethoxylated alkyl
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glucosides; sucrose esters like sucrose monooleate, sucrose monolaurate,
sucrose monopalmitate,
sucrose monostearate, sucrose trioleate, sucrose ricinoleate, sucrose
tristearate, sucrose diglycerides and
sucrose triacetate; ethoxylated sucrose ester; amine oxides; ethoxylated
alcohols; ethoxylated aliphatic
alcohols; alkylamines; ethoxylated alkylamines; ethoxylated alkyl phenols like
ethoxylated nonyl phenol and
ethoxylated octyl phenol; alkyl polysaccharides; ethoxylated alkyl
polysaccharides; ethoxylated fatty acids
like ethoxylated castor oil; ethoxylated fatty alcohols like ethoxylated ceto-
oleyl alcohol, ethoxylated ceto-
stearyl alcohol, ethoxylated decyl alcohol, ethoxylated dodecyl alcohol and
ethoxylated tridecyl alcohol;
ethoxylated fatty amines; poloxamers (polyethylene-polypropylene copolymers),
like Poloxamer 124
(PLURONIC L44), Poloxamer 181 (PLURON IC L61), Poloxamer 182 (PLURONIC
L62), Poloxamer 184
(PLURONIC L64), Poloxamer 188 (PLURONIC F68), Poloxamer 237 (PLURONIC F87),
Poloxamer 338
(PLURONIC L108), and Poloxamer 407 (PLURONIC F127); linear secondary alcohol
ethoxylates like
TERGITOL TM 15-S-5, TERGITOLTm 15-S-7, TERGITOLTm 15-S-9, TERGITOLTm 15-S-12,
TERGITOLTm
15-S-15, TERGITOLTm 15-S-20, TERGITOLTm 15-S-30 and TERGITOLTm 15-S-40; alkyl
phenol polyglycol
ethers; polyethylene glycol alkyl aryl ethers; polyoxyethylene glycol alkyl
ethers, like octaethylene glycol
monododecyl ether, pentaethylene glycol monododecyl ether, BRIJ 30, and BRIJ
35; 2-dodecoxyethanol
(LUBROL -PX); polyoxyethylene glycol octylphenol ethers like polyoxyethylene
(4-5) p-t-octyl phenol
(TRITON X-45) and polyoxyethylene octyl phenyl ether (TRITON X-100);
polyoxyethylene glycol
alkylphenol ethers like Nonoxyno1-9; phenoxypolyethoxylethanols like
nonylphenoxypolyethoxylethanol
and octylphenoxypolyethoxylethanol (IGEPAL CA-630 or NONIDETTm P-40);
glucoside alkyl ethers like
octyl glucopyranoside; maltoside alkyl ethers like dodecyl maltopyranoside;
thioglucoside alkyl ethers like
heptyl thioglucopyranoside; digitonins; glycerol alkyl esters like glyceryl
laurate; alkyl aryl polyether sulfates;
alcohol sulfonates; sorbitan alkyl esters; cocamide ethanolamines like
cocamide monoethanolamine and
cocamide diethanolamine; sucrose monolaurate; dodecyl dimethylamine oxide, and
sodium cholate. Other
non-limiting examples of surfactants useful in the methods disclosed herein
can be found in, e.g., Winslow,
et al., Methods and Compositions for Simultaneously Isolating Hemoglobin from
Red Blood Cells and
Inactivating Viruses, U.S. 2008/0138790; Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms and Drug
Delivery Systems
(Howard C. Ansel et al., eds., Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Publishers, 7th
ed. 1999); Remington: The
Science and Practice of Pharmacy (Alfonso R. Gennaro ed., Lippincott, Williams
& Wilkins, 20th ed. 2000);
Goodman & Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics (Joel G. Hardman
et al., eds., McGraw-
Hill Professional, 10th ed. 2001); and Handbook of Pharmaceutical Excipients
(Raymond C. Rowe et al.,
APhA Publications, 4th edition 2003), each of which is hereby incorporated by
reference in its entirety.
[066] Non-ionic surfactants act synergistically to enhance the action of the
fermentated microbial
supernatant. In addition, it has been established that the non-ionic
surfactants used in a plant agent
composition disclosed herein are compatible with enhance chemical reactions.
Thus, in an embodiment,
a plant agent composition disclosed herein contains only one or more nonionic
surfactants. In another
embodiment, a plant agent composition disclosed herein contains only one or
more nonionic surfactants
and one or more anionic surfactants. In another embodiment, a plant agent
composition disclosed herein
does not contain any cationic surfactants. In another embodiment, a plant
agent composition disclosed
herein does not contain any cationic surfactants or zwitterionic surfactants.
In another embodiment, a plant
CA 02996192 2018-02-20
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agent composition disclosed herein does not contain any ionic surfactants. In
another embodiment, a plant
agent composition disclosed herein does not contain any ionic surfactants or
zwitterionic surfactants.
[067] Any amount of surfactant disclosed herein may be used, with the proviso
that the amount is useful
to practice the methods disclosed herein. In aspects of this embodiment, the
amount of surfactant used
is, e.g., about 0.01% by weight, about 0.05% by weight, about 0.075% by
weight, about 0.1% by weight,
about 0.2% by weight, about 0.3% by weight, about 0.4% by weight, about 0.5%
by weight, about 0.6% by
weight, about 0.7% by weight, about 0.8% by weight, about 0.9% by weight,
about 1.0% by weight, about
1.5% by weight, about 2.0% by weight, about 2.5% by weight, about 3.0% by
weight, about 4.0% by weight,
about 5.0% by weight, about 6.0% by weight, about 7.0% by weight, about 7.5%
by weight, about 8.0% by
weight, about 9.0% by weight or about 10.0% by weight. In other aspects of
this embodiment, the amount
of surfactant used is, e.g., at least 0.01% by weight, at least 0.05% by
weight, at least 0.075% by weight,
at least 0.1% by weight, at least 0.25% by weight, at least 0.5% by weight, at
least 0.75% by weight, at
least 1.0% by weight, at least 1.5% by weight, at least 2.0% by weight, at
least 2.5% by weight, at least
3.0% by weight, at least 4.0% by weight, at least 5.0% by weight, at least
6.0% by weight, at least 7.0% by
weight, at least 7.5% by weight, at least 8.0% by weight, at least 9.0% by
weight, or at least 10.0% by
weight. In yet other aspects of this embodiment, the amount of surfactant used
is, e.g., at most 0.01% by
weight, at most 0.05% by weight, at most 0.075% by weight, at most 0.1% by
weight, at most 0.25% by
weight, at most 0.5% by weight, at most 0.75% by weight, at most 1.0% by
weight, at most 1.5% by weight,
at most 2.0% by weight, at most 2.5% by weight, at most 3.0% by weight, at
most 4.0% by weight, at most
5.0% by weight, at most 6.0% by weight, at most 7.5% by weight, at most 8.0%
by weight, at most 9.0% by
weight or at most 10.0% by weight.
[068] In still other aspects of this embodiment, the amount of surfactant used
is between, e.g., about
0.1% by weight to about 0.5% by weight, about 0.1% by weight to about 0.75% by
weight, about 0.1% by
weight to about 1.0% by weight, about 0.1% by weight to about 1.5% by weight,
about 0.1% by weight to
about 2.0% by weight, about 0.1% by weight to about 2.5% by weight, about 0.2%
by weight to about 0.5%
by weight, about 0.2% by weight to about 0.75% by weight, about 0.2% by weight
to about 1.0% by weight,
about 0.2% by weight to about 1.5% by weight, about 0.2% by weight to about
2.0% by weight, about 0.2%
by weight to about 2.5% by weight, about 0.5% by weight to about 1.0% by
weight, about 0.5% by weight
to about 1.5% by weight, about 0.5% by weight to about 2.0% by weight, about
0.5% by weight to about
2.5% by weight, about 0.5% by weight to about 3.0% by weight, about 0.5% by
weight to about 4.0% by
weight, about 0.5% by weight to about 5.0% by weight, about 1.0% by weight to
about 2.5% by weight,
about 1.0% by weight to about 3.0% by weight, about 1.0% by weight to about
4.0% by weight, about 1.0%
by weight to about 5.0% by weight, about 1.0% by weight to about 6.0% by
weight, about 1.0% by weight
to about 7.0% by weight, about 1.0% by weight to about 7.5% by weight, about
1.0% by weight to about
8.0% by weight, about 1.0% by weight to about 9.0% by weight, about 1.0% by
weight to about 10.0% by
weight, about 2.0% by weight to about 2.5% by weight, about 2.0% by weight to
about 3.0% by weight,
about 2.0% by weight to about 4.0% by weight, about 2.0% by weight to about
5.0% by weight, about 2.0%
by weight to about 6.0% by weight, about 2.0% by weight to about 7.0% by
weight, about 2.0% by weight
to about 7.5% by weight, about 2.0% by weight to about 8.0% by weight, about
2.0% by weight to about
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9.0% by weight, about 2.0% by weight to about 10.0% by weight, about 5.0% by
weight to about 6.0% by
weight, about 5.0% by weight to about 7.0% by weight, about 5.0% by weight to
about 7.5% by weight,
about 5.0% by weight to about 8.0% by weight, about 5.0% by weight to about
9.0% by weight, about 5.0%
by weight to about 10.0% by weight, about 5.0% by weight to about 11.0% by
weight, about 5.0% by weight
to about 12.0% by weight, about 5.0% by weight to about 13.0% by weight, about
5.0% by weight to about
14.0% by weight or about 5.0% by weight to about 15.0% by weight.
[069] Aspects of the present specification disclose, in part, a pH of a plant
agent composition disclosed
herein. The final pH of a plant agent composition is typically acidic as this
contributes to a longer shelf-life
of the composition. In aspects of this embodiment, the pH of a plant agent
composition disclosed herein
is, e.g., about 2, about 2.5, about 3, about 3.5, about 4, about 4.5, about 5,
about 5.5 or about 6. In other
aspects of this embodiment, the pH of a plant agent composition disclosed
herein is, e.g., at least 2, at least
2.5, at least 3, at least 3.5, at least 4, at least 4.5, at least 5, at least
5.5 or at least 6. In yet other aspects
of this embodiment, the pH of a plant agent composition disclosed herein is,
e.g., at most 2, at most 2.5, at
most 3, at most 3.5, at most 4, at most 4.5, at most 5, at most 5.5 or at most
6. In still other aspects of this
embodiment, the pH of a plant agent composition disclosed herein is between,
e.g., about 2 to about 3,
about 2 to about 3.5, about 2 to about 4, about 2 to about 4.5, about 2 to
about 5, about 2 to about 5.5,
about 2 to about 6, about 2.5 to about 3, about 2.5 to about 3.5, about 2.5 to
about 4, about 2.5 to about
4.5, about 2.5 to about 5, about 2.5 to about 5.5, about 2.5 to about 6, about
3 to about 3.5, about 3 to
about 4, about 3 to about 4.2, about 3 to about 4.5, about 3 to about 4.7,
about 3 to about 5, about 3 to
about 5.2, about 3 to about 5.5, about 3 to about 6, about 3.5 to about 4,
about 3.5 to about 4.2, about 3.5
to about 4.5, about 3.5 to about 4.7, about 3.5 to about 5, about 3.5 to about
5.2, about 3.5 to about 5.5,
about 3.5 to about 6, about 3.7 to about 4.0, about 3.7 to about 4.2, about
3.7 to about 4.5, about 3.7 to
about 5.2, about 3.7 to about 5.5 or about 3.7 to about 6Ø
[070] A plant agent composition disclosed herein has minimal adverse effects
on humans, mammals
including domestic animals, plant life and the environment. In an aspect of
this embodiment, a plant agent
composition disclosed herein is substantially non-toxic to humans, mammals,
plants and the environment.
In other aspects of this embodiment, a plant agent composition disclosed
herein is essentially non-toxic to
humans, mammals, plants and the environment.
[071] Aspects of the present specification disclose, in part, a plant agent
composition that is
biodegradable. A biodegradable plant agent composition disclosed herein is one
that is prone to degrading,
eroding, resorbing, decomposing, or breaking down to a substantial or
significant degree once applied
according to the methods and uses disclosed herein. In aspects of this
embodiment, at least 75%, at least
80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 99% of a plant agent
composition disclosed herein
biodegrades in, e.g., about 1 day, about 2 days, about 3 days, about 4 days,
about 5 days, about 6 days or
about 7 days. In other aspects of this embodiment, at least 75%, at least 80%,
at least 85%, at least 90%,
at least 95%, at least 99% of a plant agent composition disclosed herein
biodegrades in, e.g., about 1 to
about 2 days, about 1 to about 3 days, about 1 to about 4 days, about 1 to
about 5 days, about 1 to about
6 days, about 1 to about 7 days, about 2 to about 3 days, about 2 to about 4
days, about 2 to about 5 days,
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about 2 to about 6 days, about 2 to about 7 days, about 3 to about 4 days,
about 3 to about 5 days, about
3 to about 6 days, about 3 to about 7 days, about 4 to about 5 days, about 4
to about 6 days, about 4 to
about 7 days, about 5 to about 6 days, about 5 to about 7 days or about 6 to
about 7 days.
[072] In aspects of this embodiment, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%,
at least 90%, at least 95%,
at least 99% of a plant agent composition disclosed herein biodegrades in,
e.g., about 7 day, about 8 days,
about 9 days, about 10 days, about 11 days, about 12 days, about 13 days or
about 14 days. In other
aspects of this embodiment, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least
90%, at least 95%, at least
99% of a plant agent composition disclosed herein biodegrades in, e.g., about
7 to about 8 days, about 7
to about 9 days, about 7 to about 10 days, about 7 to about 11 days, about 7
to about 12 days, about 7 to
about 13 days, about 7 to about 14 days, about 8 to about 9 days, about 8 to
about 10 days, about 8 to
about 11 days, about 8 to about 12 days, about 8 to about 13 days, about 8 to
about 14 days, about 9 to
about 10 days, about 9 to about 11 days, about 9 to about 12 days, about 9 to
about 13 days, about 9 to
about 14 days, about 9 to about 11 days, about 9 to about 12 days, about 9 to
about 13 days, about 9 to
about 14 days, about 10 to about 11 days, about 10 to about 12 days, about 10
to about 13 days, about 10
to about 14 days, about 11 to about 12 days, about 11 to about 13 days, about
11 to about 14 days, about
12 to about 13 days, about 12 to about 14 days or about 13 to about 14 days.
[073] In aspects of this embodiment, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%,
at least 90%, at least 95%,
at least 99% of a plant agent composition disclosed herein biodegrades in,
e.g., about 15 day, about 16
days, about 17 days, about 18 days, about 19 days, about 20 days or about 21
days. In other aspects of
this embodiment, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at
least 95%, at least 99% of a
plant agent composition disclosed herein biodegrades in, e.g., about 15 to
about 16 days, about 15 to about
17 days, about 15 to about 18 days, about 15 to about 19 days, about 15 to
about 20 days, about 15 to
about 21 days, about 16 to about 17 days, about 16 to about 18 days, about 16
to about 19 days, about 16
to about 20 days, about 16 to about 21 days, about 17 to about 18 days, about
17 to about 19 days, about
17 to about 20 days, about 17 to about 21 days, about 18 to about 19 days,
about 18 to about 20 days,
about 18 to about 21 days, about 19 to about 20 days, about 19 to about 21
days or about 20 to about 21
days.
[074] Aspects of the present specification disclose, in part, kits comprising
one or more components
useful to practice a method or use disclosed herein. Kits provide a convenient
enclosure of components
useful to practice a method or use disclosed herein to facilitate or enhance a
commercial sale. For example,
a kit may comprises a plant agent composition disclosed herein and one or more
other reagents useful to
practice a method or use disclosed herein, such as, e.g., one or more
dilutants and/or one or more carriers.
[075] Kits typically provide a suitable container, e.g., a box or other
enclosed carrier that contain the one
or more components useful to practice a method or use disclosed herein. In
addition, kits disclosed herein
will typically include separate containers, e.g., a bottle, a vial, a flask or
other enclosed carrier that contains
the one or more components. For example, a container for a plant agent
composition disclosed herein,
and a separate container for the one or more other reagents included in the
kit. Kits can be portable, for
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example, able to be transported and used in remote areas such as commercial or
industrial installations or
agricultural fields. Other kits may be of use in a residential building.
[076] A kit disclosed herein may include labels or inserts. Labels or inserts
include "printed matter" that
can be provided as separate material, a packing material (e.g., a box), or
attached or affixed to a container
containing a kit component. Labels or inserts can additionally include a
computer readable medium, such
as a disk (e.g., hard disk, flash memory), optical disk such as CD- or DVD-
ROM/RAM, DVD, MP3, magnetic
tape, or an electrical storage media such as RAM and ROM or hybrids of these
such as magnetic/optical
storage media, FLASH media or memory type cards. Labels or inserts may include
identifying information
of one or more components therein, dose amounts, does frequency or timing,
information on the individual
components. Labels or inserts can include information identifying manufacturer
information, lot numbers,
manufacturer location and date. Labels or inserts can include information on a
condition or situation for
which a kit component may be used. Labels or inserts can include instructions
for using one or more of the
kit components in a method, or use as disclosed herein. Instructions can
include dosage amounts,
frequency or duration, and instructions for practicing any of the methods or
uses, or treatment protocols
described herein as well as warnings on potential hazards or situations where
it would not be appropriate
to use the components of the kit.
[077] Aspects of the present specification disclose, in part, a method of
controlling a causal agent of a
plant disease. A disclosed method of controlling a causal agent of a plant
disease includes a step of
applying an effective amount of a plant agent composition disclosed herein to
one or more plants infested
with a causal agent and/or applying an effective amount of a plant agent
composition disclosed herein to
one or more locations in a manner where a causal agent will be exposed to a
plant agent composition.
Application of a plant agent composition disclosed herein results in e.g., an
adverse effect on the causal
agent of a plant disease sought to be controlled.
[078] Aspects of the present specification disclose, in part, use of a plant
agent composition disclosed
herein for controlling a causal agent of a plant disease. A disclosed use of a
plant agent composition
includes applying an effective amount of a plant agent composition disclosed
herein to one or more plants
infested with a causal agent and/or applying an effective amount of a plant
agent composition disclosed
herein to one or more locations in a manner where a causal agent will be
exposed to a plant agent
composition. Application of a plant agent composition disclosed herein results
in e.g., an adverse effect on
the causal agent of a plant disease sought to be controlled.
[079] Aspects of the present specification disclose, in part, a method of
increasing plant growth and/or
crop production. A disclosed method of increasing plant growth and/or crop
production includes a step of
applying an effective amount of a plant agent composition disclosed herein to
one or more plants and/or
applying an effective amount of a plant agent composition disclosed herein to
one or more locations in a
manner where the one or more plants will be exposed to a plant agent
composition. Application of a plant
agent composition disclosed herein results in e.g., improved absorption by
root hairs, improve xylem sap
flow through xylem and improve photosynthate flow in phloem, increased uptake
of water, minerals and
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other nutrients from the soil, increase the capillary action and/or
hydrostatic pressure in xylem, and/or
increase synthesis of compounds and energy and/or disruption of one or more
components blocking xylem
sap flow and/or photosynthate flow. In an embodiment, one or more components
blocking xylem sap flow
and/or photosynthate flow includes biofilm.
[080] Aspects of the present specification disclose, in part, use of a plant
agent composition disclosed
herein for increasing plant growth and/or crop production. A disclosed use of
a plant agent composition
includes applying an effective amount of a plant agent composition disclosed
herein to one or more plants
and/or applying an effective amount of a plant agent composition disclosed
herein to one or more locations
where a plant agent composition will be exposed to the one or more plants.
Application of a plant agent
composition disclosed herein results in e.g., improved absorption by root
hairs, improve xylem sap flow
through xylem and improve photosynthate flow in phloem, increased uptake of
water, minerals and other
nutrients from the soil, increase the capillary action and/or hydrostatic
pressure in xylem, and/or increase
synthesis of compounds and energy and/or disruption of one or more components
blocking xylem sap flow
and/or photosynthate flow. In an embodiment, one or more components blocking
xylem sap flow and/or
photosynthate flow includes biofilm.
[081] Aspects of the present specification disclose, in part, a method of
maintaining or improving the
efficiency of an irrigation system. A disclosed method of maintaining or
improving the efficiency of an
irrigation system includes a step of applying an effective amount of a plant
agent composition disclosed
herein to one or more pipes in a pipeline network of the irrigation system.
Application of a plant agent
composition disclosed herein results in e.g., adequate removal of one or more
components blocking one
or more pipeline networks of an irrigation system. In an embodiment, one or
more components blocking
one or more pipeline networks includes biofilm.
[082] Aspects of the present specification disclose, in part, use of a plant
agent composition disclosed
herein for maintaining or improving the efficiency of an irrigation system. A
disclosed use of a plant agent
composition includes applying an effective amount of a plant agent composition
disclosed herein to one or
more pipes in a pipeline network of the irrigation system. Application of a
plant agent composition disclosed
herein results in e.g., adequate removal of one or more components blocking
one or more pipeline networks
of an irrigation system. In an embodiment, one or more components blocking one
or more pipeline networks
includes biofilm.
[083] The combination of the nonionic surfactant and the treated fermented
microbial supernatant in a
plant agent composition disclosed herein results in an accelerated in situ
chemical reactions of the
molecular structures, particularly chemical bonds present in polysaccharide
and lipid-based components,
of 1) the one or more components present in the protective structure of a
causal agent of a plant disease;
2) the one or more components blocking xylem sap and/or photosynthate flow in
a plant; or 3) the one or
more components blocking water flow in an irrigation system. These in situ
chemical reactions dissolve,
disperse, or otherwise disrupt 1) the one or more components of the protective
structure of the causal
agent, resulting in its death through disruption of one or more essential
physiological processes; 2) the one
CA 02996192 2018-02-20
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or more components that block xylem sap flow in xylem and/or photosynthate
flow in phloem, resulting in
improved transport of water and nutrients that will maintain and/or enhance
the health and vigor of plants;
or 3) the one or more components that disrupt water flow in a pipeline network
of an irrigation system,
resulting in improved water distribution that will maintain and/or enhance the
health and vigor of plants.
[084] Without wishing to be limited by any theory, upon application of a plant
agent composition in an
aqueous environment, highly reactive, uniquely structured, ultra-fine
microbubbles are spontaneously
formed. These "functionalized" microbubbles comprise an outer "highly
reactive" shell composed of one or
more nonionic surfactants and components from the treated fermented microbial
supernatant and an inner
core containing air. The "highly reactive" shell enables a dramatic increase
in the mass transfer of oxygen
in an aqueous environment and an accelerated bio-catalysis of the molecular
structures of compounds,
which in combination provide a synergistic functionality. With respect to mass
transfer of oxygen, this
functionality increases transfer rates of oxygen and raises the level of
dissolved oxygen in an aqueous
environment which far exceeding the solubility limits anticipated by Henry's
Law, and, are at levels that
simply cannot be achieved through mechanical aeration systems. It appears that
components from the
treated fermented microbial supernatant interfere with the ability of the
nonionic surfactants to create a well-
organized micellar shell. The result is a loose molecular packing of these
fermentation components and
surfactants that "functionalized" the shell to be more gas permeable, thereby
creating more favorable
conditions for mass gas transfer. As such, this oxygen transfer function
increases the availability of oxygen
in an aqueous environment. With respect to accelerated bio-catalysis, this
functionality lowers the transition
of energy required for a catalytic reaction to occur by providing a reaction
platform that increases localized
concentrations of reactants, enables donation of electrons and facilitate
chemical reactions at electron poor
sites. As such, this bio-catalysis function mediates cleavage of chemical
bonds, including glycosidic and
ester bonds, present in a compound. As such, the "functionalized" shell of the
microbubbles have catalytic
activities that like conventional enzyme systems, but without the need of any
enzymes. Thus, application
of a plant agent composition disclosed herein creates "functionalized:
microbubbles that increase oxygen
dispersion resulting in higher dissolved oxygen levels and accelerate
molecular interactions resulting in
catalytic breakdown of compounds.
[085] When in contact with a protective structure of a causal agent, the
"functionalized" microbubbles
chemically interacts with one or more components of the protective structure
in a manner that enables
donation of electrons or reactions at electron poor sites that mediates
cleavage of chemical bonds, including
glycosidic and ester bonds, present in the one or more components. Similarly,
when in contact with one or
more components blocking xylem sap and/or photosynthate flow in a plant, the
"functionalized"
microbubbles chemically interacts with one or more components in a manner that
enables donation of
electrons or reactions at electron poor sites that mediates cleavage of
chemical bonds, including glycosidic
and ester bonds, present in the one or more components. Likewise, when in
contact with one or more
components blocking water flow in an irrigation system, the "functionalized"
microbubbles chemically
interacts with one or more components in a manner that enables donation of
electrons or reactions at
electron poor sites that mediates cleavage of chemical bonds, including
glycosidic and ester bonds, present
in the one or more components. These interactions appear to be a form of
hydrolysis using beta-oxidation
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where, in addition to relying on the "highly reactive" shell, oxygen present
in the core of the microbubble is
also utilized. Thus, the properties present in the "functionalized"
microbubbles works synergistically with
the oxygen transfer capabilities of the core to enhance the in situ breaking
of chemical bonds, including
glycosidic and ester bonds present in 1) the one or more components present in
the protective structure of
a causal agent of a plant disease; 2) the one or more components blocking
xylem sap and/or photosynthate
flow in a plant; and/or 3) the one or more components blocking water flow in
an irrigation system.
[086] In addition, when in contact with root hairs, "functionalized"
microbubbles increase water
absorption, increase nitrogen-fixation, increase gas exchange, increase
capillary action and hydrostatic
pressure in vascular tissue by making the membranes of the root hairs more
permeable to water transfer
and providing a better microbial environment for symbiotic organisms that
enhance root hair function. Such
interactions improve absorption by root hairs, improve xylem sap flow through
xylem and improve
photosynthate flow in phloem, resulting in improved transport of raw
materials, growth components and
energy that will be used to maintain and/or enhance the health and vigor of
plants.
[087] Application of a plant agent composition disclosed herein can be by any
method that exposes the
one or more components present in the protective structure of a causal agent
of a plant disease to the
disclosed plant agent compositions in a manner that provides adequate
disruption of one or more
components of the protective structure and subsequent death through disruption
of one or more essential
physiological processes. For example, exposure can be by direct application to
the causal agent or by
indirect application to a location were the causal agent will be exposed to a
plant agent composition.
[088] Likewise, application of a plant agent composition disclosed herein
can be by any method that
exposes the root hairs to the disclosed plant agent compositions in a manner
that provides increase uptake
of water, minerals and other nutrients from the soil, increase the capillary
action and/or hydrostatic pressure
in xylem, and/or increase synthesis of compounds and energy and subsequent
improvement in root hair
absorption, xylem sap flow through xylem and photosynthate flow in phloem. For
example, exposure can
be by direct application to one or more plants or by indirect application to a
location were the one or more
plants will be exposed to a plant agent composition.
[089] Similarly, application of a plant agent composition disclosed herein
can be by any method that
exposes the one or more components that block xylem sap flow in xylem and/or
photosynthate flow in
phloem to the disclosed plant agent compositions in a manner that provides
adequate disruption of one or
more components of the protective structure and subsequent improvement of
transport of water and
nutrients that will maintain and/or enhance the health and vigor of plants.
For example, exposure can be
by direct application to one or more plants or by indirect application to a
location were the one or more
plants will be exposed to a plant agent composition.
[090] In addition, application of a plant agent composition disclosed
herein can be by any method that
exposes the one or more components that disrupt water flow in a pipeline
network of an irrigation system
to the disclosed plant agent compositions in a manner that provides adequate
disruption of one or more
components of the protective structure and subsequent improvement of water
distribution in the irrigation
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system that will maintain and/or enhance the health and vigor of plants. For
example, exposure can be by
direct application to one or more pipeline networks of the irrigation system
or by indirect application to a
location were the one or more pipeline networks of the irrigation system will
be exposed to a plant agent
composition.
[091] An undiluted form of a plant agent composition disclosed herein can be
used in the methods and
uses disclosed herein. Alternatively, it may desirable to dilute a plant agent
composition disclosed herein,
and those skilled in the art are aware that dilutions of such compositions can
be used. Dilution of a plant
agent composition disclosed herein is typically done using water, although
other appropriate diluents may
be used so long as they are compatible with the formation of microbubbles as
disclosed herein. In aspects
of this embodiment, a plant agent composition is diluted to a ratio of, e.g.,
1:10, 1:25, 1:50, 1:75, 1:100,
1:200, 1:300, 1:400, 1:500, 1:600, 1:700, 1:800, 1:900, 1:1000, 1:2000,
1:3000, 1:4000, 1:5000, 1:6000,
1:7000, 1:8000, 1:9000, 1:10000, 1:20000, 1:30000, 1:40000, 1:50000, 1:60000,
1:70000, 1:80000,
1:90000 or 1:100000. In other aspects of this embodiment, a plant agent
composition is diluted to a ratio
of, e.g., at least 1:10, at least 1:25, at least 1:50, at least 1:75, at least
1:100, at least 1:200, at least 1:300,
at least 1:400, at least 1:500, at least 1:600, at least 1:700, at least
1:800, at least 1:900, at least 1:1000,
at least 1:2000, at least 1:3000, at least 1:4000, at least 1:5000, at least
1:6000, at least 1:7000, at least
1:8000, at least 1:9000, at least 1:10000, at least 1:20000, at least 1:30000,
at least 1:40000, at least
1:50000, at least 1:60000, at least 1:70000, at least 1:80000, at least
1:90000 or at least 1:100000. In yet
other aspects of this embodiment, a plant agent composition is diluted to a
ratio of, e.g., at most 1:10, at
most 1:25, at most 1:50, at most 1:75, at most 1:100, at most 1:200, at most
1:300, at most 1:400, at most
1:500, at most 1:600, at most 1:700, at most 1:800, at most 1:900, at most
1:1000, at most 1:2000, at most
1:3000, at most 1:4000, at most 1:5000, at most 1:6000, at most 1:7000, at
most 1:8000, at most 1:9000,
at most 1:10000, at most 1:20000, at most 1:30000, at most 1:40000, at most
1:50000, at most 1:60000,
at most 1:70000, at most 1:80000, at most 1:90000 or at most 1:100000.
[092] In still other aspects of this embodiment, a plant agent composition
is diluted to a ratio of, e.g.,
about 1:1 to about 1:10, about 1:1 to about 1:25, about 1:1 to about 1:50,
about 1:1 to about 1:75, about
1:1 to about 1:100, about 1:2 to about 1:10, about 1:2 to about 1:25, about
1:2 to about 1:50, about 1:2 to
about 1:75, about 1:2 to about 1:100, about 1:10 to about 1:25, about 1:10 to
about 1:50, about 1:10 to
about 1:75, about 1:10 to about 1:100, about 1:10 to about 1:125, about 1:10
to about 1:150, about 1:10 to
about 1:175, about 1:10 to about 1:200, about 1:10 to about 1:225, about 1:10
to about 1:250, about 1:50
to about 1:100, about 1:50 to about 1:200, about 1:50 to about 1:300, about
1:50 to about 1:400, about 1:50
to about 1:500, about 1:50 to about 1:600, about 1:50 to about 1:700, about
1:50 to about 1:800, about 1:50
to about 1:900, about 1:50 to about 1:1000, about 1:100 to about 1:200, about
1:100 to about 1:300, about
1:100 to about 1:400, about 1:100 to about 1:500, about 1:100 to about 1:600,
about 1:100 to about 1:700,
about 1:100 to about 1:800, about 1:100 to about 1:900, about 1:100 to about
1:1000, about 1:500 to about
1:1000, about 1:500 to about 1:2000, about 1:500 to about 1:3000, about 1:500
to about 1:4000, about
1:500 to about 1:5000, about 1:500 to about 1:6000, about 1:500 to about
1:7000, about 1:500 to about
1:8000, about 1:500 to about 1:9000, about 1:500 to about 1:10000, about
1:1000 to about 1:2000, about
1:1000 to about 1:3000, about 1:1000 to about 1:4000, about 1:1000 to about
1:5000, about 1:1000 to
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about 1:6000, about 1:1000 to about 1:7000, about 1:1000 to about 1:8000,
about 1:1000 to about 1:9000,
about 1:1000 to about 1:10000, about 1:5000 to about 1:10000, about 1:5000 to
about 1:20000, about
1:5000 to about 1:30000, about 1:5000 to about 1:40000, about 1:5000 to about
1:50000, about 1:5000 to
about 1:60000, about 1:5000 to about 1:70000, about 1:5000 to about 1:80000,
about 1:5000 to about
1:90000, about 1:5000 to about 1:100000, about 1:10000 to about 1:20000, about
1:10000 to about
1:30000, about 1:10000 to about 1:40000, about 1:10000 to about 1:50000, about
1:10000 to about
1:60000, about 1:10000 to about 1:70000, about 1:10000 to about 1:80000, about
1:10000 to about
1:90000, about 1:10000 to about 1:100000.
[093] Application of a plant agent composition disclosed herein is in an
effective amount. An effective
amount of a disclosed plant agent composition can be 1) an amount sufficient
to cause an adverse effect
on the population of a causal agent of a plant disease sought to be
controlled; 2) an amount sufficient to
improve absorption by root hairs, improve xylem sap flow through xylem and
improve photosynthate flow
in phloem; 3) an amount sufficient to increase uptake of water, minerals and
other nutrients from the soil,
increase the capillary action and/or hydrostatic pressure in xylem, and/or
increase synthesis of compounds
and energy; 4) an amount sufficient to cause adequate disruption of one or
more components blocking
xylem sap and/or photosynthate flow; and/or 5) an amount sufficient to cause
adequate removal of one or
more components blocking one or more pipeline networks of an irrigation
system. The actual effective
amount of a disclosed plant agent composition is determined by routine
screening procedures employed to
evaluate controlling activity and efficacy of a plant agent composition
disclosed herein. Such screening
procedures are well known by those skilled in the art. It is expected that a
plant agent composition disclosed
herein having a higher level of activity can be used in smaller amounts and
concentrations, while those
having a lower level of activity may require larger amounts or concentrations
in order to achieve the same
controlling effect.
[094] Application of a plant agent composition disclosed herein is in an
effective amount. An effective
amount of a disclosed plant agent composition can be an amount sufficient to
cause there desired effect.
The actual effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition is
determined by routine screening
procedures employed to evaluate controlling activity and efficacy of a plant
agent composition disclosed
herein. Such screening procedures are well known by those skilled in the art.
It is expected that a plant
agent composition disclosed herein having a higher level of activity can be
used in smaller amounts and
concentrations, while those having a lower level of activity may require
larger amounts or concentrations in
order to achieve the same controlling effect.
[095] An effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition can be an
amount sufficient to cause
an adverse effect to causal agents sought to be controlled. In aspects of this
embodiment, an effective
amount of a disclosed plant agent composition is an amount sufficient to cause
an adverse effect on, e.g.,
about 10%, about 15%, about 20%, about 25%, about 30%, about 35%, about 40%,
about 45%, about
50%, about 55%, about 60%, about 65%, about 70%, about 75%, about 80%, about
85%, about 90% or
about 95% of the causal agents in a population infecting a plant. In other
aspects of this embodiment, an
effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition is an amount
sufficient to cause an adverse effect
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on, e.g., at least 10%, at least 15%, at least 20%, at least 25%, at least
30%, at least 35%, at least 40%, at
least 45%, at least 50%, at least 55%, at least 60%, at least 65%, at least
70%, at least 75%, at least 80%,
at least 85%, at least 90% or at least 95% of the causal agents in a
population infecting a plant. In still
other aspects of this embodiment, an effective amount of a disclosed plant
agent composition is an amount
sufficient to cause an adverse effect on, e.g., at most 10%, at most 15%, at
most 20%, at most 25%, at
most 30%, at most 35%, at most 40%, at most 45%, at most 50%, at most 55%, at
most 60%, at most 65%,
at most 70%, at most 75%, at most 80%, at most 85%, at most 90% or at most 95%
of the causal agents
in a population infecting a plant. In yet other aspects of this embodiment, an
effective amount of a disclosed
plant agent composition is an amount sufficient to cause an adverse effect on,
e.g., about 10% to about
20%, about 10% to about 30%, about 10% to about 40%, about 10% to about 50%,
about 10% to about
60%, about 10% to about 70%, about 10% to about 80%, about 10% to about 90%,
about 10% to about
95%, about 20% to about 30%, about 20% to about 40%, about 20% to about 50%,
about 20% to about
60%, about 20% to about 70%, about 20% to about 80%, about 20% to about 90%,
about 20% to about
95%, about 30% to about 40%, about 30% to about 50%, about 30% to about 60%,
about 30% to about
70%, about 30% to about 80%, about 30% to about 90%, about 30% to about 95%,
about 40% to about
50%, about 40% to about 60%, about 40% to about 70%, about 40% to about 80%,
about 40% to about
90%, about 40% to about 95%, about 50% to about 60%, about 50% to about 70%,
about 50% to about
80%, about 50% to about 90%, about 50% to about 95%, about 60% to about 70%,
about 60% to about
80%, about 60% to about 90%, about 60% to about 95%, about 70% to about 80%,
about 70% to about
90%, about 70% to about 95%, about 80% to about 90%, about 80% to about 95% or
about 90% to about
95% of the causal agents in a population infecting a plant.
[096] In aspects of this embodiment, an effective amount of a disclosed plant
agent composition is an
amount sufficient to cause mortality on, e.g., about 10%, about 15%, about
20%, about 25%, about 30%,
about 35%, about 40%, about 45%, about 50%, about 55%, about 60%, about 65%,
about 70%, about
75%, about 80%, about 85%, about 90% or about 95% of the causal agents in a
population infecting a
plant. In other aspects of this embodiment, an effective amount of a disclosed
plant agent composition is
an amount sufficient to cause mortality on, e.g., at least 10%, at least 15%,
at least 20%, at least 25%, at
least 30%, at least 35%, at least 40%, at least 45%, at least 50%, at least
55%, at least 60%, at least 65%,
at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90% or at
least 95% of the causal agents in
a population infecting a plant. In yet other aspects of this embodiment, an
effective amount of a disclosed
plant agent composition is an amount sufficient to cause mortality on, e.g.,
at most 10%, at most 15%, at
most 20%, at most 25%, at most 30%, at most 35%, at most 40%, at most 45%, at
most 50%, at most 55%,
at most 60%, at most 65%, at most 70%, at most 75%, at most 80%, at most 85%,
at most 90% or at most
95% of the causal agents in a population infecting a plant. In still other
aspects of this embodiment, an
effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition is an amount
sufficient to cause mortality on, e.g.,
about 10% to about 20%, about 10% to about 30%, about 10% to about 40%, about
10% to about 50%,
about 10% to about 60%, about 10% to about 70%, about 10% to about 80%, about
10% to about 90%,
about 10% to about 95%, about 20% to about 30%, about 20% to about 40%, about
20% to about 50%,
about 20% to about 60%, about 20% to about 70%, about 20% to about 80%, about
20% to about 90%,
about 20% to about 95%, about 30% to about 40%, about 30% to about 50%, about
30% to about 60%,
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about 30% to about 70%, about 30% to about 80%, about 30% to about 90%, about
30% to about 95%,
about 40% to about 50%, about 40% to about 60%, about 40% to about 70%, about
40% to about 80%,
about 40% to about 90%, about 40% to about 95%, about 50% to about 60%, about
50% to about 70%,
about 50% to about 80%, about 50% to about 90%, about 50% to about 95%, about
60% to about 70%,
about 60% to about 80%, about 60% to about 90%, about 60% to about 95%, about
70% to about 80%,
about 70% to about 90%, about 70% to about 95%, about 80% to about 90%, about
80% to about 95% or
about 90% to about 95% of the causal agents in a population infecting a plant.
[097] An effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition can be an
amount sufficient to reduce
the size of a population of a causal agent sought to be controlled. In aspects
of this embodiment, an
effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition is an amount
sufficient to reduce the size of a
population of a causal agent sought to be controlled by, e.g., about 10%,
about 15%, about 20%, about
25%, about 30%, about 35%, about 40%, about 45%, about 50%, about 55%, about
60%, about 65%,
about 70%, about 75%, about 80%, about 85%, about 90% or about 95%. In other
aspects of this
embodiment, an effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition is an
amount sufficient to reduce
the size of a population of a causal agent sought to be controlled by, e.g.,
at least 10%, at least 15%, at
least 20%, at least 25%, at least 30%, at least 35%, at least 40%, at least
45%, at least 50%, at least 55%,
at least 60%, at least 65%, at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least
85%, at least 90% or at least
95%. In yet other aspects of this embodiment, an effective amount of a
disclosed plant agent composition
is an amount sufficient to reduce the size of a population of a causal agent
sought to be controlled by, e.g.,
at most 10%, at most 15%, at most 20%, at most 25%, at most 30%, at most 35%,
at most 40%, at most
45%, at most 50%, at most 55%, at most 60%, at most 65%, at most 70%, at most
75%, at most 80%, at
most 85%, at most 90% or at most 95%. In still other aspects of this
embodiment, an effective amount of
a disclosed plant agent composition is an amount sufficient to reduce the size
of the population of a causal
agent sought to be controlled by, e.g., about 10% to about 20%, about 10% to
about 30%, about 10% to
about 40%, about 10% to about 50%, about 10% to about 60%, about 10% to about
70%, about 10% to
about 80%, about 10% to about 90%, about 10% to about 95%, about 20% to about
30%, about 20% to
about 40%, about 20% to about 50%, about 20% to about 60%, about 20% to about
70%, about 20% to
about 80%, about 20% to about 90%, about 20% to about 95%, about 30% to about
40%, about 30% to
about 50%, about 30% to about 60%, about 30% to about 70%, about 30% to about
80%, about 30% to
about 90%, about 30% to about 95%, about 40% to about 50%, about 40% to about
60%, about 40% to
about 70%, about 40% to about 80%, about 40% to about 90%, about 40% to about
95%, about 50% to
about 60%, about 50% to about 70%, about 50% to about 80%, about 50% to about
90%, about 50% to
about 95%, about 60% to about 70%, about 60% to about 80%, about 60% to about
90%, about 60% to
about 95%, about 70% to about 80%, about 70% to about 90%, about 70% to about
95%, about 80% to
about 90%, about 80% to about 95% or about 90% to about 95%.
[098] An effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition can be an
amount sufficient to deter a
population of a causal agent sought to be controlled from entering or
infesting one or more locations. In
aspects of this embodiment, an effective amount of a disclosed plant agent
composition is an amount
sufficient to deter, e.g., about 10%, about 15%, about 20%, about 25%, about
30%, about 35%, about 40%,
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about 45%, about 50%, about 55%, about 60%, about 65%, about 70%, about 75%,
about 80%, about
85%, about 90% or about 95% of a population of a causal agent from entering or
infesting one or more
locations. In other aspects of this embodiment, an effective amount of a
disclosed plant agent composition
is an amount sufficient to deter, e.g., at least 10%, at least 15%, at least
20%, at least 25%, at least 30%,
at least 35%, at least 40%, at least 45%, at least 50%, at least 55%, at least
60%, at least 65%, at least
70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90% or at least 95% of
a population of a causal
agent from entering or infesting one or more locations. In yet other aspects
of this embodiment, an effective
amount of a disclosed plant agent composition is an amount sufficient to
deter, e.g., at most 10%, at most
15%, at most 20%, at most 25%, at most 30%, at most 35%, at most 40%, at most
45%, at most 50%, at
most 55%, at most 60%, at most 65%, at most 70%, at most 75%, at most 80%, at
most 85%, at most 90%
or at most 95% of a population of a causal agent from entering or infesting
one or more locations. In still
other aspects of this embodiment, an effective amount of a disclosed plant
agent composition is an amount
sufficient to deter, e.g., about 10% to about 20%, about 10% to about 30%,
about 10% to about 40%, about
10% to about 50%, about 10% to about 60%, about 10% to about 70%, about 10% to
about 80%, about
10% to about 90%, about 10% to about 95%, about 20% to about 30%, about 20% to
about 40%, about
20% to about 50%, about 20% to about 60%, about 20% to about 70%, about 20% to
about 80%, about
20% to about 90%, about 20% to about 95%, about 30% to about 40%, about 30% to
about 50%, about
30% to about 60%, about 30% to about 70%, about 30% to about 80%, about 30% to
about 90%, about
30% to about 95%, about 40% to about 50%, about 40% to about 60%, about 40% to
about 70%, about
40% to about 80%, about 40% to about 90%, about 40% to about 95%, about 50% to
about 60%, about
50% to about 70%, about 50% to about 80%, about 50% to about 90%, about 50% to
about 95%, about
60% to about 70%, about 60% to about 80%, about 60% to about 90%, about 60% to
about 95%, about
70% to about 80%, about 70% to about 90%, about 70% to about 95%, about 80% to
about 90%, about
80% to about 95% or about 90% to about 95% of a population of a causal agent
from entering or infesting
one or more locations.
[099] An effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition can be an
amount sufficient to improve
absorption of water, minerals and other nutrients from the soil by root hairs.
In aspects of this embodiment,
an effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition is an amount
sufficient to improve absorption
of water, minerals and other nutrients from the soil by root hairs by, e.g.,
about 10%, about 15%, about
20%, about 25%, about 30%, about 35%, about 40%, about 45%, about 50%, about
55%, about 60%,
about 65%, about 70%, about 75%, about 80%, about 85%, about 90% or about 95%.
In other aspects of
this embodiment, an effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition is
an amount sufficient to
improve absorption of water, minerals and other nutrients from the soil by
root hairs by, e.g., at least 10%,
at least 15%, at least 20%, at least 25%, at least 30%, at least 35%, at least
40%, at least 45%, at least
50%, at least 55%, at least 60%, at least 65%, at least 70%, at least 75%, at
least 80%, at least 85%, at
least 90% or at least 95%. In still other aspects of this embodiment, an
effective amount of a disclosed
plant agent composition is an amount sufficient to improve absorption of
water, minerals and other nutrients
from the soil by root hairs by, e.g., at most 10%, at most 15%, at most 20%,
at most 25%, at most 30%, at
most 35%, at most 40%, at most 45%, at most 50%, at most 55%, at most 60%, at
most 65%, at most 70%,
at most 75%, at most 80%, at most 85%, at most 90% or at most 95%. In yet
other aspects of this
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embodiment, an effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition is an
amount sufficient to improve
absorption of water, minerals and other nutrients from the soil by root hairs
by, e.g., about 10% to about
20%, about 10% to about 30%, about 10% to about 40%, about 10% to about 50%,
about 10% to about
60%, about 10% to about 70%, about 10% to about 80%, about 10% to about 90%,
about 10% to about
95%, about 20% to about 30%, about 20% to about 40%, about 20% to about 50%,
about 20% to about
60%, about 20% to about 70%, about 20% to about 80%, about 20% to about 90%,
about 20% to about
95%, about 30% to about 40%, about 30% to about 50%, about 30% to about 60%,
about 30% to about
70%, about 30% to about 80%, about 30% to about 90%, about 30% to about 95%,
about 40% to about
50%, about 40% to about 60%, about 40% to about 70%, about 40% to about 80%,
about 40% to about
90%, about 40% to about 95%, about 50% to about 60%, about 50% to about 70%,
about 50% to about
80%, about 50% to about 90%, about 50% to about 95%, about 60% to about 70%,
about 60% to about
80%, about 60% to about 90%, about 60% to about 95%, about 70% to about 80%,
about 70% to about
90%, about 70% to about 95%, about 80% to about 90%, about 80% to about 95% or
about 90% to about
95%.
[0100] An effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition can be an
amount sufficient to improve
xylem sap flow through xylem. In aspects of this embodiment, an effective
amount of a disclosed plant
agent composition is an amount sufficient to improve xylem sap flow through
xylem by, e.g., about 10%,
about 15%, about 20%, about 25%, about 30%, about 35%, about 40%, about 45%,
about 50%, about
55%, about 60%, about 65%, about 70%, about 75%, about 80%, about 85%, about
90% or about 95%. In
other aspects of this embodiment, an effective amount of a disclosed plant
agent composition is an amount
sufficient to improve xylem sap flow through xylem by, e.g., at least 10%, at
least 15%, at least 20%, at
least 25%, at least 30%, at least 35%, at least 40%, at least 45%, at least
50%, at least 55%, at least 60%,
at least 65%, at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least
90% or at least 95%. In still
other aspects of this embodiment, an effective amount of a disclosed plant
agent composition is an amount
sufficient to improve xylem sap flow through xylem by, e.g., at most 10%, at
most 15%, at most 20%, at
most 25%, at most 30%, at most 35%, at most 40%, at most 45%, at most 50%, at
most 55%, at most 60%,
at most 65%, at most 70%, at most 75%, at most 80%, at most 85%, at most 90%
or at most 95%. In yet
other aspects of this embodiment, an effective amount of a disclosed plant
agent composition is an amount
sufficient to improve xylem sap flow through xylem by, e.g., about 10% to
about 20%, about 10% to about
30%, about 10% to about 40%, about 10% to about 50%, about 10% to about 60%,
about 10% to about
70%, about 10% to about 80%, about 10% to about 90%, about 10% to about 95%,
about 20% to about
30%, about 20% to about 40%, about 20% to about 50%, about 20% to about 60%,
about 20% to about
70%, about 20% to about 80%, about 20% to about 90%, about 20% to about 95%,
about 30% to about
40%, about 30% to about 50%, about 30% to about 60%, about 30% to about 70%,
about 30% to about
80%, about 30% to about 90%, about 30% to about 95%, about 40% to about 50%,
about 40% to about
60%, about 40% to about 70%, about 40% to about 80%, about 40% to about 90%,
about 40% to about
95%, about 50% to about 60%, about 50% to about 70%, about 50% to about 80%,
about 50% to about
90%, about 50% to about 95%, about 60% to about 70%, about 60% to about 80%,
about 60% to about
90%, about 60% to about 95%, about 70% to about 80%, about 70% to about 90%,
about 70% to about
95%, about 80% to about 90%, about 80% to about 95% or about 90% to about 95%.
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[0101] An effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition can be an
amount sufficient to improve
photosynthate flow in phloem. In aspects of this embodiment, an effective
amount of a disclosed plant
agent composition is an amount sufficient to improve photosynthate flow in
phloem by, e.g., about 10%,
about 15%, about 20%, about 25%, about 30%, about 35%, about 40%, about 45%,
about 50%, about
55%, about 60%, about 65%, about 70%, about 75%, about 80%, about 85%, about
90% or about 95%. In
other aspects of this embodiment, an effective amount of a disclosed plant
agent composition is an amount
sufficient to improve photosynthate flow in phloem by, e.g., at least 10%, at
least 15%, at least 20%, at
least 25%, at least 30%, at least 35%, at least 40%, at least 45%, at least
50%, at least 55%, at least 60%,
at least 65%, at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least
90% or at least 95%. In still
other aspects of this embodiment, an effective amount of a disclosed plant
agent composition is an amount
sufficient to improve photosynthate flow in phloem by, e.g., at most 10%, at
most 15%, at most 20%, at
most 25%, at most 30%, at most 35%, at most 40%, at most 45%, at most 50%, at
most 55%, at most 60%,
at most 65%, at most 70%, at most 75%, at most 80%, at most 85%, at most 90%
or at most 95%. In yet
other aspects of this embodiment, an effective amount of a disclosed plant
agent composition is an amount
sufficient to improve photosynthate flow in phloem by, e.g., about 10% to
about 20%, about 10% to about
30%, about 10% to about 40%, about 10% to about 50%, about 10% to about 60%,
about 10% to about
70%, about 10% to about 80%, about 10% to about 90%, about 10% to about 95%,
about 20% to about
30%, about 20% to about 40%, about 20% to about 50%, about 20% to about 60%,
about 20% to about
70%, about 20% to about 80%, about 20% to about 90%, about 20% to about 95%,
about 30% to about
40%, about 30% to about 50%, about 30% to about 60%, about 30% to about 70%,
about 30% to about
80%, about 30% to about 90%, about 30% to about 95%, about 40% to about 50%,
about 40% to about
60%, about 40% to about 70%, about 40% to about 80%, about 40% to about 90%,
about 40% to about
95%, about 50% to about 60%, about 50% to about 70%, about 50% to about 80%,
about 50% to about
90%, about 50% to about 95%, about 60% to about 70%, about 60% to about 80%,
about 60% to about
90%, about 60% to about 95%, about 70% to about 80%, about 70% to about 90%,
about 70% to about
95%, about 80% to about 90%, about 80% to about 95% or about 90% to about 95%.
[0102] An effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition can be an
amount sufficient to increase
uptake of water, minerals and other nutrients from the soil. In aspects of
this embodiment, an effective
amount of a disclosed plant agent composition is an amount sufficient to
increase uptake of water, minerals
and other nutrients from the soil by, e.g., about 10%, about 15%, about 20%,
about 25%, about 30%, about
35%, about 40%, about 45%, about 50%, about 55%, about 60%, about 65%, about
70%, about 75%,
about 80%, about 85%, about 90% or about 95%. In other aspects of this
embodiment, an effective amount
of a disclosed plant agent composition is an amount sufficient to increase
uptake of water, minerals and
other nutrients from the soil by, e.g., at least 10%, at least 15%, at least
20%, at least 25%, at least 30%,
at least 35%, at least 40%, at least 45%, at least 50%, at least 55%, at least
60%, at least 65%, at least
70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90% or at least 95%.
In still other aspects of this
embodiment, an effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition is an
amount sufficient to increase
uptake of water, minerals and other nutrients from the soil by, e.g., at most
10%, at most 15%, at most
20%, at most 25%, at most 30%, at most 35%, at most 40%, at most 45%, at most
50%, at most 55%, at
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most 60%, at most 65%, at most 70%, at most 75%, at most 80%, at most 85%, at
most 90% or at most
95%. In yet other aspects of this embodiment, an effective amount of a
disclosed plant agent composition
is an amount sufficient to increase uptake of water, minerals and other
nutrients from the soil by, e.g., about
10% to about 20%, about 10% to about 30%, about 10% to about 40%, about 10% to
about 50%, about
10% to about 60%, about 10% to about 70%, about 10% to about 80%, about 10% to
about 90%, about
10% to about 95%, about 20% to about 30%, about 20% to about 40%, about 20% to
about 50%, about
20% to about 60%, about 20% to about 70%, about 20% to about 80%, about 20% to
about 90%, about
20% to about 95%, about 30% to about 40%, about 30% to about 50%, about 30% to
about 60%, about
30% to about 70%, about 30% to about 80%, about 30% to about 90%, about 30% to
about 95%, about
40% to about 50%, about 40% to about 60%, about 40% to about 70%, about 40% to
about 80%, about
40% to about 90%, about 40% to about 95%, about 50% to about 60%, about 50% to
about 70%, about
50% to about 80%, about 50% to about 90%, about 50% to about 95%, about 60% to
about 70%, about
60% to about 80%, about 60% to about 90%, about 60% to about 95%, about 70% to
about 80%, about
70% to about 90%, about 70% to about 95%, about 80% to about 90%, about 80% to
about 95% or about
90% to about 95%.
[0103] An effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition can be an
amount sufficient to increase
capillary action and/or hydrostatic pressure in xylem. In aspects of this
embodiment, an effective amount
of a disclosed plant agent composition is an amount sufficient to increase
capillary action and/or hydrostatic
pressure in xylem by, e.g., about 10%, about 15%, about 20%, about 25%, about
30%, about 35%, about
40%, about 45%, about 50%, about 55%, about 60%, about 65%, about 70%, about
75%, about 80%,
about 85%, about 90% or about 95%. In other aspects of this embodiment, an
effective amount of a
disclosed plant agent composition is an amount sufficient to increase
capillary action and/or hydrostatic
pressure in xylem by, e.g., at least 10%, at least 15%, at least 20%, at least
25%, at least 30%, at least
35%, at least 40%, at least 45%, at least 50%, at least 55%, at least 60%, at
least 65%, at least 70%, at
least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90% or at least 95%. In still
other aspects of this embodiment,
an effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition is an amount
sufficient to increase capillary
action and/or hydrostatic pressure in xylem by, e.g., at most 10%, at most
15%, at most 20%, at most 25%,
at most 30%, at most 35%, at most 40%, at most 45%, at most 50%, at most 55%,
at most 60%, at most
65%, at most 70%, at most 75%, at most 80%, at most 85%, at most 90% or at
most 95%. In yet other
aspects of this embodiment, an effective amount of a disclosed plant agent
composition is an amount
sufficient to increase capillary action and/or hydrostatic pressure in xylem
by, e.g., about 10% to about
20%, about 10% to about 30%, about 10% to about 40%, about 10% to about 50%,
about 10% to about
60%, about 10% to about 70%, about 10% to about 80%, about 10% to about 90%,
about 10% to about
95%, about 20% to about 30%, about 20% to about 40%, about 20% to about 50%,
about 20% to about
60%, about 20% to about 70%, about 20% to about 80%, about 20% to about 90%,
about 20% to about
95%, about 30% to about 40%, about 30% to about 50%, about 30% to about 60%,
about 30% to about
70%, about 30% to about 80%, about 30% to about 90%, about 30% to about 95%,
about 40% to about
50%, about 40% to about 60%, about 40% to about 70%, about 40% to about 80%,
about 40% to about
90%, about 40% to about 95%, about 50% to about 60%, about 50% to about 70%,
about 50% to about
80%, about 50% to about 90%, about 50% to about 95%, about 60% to about 70%,
about 60% to about
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80%, about 60% to about 90%, about 60% to about 95%, about 70% to about 80%,
about 70% to about
90%, about 70% to about 95%, about 80% to about 90%, about 80% to about 95% or
about 90% to about
95%.
[0104] An effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition can be an
amount sufficient to improve
the transportation of raw materials through a plant. In aspects of this
embodiment, an effective amount of
a disclosed plant agent composition is an amount sufficient to improve the
transportation of raw materials
through a plant by, e.g., about 10%, about 15%, about 20%, about 25%, about
30%, about 35%, about
40%, about 45%, about 50%, about 55%, about 60%, about 65%, about 70%, about
75%, about 80%,
about 85%, about 90% or about 95%. In other aspects of this embodiment, an
effective amount of a
disclosed plant agent composition is an amount sufficient to improve the
transportation of raw materials
through a plant by, e.g., at least 10%, at least 15%, at least 20%, at least
25%, at least 30%, at least 35%,
at least 40%, at least 45%, at least 50%, at least 55%, at least 60%, at least
65%, at least 70%, at least
75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90% or at least 95%. In still other
aspects of this embodiment, an
effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition is an amount
sufficient to improve the transportation
of raw materials through a plant by, e.g., at most 10%, at most 15%, at most
20%, at most 25%, at most
30%, at most 35%, at most 40%, at most 45%, at most 50%, at most 55%, at most
60%, at most 65%, at
most 70%, at most 75%, at most 80%, at most 85%, at most 90% or at most 95%.
In yet other aspects of
this embodiment, an effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition is
an amount sufficient to
improve the transportation of raw materials through a plant by, e.g., about
10% to about 20%, about 10%
to about 30%, about 10% to about 40%, about 10% to about 50%, about 10% to
about 60%, about 10% to
about 70%, about 10% to about 80%, about 10% to about 90%, about 10% to about
95%, about 20% to
about 30%, about 20% to about 40%, about 20% to about 50%, about 20% to about
60%, about 20% to
about 70%, about 20% to about 80%, about 20% to about 90%, about 20% to about
95%, about 30% to
about 40%, about 30% to about 50%, about 30% to about 60%, about 30% to about
70%, about 30% to
about 80%, about 30% to about 90%, about 30% to about 95%, about 40% to about
50%, about 40% to
about 60%, about 40% to about 70%, about 40% to about 80%, about 40% to about
90%, about 40% to
about 95%, about 50% to about 60%, about 50% to about 70%, about 50% to about
80%, about 50% to
about 90%, about 50% to about 95%, about 60% to about 70%, about 60% to about
80%, about 60% to
about 90%, about 60% to about 95%, about 70% to about 80%, about 70% to about
90%, about 70% to
about 95%, about 80% to about 90%, about 80% to about 95% or about 90% to
about 95%.
[0105] An effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition can be an
amount sufficient to increase
synthesis of compounds and energy in a plant. In aspects of this embodiment,
an effective amount of a
disclosed plant agent composition is an amount sufficient to increase
synthesis of compounds and energy
in a plant by, e.g., about 10%, about 15%, about 20%, about 25%, about 30%,
about 35%, about 40%,
about 45%, about 50%, about 55%, about 60%, about 65%, about 70%, about 75%,
about 80%, about
85%, about 90% or about 95%. In other aspects of this embodiment, an effective
amount of a disclosed
plant agent composition is an amount sufficient increase synthesis of
compounds and energy in a plant by,
e.g., at least 10%, at least 15%, at least 20%, at least 25%, at least 30%, at
least 35%, at least 40%, at
least 45%, at least 50%, at least 55%, at least 60%, at least 65%, at least
70%, at least 75%, at least 80%,
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at least 85%, at least 90% or at least 95%. In still other aspects of this
embodiment, an effective amount
of a disclosed plant agent composition is an amount sufficient increase
synthesis of compounds and energy
in a plant by, e.g., at most 10%, at most 15%, at most 20%, at most 25%, at
most 30%, at most 35%, at
most 40%, at most 45%, at most 50%, at most 55%, at most 60%, at most 65%, at
most 70%, at most 75%,
at most 80%, at most 85%, at most 90% or at most 95%. In yet other aspects of
this embodiment, an
effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition is an amount
sufficient to increase synthesis of
compounds and energy in a plant by, e.g., about 10% to about 20%, about 10% to
about 30%, about 10%
to about 40%, about 10% to about 50%, about 10% to about 60%, about 10% to
about 70%, about 10% to
about 80%, about 10% to about 90%, about 10% to about 95%, about 20% to about
30%, about 20% to
about 40%, about 20% to about 50%, about 20% to about 60%, about 20% to about
70%, about 20% to
about 80%, about 20% to about 90%, about 20% to about 95%, about 30% to about
40%, about 30% to
about 50%, about 30% to about 60%, about 30% to about 70%, about 30% to about
80%, about 30% to
about 90%, about 30% to about 95%, about 40% to about 50%, about 40% to about
60%, about 40% to
about 70%, about 40% to about 80%, about 40% to about 90%, about 40% to about
95%, about 50% to
about 60%, about 50% to about 70%, about 50% to about 80%, about 50% to about
90%, about 50% to
about 95%, about 60% to about 70%, about 60% to about 80%, about 60% to about
90%, about 60% to
about 95%, about 70% to about 80%, about 70% to about 90%, about 70% to about
95%, about 80% to
about 90%, about 80% to about 95% or about 90% to about 95%.
[0106] An effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition can be an
amount sufficient to improve
the synthesis of compounds and energy needed to sustain and continue plant
growth. In aspects of this
embodiment, an effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition is an
amount sufficient to improve
the synthesis of compounds and energy needed to sustain and continue plant
growth by, e.g., about 10%,
about 15%, about 20%, about 25%, about 30%, about 35%, about 40%, about 45%,
about 50%, about
55%, about 60%, about 65%, about 70%, about 75%, about 80%, about 85%, about
90% or about 95%. In
other aspects of this embodiment, an effective amount of a disclosed plant
agent composition is an amount
sufficient improve the synthesis of compounds and energy needed to sustain and
continue plant growth by,
e.g., at least 10%, at least 15%, at least 20%, at least 25%, at least 30%, at
least 35%, at least 40%, at
least 45%, at least 50%, at least 55%, at least 60%, at least 65%, at least
70%, at least 75%, at least 80%,
at least 85%, at least 90% or at least 95%. In still other aspects of this
embodiment, an effective amount
of a disclosed plant agent composition is an amount sufficient improve the
synthesis of compounds and
energy needed to sustain and continue plant growth by, e.g., at most 10%, at
most 15%, at most 20%, at
most 25%, at most 30%, at most 35%, at most 40%, at most 45%, at most 50%, at
most 55%, at most 60%,
at most 65%, at most 70%, at most 75%, at most 80%, at most 85%, at most 90%
or at most 95%. In yet
other aspects of this embodiment, an effective amount of a disclosed plant
agent composition is an amount
sufficient to improve the synthesis of compounds and energy needed to sustain
and continue plant growth
by, e.g., about 10% to about 20%, about 10% to about 30%, about 10% to about
40%, about 10% to about
50%, about 10% to about 60%, about 10% to about 70%, about 10% to about 80%,
about 10% to about
90%, about 10% to about 95%, about 20% to about 30%, about 20% to about 40%,
about 20% to about
50%, about 20% to about 60%, about 20% to about 70%, about 20% to about 80%,
about 20% to about
90%, about 20% to about 95%, about 30% to about 40%, about 30% to about 50%,
about 30% to about
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60%, about 30% to about 70%, about 30% to about 80%, about 30% to about 90%,
about 30% to about
95%, about 40% to about 50%, about 40% to about 60%, about 40% to about 70%,
about 40% to about
80%, about 40% to about 90%, about 40% to about 95%, about 50% to about 60%,
about 50% to about
70%, about 50% to about 80%, about 50% to about 90%, about 50% to about 95%,
about 60% to about
70%, about 60% to about 80%, about 60% to about 90%, about 60% to about 95%,
about 70% to about
80%, about 70% to about 90%, about 70% to about 95%, about 80% to about 90%,
about 80% to about
95% or about 90% to about 95%.
[0107] An effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition can be an
amount sufficient to dissolve,
disperse, or otherwise remove one or more components that disrupt xylem sap
flow in xylem. In aspects
of this embodiment, an effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition
is an amount sufficient to
dissolve, disperse, or otherwise remove one or more components that disrupt
xylem sap flow in xylem by,
e.g., about 10%, about 15%, about 20%, about 25%, about 30%, about 35%, about
40%, about 45%, about
50%, about 55%, about 60%, about 65%, about 70%, about 75%, about 80%, about
85%, about 90% or
about 95%. In other aspects of this embodiment, an effective amount of a
disclosed plant agent
composition is an amount sufficient to dissolve, disperse, or otherwise remove
one or more components
that disrupt xylem sap flow in xylem by, e.g., at least 10%, at least 15%, at
least 20%, at least 25%, at least
30%, at least 35%, at least 40%, at least 45%, at least 50%, at least 55%, at
least 60%, at least 65%, at
least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90% or at least
95%. In still other aspects of
this embodiment, an effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition is
an amount sufficient to
dissolve, disperse, or otherwise remove one or more components that disrupt
xylem sap flow in xylem by,
e.g., at most 10%, at most 15%, at most 20%, at most 25%, at most 30%, at most
35%, at most 40%, at
most 45%, at most 50%, at most 55%, at most 60%, at most 65%, at most 70%, at
most 75%, at most 80%,
at most 85%, at most 90% or at most 95%. In yet other aspects of this
embodiment, an effective amount
of a disclosed plant agent composition is an amount sufficient to dissolve,
disperse, or otherwise remove
one or more components that disrupt xylem sap flow in xylem by, e.g., about
10% to about 20%, about 10%
to about 30%, about 10% to about 40%, about 10% to about 50%, about 10% to
about 60%, about 10% to
about 70%, about 10% to about 80%, about 10% to about 90%, about 10% to about
95%, about 20% to
about 30%, about 20% to about 40%, about 20% to about 50%, about 20% to about
60%, about 20% to
about 70%, about 20% to about 80%, about 20% to about 90%, about 20% to about
95%, about 30% to
about 40%, about 30% to about 50%, about 30% to about 60%, about 30% to about
70%, about 30% to
about 80%, about 30% to about 90%, about 30% to about 95%, about 40% to about
50%, about 40% to
about 60%, about 40% to about 70%, about 40% to about 80%, about 40% to about
90%, about 40% to
about 95%, about 50% to about 60%, about 50% to about 70%, about 50% to about
80%, about 50% to
about 90%, about 50% to about 95%, about 60% to about 70%, about 60% to about
80%, about 60% to
about 90%, about 60% to about 95%, about 70% to about 80%, about 70% to about
90%, about 70% to
about 95%, about 80% to about 90%, about 80% to about 95% or about 90% to
about 95%.
[0108] An effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition can be an
amount sufficient to dissolve,
disperse, or otherwise remove one or more components that disrupt
photosynthate flow in phloem. In
aspects of this embodiment, an effective amount of a disclosed plant agent
composition is an amount
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sufficient to dissolve, disperse, or otherwise remove one or more components
that disrupt photosynthate
flow in phloem by, e.g., about 10%, about 15%, about 20%, about 25%, about
30%, about 35%, about 40%,
about 45%, about 50%, about 55%, about 60%, about 65%, about 70%, about 75%,
about 80%, about
85%, about 90% or about 95%. In other aspects of this embodiment, an effective
amount of a disclosed
plant agent composition is an amount sufficient to dissolve, disperse, or
otherwise remove one or more
components that disrupt photosynthate flow in phloem by, e.g., at least 10%,
at least 15%, at least 20%, at
least 25%, at least 30%, at least 35%, at least 40%, at least 45%, at least
50%, at least 55%, at least 60%,
at least 65%, at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least
90% or at least 95%. In still
other aspects of this embodiment, an effective amount of a disclosed plant
agent composition is an amount
sufficient to dissolve, disperse, or otherwise remove one or more components
that disrupt photosynthate
flow in phloem by, e.g., at most 10%, at most 15%, at most 20%, at most 25%,
at most 30%, at most 35%,
at most 40%, at most 45%, at most 50%, at most 55%, at most 60%, at most 65%,
at most 70%, at most
75%, at most 80%, at most 85%, at most 90% or at most 95%. In yet other
aspects of this embodiment,
an effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition is an amount
sufficient to dissolve, disperse, or
otherwise remove one or more components that disrupt photosynthate flow in
phloem by, e.g., about 10%
to about 20%, about 10% to about 30%, about 10% to about 40%, about 10% to
about 50%, about 10% to
about 60%, about 10% to about 70%, about 10% to about 80%, about 10% to about
90%, about 10% to
about 95%, about 20% to about 30%, about 20% to about 40%, about 20% to about
50%, about 20% to
about 60%, about 20% to about 70%, about 20% to about 80%, about 20% to about
90%, about 20% to
about 95%, about 30% to about 40%, about 30% to about 50%, about 30% to about
60%, about 30% to
about 70%, about 30% to about 80%, about 30% to about 90%, about 30% to about
95%, about 40% to
about 50%, about 40% to about 60%, about 40% to about 70%, about 40% to about
80%, about 40% to
about 90%, about 40% to about 95%, about 50% to about 60%, about 50% to about
70%, about 50% to
about 80%, about 50% to about 90%, about 50% to about 95%, about 60% to about
70%, about 60% to
about 80%, about 60% to about 90%, about 60% to about 95%, about 70% to about
80%, about 70% to
about 90%, about 70% to about 95%, about 80% to about 90%, about 80% to about
95% or about 90% to
about 95%.
[0109] An effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition can be an
amount sufficient to dissolve,
disperse, or otherwise remove one or more components that disrupt water flow
in a pipeline network of an
irrigation system. In aspects of this embodiment, an effective amount of a
disclosed plant agent
composition is an amount sufficient to dissolve, disperse, or otherwise remove
one or more components
that disrupt water flow in a pipeline network of an irrigation system by,
e.g., about 10%, about 15%, about
20%, about 25%, about 30%, about 35%, about 40%, about 45%, about 50%, about
55%, about 60%,
about 65%, about 70%, about 75%, about 80%, about 85%, about 90% or about 95%.
In other aspects of
this embodiment, an effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition is
an amount sufficient to
dissolve, disperse, or otherwise remove one or more components that disrupt
water flow in a pipeline
network of an irrigation system by, e.g., at least 10%, at least 15%, at least
20%, at least 25%, at least
30%, at least 35%, at least 40%, at least 45%, at least 50%, at least 55%, at
least 60%, at least 65%, at
least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90% or at least
95%. In still other aspects of
this embodiment, an effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition is
an amount sufficient to
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dissolve, disperse, or otherwise remove one or more components that disrupt
water flow in a pipeline
network of an irrigation system by, e.g., at most 10%, at most 15%, at most
20%, at most 25%, at most
30%, at most 35%, at most 40%, at most 45%, at most 50%, at most 55%, at most
60%, at most 65%, at
most 70%, at most 75%, at most 80%, at most 85%, at most 90% or at most 95%.
In yet other aspects of
this embodiment, an effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition is
an amount sufficient to
dissolve, disperse, or otherwise remove one or more components that disrupt
water flow in a pipeline
network of an irrigation system by, e.g., about 10% to about 20%, about 10% to
about 30%, about 10% to
about 40%, about 10% to about 50%, about 10% to about 60%, about 10% to about
70%, about 10% to
about 80%, about 10% to about 90%, about 10% to about 95%, about 20% to about
30%, about 20% to
about 40%, about 20% to about 50%, about 20% to about 60%, about 20% to about
70%, about 20% to
about 80%, about 20% to about 90%, about 20% to about 95%, about 30% to about
40%, about 30% to
about 50%, about 30% to about 60%, about 30% to about 70%, about 30% to about
80%, about 30% to
about 90%, about 30% to about 95%, about 40% to about 50%, about 40% to about
60%, about 40% to
about 70%, about 40% to about 80%, about 40% to about 90%, about 40% to about
95%, about 50% to
about 60%, about 50% to about 70%, about 50% to about 80%, about 50% to about
90%, about 50% to
about 95%, about 60% to about 70%, about 60% to about 80%, about 60% to about
90%, about 60% to
about 95%, about 70% to about 80%, about 70% to about 90%, about 70% to about
95%, about 80% to
about 90%, about 80% to about 95% or about 90% to about 95%.
[0110] An effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition can be an
amount sufficient to improve
water transport throughout the pipeline network. In aspects of this
embodiment, an effective amount of a
disclosed plant agent composition is an amount sufficient to improve water
transport throughout the pipeline
network by, e.g., about 10%, about 15%, about 20%, about 25%, about 30%, about
35%, about 40%, about
45%, about 50%, about 55%, about 60%, about 65%, about 70%, about 75%, about
80%, about 85%,
about 90% or about 95%. In other aspects of this embodiment, an effective
amount of a disclosed plant
agent composition is an amount sufficient to improve water transport
throughout the pipeline network by,
e.g., at least 10%, at least 15%, at least 20%, at least 25%, at least 30%, at
least 35%, at least 40%, at
least 45%, at least 50%, at least 55%, at least 60%, at least 65%, at least
70%, at least 75%, at least 80%,
at least 85%, at least 90% or at least 95%. In still other aspects of this
embodiment, an effective amount
of a disclosed plant agent composition is an amount sufficient to improve
water transport throughout the
pipeline network by, e.g., at most 10%, at most 15%, at most 20%, at most 25%,
at most 30%, at most
35%, at most 40%, at most 45%, at most 50%, at most 55%, at most 60%, at most
65%, at most 70%, at
most 75%, at most 80%, at most 85%, at most 90% or at most 95%. In yet other
aspects of this
embodiment, an effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition is an
amount sufficient to improve
water transport throughout the pipeline network by, e.g., about 10% to about
20%, about 10% to about
30%, about 10% to about 40%, about 10% to about 50%, about 10% to about 60%,
about 10% to about
70%, about 10% to about 80%, about 10% to about 90%, about 10% to about 95%,
about 20% to about
30%, about 20% to about 40%, about 20% to about 50%, about 20% to about 60%,
about 20% to about
70%, about 20% to about 80%, about 20% to about 90%, about 20% to about 95%,
about 30% to about
40%, about 30% to about 50%, about 30% to about 60%, about 30% to about 70%,
about 30% to about
80%, about 30% to about 90%, about 30% to about 95%, about 40% to about 50%,
about 40% to about
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60%, about 40% to about 70%, about 40% to about 80%, about 40% to about 90%,
about 40% to about
95%, about 50% to about 60%, about 50% to about 70%, about 50% to about 80%,
about 50% to about
90%, about 50% to about 95%, about 60% to about 70%, about 60% to about 80%,
about 60% to about
90%, about 60% to about 95%, about 70% to about 80%, about 70% to about 90%,
about 70% to about
95%, about 80% to about 90%, about 80% to about 95% or about 90% to about 95%.
[0111] An effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition can be an
amount sufficient to maintain
and/or enhance the health and vigor of a plant. In aspects of this embodiment,
an effective amount of a
disclosed plant agent composition is an amount sufficient to maintain and/or
enhance the health and vigor
of a plant by, e.g., about 10%, about 15%, about 20%, about 25%, about 30%,
about 35%, about 40%,
about 45%, about 50%, about 55%, about 60%, about 65%, about 70%, about 75%,
about 80%, about
85%, about 90% or about 95%. In other aspects of this embodiment, an effective
amount of a disclosed
plant agent composition is an amount sufficient to maintain and/or enhance the
health and vigor of a plant
by, e.g., at least 10%, at least 15%, at least 20%, at least 25%, at least
30%, at least 35%, at least 40%, at
least 45%, at least 50%, at least 55%, at least 60%, at least 65%, at least
70%, at least 75%, at least 80%,
at least 85%, at least 90% or at least 95%. In still other aspects of this
embodiment, an effective amount
of a disclosed plant agent composition is an amount sufficient to maintain
and/or enhance the health and
vigor of a plant by, e.g., at most 10%, at most 15%, at most 20%, at most 25%,
at most 30%, at most 35%,
at most 40%, at most 45%, at most 50%, at most 55%, at most 60%, at most 65%,
at most 70%, at most
75%, at most 80%, at most 85%, at most 90% or at most 95%. In yet other
aspects of this embodiment,
an effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition is an amount
sufficient to maintain and/or
enhance the health and vigor of a plant by, e.g., about 10% to about 20%,
about 10% to about 30%, about
10% to about 40%, about 10% to about 50%, about 10% to about 60%, about 10% to
about 70%, about
10% to about 80%, about 10% to about 90%, about 10% to about 95%, about 20% to
about 30%, about
20% to about 40%, about 20% to about 50%, about 20% to about 60%, about 20% to
about 70%, about
20% to about 80%, about 20% to about 90%, about 20% to about 95%, about 30% to
about 40%, about
30% to about 50%, about 30% to about 60%, about 30% to about 70%, about 30% to
about 80%, about
30% to about 90%, about 30% to about 95%, about 40% to about 50%, about 40% to
about 60%, about
40% to about 70%, about 40% to about 80%, about 40% to about 90%, about 40% to
about 95%, about
50% to about 60%, about 50% to about 70%, about 50% to about 80%, about 50% to
about 90%, about
50% to about 95%, about 60% to about 70%, about 60% to about 80%, about 60% to
about 90%, about
60% to about 95%, about 70% to about 80%, about 70% to about 90%, about 70% to
about 95%, about
80% to about 90%, about 80% to about 95% or about 90% to about 95%.
[0112] An effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition can be a
dilution of a plant agent
composition disclosed herein. In aspects of this embodiment, an effective
amount of a disclosed plant
agent composition is a plant agent composition:dilutant ratio of, e.g., about
1:50, about 1:75, about 1:100,
about 1:125, about 1:150, about 1:175, about 1:200, about 1:225, about 1:250,
about 1:275, about 1:300,
about 1:325, about 1:350, about 1:375, about 1:400, about 1:425, about 1:450,
about 1:475, about 1:500,
about 1:525, about 1:550, about 1:575 or about 1:600. In other aspects of this
embodiment, an effective
amount of a disclosed plant agent composition is a plant agent
composition:dilutant ratio of, e.g., at least
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1:50, at least 1:75, at least 1:100, at least 1:125, at least 1:150, at least
1:175, at least 1:200, at least 1:225,
at least 1:250, at least 1:275, at least 1:300, at least 1:325, at least
1:350, at least 1:375, at least 1:400, at
least 1:425, at least 1:450, at least 1:475, at least 1:500, at least 1:525,
at least 1:550, at least 1:575 or at
least 1:600. In yet other aspects of this embodiment, an effective amount of a
disclosed plant agent
composition is a plant agent composition:dilutant ratio of, e.g., at most
1:50, at most 1:75, at most 1:100,
at most 1:125, at most 1:150, at most 1:175, at most 1:200, at most 1:225, at
most 1:250, at most 1:275, at
most 1:300, at most 1:325, at most 1:350, at most 1:375, at most 1:400, at
most 1:425, at most 1:450, at
most 1:475, at most 1:500, at most 1:525, at most 1:550, at most 1:575 or at
most 1:600. In other aspects
of this embodiment, an effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition
is a plant agent
composition:dilutant ratio of, e.g., about 1:50 to about 1:100, about 1:50 to
about 1:200, about 1:50 to about
1:300, about 1:50 to about 1:400, about 1:50 to about 1:500, about 1:50 to
about 1:600, about 1:100 to
about 1:200, about 1:100 to about 1:300, about 1:100 to about 1:400, about
1:100 to about 1:500, about
1:100 to about 1:600, about 1:200 to about 1:300, about 1:200 to about 1:400,
about 1:200 to about 1:500,
about 1:200 to about 1:600, about 1:300 to about 1:400, about 1:300 to about
1:500, about 1:300 to about
1:600, about 1:400 to about 1:500, about 1:400 to about 1:600 or about 1:500
to about 1:600. These plant
agent composition:dilutant ratios are typically concentrations that are an
effective amount for the disclosed
methods, uses of controlling a causal agent of a plant disease and for the
disclosed methods and uses of
increasing plant growth and/or crop production and uses of controlling a
causal agent of a plant disease
and for the disclosed methods and uses of maintaining or improving the
efficiency of an irrigation system.
[0113] In aspects of this embodiment, an effective amount of a disclosed plant
agent composition is a
plant agent composition:dilutant ratio of, e.g., about 1:500, about 1:750,
about 1:1000, about 1:1250, about
1:1500, about 1:1750, about 1:2000, about 1:2250, about 1:2500, about 1:2750,
about 1:3000, about
1:3250, about 1:3500, about 1:3750, about 1:4000, about 1:4250, about 1:4500,
about 1:4750, about
1:5000, about 1:5250, about 1:5500, about 1:5750, about 1:6000 about 1:7000,
about 1:8000, about 1:9000
or about 1:10000. In other aspects of this embodiment, an effective amount of
a disclosed plant agent
composition is a plant agent composition:dilutant ratio of, e.g., at least
1:500, at least 1:750, at least 1:1000,
at least 1:1250, at least 1:1500, at least 1:1750, at least 1:2000, at least
1:2250, at least 1:2500, at least
1:2750, at least 1:3000, at least 1:3250, at least 1:3500, at least 1:3750, at
least 1:4000, at least 1:4250, at
least 1:4500, at least 1:4750, at least 1:5000, at least 1:5250, at least
1:5500, at least 1:5750, at least
1:6000, at least 1:7000, at least 1:8000, at least 1:9000 or at least 1:10000.
In yet other aspects of this
embodiment, an effective amount of a disclosed plant agent composition is a
plant agent
composition:dilutant ratio of, e.g., at most 1:500, at most 1:750, at most
1:1000, at most 1:1250, at most
1:1500, at most 1:1750, at most 1:2000, at most 1:2250, at most 1:2500, at
most 1:2750, at most 1:3000,
at most 1:3250, at most 1:3500, at most 1:3750, at most 1:4000, at most
1:4250, at most 1:4500, at most
1:4750, at most 1:5000, at most 1:5250, at most 1:5500, at most 1:5750, at
most 1:6000 at most 1:7000,
at most 1:8000, at most 1:9000 or at most 1:10000. In other aspects of this
embodiment, an effective
amount of a disclosed plant agent composition is a plant agent
composition:dilutant ratio of, e.g., about
1:500 to about 1:1000, about 1:500 to about 1:2000, about 1:500 to about
1:3000, about 1:500 to about
1:4000, about 1:500 to about 1:5000, about 1:500 to about 1:6000, about 1:500
to about 1:7000, about
1:500 to about 1:8000, about 1:500 to about 1:9000, about 1:500 to about
1:10000, about 1:1000 to about
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1:2000, about 1:1000 to about 1:3000, about 1:1000 to about 1:4000, about
1:1000 to about 1:5000, about
1:1000 to about 1:6000, about 1:1000 to about 1:7000, about 1:1000 to about
1:8000, about 1:1000 to
about 1:9000, about 1:1000 to about 1:10000, about 1:2000 to about 1:3000,
about 1:2000 to about 1:4000,
about 1:2000 to about 1:5000, about 1:2000 to about 1:6000, about 1:2000 to
about 1:7000, about 1:2000
to about 1:8000, about 1:2000 to about 1:9000, about 1:2000 to about 1:10000,
about 1:3000 to about
1:4000, about 1:3000 to about 1:5000, about 1:3000 to about 1:6000, about
1:3000 to about 1:7000, about
1:3000 to about 1:8000, about 1:3000 to about 1:9000, about 1:3000 to about
1:10000, about 1:4000 to
about 1:5000, about 1:4000 to about 1:6000, about 1:4000 to about 1:7000,
about 1:4000 to about 1:8000,
about 1:4000 to about 1:9000, about 1:4000 to about 1:10000, about 1:5000 to
about 1:6000, about 1:5000
to about 1:7000, about 1:5000 to about 1:8000, about 1:5000 to about 1:9000,
about 1:5000 to about
1:10000, about 1:6000 to about 1:7000, about 1:6000 to about 1:8000, about
1:6000 to about 1:9000, about
1:6000 to about 1:10000, about 1:7000 to about 1:8000, about 1:7000 to about
1:9000, about 1:7000 to
about 1:10000, about 1:8000 to about 1:9000, about 1:8000 to about 1:10000 or
about 1:9000 to about
1:10000. These plant agent composition:dilutant ratios are typically
concentrations that are an effective
amount for the disclosed methods, uses of controlling a causal agent of a
plant disease and for the
disclosed methods and uses of increasing plant growth and/or crop production
and uses of controlling a
causal agent of a plant disease and for the disclosed methods and uses of
maintaining or improving the
efficiency of an irrigation system.
[0114] In aspects of this embodiment, an effective amount of a disclosed plant
agent composition has a
final concentration of, e.g., about 0.0001%, about 0.0002%, about 0.0003%,
about 0.0004%, about
0.0005%, about 0.0006%, about 0.0007%, about 0.0008%, about 0.0009%, about
0.001%, about 0.002%,
about 0.003%, about 0.004%, about 0.005%, about 0.006%, about 0.007%, about
0.008%, about 0.009%,
about 0.01%, about 0.02%, about 0. 03%, about 0.04%, about 0.05%, about 0.06%,
about 0.07%, about
0.08%, about 0.09%, about 0.1%, about 0.2%, about 0.3%, about 0.4%, about
0.5%, about 0.6%, about
0.7%, about 0.8%, about 0.9%, about 1%, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%, about
5%, about 6%, about 7%,
about 8%, about 9% or about 10%. In other aspects of this embodiment, an
effective amount of a disclosed
plant agent composition has a final concentration of, e.g., at least 0.0001%,
at least 0.0002%, at least
0.0003%, at least 0.0004%, at least 0.0005%, at least 0.0006%, at least
0.0007%, at least 0.0008%, at
least 0.0009%, at least 0.001%, at least 0.002%, at least 0.003%, at least
0.004%, at least 0.005%, at least
0.006%, at least 0.007%, at least 0.008%, at least 0.009%, at least 0.01%, at
least 0.02%, at least 0. 03%,
at least 0.04%, at least 0.05%, at least 0.06%, at least 0.07%, at least
0.08%, at least 0.09%, at least 0.1%,
at least 0.2%, at least 0.3%, at least 0.4%, at least 0.5%, at least 0.6%, at
least 0.7%, at least 0.8%, at least
0.9%, at least 1%, at least 2%, at least 3%, at least 4%, at least 5%, at
least 6%, at least 7%, at least 8%,
at least 9% or at least 10%. In yet other aspects of this embodiment, an
effective amount of a disclosed
plant agent composition has a final concentration of, e.g., at most 0.0001%,
at most 0.0002%, at most
0.0003%, at most 0.0004%, at most 0.0005%, at most 0.0006%, at most 0.0007%,
at most 0.0008%, at
most 0.0009%, at most 0.001%, at most 0.002%, at most 0.003%, at most 0.004%,
at most 0.005%, at
most 0.006%, at most 0.007%, at most 0.008%, at most 0.009%, at most 0.01%, at
most 0.02%, at most
0. 03%, at most 0.04%, at most 0.05%, at most 0.06%, at most 0.07%, at most
0.08%, at most 0.09%, at
most 0.1%, at most 0.2%, at most 0.3%, at most 0.4%, at most 0.5%, at most
0.6%, at most 0.7%, at most
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0.8%, at most 0.9%, at most 1%, at most 2%, at most 3%, at most 4%, at most
5%, at most 6%, at most
7%, at most 8%, at most 9% or at most 10%. In still other aspects of this
embodiment, an effective amount
of a disclosed plant agent composition has a final concentration of, e.g.,
about 0.0001% to about 0.0005%,
about 0.0001% to about 0.001%, about 0.0001% to about 0.005%, about 0.0001% to
about 0.01%, about
0.0001% to about 0.05%, about 0.0001% to about 0.1%, about 0.0001% to about
0.5%, about 0.0001% to
about 1%, about 0.0001% to about 5%, about 0.0001% to about 10%, about 0.0005%
to about 0.001%,
about 0.0005% to about 0.005%, about 0.0005% to about 0.01%, about 0.0005% to
about 0.05%, about
0.0005% to about 0.1%, about 0.0005% to about 0.5%, about 0.0005% to about 1%,
about 0.0005% to
about 5%, about 0.0005% to about 10%, about 0.001% to about 0.005%, about
0.001% to about 0.01%,
0.001% to about 0.05%, about 0.001% to about 0.1%, 0.001% to about 0.5%,
0.001% to about 1%, 0.001%
to about 5%, about 0.001% to about 10%, about 0.005% to about 0.01%, about
0.005% to about 0.05%,
about 0.005% to about 0.1%, about 0.005% to about 0.5%, about 0.005% to about
1%, about 0.005% to
about 5%, about 0.005% to about 10%, about 0.01% to about 0.05%, about 0.01%
to about 0.1%, about
0.01% to about 0.5%, about 0.01% to about 1%, about 0.01% to about 5%, about
0.01% to about 10%,
about 0.05% to about 0.1%, about 0.05% to about 0.5%, about 0.05% to about 1%,
about 0.05% to about
5%, about 0.05% to about 10%, about 0.1% to about 0.5%, about 0.1% to about
1%, about 0.1% to about
5%, about 0.1% to about 10%, about 0.5% to about 1%, about 0.5% to about 5%,
about 0.5% to about
10%, about 1% to about 5%, about 1% to about 10% or about 5% to about 10%.
[0115] The efficacy of a plant agent composition disclosed herein may be
monitored by determining the
adverse effect, mortality, reduced causal agent population, reduced entering
or infestation of one or more
locations, or any other assessment of damage to a causal agent population,
including, without limitation,
inhibition, arrestment, or retardation of causal agent growth, inhibition,
arrestment, or retardation of causal
agent reproduction or inhibition, arrestment, or retardation of causal agent
development, all of which are
encompassed by the term "controlling". Efficacy is also monitored by
phytotoxicity to a plants that are
infested with a causal agent population, tissue damage to the host plant
infected with a causal agent
population and any adverse effects that might be experienced by a human who is
applying a disclosed
plant agent composition to an infested plant, or otherwise exposed to a plant
agent composition disclosed
herein. Accordingly, the amount of a plant agent composition disclosed herein
used in the disclosed
methods or uses, meets the effective amount criteria above, and preferably has
minimal or no adverse
effect on ornamental and agricultural plants (such as phytotoxicity), wildlife
and humans that may come into
contact with such compositions.
[0116] Application of a plant agent composition disclosed herein can be
achieved by any process that
effectively creates microbubbles as disclosed herein and effectively exposes a
causal agent sought to be
controlled. For example any method that can introduce large concentrations of
a gas into a plant agent
composition during application is suitable because such gas introduction
enables the spontaneous
formation of microbubbles. Suitable application processes include, without
limitation, spraying, fogging,
atomizing, vaporizing, scattering, watering, squirting, sprinkling and the
like. One preferred method of
application is by a manual or mechanical application by irrigation, spraying,
fogging, atomizing or
vaporizing. Such applications provide formation of finely divided mist with
sufficient aeration during the
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application process to create microbubbles as disclosed herein. Microbubbles
exposed to a dispersion of
gas in a liquid show colloidal properties and are referred to as colloidal gas
aphrons (CGA). CGA differ from
ordinary gas bubbles in that they contain a distinctive shell layer containing
a low concentration of a
surfactant.
[0117] The microbubbles formed with a plant agent composition disclosed herein
appear to increase the
mass transfer of oxygen in liquids. Without being bound by scientific theory,
there are several possible
explanations for this difference. First, the surfactants formulated into a
plant agent composition disclosed
herein include nonionic surfactants and/or biosurfactants which significantly
alter the properties of bubble
behavior. Second, a plant agent composition disclosed herein requires a much
lower concentration of
surfactants for microbubble formation. It has been suggested that surfactant
concentrations must approach
the critical micelles concentration (CMS) of a surfactant system. In a plant
agent composition disclosed
herein, microbubbles are formed below estimated CMOs for the surfactants used.
This suggests that the
microbubbles are the result of aggregates of surfactant molecules with a loose
molecular packing more
favorable to gas mass transfer characteristics. A surface containing fewer
surfactant molecules would be
more gas permeable than a well-organized micelle containing gas. Regardless of
the mechanism, the
tendency of a plant agent composition disclosed herein to organizes into
clusters, aggregates, or gas-filled
bubbles provides a platform for reactions to occur by increasing localized
concentrations of reactants,
lowering the transition of energy required for a catalytic reaction to occur,
or some other mechanism which
has not yet been described.
[0118] In aspects of this embodiment, a microbubbles disclosed herein have a
mean diameter of, e.g.,
about 5 pm, about 10 pm, about 15 pm, about 20 pm, about 25 pm, about 30 pm,
about 40 pm, about 50
pm, about 75 pm, about 100 pm, about 150 pm, about 200 pm, about 250 pm, about
300 pm, about 350
pm, about 400 pm, about 450 pm, about 500 pm, about 550 pm, about 600 pm,
about 650 pm, about 700
pm, about 750 pm, about 800 pm, about 850 pm, about 900 pm, about 950 pm or
about 1000 pm. In other
aspects of this embodiment, a microbubbles disclosed herein have a mean
diameter of, e.g., at least 5 pm,
at least 10 pm, at least 15 pm, at least 20 pm, at least 25 pm, at least 30
pm, at least 40 pm, at least 50
pm, at least 100 pm, at least 150 pm, at least 200 pm, at least 250 pm, at
least 300 pm, at least 350 pm,
at least 400 pm, at least 450 pm, at least 500 pm, at least 550 pm, at least
600 pm, at least 650 pm, at
least 700 pm, at least 750 pm, at least 800 pm, at least 850 pm, at least 900
pm, at least 950 pm or at least
1000 pm. In other aspects of this embodiment, a microbubbles disclosed herein
have a mean diameter of,
e.g. , at most 5 pm, at most 10 pm, at most 15 pm, at most 20 pm, at most 25
pm, at most 30 pm, at most
40 pm, at most 50 pm, at most 100 pm, at most 150 pm, at most 200 pm, at most
250 pm, at most 300 pm,
at most 350 pm, at most 400 pm, at most 450 pm, at most 500 pm, at most 550
pm, at most 600 pm, at
most 650 pm, at most 700 pm, at most 750 pm, at most 800 pm, at most 850 pm,
at most 900 pm, at most
950 pm or at most 1000 pm.
[0119] In aspects of this embodiment, a microbubbles disclosed herein have a
mean diameter of, e.g.,
about 5 pm to about 10 pm, about 5 pm to about 15 pm, about 5 pm to about 20
pm, about 5 pm to about
25 pm, about 5 pm to about 30 pm, about 5 pm to about 40 pm, about 5 pm to
about 50 pm, about 5 pm to
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about 75 pm, about 5 pm to about 100 pm, about 10 pm to about 15 pm, about 10
pm to about 20 pm,
about 10 pm to about 25 pm, about 10 pm to about 30 pm, about 10 pm to about
40 pm, about 10 pm to
about 50 pm, about 10 pm to about 75 pm, about 10 pm to about 100 pm, about 15
pm to about 20 pm,
about 15 pm to about 25 pm, about 15 pm to about 30 pm, about 15 pm to about
40 pm, about 15 pm to
about 50 pm, about 15 pm to about 75 pm, about 15 pm to about 100 pm, about 20
pm to about 25 pm,
about 20 pm to about 30 pm, about 20 pm to about 40 pm, about 20 pm to about
50 pm, about 20 pm to
about 75 pm, about 20 pm to about 100 pm, about 25 pm to about 30 pm, about 25
pm to about 40 pm,
about 25 pm to about 50 pm, about 25 pm to about 75 pm, about 25 pm to about
100 pm, about 30 pm to
about 40 pm, about 30 pm to about 50 pm, about 30 pm to about 75 pm, about 30
pm to about 100 pm,
about 40 pm to about 50 pm, about 40 pm to about 75 pm, about 40 pm to about
100 pm, about 50 pm to
about 75 pm, about 50 pm to about 100 pm, about 50 pm to about 150 pm, about
50 pm to about 200 pm,
about 50 pm to about 250 pm, about 50 pm to about 300 pm, about 50 pm to about
350 pm, about 50 pm
to about 400 pm, about 50 pm to about 450 pm, about 50 pm to about 500 pm,
about 50 pm to about 550
pm, about 50 pm to about 600 pm, about 50 pm to about 650 pm, about 50 pm to
about 700 pm, about 50
pm to about 750 pm, about 50 pm to about 800 pm, about 50 pm to about 850 pm,
about 50 pm to about
900 pm, about 50 pm to about 950 pm, about 50 pm to about 1000 pm, about 100
pm to about 150 pm,
about 100 pm to about 200 pm, about 100 pm to about 250 pm, about 100 pm to
about 300 pm, about 100
pm to about 350 pm, about 100 pm to about 400 pm, about 100 pm to about 450
pm, about 100 pm to
about 500 pm, about 100 pm to about 550 pm, about 100 pm to about 600 pm,
about 100 pm to about 650
pm, about 100 pm to about 700 pm, about 100 pm to about 750 pm, about 100 pm
to about 800 pm, about
100 pm to about 850 pm, about 100 pm to about 900 pm, about 100 pm to about
950 pm, about 100 pm to
about 1000 pm, about 150 pm to about 200 pm, about 150 pm to about 250 pm,
about 150 pm to about
300 pm, about 150 pm to about 350 pm, about 150 pm to about 400 pm, about 150
pm to about 450 pm,
about 150 pm to about 500 pm, about 150 pm to about 550 pm, about 150 pm to
about 600 pm, about 150
pm to about 650 pm, about 150 pm to about 700 pm, about 150 pm to about 750
pm, about 150 pm to
about 800 pm, about 150 pm to about 850 pm, about 150 pm to about 900 pm,
about 150 pm to about 950
pm, about 150 pm to about 1000 pm, about 200 pm to about 250 pm, about 200 pm
to about 300 pm, about
200 pm to about 350 pm, about 200 pm to about 400 pm, about 200 pm to about
450 pm, about 200 pm to
about 500 pm, about 200 pm to about 550 pm, about 200 pm to about 600 pm,
about 200 pm to about 650
pm, about 200 pm to about 700 pm, about 200 pm to about 750 pm, about 200 pm
to about 800 pm, about
200 pm to about 850 pm, about 200 pm to about 900 pm, about 200 pm to about
950 pm, about 200 pm to
about 1000 pm, about 250 pm to about 300 pm, about 250 pm to about 350 pm,
about 250 pm to about
400 pm, about 250 pm to about 450 pm, about 250 pm to about 500 pm, about 250
pm to about 550 pm,
about 250 pm to about 600 pm, about 250 pm to about 650 pm, about 250 pm to
about 700 pm, about 250
pm to about 750 pm, about 250 pm to about 800 pm, about 250 pm to about 850
pm, about 250 pm to
about 900 pm, about 250 pm to about 950 pm, about 250 pm to about 1000 pm,
about 300 pm to about
350 pm, about 300 pm to about 400 pm, about 300 pm to about 450 pm, about 300
pm to about 500 pm,
about 300 pm to about 550 pm, about 300 pm to about 600 pm, about 300 pm to
about 650 pm, about 300
pm to about 700 pm, about 300 pm to about 750 pm, about 300 pm to about 800
pm, about 300 pm to
about 850 pm, about 300 pm to about 900 pm, about 300 pm to about 950 pm,
about 300 pm to about
1000 pm, about 350 pm to about 400 pm, about 350 pm to about 450 pm, about 350
pm to about 500 pm,
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about 350 pm to about 550 pm, about 350 pm to about 600 pm, about 350 pm to
about 650 pm, about 350
pm to about 700 pm, about 350 pm to about 750 pm, about 350 pm to about 800
pm, about 350 pm to
about 850 pm, about 350 pm to about 900 pm, about 350 pm to about 950 pm,
about 350 pm to about
1000 pm, about 400 pm to about 450 pm, about 400 pm to about 500 pm, about 400
pm to about 550 pm,
about 400 pm to about 600 pm, about 400 pm to about 650 pm, about 400 pm to
about 700 pm, about 400
pm to about 750 pm, about 400 pm to about 800 pm, about 400 pm to about 850
pm, about 400 pm to
about 900 pm, about 400 pm to about 950 pm, about 400 pm to about 1000 pm,
about 450 pm to about
500 pm, about 450 pm to about 550 pm, about 450 pm to about 600 pm, about 450
pm to about 650 pm,
about 450 pm to about 700 pm, about 450 pm to about 750 pm, about 450 pm to
about 800 pm, about 450
pm to about 850 pm, about 450 pm to about 900 pm, about 450 pm to about 950
pm, about 450 pm to
about 1000 pm, about 500 pm to about 550 pm, about 500 pm to about 600 pm,
about 500 pm to about
650 pm, about 500 pm to about 700 pm, about 500 pm to about 750 pm, about 500
pm to about 800 pm,
about 500 pm to about 850 pm, about 500 pm to about 900 pm, about 500 pm to
about 950 pm, about 500
pm to about 1000 pm, about 550 pm to about 600 pm, about 550 pm to about 650
pm, about 550 pm to
about 700 pm, about 550 pm to about 750 pm, about 550 pm to about 800 pm,
about 550 pm to about 850
pm, about 550 pm to about 900 pm, about 550 pm to about 950 pm, about 550 pm
to about 1000 pm, about
600 pm to about 650 pm, about 600 pm to about 700 pm, about 600 pm to about
750 pm, about 600 pm to
about 800 pm, about 600 pm to about 850 pm, about 600 pm to about 900 pm,
about 600 pm to about 950
pm, about 600 pm to about 1000 pm, about 650 pm to about 700 pm, about 650 pm
to about 750 pm, about
650 pm to about 800 pm, about 650 pm to about 850 pm, about 650 pm to about
900 pm, about 650 pm to
about 950 pm, about 650 pm to about 1000 pm, about 700 pm to about 750 pm,
about 700 pm to about
800 pm, about 700 pm to about 850 pm, about 700 pm to about 900 pm, about 700
pm to about 950 pm,
about 700 pm to about 1000 pm, about 750 pm to about 800 pm, about 750 pm to
about 850 pm, about
750 pm to about 900 pm, about 750 pm to about 950 pm, about 750 pm to about
1000 pm, about 800 pm
to about 850 pm, about 800 pm to about 900 pm, about 800 pm to about 950 pm,
about 800 pm to about
1000 pm, about 850 pm to about 900 pm, about 850 pm to about 950 pm, about 850
pm to about 1000 pm,
about 900 pm to about 950 pm, about 900 pm to about 1000 pm or about 950 pm to
about 1000 pm.
[0120] Aspects of the present specification disclose, in part, a plant. A
plant includes, by way of example,
a plant or group of plants or part of a plant, a particular area of land like
a lawn, a garden or an agricultural
field. As used herein, the term "plant" refers to any living organism
belonging to the Kingdom Plantae that
form the clade Viridiplantae. Non-limiting examples the flowering plants,
conifers and other gymnosperms,
ferns, clubmosses, hornworts, liverworts, mosses and the green algae, but
exclude the red and brown
algae, the fungi, archaea, bacteria and animals. A vascular plant include the
clubmosses, horsetails, ferns,
gymnosperms (including conifers) and angiosperms (flowering plants). The
scientific names for this group
include Tracheophyta and Tracheobionta. As used herein, the term "flower" is
synonymous with "bloom"
or "blossom" and refers the reproductive structure found in angiosperms. As
used herein, the term "crop
plant" refers to a plant that produces a crop. Non-limiting examples include
are plants that produce fruits,
seeds, nuts, grains, oil, wood, and fibers. As used herein, the term "crop"
refers to a plant product which
is of economic value. Non-limiting examples include are fruits, seeds, nuts,
grains, oil, wood, and fibers.
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[0121] Aspects of the present specification disclose, in part, a location. As
such, a plant agent composition
disclosed herein is advantageously employed in a wide variety of locations,
including without limitation,
household applications, lawn and garden applications, agriculture
applications, organic farming
applications, greenhouse and nursery applications, stored product
applications, professional plant agent
applications, foliage applications, underwater or submerged applications, soil
incorporation applications,
seedling box treatment applications, stalk injection and planting treatment
applications.
[0122] Plant disease that can be treated by a plant agent composition, method
and/or use disclosed herein
include, without limitation, an anthracnose, a blight, a canker, a club root,
a damping off, a gall, a leaf blister,
a leaf spot, a mildew, a mold, a mosaic virus disease, a rot, a rust, a scab,
a smut and a wilt.
[0123] Anthracnose, or bird's-eye spot, refers to a group of plant diseases
caused by numerous species
of fungi from the genera Colletotrichum, Gloeosporium, Glomerella and Elsinoe
that affect a variety of plants
in warm, humid areas. Commonly infecting the developing shoots and leaves,
anthracnose fungi produce
spores in tiny, sunken, saucer-shaped fruiting bodies known as acervuli.
Symptoms include small sunken
dead spots or lesions with a raised border of various colors in leaves, stems,
fruits, or flowers, and some
infections form cankers on twigs and branches. Anthracnose causes the wilting,
withering, and dying of
tissues, though the severity of the infection depends on both the causative
agent and the infected species
and can range from mere unsightliness to death. Shade trees such as sycamore,
ash, oak, and maple are
especially susceptible, though the disease is found in a number of plants,
including grasses and annuals.
Examples of anthracnoses include, without limitation, grape anthracnose
(Elsinoe ampelina), Japanese
persimmon anthracnose (Gloeosporium kaki), strawberry anthracnose (Glomerella
cingulata), gourd
anthracnose (Colletotrichum lagenarium), kidney bean anthracnose
(Colletotrichum lindemthianum), tea
anthracnose (Colletotrichum theaesinensis) and tabacco anthracnose
(Colletotrichum tabacum).
[0124] Blight refers to a group of plant diseases caused by numerous species
of fungi and bacteria
symptomatically characterized by a rapid and severe chlorosis, yellowing,
browning, spotting, withering and
then death of plant tissues such as leaves, branches, twigs, or floral organs.
Both fungal and bacterial
blights occur most often under cool moist conditions, and usually attack the
shoots and other young, rapidly
growing tissues of a plant. Most economically important plants are susceptible
to one or more blights,
including tomatoes, potatoes, and apples, as well as many ornamental species.
Blights are often named
after their causative agent, for example Colletotrichum blight is named after
the fungi Colletotrichum capsici,
and Phytophthora blight is named after the water mold Phytophthora parasitica.
Examples of blights
include, without limitation, alternaria (early) blight (Alternaria solani),
fusarium blight (Fusarium
gaminearum, F. avenaceum, F. culmorum, Microdochium nivale), Phytophthora
(late) blight (Phytophthora
infestans), rhizoctonia seeding blight (Rhizoctonia solani); rhizoctonia
aerial blight (Rhizoctonia solani),
typhula snow blight (Typhula sp.), apple blossom blight (Monilinia mali),
bacterial rice leaf blight
(Xanthomonas oryzae), chestnut blight (Cryphonectria parasitica), fire blight
of pome fruits (Erwinia
amylovora), gray blight (Pestalotiopsis sp.), leaf blight (Septoria
chrysanthemi-indici, Thanatephorus
cucumeris), net blister blight (Exobasidium reticulatum), sheath blight
(Rhizoctonia solani), Southern peanut
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blight (Sclerotium rolfsii), Southern corn leaf blight (Cochliobolus
heterostrophus, Bipolaris maydis),
soybean pod and stem blight (Diaporthe phaseolorum var. sojae) and vine blight
(Mycosphaerella melonis).
[0125] Canker refers to a group of common and widespread plant diseases cause
by numerous species
of fungi and bacteria that occurs primarily on a wide range of woody plants.
Symptoms include round-to-
irregular, sunken, swollen, flattened, or cracked, discolored, and dieback,
dead areas on the stem (cane),
twig, limb, or trunk. Cankers may enlarge and girdle a twig or branch, killing
the foliage beyond it. Canker
can structurally weaken a plant until it breaks over in the wind or during an
ice storm. Cankers also slow
the normal healing of wounds and provide entry for wood decay or wilt
producing fungi and other organisms.
They are most common on plants weakened by cold or drought stresses, insect
injury, nutritional
imbalances, nematodes, or root rot. Cankers can be classified as annual
cankers (Fusarium canker),
perennial cankers (Nectria canker, Eutypella canker) and diffuse cankers
(Botryosphaeria canker,
Phytophthora dieback, Cytospora canker). Examples of cankers include, without
limitation, fungal cankers
like aApple tree canker (Valsa ceratosperma), Botryosphaeria canker Cytospora
canker, Eutypella (maple
tree) canker, Nectria canker, Phytophthora dieback, Urnula (oak tree) canker
and bacterial cankers like
Erwinia canker, Pseudomonas canker (Pseudomonas syringae) and Xanthomonas
canker.
[0126] Club root refers to a group of plant diseases affecting members of the
cabbage family that is caused
by the soil-borne fungus, Plasmodiophora brassicae and is symptomatically
characterized by misshapen
and deformed (clubbed) roots which often cracking and rotting. As a result,
plants have difficulty absorbing
water and nutrients properly. Plants may grow slowly and wilt during the heat
of the day; plants often revive
during cool nights. Outer leaves eventually turn yellow or brown. Club root
will reduce yields and can cause
total plant loss.
[0127] Damping off refers to a group of plant diseases affecting seeds and new
seedlings and is caused
by several fungi including species of Fusarium, Phytophthora, Pythium and
Rhizoctonia including R. solani,
and is symptomatically characterized by rotting of stem and root tissues at
and below the soil surface. In
most cases, infected plants will germinate and begin to sprout, but within a
few days they become water-
soaked and mushy, fall over at the base, and die.
[0128] Galls refers to a group of plant diseases caused by fungi, bacteria,
viruses, and nematodes as well
as certain insects symptomatically characterized by an abnormal, localized
outgrowth or swelling of plant
tissue. Galls infect and kill vines, ornamental flowers, fruit trees,
brambles, shade trees, and vegetables.
Other plant disease also develop galls as a secondary consequence of infection
including cedar-apple rust;
clubroot and corn smut. Examples of galls include, without limitation, black
knot (Dibotryon morbosum)
and crown gall (Agrobacterium tumefaciens).
[0129] Leaf blister, also called leaf curl, refers to a group of plant
diseases of many woody plants and ferns
worldwide and is caused by fungi of the genus Taphrina, and is symptomatically
characterized by distorted,
curled leaves. Following cold, wet weather at budbreak, leaves become swollen,
crinkled, and distorted
with yellow, red, purple, brown, whitish, or gray blisters on the upper
surface of the leaves, with gray
depressions on the lower surface. Such leaves usually die and drop early,
weakening a plant. Defoliation
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by leaf blisters can substantially reduce fruit production and can even kill
the tree. Leaf blisters affect
peach, nectarine, plum, almond, amelanchier, apricot, birch, cherry, cherry
laurel, California buckeye, alder,
oak and poplar trees. Examples of molds include, without limitation, leaf curl
(Taphrina deformans).
[0130] Leaf Spots refers to a group of plant diseases caused by a vast number
of fungi and bacteria
symptomatically characterized by spots on the leaves of plants. Infected
plants have brown or black water-
soaked spots on the foliage, sometimes with a yellow halo, usually uniform in
size. The spots enlarge and
will run together under wet conditions. Under dry conditions the spots have a
speckled appearance. As
spots become more numerous, entire leaves may yellow, wither and drop. Fungal
leaf spots include
species from the genera Alternaria, Asterina, Asterinella, Cercospora,
Cercosporella, Cochliobolus,
Corynespora, Diplocarpon, Diplotheca, Gloeocercospora, Glomerella, Gnomonia,
Phomopsis,
Placosphaeria, Pyrenophora, Schizothyrium, Sclerotinia, Septoria and Stigmea.
Fungal leaf spot attacks
lettuce and can also occur on brassicas and other vegetables including such as
cabbage, cauliflower,
Chinese cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, kale, turnip, and
rutabaga. Fungal leaf spot will also
infect strawberry plants as well as aspen and poplar trees. Leaf spot will
also cause problems for. Fungal
leaf spots include species from the genus Pseudomonas. Bacterial leaf spot
particularly attacks members
of the Prunus family (stone fruits, including cherry, plum, almond, apricot
and peach) are particularly
susceptible to bacterial leaf spot. The fruit may appear spotted or have
sunken brown areas. Bacterial leaf
spot will also infect tomato and pepper crops as well as some annual and
perennial flowering plants
including roses, geraniums, zinnias, purple coneflowers and black-eyed susans.
Examples of wilts leaf
spots, without limitation, alternaria leaf spot (Alternaria alternata,
Alternaria brassicicola, Alternaria
japonica), black spot (Alternaria alternata, Diplocarpon rosae), brown spot
(Alternaria longipes,
Cochliobolus miyabeanus, Phomopsis vexans, Septoria glycines), cercospora leaf
spot (Cercospora
beticola), dollar spot (Sclerotinia homeocarpa), early leaf spot (Cercospora
personata), frog eye leaf spot
(Cercospora sojina), gray leaf spot (Cercospora zeae-maydis), late leaf spot
(Cercospora arachidicola),
leaf spot (Cercospora kaki, Mycosphaerella nawae), tan spot (Pyrenophora
tritici-repentis), white spot
(Cercosporella brassicae), target spot (Corynespora cassiicola) and zonate
leaf spot (Gloeocercospora
sorghi).
[0131] Mildew refers to a group of plant diseases caused by numerous fungi
symptomatically
characterized by white, gray, bluish, or violet powdery growth, usually on the
upper or lower surfaces of
leaves. Small black dots appear and produce spores that are blown by wind to
infect new plants. Leaves
will become brown and often wilt, wither, and die early when mildew is
extensive, fruits ripen prematurely
and have poor texture and flavor. Seedlings may wilt and collapse. Hundreds of
species of trees, shrubs,
vines, flowers, vegetables, fruits, grasses, field crops, garden plants, bush
fruits, and weeds can be affected
by mildew. Examples of mildews include, without limitation, downy mildew
(Basidiophora spp., Bremia
lactucae and other Bremia spp., Erysiphe graminis, Plasmopara viticola,
Podosphaera, Peronospora
destructor, Peronospora parasitica, Peronospora sparsa, Peronospora tabacina,
and other Peronospora
spp., Phytophthora spp., Plasmopara spp., Pseudoperonospora cubensis and other
Pseudoperonospora
spp., and Sclerospora spp.) and powdery mildew (Erysiphe cichoracearum,
Erysiphe graminis, Erysiphe
pisi and other Erysiphe spp., Microsphaera, Phyllactinia, Podosphaera
leucotricha and other Podosphaera
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spp., Sphaerotheca fuliginea, Sphaerotheca humuli, Sphaerotheca pannosa and
other Sphaerotheca spp.,
and Uncinula necator and other Uncinula spp.).
[0132] Mold refers to a group of plant diseases caused by several fungi
symptomatically characterized by
a powdery or woolly appearance on the surface of the infected plant part.
Molds attacks a wide range of
plants including cereals, forage grasses and turf grasses especially during
damp, cool to mild weather.
Examples of molds include, without limitation, gray mold (Botrytis cinerea),
leaf mold (Cladosporium
fulvum), pink snow mold (Fusarium nivale) and snow mold (Typhula itoana).
[0133] Mosaic virus disease refers to a group of plant diseases caused by
plant viruses and is
symptomatically characterized by the appearance of having several nutrient
deficiencies. Foliage have
yellow stripes or spots, wrinkled or curled leaves, stunted growth and reduced
yields. Infected fruit appear
mottled and develops raised "warty" areas. Mosaic virus affects a wide variety
of plants, including roses,
beans, tobacco, tomatoes, potatoes and peppers. Examples of mosaic virus
species include, without
limitation, beet mosaic virus, plum pox virus (Potyvirus spp.), tobacco mosaic
virus (Tobamovirus spp.),
cassava mosaic virus (Begomovirus spp.), cowpea mosaic virus, cucumber mosaic
virus, alfalfa mosaic
virus, panicum mosaic satellite virus, squash mosaic virus, tulip breaking
virus and zucchini yellow mosaic
virus.
[0134] Rot, also called decay, refers to a group of plant diseases caused by
any of hundreds of species
of soil-borne fungi and bacteria symptomatically characterized by plant
decomposition and putrefaction.
Decomposition and putrefaction are due to decay of roots, stems, wood,
flowers, and/or fruit. The decay
can be hard and dry, soft and squishy, watery, mushy, or slimy and may affect
any plant part. Many rots
are very active in stored fruits, roots, bulbs, or tubers. Some rot diseases
cause leaves to decay, but those
symptoms tend to be described as leaf spots and blights. Examples of rots
include, without limitation,
Aphanomyces root rot (Aphanomyces cochlioides), Phomopsis rot (Phomopsis
spp.), Phytophthora rot
(Phytophtora cactorum, Phytophthora sojae, other Phytophthora spp.),
Sclerotinia rot (Sclerotinia
sclerotiorum), bitter rot (Colletotrichum acutatum), black rot (Guignardia
bidwellii), brown rot (Monilinia
fructicola), crown rot (Phytophtora cactorum), fruit rot (Penicillium
digitatum, P. italicum), mushroom rot,
pink rot (Phytophthora Erythroseptica), ripe rot (Glomerella cingulata), root
rot (Aphanomyces spp.,
Armillaria mellea, Clitocybe tabescens, Fusarium spp., Pythium spp.,
Phytophthora spp., Thanatephorus
cucumeris), stem rot, and wood rot.
[0135] Rust refers to a group of plant diseases caused by more than 5,000
species of fungi
symptomatically characterized by yellow, orange, red, rust, brown, or black
powdery pustules which
appears as a coating on leaves, young shoots, and fruits of thousands of
economically important plants.
Plant growth and productivity are commonly reduced; some plants wither and die
back. During their life
cycle rust fungi parasitize either one species of plant (autoecious, or
monoecious, rust) or two distinct
species (heteroecious rust). Autoecious rusts include those that attack
asparagus, bean, chrysanthemum,
coffee, hollyhock, snapdragon, and sugarcane. Heteroecious rusts include those
that attack cereals,
grasses, junipers, fir, poplars, apple trees, Japanese quince, hawthorn, rose,
currant and gooseberry.
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Examples of rusts include, without limitation, asparagus rust, barley rust
(Puccinia striiformis, P. graminis,
P. hordei), black stem rust (Puccinia graminis), cedar apple rust, common rust
(Phragmidium spp.), grape
rust (Phakopsora ampelopsidis), leaf rust (Puccinia triticina triticia), pear
rust (Gymnosporangium
haraeanum), Southern rust (Puccinia polvsora), soybean rust (phakopsora
pachyrhizi), stripe (yellow) rust
(Puccinia striiformis tritici), welsh onion rust (Puccinia allii), wheat rust
(Puccinia striiformis, P. graminis, P.
recondita), white rust (Albugo spp., Puccinia horiana) and white pine rust
(Cronartium ribicola).
[0136] Scab refers to a group of plant diseases caused by several fungi and
bacteria symptomatically
characterized by hardened, overgrown, and sometimes cracked tissue
(crustaceous lesions) on fruit, tuber,
leaf, or stem. Leaves of affected plants may wither and drop early. Scabs
often affects the trees or plants
of apples, crab apples, cereals, cucumbers, peaches, pecans, photinis,
potatoes, and pyracantha. Fruit
scab can be a major problem on apples and peaches and potatoes are especially
susceptible to common
scab. Examples of scabs include, without limitation, Apple scab (Venturia
inaequalis), citris scab (Elsinoe
fawcetti), common scab (Streptomyces scabies), peach scab (Cladosporium
carpophilum), scab (Venturia
nashicola, V. pirina), powdery potato scab (Spongospora subterranean f. sp.
subterranea) and white scab
(Elsinoe leucospila).
[0137] Smuts refers to a group of plant diseases caused by fungi
symptomatically characterized by fungal
spores that accumulate in sootlike masses called son, which are formed within
blisters in seeds, leaves,
stems, flower parts, and bulbs. The son usually break up into a black powder
that is readily dispersed by
the wind. Many smut fungi enter embryos or seedling plants, develop
systemically, and appear externally
only when the plants are near maturity. Other smuts are localized, infecting
actively growing tissues. Smuts
are most commonly seen on grasses, grains, and corn (maize), sugarcane, and
sorghum. Examples of
smuts include, without limitation, barley smut (Ustilago nuda), corn smut
(Ustilago maydis, U. zeae), loose
smut (Ustilago tritici) and stinking smut (Tilletia caries).
[0138] Wilt refers to a group of plant diseases caused by numerous fungi and
bacteria and is
symptomatically characterized by permanent stunting, wilting, and withering,
often followed by the death of
all or part of the plant. Fungi causing wilt include species from the genera
Fusarium and Verticillium,
whereas bacteria causing wilt include species from the genera Corynebacterium,
Erwinia, Pseudomonas,
and Xanthomonas. Wilt affects over 500 species of trees, shrubs, vines,
flowers, house plants, vegetables,
fruits, field crops, and weeds. Examples of wilts include, without limitation,
Fusarium wilt (Fusarium
oxysporum), oak wilt (Ceratocystis fagacearum), Stewart's wilt and
Verticillium wilt (Verticillium alboatrum,
V. dahliae).
[0139] Causal agents whose population can be controlled by a plant agent
composition, method and/or
use disclosed herein include, without limitation, viruses, bacteria, fungi and
nematodes. In addition, all
stages of development can be controlled by a plant agent composition, method
and/or use disclosed herein
include, without limitation, egg, larval, nymphal, juvenile, pupal and adult.
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[0140] A plant agent composition, method and/or use disclosed herein can
control a population of causal
agents belongs to the Kingdom Monera, Kingdom Fungi and Phyla Nematoda. In an
embodiment, a plant
agent composition, method and/or use disclosed herein can control a population
of causal agents belongs
to the Domain Bacteria and Cyanobacteria (referred to as bacterial causal
agents). In aspects of this
embodiment, a plant agent composition, method and/or use disclosed herein can
control a population of
causal agents belongs to the Phylum Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Aquificae,
Armatimonadetes,
Bacteroidetes, Caldiserica, Chlamydiae, Chlorobi, Chloroflexi, Chrysiogenetes,
Cyanobacteria,
Deferribacteres, Deinococcus-Thermus, Dictyoglomi, Elusimicrobia,
Fibrobacteres, Firmicutes,
Fusobacteria, Gemmatimonadetes, Lentisphaerae, Nitrospira, Planctomycetes,
Proteobacteria,
Spirochaetes, Synergistetes, Tenericutes, Thermodesulfobacteria,
Thermomicrobia, Thermotogae or
Verrucomicrobia. A non-exhaustive list of particular genera of bacterial
causal agents includes, but is not
limited to, Agrobacterium, Corynebacterium, Cryphonectria, Erwinia,
Penicillium, Pseudomonas,
Streptomyces and Xanthomonas. A non-exhaustive list of particular species of
bacterial causal agents
includes, but is not limited to, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Cryphonectria
parasitica, Erwinia amylovora,
Penicillium digitatum, P. italicum, Pseudomonas syringae, Streptomyces scabies
and Xanthomonas
oryzae.
[0141] In another embodiment, a plant agent composition, method and/or use
disclosed herein can control
a population of causal agents belongs to the Order Virales. Referred to as
viral causal agents, a non-
exhaustive list of particular genera includes, but is not limited to,
Begomovirus, Potyvirus and Tobamovirus
[0142] In another embodiment, a plant agent composition, method and/or use
disclosed herein can control
a population of causal agents belongs to the Division Ascomycota,
Basidiomycota, Deuteromycota or
Zygomycota. Referred to as fungal causal agents, a non-exhaustive list of
particular genera includes, but
is not limited to, Albugo, Alternaria, Aphanomyces, Armillaria, Asterina,
Asterinella, Basidiophora, Bipolaris,
Botryosphaeria, Botrytis, Bremia, Ceratocystis, Cercospora, Cercosporella,
Cladosporium, Clitocybe,
Cochliobolus, Colletotrichum, Corynespora, Cronartium, Cytospora, Diaporthe,
Dibotryon, Diplocarpon,
Diplotheca, Elsinoe, Erysiphe, Eutypella, Exobasidium, Fusarium,
Gloeocercospora, Gloeosporium,
Glomerella, Gnomonia, Guignardia, Gymnosporangium, Microdochium, Microsphaera,
Monilinia,
Mycosphaerella, Nectria, Peronospora, Pestalotiopsis, Phakopsora, Phomopsis,
Phragmidium,
Phyllactinia, Phytophthora, Placosphaeria,
Plasmodiophora, Plasmopara, Podosphaera,
Pseudoperonospora, Puccinia, Pyrenophora, Pythium, Rhizoctonia, Schizothyrium,
Sclerospora,
Sclerotinia, Septoria, Sphaerotheca, Spongospora, Stigmea, Taphrina,
Thanatephorus, Tilletia, Typhula,
Uncinula, Urnula, Ustilago, Valsa, Venturia and Verticillium. A non-exhaustive
list of particular species of
fungal causal agents includes, but is not limited to, Alternaria alternata,
Alternaria brassicicola, Alternaria
japonica, Alternaria longipes, Alternaria solani, Aphanomyces cochlioides,
Armillaria mellea, Bipolaris
maydis, Botrytis cinerea, Bremia lactucae, Ceratocystis fagacearum, Cercospora
arachidicola, C. beticola,
C. kaki, C. personata, C. sojina, C. zeae-maydis, Cercosporella brassicae,
Cladosporium carpophilum, C.
fulvum, Clitocybe tabescens, Cochliobolus heterostrophus, C. miyabeanus,
Colletotrichum acutatum, C.
capsici, C. lagenarium, C. lindemthianum, C. theaesinensis, C. tabacum,
Corynespora cassiicola,
Cronartium ribicola, Diaporthe phaseolorum, Dibotryon morbosum, Diplocarpon
rosae, Elsinoe ampelina,
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E. fawcetti, E. leucospila, Erysiphe cichoracearum, E. graminis, E. pisi,
Exobasidium reticulatum, Fusarium
avenaceum, F. culmorum, F. gaminearum, F. oxysporum, F. nivale,
Gloeocercospora sorghi, Gloeosporium
kaki, Glomerella cingulata, Guignardia bidwellii, Gymnosporangium haraeanum,
Microdochium nivale,
Monilinia laxa, M. fructigena, M. fructicola, M. mali, Mycosphaerella melonis,
M. nawae, Peronospora
destructor, P. parasitica, P. sparsa, P. tabacina, Phakopsora ampelopsidis, P.
pachyrhizi, Phomopsis
juniperovora, P. vexans, Phytophtora cactorum, P. erythroseptica, P.
infestans, P. parasitica, P. sojae,
Plasmodiophora brassicae, Plasmopara viticola, Podosphaera leucotricha,
Pyrenophora tritici-repentis,
Pseudoperonospora cubensis, Puccinia allii, P. graminis, P. hordei, P.
horiana, P. polvsora, P. recondita,
P. striiformis, P. triticina triticia, Rhizoctonia solani, Sclerotinia
homeocarpa, S. rolfsii, S. sclerotiorum,
Septoria chrysanthemi-indici, S. glycines, S. lycopersici, Sphaerotheca
fuliginea, S. humuli, S. pannosa,
Spongospora subterranean, Taphrina deformans, Thanatephorus cucumeris,
Tilletia caries, Typhula
itoana, Uncinula necator, Ustilago maydis, U. nuda, U. tritici ,U. zeae, Valsa
ceratosperma, Venturia
inaequalis, V. nashicola, V. pirina, Verticillium alboatrum and V. dahlia.
[0143] In another embodiment, a plant agent composition, method and/or use
disclosed herein can control
a population of causal agents belongs to the Phylum Nematoda (round worms).
Referred to as nematode
causal agents, a non-exhaustive list of particular genera includes, but is not
limited to, Aphelenchoides,
Belonolaimus, Criconemella, Dirofilaria, Ditylenchus, Heterodera,
Hirschmanniella, Hoplolaimus,
Meloidogyne, Onchocerca, Pratylenchus, Radopholus and Rotylenchulus. A non-
exhaustive list of
particular species of nematode causal agents includes, but is not limited to,
Dirofilaria immitis, Heterodera
zeae, Meloidogyne incognita, Meloidogyne javanica, Onchocerca volvulus,
Radopholus similis, and
Rotylenchulus reniformis.
[0144] The plant agent compositions, method and uses described herein will
most likely not harm
mammals or the environment and are non-phytotoxic and can be safely applied to
economically valuable
plants or crops. Furthermore, the plant agent compositions, method and uses
described herein can be used
indoors and outdoors and will not soften, dissolve, or otherwise adversely
affect treated surfaces. Lastly,
a causal agent will not build resistance to the plant agent compositions,
method and uses described herein.
[0145] Aspects of the present specification can also be described as follows:
1. A method of controlling a causal agent of a plant disease, the method
comprising, consisting essential
of or consisting of applying an effective amount of a plant agent composition
to one or more plants
infested with a causal agent and/or applying an effective amount of a plant
agent composition to one
or more locations in a manner where the causal agent will be exposed to the
plant agent composition,
wherein application of the plant agent composition results in an adverse
effect on the causal agent of
a plant disease sought to be controlled, wherein the composition comprises,
consists essential of or
consists of a treated, fermented microbial supernatant and one or more
nonionic surfactants, wherein
the composition lacks any active enzymes or live bacteria, and wherein the
composition has a pH of at
most 5Ø
2. A method of increasing plant growth and/or crop production, the method
comprising, consisting
essential of or consisting of applying an effective amount of a plant agent
composition to one or more
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plants and/or applying an effective amount of a plant agent composition to one
or more locations where
a plant agent composition will be exposed to the one or more plants, wherein
application of the plant
agent composition results in improved absorption by root hairs, improve xylem
sap flow through xylem
and improve photosynthate flow in phloem, increased uptake of water, minerals
and other nutrients
from the soil, increase the capillary action and/or hydrostatic pressure in
xylem, and/or increase
synthesis of compounds and energy and/or disruption of one or more components
blocking xylem sap
flow and/or photosynthate flow, wherein the composition comprises, consists
essential of or consists of
a treated, fermented microbial supernatant and one or more nonionic
surfactants, wherein the
composition lacks any active enzymes or live bacteria, and wherein the
composition has a pH of at
most 5Ø
3. A method of maintaining or improving the efficiency of an irrigation
system, the method comprising,
consisting essential of or consisting of applying an effective amount of a
plant agent composition to one
or more pipes in a pipeline network of the irrigation system, wherein
application of the plant agent
composition results in adequate removal of one or more components blocking one
or more pipeline
networks of an irrigation system, wherein the composition comprises, consists
essential of or consists
of a treated, fermented microbial supernatant and one or more nonionic
surfactants, wherein the
composition lacks any active enzymes or live bacteria, and wherein the
composition has a pH of at
most 5Ø
4. Use of an effective amount of a plant agent composition for controlling a
plant disease, wherein the
composition comprises, consists essential of or consists of a treated,
fermented microbial supernatant
and one or more nonionic surfactants, wherein the composition lacks any active
enzymes or live
bacteria, and wherein the composition has a pH of at most 5Ø
5. Use of an effective amount of a plant agent composition for increasing
plant growth and/or crop
production, wherein the composition comprises, consists essential of or
consists of a treated, fermented
microbial supernatant and one or more nonionic surfactants, wherein the
composition lacks any active
enzymes or live bacteria, and wherein the composition has a pH of at most 5Ø
6. Use of an effective amount of a plant agent composition for maintaining
or improving the efficiency of
an irrigation system, wherein the composition comprises, consists essential of
or consists of a treated,
fermented microbial supernatant and one or more nonionic surfactants, wherein
the composition lacks
any active enzymes or live bacteria, and wherein the composition has a pH of
at most 5Ø
7. The method according to embodiments 1-3 or use according to embodiments
4-6, wherein the treated,
fermented microbial supernatant is from a fermented yeast supernatant, a
fermented bacterial
supernatant, a fermented mold supernatant, or any combination thereof.
8. The method or use according to embodiment 6, wherein the fermented yeast
supernatant is produced
from a species of yeast belonging to the genera Brettanomyces, Candida,
Cyberlindnera,
Cystofilobasidium, Debaryomyces, Dekkera, Fusarium, Geotrichum, Issatchenkia,
Kazachstania,
Kloeckera, Kluyveromyces, Lecanicillium, Mucor, Neurospora, Pediococcus,
Penicillium, Pichia,
Rhizopus, Rhodosporidium, Rhodotorula, Saccharomyces, Schizosaccharomyces,
Thrichosporon,
Torulaspora, Torulopsis, Verticillium, Yarrowia, Zygosaccharomyces or
Zygotorulaspora.
9. The method or use according to embodiment 6, wherein the fermented yeast
supernatant is produced
from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
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10. The method or use according to embodiment 6, wherein the fermented
bacterial supernatant is
produced from a species of bacteria belonging to the genera Acetobacter,
Arthrobacter, Aerococcus,
Bacillus, Bifidobacterium, Brachybacterium, Brevibacterium, Barnobacterium,
Carnobacterium,
Corynebacterium, Enterococcus, Escherichia, Gluconacetobacter, Gluconobacter,
Hafnia, Halomonas,
Kocuria, Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, Leuconostoc, Macrococcus, Microbacterium,
Micrococcus,
Neisseria, Oenococcus, Pediococcus, Propionibacterium, Proteus, Pseudomonas,
Psychrobacter,
Salmonella, Sporolactobacillus, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Streptomyces,
Tetragenococcus,
Vagococcus, Weissells or Zymomonas.
11. The method or use according to embodiment 6, wherein the fermented
bacterial supernatant is
produced from a species of mold belonging to the genus Aspergillus.
12. The method according to embodiments 1-3 or 7-11 or use according to
embodiments 4-11, wherein
the plant agent composition comprises at least 35% by weight of the treated
fermented microbial
supernatant.
13. The method according to embodiments 1-3 or 7-12 or use according to
embodiments 4-12, wherein
the plant agent composition comprises at most 95% by weight of the treated
fermented microbial
supernatant.
14. The method according to embodiments 1-3 or 7-13 or use according to
embodiments 4-13, wherein
the nonionic surfactant comprises, consists essential of or consists of a
polyether nonionic surfactant,
a polyhydroxyl nonionic surfactant, and/or a nonionic biosurfactant.
15. The method or use according to embodiment 14, wherein the polyhydroxyl
nonionic surfactant
comprises, consists essential of or consists of a sucrose ester, an
ethoxylated sucrose ester, a sorbital
ester, an ethoxylated sorbital ester, an alkyl glucoside, an ethoxylated alkyl
glucoside, a polyglycerol
ester, or an ethoxylated polyglycerol ester.
16. The method according to embodiments 1-3 or 7-15 or use according to
embodiments 4-15, wherein
the nonionic surfactant comprises, consists essential of or consists of an
amine oxide, an ethoxylated
alcohol, an ethoxylated aliphatic alcohol, an alkylamine, an ethoxylated
alkylamine, an ethoxylated alkyl
phenol, an alkyl polysaccharide, an ethoxylated alkyl polysaccharide, an
ethoxylated fatty acid, an
ethoxylated fatty alcohol, or an ethoxylated fatty amine, or a nonionic
surfactant having the general
formula of H(00H20H2)x0061-14R1, (00H20H2)x0R2, or H(00H20H2)x0C(0)R2, wherein
x represents
the number of moles of ethylene oxide added to an alkyl phenol and/or a fatty
alcohol or a fatty acid,
R1 represents a long chain alkyl group and, R2 represents a long chain
aliphatic group.
17. The method or use according to embodiment 16, wherein R1 is a 07-010
normal- alkyl group and/or
wherein R2 is a 012-020 aliphatic group.
18. The method according to embodiments 1-3 or 7-17 or use according to
embodiments 4-17, wherein
the nonionic surfactant is an ethoxylated nonyl phenol, an ethoxylated octyl
phenol, an ethoxylated
ceto-oleyl alcohol, an ethoxylated ceto-stearyl alcohol, an ethoxylated decyl
alcohol, an ethoxylated
dodecyl alcohol, an ethoxylated tridecyl alcohol, or an ethoxylated castor
oil.
19. The method according to embodiments 1-3 or 7-18 or use according to
embodiments 4-18, wherein
the plant agent composition comprises from about 1% to about 15% by weight of
the one or more
nonionic surfactants.
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20. The method according to embodiment 19, wherein the plant agent composition
comprises from about
5% to about 13% by weight of the one or more nonionic surfactants.
21. The method according to embodiment 20, wherein the plant agent composition
comprises from about
7% to about 11% by weight of the one or more nonionic surfactants.
22. The method according to embodiments 1-3 or 7-21 or use according to
embodiments 4-21, wherein
the plant agent composition further comprises, consists essential of or
consists of one or more anionic
surfactants.
23. The method or use according to embodiment 22, wherein the plant agent
composition comprises from
about 0.5% to about 10% by weight of the one or more anionic surfactants.
24. The method or use according to embodiment 23, wherein the plant agent
composition comprises from
about 1% to about 8% by weight of the one or more anionic surfactants.
25. The method or use according to embodiment 24, wherein the plant agent
composition comprises from
about 2% to about 6% by weight of the one or more anionic surfactants.
26. The method according to embodiments 1-3 or 7-25 or use according to
embodiments 4-25, wherein
the pH is at most 4.5.
27. The method or use according to embodiment 26, wherein the pH about 3.7 to
about 4.2.
28. The method according to embodiments 1-3 or 7-27 or use according to
embodiments 4-27, wherein
the plant agent composition is substantially non-toxic to humans, mammals,
plants and the
environment.
29. The method according to embodiments 1-3 or 7-28 or use according to
embodiments 4-28, wherein
the plant agent composition is biodegradable.
30. The method according to embodiments 1 or 7-29 or use according to
embodiments 4 or 7-29, wherein
the effective amount of the plant agent composition results in an adverse
effect to the causal agent
sought to be controlled.
31. The method or use according to embodiment 30, wherein the effective amount
of the plant agent
composition adversely effects about 70%, about 75%, about 80%, about 85%,
about 86%, about 87%,
about 88%, about 89%, about 90%, about 91%, about 92%, about 93%, about 94%,
about 95%, about
96%, about 97%, about 98% or about 99%; or at least 70%, at least 75%, at
least 80%, at least 85%,
at least 86%, at least 87%, at least 88%, at least 89%, at least 90%, at least
91%, at least 92%, at least
93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98% or
at least 99%; or at most
70%, at most 75%, at most 80%, at most 85%, at most 86%, at most 87%, at most
88%, at most 89%,
at most 90%, at most 91%, at most 92%, at most 93%, at most 94%, at most 95%,
at most 96%, at
most 97%, at most 98% or at most 99%; or about 70% to about 80%, about 70% to
about 85%, about
70% to about 90%, about 70% to about 95%, about 70% to about 99%, about 75% to
about 85%, about
75% to about 90%, about 75% to about 95%, about 75% to about 99%, about 80% to
about 90%, about
80% to about 95%, about 80% to about 99%, about 85% to about 93%, about 85% to
about 95%, about
85% to about 97%, about 85% to about 99%, about 90% to about 93%, about 90% to
about 95%, about
90% to about 97%, about 90% to about 99%, about 93% to about 95%, about 93% to
about 97%, about
93% to about 99%, about 95% to about 97% or about 95% to about 99% of the
causal agent sought to
be controlled.
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32. The method according to embodiments 1 or 7-31 or use according to
embodiments 4 or 7-31, wherein
the effective amount of the plant agent composition results in mortality of
the causal agent sought to
be controlled.
33. The method or use according to embodiment 32, wherein the effective amount
of the plant agent
composition results in mortality of about 70%, about 75%, about 80%, about
85%, about 86%, about
87%, about 88%, about 89%, about 90%, about 91%, about 92%, about 93%, about
94%, about 95%,
about 96%, about 97%, about 98% or about 99%; or at least 70%, at least 75%,
at least 80%, at least
85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, at least 88%, at least 89%, at least 90%, at
least 91%, at least 92%,
at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least
98% or at least 99%; or at
most 70%, at most 75%, at most 80%, at most 85%, at most 86%, at most 87%, at
most 88%, at most
89%, at most 90%, at most 91%, at most 92%, at most 93%, at most 94%, at most
95%, at most 96%,
at most 97%, at most 98% or at most 99%; or about 70% to about 80%, about 70%
to about 85%, about
70% to about 90%, about 70% to about 95%, about 70% to about 99%, about 75% to
about 85%, about
75% to about 90%, about 75% to about 95%, about 75% to about 99%, about 80% to
about 90%, about
80% to about 95%, about 80% to about 99%, about 85% to about 93%, about 85% to
about 95%, about
85% to about 97%, about 85% to about 99%, about 90% to about 93%, about 90% to
about 95%, about
90% to about 97%, about 90% to about 99%, about 93% to about 95%, about 93% to
about 97%, about
93% to about 99%, about 95% to about 97% or about 95% to about 99% of the
causal agent sought to
be controlled.
34. The method according to embodiments 1 or 7-33 or use according to
embodiments 4 or 7-33, wherein
the effective amount of the plant agent composition reduces the size of a
population of the causal agent
sought to be controlled.
35. The method or use according to embodiment 34, wherein the effective amount
of the plant agent
composition reduce the size of a population of a causal agent sought to be
controlled by about 70%,
about 75%, about 80%, about 85%, about 86%, about 87%, about 88%, about 89%,
about 90%, about
91%, about 92%, about 93%, about 94%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%, about
98% or about
99%; or at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 86%,
at least 87%, at least
88%, at least 89%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at
least 94%, at least 95%,
at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98% or at least 99%; or at most 70%, at
most 75%, at most 80%,
at most 85%, at most 86%, at most 87%, at most 88%, at most 89%, at most 90%,
at most 91%, at
most 92%, at most 93%, at most 94%, at most 95%, at most 96%, at most 97%, at
most 98% or at
most 99%; or about 70% to about 80%, about 70% to about 85%, about 70% to
about 90%, about 70%
to about 95%, about 70% to about 99%, about 75% to about 85%, about 75% to
about 90%, about 75%
to about 95%, about 75% to about 99%, about 80% to about 90%, about 80% to
about 95%, about 80%
to about 99%, about 85% to about 93%, about 85% to about 95%, about 85% to
about 97%, about 85%
to about 99%, about 90% to about 93%, about 90% to about 95%, about 90% to
about 97%, about 90%
to about 99%, about 93% to about 95%, about 93% to about 97%, about 93% to
about 99%, about 95%
to about 97% or about 95% to about 99%.
36. The method according to embodiments 1 or 7-35 or use according to
embodiments 4 or 7-35, wherein
the effective amount of the plant agent composition deters a population of a
causal agent sought to be
controlled from entering or infesting one or more locations.
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37. The method or use according to embodiment 36, wherein the effective amount
of the plant agent
composition deters about 70%, about 75%, about 80%, about 85%, about 86%,
about 87%, about 88%,
about 89%, about 90%, about 91%, about 92%, about 93%, about 94%, about 95%,
about 96%, about
97%, about 98% or about 99%; or at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at
least 85%, at least 86%,
at least 87%, at least 88%, at least 89%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least
92%, at least 93%, at least
94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98% or at least 99%;
or at most 70%, at most
75%, at most 80%, at most 85%, at most 86%, at most 87%, at most 88%, at most
89%, at most 90%,
at most 91%, at most 92%, at most 93%, at most 94%, at most 95%, at most 96%,
at most 97%, at
most 98% or at most 99%; or about 70% to about 80%, about 70% to about 85%,
about 70% to about
90%, about 70% to about 95%, about 70% to about 99%, about 75% to about 85%,
about 75% to about
90%, about 75% to about 95%, about 75% to about 99%, about 80% to about 90%,
about 80% to about
95%, about 80% to about 99%, about 85% to about 93%, about 85% to about 95%,
about 85% to about
97%, about 85% to about 99%, about 90% to about 93%, about 90% to about 95%,
about 90% to about
97%, about 90% to about 99%, about 93% to about 95%, about 93% to about 97%,
about 93% to about
99%, about 95% to about 97% or about 95% to about 99% of a population of the
causal agent from
entering or infesting one or more locations.
38. The method according to embodiments 2 or 7-29 or use according to
embodiments 5 or 7-29, wherein
the effective amount of the plant agent composition improves absorption of
water, minerals and other
nutrients from the soil by root hairs.
39. The method or use according to embodiment 38, wherein the effective amount
of the plant agent
composition improves absorption of water, minerals and other nutrients from
the soil by root hairs by
about 70%, about 75%, about 80%, about 85%, about 86%, about 87%, about 88%,
about 89%, about
90%, about 91%, about 92%, about 93%, about 94%, about 95%, about 96%, about
97%, about 98%
or about 99%; or at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at
least 86%, at least 87%, at
least 88%, at least 89%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least
93%, at least 94%, at least
95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98% or at least 99%; or at most 70%,
at most 75%, at most
80%, at most 85%, at most 86%, at most 87%, at most 88%, at most 89%, at most
90%, at most 91%,
at most 92%, at most 93%, at most 94%, at most 95%, at most 96%, at most 97%,
at most 98% or at
most 99%; or about 70% to about 80%, about 70% to about 85%, about 70% to
about 90%, about 70%
to about 95%, about 70% to about 99%, about 75% to about 85%, about 75% to
about 90%, about 75%
to about 95%, about 75% to about 99%, about 80% to about 90%, about 80% to
about 95%, about 80%
to about 99%, about 85% to about 93%, about 85% to about 95%, about 85% to
about 97%, about 85%
to about 99%, about 90% to about 93%, about 90% to about 95%, about 90% to
about 97%, about 90%
to about 99%, about 93% to about 95%, about 93% to about 97%, about 93% to
about 99%, about 95%
to about 97% or about 95% to about 99%.
40. The method according to embodiments 2, 7-29 or 38-39 or use according to
embodiments 5, 7-29 or
38-39, wherein the effective amount of the plant agent composition improves
xylem sap flow through
xylem.
41. The method or use according to embodiment 40, wherein the effective amount
of the plant agent
composition improves xylem sap flow through xylem by about 70%, about 75%,
about 80%, about 85%,
about 86%, about 87%, about 88%, about 89%, about 90%, about 91%, about 92%,
about 93%, about
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94%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%, about 98% or about 99%; or at least 70%,
at least 75%, at
least 80%, at least 85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, at least 88%, at least
89%, at least 90%, at least
91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at
least 97%, at least 98%
or at least 99%; or at most 70%, at most 75%, at most 80%, at most 85%, at
most 86%, at most 87%,
at most 88%, at most 89%, at most 90%, at most 91%, at most 92%, at most 93%,
at most 94%, at
most 95%, at most 96%, at most 97%, at most 98% or at most 99%; or about 70%
to about 80%, about
70% to about 85%, about 70% to about 90%, about 70% to about 95%, about 70% to
about 99%, about
75% to about 85%, about 75% to about 90%, about 75% to about 95%, about 75% to
about 99%, about
80% to about 90%, about 80% to about 95%, about 80% to about 99%, about 85% to
about 93%, about
85% to about 95%, about 85% to about 97%, about 85% to about 99%, about 90% to
about 93%, about
90% to about 95%, about 90% to about 97%, about 90% to about 99%, about 93% to
about 95%, about
93% to about 97%, about 93% to about 99%, about 95% to about 97% or about 95%
to about 99%.
42. The method according to embodiments 2, 7-29 or 38-41 or use according to
embodiments 5, 7-29 or
38-41, wherein the effective amount of the plant agent composition improves
photosynthate flow in
phloem.
43. The method or use according to embodiment 42, wherein the effective amount
of the plant agent
composition improves photosynthate flow in phloem by about 70%, about 75%,
about 80%, about 85%,
about 86%, about 87%, about 88%, about 89%, about 90%, about 91%, about 92%,
about 93%, about
94%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%, about 98% or about 99%; or at least 70%,
at least 75%, at
least 80%, at least 85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, at least 88%, at least
89%, at least 90%, at least
91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at
least 97%, at least 98%
or at least 99%; or at most 70%, at most 75%, at most 80%, at most 85%, at
most 86%, at most 87%,
at most 88%, at most 89%, at most 90%, at most 91%, at most 92%, at most 93%,
at most 94%, at
most 95%, at most 96%, at most 97%, at most 98% or at most 99%; or about 70%
to about 80%, about
70% to about 85%, about 70% to about 90%, about 70% to about 95%, about 70% to
about 99%, about
75% to about 85%, about 75% to about 90%, about 75% to about 95%, about 75% to
about 99%, about
80% to about 90%, about 80% to about 95%, about 80% to about 99%, about 85% to
about 93%, about
85% to about 95%, about 85% to about 97%, about 85% to about 99%, about 90% to
about 93%, about
90% to about 95%, about 90% to about 97%, about 90% to about 99%, about 93% to
about 95%, about
93% to about 97%, about 93% to about 99%, about 95% to about 97% or about 95%
to about 99%.
44. The method according to embodiments 2, 7-29 or 38-43 or use according to
embodiments 5, 7-29 or
38-43, wherein the effective amount of the plant agent composition increases
uptake of water, minerals
and other nutrients from the soil.
45. The method or use according to embodiment 44, wherein the effective amount
of the plant agent
composition increases uptake of water, minerals and other nutrients from the
soil by about 70%, about
75%, about 80%, about 85%, about 86%, about 87%, about 88%, about 89%, about
90%, about 91%,
about 92%, about 93%, about 94%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%, about 98% or
about 99%; or
at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 86%, at least
87%, at least 88%, at least
89%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at
least 95%, at least 96%,
at least 97%, at least 98% or at least 99%; or at most 70%, at most 75%, at
most 80%, at most 85%,
at most 86%, at most 87%, at most 88%, at most 89%, at most 90%, at most 91%,
at most 92%, at
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most 93%, at most 94%, at most 95%, at most 96%, at most 97%, at most 98% or
at most 99%; or
about 70% to about 80%, about 70% to about 85%, about 70% to about 90%, about
70% to about 95%,
about 70% to about 99%, about 75% to about 85%, about 75% to about 90%, about
75% to about 95%,
about 75% to about 99%, about 80% to about 90%, about 80% to about 95%, about
80% to about 99%,
about 85% to about 93%, about 85% to about 95%, about 85% to about 97%, about
85% to about 99%,
about 90% to about 93%, about 90% to about 95%, about 90% to about 97%, about
90% to about 99%,
about 93% to about 95%, about 93% to about 97%, about 93% to about 99%, about
95% to about 97%
or about 95% to about 99%.
46. The method according to embodiments 2, 7-29 or 38-45 or use according to
embodiments 5, 7-29 or
38-45, wherein the effective amount of the plant agent composition increases
capillary action and/or
hydrostatic pressure in xylem.
47. The method or use according to embodiment 46, wherein the effective amount
of the plant agent
composition increases capillary action and/or hydrostatic pressure in xylem by
about 70%, about 75%,
about 80%, about 85%, about 86%, about 87%, about 88%, about 89%, about 90%,
about 91%, about
92%, about 93%, about 94%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%, about 98% or about
99%; or at least
70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, at
least 88%, at least 89%,
at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least
95%, at least 96%, at least
97%, at least 98% or at least 99%; or at most 70%, at most 75%, at most 80%,
at most 85%, at most
86%, at most 87%, at most 88%, at most 89%, at most 90%, at most 91%, at most
92%, at most 93%,
at most 94%, at most 95%, at most 96%, at most 97%, at most 98% or at most
99%; or about 70% to
about 80%, about 70% to about 85%, about 70% to about 90%, about 70% to about
95%, about 70%
to about 99%, about 75% to about 85%, about 75% to about 90%, about 75% to
about 95%, about 75%
to about 99%, about 80% to about 90%, about 80% to about 95%, about 80% to
about 99%, about 85%
to about 93%, about 85% to about 95%, about 85% to about 97%, about 85% to
about 99%, about 90%
to about 93%, about 90% to about 95%, about 90% to about 97%, about 90% to
about 99%, about 93%
to about 95%, about 93% to about 97%, about 93% to about 99%, about 95% to
about 97% or about
95% to about 99%.
48. The method according to embodiments 2, 7-29 or 38-47 or use according to
embodiments 5, 7-29 or
38-47, wherein the effective amount of the plant agent composition improves
transportation of raw
materials through the plant.
49. The method or use according to embodiment 48, wherein the effective amount
of the plant agent
composition improves transportation of raw materials through the plant by
about 70%, about 75%,
about 80%, about 85%, about 86%, about 87%, about 88%, about 89%, about 90%,
about 91%, about
92%, about 93%, about 94%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%, about 98% or about
99%; or at least
70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, at
least 88%, at least 89%,
at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least
95%, at least 96%, at least
97%, at least 98% or at least 99%; or at most 70%, at most 75%, at most 80%,
at most 85%, at most
86%, at most 87%, at most 88%, at most 89%, at most 90%, at most 91%, at most
92%, at most 93%,
at most 94%, at most 95%, at most 96%, at most 97%, at most 98% or at most
99%; or about 70% to
about 80%, about 70% to about 85%, about 70% to about 90%, about 70% to about
95%, about 70%
to about 99%, about 75% to about 85%, about 75% to about 90%, about 75% to
about 95%, about 75%
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to about 99%, about 80% to about 90%, about 80% to about 95%, about 80% to
about 99%, about 85%
to about 93%, about 85% to about 95%, about 85% to about 97%, about 85% to
about 99%, about 90%
to about 93%, about 90% to about 95%, about 90% to about 97%, about 90% to
about 99%, about 93%
to about 95%, about 93% to about 97%, about 93% to about 99%, about 95% to
about 97% or about
95% to about 99%.
50. The method according to embodiments 2, 7-29 or 38-49 or use according to
embodiments 5, 7-29 or
38-49, wherein the effective amount of the plant agent composition increases
synthesis of compounds
and energy in the plant.
51. The method or use according to embodiment 50, wherein the effective amount
of the plant agent
composition increases synthesis of compounds and energy in the plant by about
70%, about 75%,
about 80%, about 85%, about 86%, about 87%, about 88%, about 89%, about 90%,
about 91%, about
92%, about 93%, about 94%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%, about 98% or about
99%; or at least
70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, at
least 88%, at least 89%,
at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least
95%, at least 96%, at least
97%, at least 98% or at least 99%; or at most 70%, at most 75%, at most 80%,
at most 85%, at most
86%, at most 87%, at most 88%, at most 89%, at most 90%, at most 91%, at most
92%, at most 93%,
at most 94%, at most 95%, at most 96%, at most 97%, at most 98% or at most
99%; or about 70% to
about 80%, about 70% to about 85%, about 70% to about 90%, about 70% to about
95%, about 70%
to about 99%, about 75% to about 85%, about 75% to about 90%, about 75% to
about 95%, about 75%
to about 99%, about 80% to about 90%, about 80% to about 95%, about 80% to
about 99%, about 85%
to about 93%, about 85% to about 95%, about 85% to about 97%, about 85% to
about 99%, about 90%
to about 93%, about 90% to about 95%, about 90% to about 97%, about 90% to
about 99%, about 93%
to about 95%, about 93% to about 97%, about 93% to about 99%, about 95% to
about 97% or about
95% to about 99%.
52. The method according to embodiments 2, 7-29 or 38-51 or use according to
embodiments 5, 7-29 or
38-51, wherein the effective amount of the plant agent composition improves
synthesis of compounds
and energy needed to sustain and continue plant growth.
53. The method or use according to embodiment 52, wherein the effective amount
of the plant agent
composition improves synthesis of compounds and energy needed to sustain and
continue plant growth
by about 70%, about 75%, about 80%, about 85%, about 86%, about 87%, about
88%, about 89%,
about 90%, about 91%, about 92%, about 93%, about 94%, about 95%, about 96%,
about 97%, about
98% or about 99%; or at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%,
at least 86%, at least
87%, at least 88%, at least 89%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at
least 93%, at least 94%,
at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98% or at least 99%; or at
most 70%, at most 75%,
at most 80%, at most 85%, at most 86%, at most 87%, at most 88%, at most 89%,
at most 90%, at
most 91%, at most 92%, at most 93%, at most 94%, at most 95%, at most 96%, at
most 97%, at most
98% or at most 99%; or about 70% to about 80%, about 70% to about 85%, about
70% to about 90%,
about 70% to about 95%, about 70% to about 99%, about 75% to about 85%, about
75% to about 90%,
about 75% to about 95%, about 75% to about 99%, about 80% to about 90%, about
80% to about 95%,
about 80% to about 99%, about 85% to about 93%, about 85% to about 95%, about
85% to about 97%,
about 85% to about 99%, about 90% to about 93%, about 90% to about 95%, about
90% to about 97%,
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about 90% to about 99%, about 93% to about 95%, about 93% to about 97%, about
93% to about 99%,
about 95% to about 97% or about 95% to about 99%.
54. The method according to embodiments 2, 7-29 or 38-53 or use according to
embodiments 5, 7-29 or
38-53, wherein the effective amount of the plant agent composition dissolves,
disperses, or otherwise
removes one or more components that disrupt xylem sap flow in xylem.
55. The method or use according to embodiment 54, wherein the effective amount
of the plant agent
composition dissolves, disperses, or otherwise removes one or more components
that disrupt xylem
sap flow in xylem by about 70%, about 75%, about 80%, about 85%, about 86%,
about 87%, about
88%, about 89%, about 90%, about 91%, about 92%, about 93%, about 94%, about
95%, about 96%,
about 97%, about 98% or about 99%; or at least 70%, at least 75%, at least
80%, at least 85%, at least
86%, at least 87%, at least 88%, at least 89%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at
least 92%, at least 93%,
at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98% or at
least 99%; or at most 70%,
at most 75%, at most 80%, at most 85%, at most 86%, at most 87%, at most 88%,
at most 89%, at
most 90%, at most 91%, at most 92%, at most 93%, at most 94%, at most 95%, at
most 96%, at most
97%, at most 98% or at most 99%; or about 70% to about 80%, about 70% to about
85%, about 70%
to about 90%, about 70% to about 95%, about 70% to about 99%, about 75% to
about 85%, about 75%
to about 90%, about 75% to about 95%, about 75% to about 99%, about 80% to
about 90%, about 80%
to about 95%, about 80% to about 99%, about 85% to about 93%, about 85% to
about 95%, about 85%
to about 97%, about 85% to about 99%, about 90% to about 93%, about 90% to
about 95%, about 90%
to about 97%, about 90% to about 99%, about 93% to about 95%, about 93% to
about 97%, about 93%
to about 99%, about 95% to about 97% or about 95% to about 99%.
56. The method according to embodiments 2, 7-29 or 38-55 or use according to
embodiments 5, 7-29 or
38-55, wherein the effective amount of the plant agent composition dissolves,
disperses, or otherwise
removes one or more components that disrupt photosynthate flow in phloem.
57. The method or use according to embodiment 56, wherein the effective amount
of the plant agent
composition dissolves, disperses, or otherwise removes one or more components
that disrupt
photosynthate flow in phloem by about 70%, about 75%, about 80%, about 85%,
about 86%, about
87%, about 88%, about 89%, about 90%, about 91%, about 92%, about 93%, about
94%, about 95%,
about 96%, about 97%, about 98% or about 99%; or at least 70%, at least 75%,
at least 80%, at least
85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, at least 88%, at least 89%, at least 90%, at
least 91%, at least 92%,
at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least
98% or at least 99%; or at
most 70%, at most 75%, at most 80%, at most 85%, at most 86%, at most 87%, at
most 88%, at most
89%, at most 90%, at most 91%, at most 92%, at most 93%, at most 94%, at most
95%, at most 96%,
at most 97%, at most 98% or at most 99%; or about 70% to about 80%, about 70%
to about 85%, about
70% to about 90%, about 70% to about 95%, about 70% to about 99%, about 75% to
about 85%, about
75% to about 90%, about 75% to about 95%, about 75% to about 99%, about 80% to
about 90%, about
80% to about 95%, about 80% to about 99%, about 85% to about 93%, about 85% to
about 95%, about
85% to about 97%, about 85% to about 99%, about 90% to about 93%, about 90% to
about 95%, about
90% to about 97%, about 90% to about 99%, about 93% to about 95%, about 93% to
about 97%, about
93% to about 99%, about 95% to about 97% or about 95% to about 99%.
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58. The method according to embodiments 3 or 7-29 or use according to
embodiments 6-29, wherein the
effective amount of the plant agent composition dissolves, disperses, or
otherwise removes one or
more components that disrupt water flow in a pipeline network of an irrigation
system.
59. The method or use according to embodiment 58, wherein the effective amount
of the plant agent
composition dissolves, disperses, or otherwise removes one or more components
that disrupt water
flow in a pipeline network of an irrigation system by about 70%, about 75%,
about 80%, about 85%,
about 86%, about 87%, about 88%, about 89%, about 90%, about 91%, about 92%,
about 93%, about
94%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%, about 98% or about 99%; or at least 70%,
at least 75%, at
least 80%, at least 85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, at least 88%, at least
89%, at least 90%, at least
91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at
least 97%, at least 98%
or at least 99%; or at most 70%, at most 75%, at most 80%, at most 85%, at
most 86%, at most 87%,
at most 88%, at most 89%, at most 90%, at most 91%, at most 92%, at most 93%,
at most 94%, at
most 95%, at most 96%, at most 97%, at most 98% or at most 99%; or about 70%
to about 80%, about
70% to about 85%, about 70% to about 90%, about 70% to about 95%, about 70% to
about 99%, about
75% to about 85%, about 75% to about 90%, about 75% to about 95%, about 75% to
about 99%, about
80% to about 90%, about 80% to about 95%, about 80% to about 99%, about 85% to
about 93%, about
85% to about 95%, about 85% to about 97%, about 85% to about 99%, about 90% to
about 93%, about
90% to about 95%, about 90% to about 97%, about 90% to about 99%, about 93% to
about 95%, about
93% to about 97%, about 93% to about 99%, about 95% to about 97% or about 95%
to about 99%.
60. The method according to embodiments 3, 7-29 or 58-59 or use according to
embodiments 6-29 or 58-
59, wherein the effective amount of the plant agent composition improves water
transport throughout
the pipeline network of an irrigation system.
61. The method or use according to embodiment 60, wherein the effective amount
of the plant agent
composition improves water transport throughout the pipeline network of an
irrigation system by about
70%, about 75%, about 80%, about 85%, about 86%, about 87%, about 88%, about
89%, about 90%,
about 91%, about 92%, about 93%, about 94%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%,
about 98% or
about 99%; or at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least
86%, at least 87%, at
least 88%, at least 89%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least
93%, at least 94%, at least
95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98% or at least 99%; or at most 70%,
at most 75%, at most
80%, at most 85%, at most 86%, at most 87%, at most 88%, at most 89%, at most
90%, at most 91%,
at most 92%, at most 93%, at most 94%, at most 95%, at most 96%, at most 97%,
at most 98% or at
most 99%; or about 70% to about 80%, about 70% to about 85%, about 70% to
about 90%, about 70%
to about 95%, about 70% to about 99%, about 75% to about 85%, about 75% to
about 90%, about 75%
to about 95%, about 75% to about 99%, about 80% to about 90%, about 80% to
about 95%, about 80%
to about 99%, about 85% to about 93%, about 85% to about 95%, about 85% to
about 97%, about 85%
to about 99%, about 90% to about 93%, about 90% to about 95%, about 90% to
about 97%, about 90%
to about 99%, about 93% to about 95%, about 93% to about 97%, about 93% to
about 99%, about 95%
to about 97% or about 95% to about 99%.
62. The method according to embodiments 1-3 or 7-61 or use according to
embodiments 4-61, wherein
the effective amount of the plant agent composition maintains and/or enhances
the health and vigor of
a plant.
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63. The method or use according to embodiment 62, wherein the effective amount
of the plant agent
composition maintains and/or enhances the health and vigor of a plant by about
70%, about 75%, about
80%, about 85%, about 86%, about 87%, about 88%, about 89%, about 90%, about
91%, about 92%,
about 93%, about 94%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%, about 98% or about 99%;
or at least 70%,
at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, at least
88%, at least 89%, at least
90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at
least 96%, at least 97%,
at least 98% or at least 99%; or at most 70%, at most 75%, at most 80%, at
most 85%, at most 86%,
at most 87%, at most 88%, at most 89%, at most 90%, at most 91%, at most 92%,
at most 93%, at
most 94%, at most 95%, at most 96%, at most 97%, at most 98% or at most 99%;
or about 70% to
about 80%, about 70% to about 85%, about 70% to about 90%, about 70% to about
95%, about 70%
to about 99%, about 75% to about 85%, about 75% to about 90%, about 75% to
about 95%, about 75%
to about 99%, about 80% to about 90%, about 80% to about 95%, about 80% to
about 99%, about 85%
to about 93%, about 85% to about 95%, about 85% to about 97%, about 85% to
about 99%, about 90%
to about 93%, about 90% to about 95%, about 90% to about 97%, about 90% to
about 99%, about 93%
to about 95%, about 93% to about 97%, about 93% to about 99%, about 95% to
about 97% or about
95% to about 99%.
64. The method according to embodiments 1-3 or 7-63 or use according to
embodiments 4-63, wherein
the effective amount of the plant agent composition is a plant agent
composition:dilutant ratio of about
1:50, about 1:75, about 1:100, about 1:125, about 1:150, about 1:175, about
1:200, about 1:225, about
1:250, about 1:275, about 1:300, about 1:325, about 1:350, about 1:375, about
1:400, about 1:425,
about 1:450, about 1:475, about 1:500, about 1:525, about 1:550, about 1:575
or about 1:600; or at
least 1:50, at least 1:75, at least 1:100, at least 1:125, at least 1:150, at
least 1:175, at least 1:200, at
least 1:225, at least 1:250, at least 1:275, at least 1:300, at least 1:325,
at least 1:350, at least 1:375,
at least 1:400, at least 1:425, at least 1:450, at least 1:475, at least
1:500, at least 1:525, at least 1:550,
at least 1:575 or at least 1:600; or at most 1:50, at most 1:75, at most
1:100, at most 1:125, at most
1:150, at most 1:175, at most 1:200, at most 1:225, at most 1:250, at most
1:275, at most 1:300, at
most 1:325, at most 1:350, at most 1:375, at most 1:400, at most 1:425, at
most 1:450, at most 1:475,
at most 1:500, at most 1:525, at most 1:550, at most 1:575 or at most 1:600;
or about 1:50 to about
1:100, about 1:50 to about 1:200, about 1:50 to about 1:300, about 1:50 to
about 1:400, about 1:50 to
about 1:500, about 1:50 to about 1:600, about 1:100 to about 1:200, about
1:100 to about 1:300, about
1:100 to about 1:400, about 1:100 to about 1:500, about 1:100 to about 1:600,
about 1:200 to about
1:300, about 1:200 to about 1:400, about 1:200 to about 1:500, about 1:200 to
about 1:600, about 1:300
to about 1:400, about 1:300 to about 1:500, about 1:300 to about 1:600, about
1:400 to about 1:500,
about 1:400 to about 1:600 or about 1:500 to about 1:600.
65. The method according to embodiments 1-3 or 7-63 or use according to
embodiments 4-63, wherein
the effective amount of the plant agent composition is a plant agent
composition:dilutant ratio of about
1:500, about 1:750, about 1:1000, about 1:1250, about 1:1500, about 1:1750,
about 1:2000, about
1:2250, about 1:2500, about 1:2750, about 1:3000, about 1:3250, about 1:3500,
about 1:3750, about
1:4000, about 1:4250, about 1:4500, about 1:4750, about 1:5000, about 1:5250,
about 1:5500, about
1:5750, about 1:6000 about 1:7000, about 1:8000, about 1:9000 or about
1:10000; or at least 1:500, at
least 1:750, at least 1:1000, at least 1:1250, at least 1:1500, at least
1:1750, at least 1:2000, at least
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1:2250, at least 1:2500, at least 1:2750, at least 1:3000, at least 1:3250, at
least 1:3500, at least 1:3750,
at least 1:4000, at least 1:4250, at least 1:4500, at least 1:4750, at least
1:5000, at least 1:5250, at
least 1:5500, at least 1:5750, at least 1:6000, at least 1:7000, at least
1:8000, at least 1:9000 or at least
1:10000; or at most 1:500, at most 1:750, at most 1:1000, at most 1:1250, at
most 1:1500, at most
1:1750, at most 1:2000, at most 1:2250, at most 1:2500, at most 1:2750, at
most 1:3000, at most
1:3250, at most 1:3500, at most 1:3750, at most 1:4000, at most 1:4250, at
most 1:4500, at most
1:4750, at most 1:5000, at most 1:5250, at most 1:5500, at most 1:5750, at
most 1:6000 at most 1:7000,
at most 1:8000, at most 1:9000 or at most 1:10000; or about 1:500 to about
1:1000, about 1:500 to
about 1:2000, about 1:500 to about 1:3000, about 1:500 to about 1:4000, about
1:500 to about 1:5000,
about 1:500 to about 1:6000, about 1:500 to about 1:7000, about 1:500 to about
1:8000, about 1:500
to about 1:9000, about 1:500 to about 1:10000, about 1:1000 to about 1:2000,
about 1:1000 to about
1:3000, about 1:1000 to about 1:4000, about 1:1000 to about 1:5000, about
1:1000 to about 1:6000,
about 1:1000 to about 1:7000, about 1:1000 to about 1:8000, about 1:1000 to
about 1:9000, about
1:1000 to about 1:10000, about 1:2000 to about 1:3000, about 1:2000 to about
1:4000, about 1:2000
to about 1:5000, about 1:2000 to about 1:6000, about 1:2000 to about 1:7000,
about 1:2000 to about
1:8000, about 1:2000 to about 1:9000, about 1:2000 to about 1:10000, about
1:3000 to about 1:4000,
about 1:3000 to about 1:5000, about 1:3000 to about 1:6000, about 1:3000 to
about 1:7000, about
1:3000 to about 1:8000, about 1:3000 to about 1:9000, about 1:3000 to about
1:10000, about 1:4000
to about 1:5000, about 1:4000 to about 1:6000, about 1:4000 to about 1:7000,
about 1:4000 to about
1:8000, about 1:4000 to about 1:9000, about 1:4000 to about 1:10000, about
1:5000 to about 1:6000,
about 1:5000 to about 1:7000, about 1:5000 to about 1:8000, about 1:5000 to
about 1:9000, about
1:5000 to about 1:10000, about 1:6000 to about 1:7000, about 1:6000 to about
1:8000, about 1:6000
to about 1:9000, about 1:6000 to about 1:10000, about 1:7000 to about 1:8000,
about 1:7000 to about
1:9000, about 1:7000 to about 1:10000, about 1:8000 to about 1:9000, about
1:8000 to about 1:10000
or about 1:9000 to about 1:10000.
66. The method according to embodiments 1-3 or 7-65 or use according to
embodiments 4-65, wherein
the effective amount of the plant agent composition has a final concentration
of about 0.0001%, about
0.0002%, about 0.0003%, about 0.0004%, about 0.0005%, about 0.0006%, about
0.0007%, about
0.0008%, about 0.0009%, about 0.001%, about 0.002%, about 0.003%, about
0.004%, about 0.005%,
about 0.006%, about 0.007%, about 0.008%, about 0.009%, about 0.01%, about
0.02%, about 0. 03%,
about 0.04%, about 0.05%, about 0.06%, about 0.07%, about 0.08%, about 0.09%,
about 0.1%, about
0.2%, about 0.3%, about 0.4%, about 0.5%, about 0.6%, about 0.7%, about 0.8%,
about 0.9%, about
1%, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%, about 5%, about 6%, about 7%, about 8%,
about 9% or about
10%; or at least 0.0001%, at least 0.0002%, at least 0.0003%, at least
0.0004%, at least 0.0005%, at
least 0.0006%, at least 0.0007%, at least 0.0008%, at least 0.0009%, at least
0.001%, at least 0.002%,
at least 0.003%, at least 0.004%, at least 0.005%, at least 0.006%, at least
0.007%, at least 0.008%,
at least 0.009%, at least 0.01%, at least 0.02%, at least 0. 03%, at least
0.04%, at least 0.05%, at least
0.06%, at least 0.07%, at least 0.08%, at least 0.09%, at least 0.1%, at least
0.2%, at least 0.3%, at
least 0.4%, at least 0.5%, at least 0.6%, at least 0.7%, at least 0.8%, at
least 0.9%, at least 1%, at least
2%, at least 3%, at least 4%, at least 5%, at least 6%, at least 7%, at least
8%, at least 9% or at least
10%; or at most 0.0001%, at most 0.0002%, at most 0.0003%, at most 0.0004%, at
most 0.0005%, at
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most 0.0006%, at most 0.0007%, at most 0.0008%, at most 0.0009%, at most
0.001%, at most 0.002%,
at most 0.003%, at most 0.004%, at most 0.005%, at most 0.006%, at most
0.007%, at most 0.008%,
at most 0.009%, at most 0.01%, at most 0.02%, at most 0. 03%, at most 0.04%,
at most 0.05%, at most
0.06%, at most 0.07%, at most 0.08%, at most 0.09%, at most 0.1%, at most
0.2%, at most 0.3%, at
most 0.4%, at most 0.5%, at most 0.6%, at most 0.7%, at most 0.8%, at most
0.9%, at most 1%, at
most 2%, at most 3%, at most 4%, at most 5%, at most 6%, at most 7%, at most
8%, at most 9% or at
most 10%; or about 0.0001% to about 0.0005%, about 0.0001% to about 0.001%,
about 0.0001% to
about 0.005%, about 0.0001% to about 0.01%, about 0.0001% to about 0.05%,
about 0.0001% to about
0.1%, about 0.0001% to about 0.5%, about 0.0001% to about 1%, about 0.0001% to
about 5%, about
0.0001% to about 10%, about 0.0005% to about 0.001%, about 0.0005% to about
0.005%, about
0.0005% to about 0.01%, about 0.0005% to about 0.05%, about 0.0005% to about
0.1%, about
0.0005% to about 0.5%, about 0.0005% to about 1%, about 0.0005% to about 5%,
about 0.0005% to
about 10%, about 0.001% to about 0.005%, about 0.001% to about 0.01%, 0.001%
to about 0.05%,
about 0.001% to about 0.1%, 0.001% to about 0.5%, 0.001% to about 1%, 0.001%
to about 5%, about
0.001% to about 10%, about 0.005% to about 0.01%, about 0.005% to about 0.05%,
about 0.005% to
about 0.1%, about 0.005% to about 0.5%, about 0.005% to about 1%, about 0.005%
to about 5%,
about 0.005% to about 10%, about 0.01% to about 0.05%, about 0.01% to about
0.1%, about 0.01%
to about 0.5%, about 0.01% to about 1%, about 0.01% to about 5%, about 0.01%
to about 10%, about
0.05% to about 0.1%, about 0.05% to about 0.5%, about 0.05% to about 1%, about
0.05% to about
5%, about 0.05% to about 10%, about 0.1% to about 0.5%, about 0.1% to about
1%, about 0.1% to
about 5%, about 0.1% to about 10%, about 0.5% to about 1%, about 0.5% to about
5%, about 0.5% to
about 10%, about 1% to about 5%, about 1% to about 10% or about 5% to about
10%.
67. A plant agent composition comprising, consisting essential of or
consisting of a treated, fermented
microbial supernatant and one or more nonionic surfactants, wherein the
composition lacks any active
enzymes or live bacteria, and wherein the composition has a pH below 5Ø
68. The plant agent composition according to embodiment 67, wherein the
treated, fermented microbial
supernatant is from a fermented yeast supernatant, a fermented bacterial
supernatant, a fermented
mold supernatant, or any combination thereof.
69. The plant agent composition according to embodiment 68, wherein the
fermented yeast supernatant is
produced from a species of yeast belonging to the genera Brettanomyces,
Candida, Cyberlindnera,
Cystofilobasidium, Debaryomyces, Dekkera, Fusarium, Geotrichum, Issatchenkia,
Kazachstania,
Kloeckera, Kluyveromyces, Lecanicillium, Mucor, Neurospora, Pediococcus,
Penicillium, Pichia,
Rhizopus, Rhodosporidium, Rhodotorula, Saccharomyces, Schizosaccharomyces,
Thrichosporon,
Torulaspora, Torulopsis, Verticillium, Yarrowia, Zygosaccharomyces or
Zygotorulaspora.
70. The plant agent composition according to embodiment 69, wherein the
fermented yeast supernatant is
produced from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
71. The plant agent composition according to embodiment 68, wherein the
fermented bacterial supernatant
is produced from a species of bacteria belonging to the genera Acetobacter,
Arthrobacter, Aerococcus,
Bacillus, Bifidobacterium, Brachybacterium, Brevibacterium, Barnobacterium,
Carnobacterium,
Corynebacterium, Enterococcus, Escherichia, Gluconacetobacter, Gluconobacter,
Hafnia, Halomonas,
Kocuria, Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, Leuconostoc, Macrococcus, Microbacterium,
Micrococcus,
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Neisseria, Oenococcus, Pediococcus, Propionibacterium, Proteus, Pseudomonas,
Psychrobacter,
Salmonella, Sporolactobacillus, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Streptomyces,
Tetragenococcus,
Vagococcus, Weissells or Zymomonas.
72. The plant agent composition according to embodiment 71, wherein the
fermented bacterial supernatant
is produced from a species of bacteria belonging to the genus Aspergillus.
73. The plant agent composition according to any one of embodiments 67-72,
wherein the plant agent
composition comprises at least 35% by weight of the treated fermented
microbial supernatant.
74. The plant agent composition according to any one of embodiments 67-73,
wherein the plant agent
composition comprises at most 50% by weight of the treated fermented microbial
supernatant.
75. The plant agent composition according to any one of embodiments 67-74,
wherein the nonionic
surfactant comprises, consists essential of or consists of a polyether
nonionic surfactant, a polyhydroxyl
nonionic surfactant, and/or a biosurfactant.
76. The plant agent composition according to embodiment 75, wherein the
polyhydroxyl nonionic surfactant
comprises, consists essential of or consists of a sucrose ester, an
ethoxylated sucrose ester, a sorbital
ester, an ethoxylated sorbital ester, an alkyl glucoside, an ethoxylated alkyl
glucoside, a polyglycerol
ester, or an ethoxylated polyglycerol ester.
77. The plant agent composition according to any one of embodiments 67-76,
wherein the nonionic
surfactant comprises, consists essential of or consists of an amine oxide, an
ethoxylated alcohol, an
ethoxylated aliphatic alcohol, an alkylamine, an ethoxylated alkylamine, an
ethoxylated alkyl phenol,
an alkyl polysaccharide, an ethoxylated alkyl polysaccharide, an ethoxylated
fatty acid, an ethoxylated
fatty alcohol, or an ethoxylated fatty amine, or a nonionic surfactant having
the general formula of
H(00H20H2)x0061-14R1, (00H20H2)x0R2, or H(OCH2CH2)x0C(0)R2, wherein x
represents the number
of moles of ethylene oxide added to an alkyl phenol and/or a fatty alcohol or
a fatty acid, R1 represents
a long chain alkyl group and, R2 represents a long chain aliphatic group.
78. The plant agent composition according to embodiment 77, wherein R1 is a 07-
010 normal- alkyl group
and/or wherein R2 is a 012-020 aliphatic group.
79. The plant agent composition according to any one of embodiments 67-78,
wherein the nonionic
surfactant is an ethoxylated nonyl phenol, an ethoxylated octyl phenol, an
ethoxylated ceto-oleyl
alcohol, an ethoxylated ceto-stearyl alcohol, an ethoxylated decyl alcohol, an
ethoxylated dodecyl
alcohol, an ethoxylated tridecyl alcohol, or an ethoxylated castor oil.
80. The plant agent composition according to any one of embodiments 67-79,
wherein the plant agent
composition comprises from about 1% to about 15% by weight of the one or more
nonionic surfactants.
82. The plant agent composition according to embodiment 80, wherein the plant
agent composition
comprises from about 5% to about 13% by weight of the one or more nonionic
surfactants.
83. The plant agent composition according to embodiment 81, wherein the plant
agent composition
comprises from about 7% to about 11% by weight of the one or more nonionic
surfactants.
84. The plant agent composition according to any one of embodiments 67-83,
wherein the plant agent
composition further comprises, consists essential of or consists of one or
more anionic surfactants.
85. The plant agent composition according to embodiment 84, wherein the plant
agent composition
comprises from about 0.5% to about 10% by weight of the one or more anionic
surfactants.
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86. The plant agent composition according to embodiment 85, wherein the plant
agent composition
comprises from about 1% to about 8% by weight of the one or more anionic
surfactants.
87. The plant agent composition according to embodiment 86, wherein the plant
agent composition
comprises from about 2% to about 6% by weight of the one or more anionic
surfactants.
88. The plant agent composition according to any one of embodiments 67-87,
wherein the pH is at most
4.5.
89. The plant agent composition according to embodiment 88, wherein the pH
about 3.7 to about 4.2.
90. The plant agent composition according to any one of embodiments 67-89,
wherein the plant agent
composition is substantially non-toxic to humans, mammals, plants and the
environment.
91. The plant agent composition according to any one of embodiments 67-90,
wherein the plant agent
composition is biodegradable.
92. A method of controlling a causal agent of a plant disease, the method
comprising, consisting essential
of or consisting of applying an effective amount of a plant agent composition
as defined in any one of
embodiments 67-91 to one or more plants infested with a causal agent and/or
applying an effective
amount of a plant agent composition to one or more locations in a manner where
the causal agent will
be exposed to the plant agent composition, wherein application of the plant
agent composition results
in an adverse effect on the causal agent of a plant disease sought to be
controlled.
93. A method of increasing plant growth and/or crop production, the method
comprising, consisting
essential of or consisting of applying an effective amount of a plant agent
composition as defined in
any one of embodiments 67-91 and/or applying an effective amount of a plant
agent composition as
defined in any one of embodiments 67-91 to one or more locations where a plant
agent composition
will be exposed to the one or more plants, wherein application of the plant
agent composition results in
improved absorption by root hairs, improve xylem sap flow through xylem and
improve photosynthate
flow in phloem, increased uptake of water, minerals and other nutrients from
the soil, increase the
capillary action and/or hydrostatic pressure in xylem, and/or increase
synthesis of compounds and
energy and/or disruption of one or more components blocking xylem sap flow
and/or photosynthate
flow
94. A method of maintaining or improving the efficiency of an irrigation
system, the method comprising,
consisting essential of or consisting of applying an effective amount of a
plant agent composition as
defined in any one of embodiments 67-91 to one or more pipes in a pipeline
network of the irrigation
system, wherein application of the plant agent composition results in adequate
removal of one or more
components blocking one or more pipeline networks of an irrigation system.
95. Use of an effective amount of a plant agent composition as defined in any
one of embodiments 67-91
for controlling a plant disease.
96. Use of an effective amount of a plant agent composition as defined in any
one of embodiments 67-91
for increasing plant growth and/or crop production.
97. Use of an effective amount of a plant agent composition as defined in any
one of embodiments 67-91
for maintaining or improving the efficiency of an irrigation system.
98. The method according to embodiments 1, 7-36 or 62-66 or use according to
embodiments 4, 7-36 or
62-66, wherein the plant disease is an anthracnose, a blight, a canker, a club
root, a damping off, a
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gall, a leaf blister, a leaf spot, a mildew, a mold, a mosaic virus disease, a
rot, a rust, a scab, a smut, a
wilt, or any combination thereof.
99. The method according to embodiments 1, 7-36, 62-66 or 98 or use according
to embodiments 4, 7-36,
62-66 or 98, wherein the causal agent is a viral causal agent, a bacterial
causal agent, a fungal causal
agent, a nematode causal agent, or any combination thereof.
EXAMPLES
[0146] The following non-limiting examples are provided for illustrative
purposes only in order to facilitate
a more complete understanding of representative embodiments now contemplated.
These examples
should not be construed to limit any of the embodiments described in the
present specification, including
those pertaining to the plant agent compositions, or methods or uses disclosed
herein.
Example 1
Preparation of Treated Fermented Yeast Supernatant 1
[0147] To prepare a treated fermented yeast supernatant, a fermentation
reaction is set up in which about
1,000 L of warm water having a temperature of between about 29 C to about 38
C was placed in a large
jacketed mixing kettle. To the water was added about 84.9 kg black untreated
cane molasses, about 25.2
kg raw cane sugar and about 1.2 kg magnesium sulfate. The mixture was
thoroughly blended, after which
about 11.4 kg diastatic malt and about 1.2 kg bakers yeast were added and
agitated slightly. The mixture
is incubated at about 26 C to about 42 C for about 3 days, after which the
effervescent reaction had
subsided, indicating essentially complete fermentation. At the end of the
fermentation the yeast
fermentation composition is centrifuged to remove the "sludge" formed during
the fermentation. The
resulting fermentation supernatant (about 98.59%, by weight) was collected and
sterilized by autoclaving.
The treated fermented yeast supernatant can then be stored in liquid form for
subsequent use.
Alternatively, the treated fermented yeast supernatant can be spray dried by
methods known in the art to
produce a dry powder. The dry powder form can also be stored for subsequent
use.
Example 2
Preparation of Treated Fermented Yeast Supernatant 2
[0148] To prepare a treated fermented yeast supernatant, a fermentation
reaction is set up in which about
1,000 L of warm water having a temperature of between about 29 C to about 38
C was placed in a large
jacketed mixing kettle. To the water was added about 42.5 kg black untreated
cane molasses, about 12.6
kg raw cane sugar and about 1.2 kg magnesium sulfate. The mixture was
thoroughly blended, after which
about 10.3 kg diastatic malt and about 1.2 kg bakers yeast were added and
agitated slightly. The mixture
is incubated at about 26 C to about 42 C for about 3 days, after which the
effervescent reaction had
subsided, indicating essentially complete fermentation. At the end of the
fermentation the yeast
fermentation culture is centrifuged to remove the "sludge" formed during the
fermentation. The resulting
fermentation yeast supernatant (about 98.59%, by weight) was collected and
treated by autoclaving. The
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treated fermented yeast supernatant can then be stored in liquid form for
subsequent use. Alternatively,
the treated fermented yeast supernatant can be spray dried by methods known in
the art to produce a dry
powder. The dry powder form can also be stored for subsequent use.
Example 3
Preparation of Treated Fermented Yeast Supernatant 3
[0149] To prepare a treated fermented yeast supernatant, a fermentation
reaction is set up in which about
1,000 L of warm water having a temperature of between about 29 C to about 38
C was placed in a large
jacketed mixing kettle. To the water was added about 21.3 kg black untreated
cane molasses, about 6.3
kg raw cane sugar and about 1.2 kg magnesium sulfate. The mixture was
thoroughly blended, after which
about 9.3 kg diastatic malt and about 1.2 kg bakers yeast were added and
agitated slightly. The mixture is
incubated at about 26 C to about 42 C for about 3 days, after which the
effervescent reaction had
subsided, indicating essentially complete fermentation. At the end of the
fermentation the yeast
fermentation culture is centrifuged to remove the "sludge" formed during the
fermentation. The resulting
fermentation supernatant (about 98.59%, by weight) was collected and treated
by autoclaving. The treated
fermented yeast supernatant can then be stored in liquid form for subsequent
use. Alternatively, the treated
fermented yeast supernatant can be spray dried by methods known in the art to
produce a dry powder.
The dry powder form can also be stored for subsequent use.
Example 4
Preparation of Plant Agent Composition
[0150] To prepare a plant agent composition, 1,000 L of hot sterile water
(about 60 C to about 65 C) was
added to 1,000 L of treated fermented yeast supernatant in a large jacketed
mixing kettle. To this mixture
was added about 168.8 kg of TERGITOLTm 15-S-7, a linear secondary alcohol
ethoxylate, about 168.8 kg
of TERGITOLTm 15-S-5, a linear secondary alcohol ethoxylate, about 67.5 kg of
DOWFA)(TM 2A1,
alkyldiphenyloxide disulfonate, and about 67.5 kg of TRITON TM H-66, phosphate
polyether ester. This
mixture was thoroughly blended to effect solution. Water was then added to
bring the volume to about
4,500 L and stirred until complete mixing had been obtained. The pH of the
resulting plant agent
composition was adjusted to from about 3.7 to about 4.2 with phosphoric acid.
The pH adjusted plant agent
composition was then filter sterilized to remove any microbial contamination.
[0151] The composition was found to be nonirritating to skin tissue, nontoxic
and could be stored in a cool
location over periods of months without any discernible loss in effectiveness
or deterioration.
[0152] DOWFA)(TM 2A1 can be substituted with an anionic biosurfactant such as,
e.g., STEPONOL AM
30-KE, an ammonium lauryl sulfate, STEPONOL EHS, a sodium 2-ethyl hexyl
sulfate, or a combination
thereof.
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[0153] Optionally, the resulting plant agent composition may then be mixed
with preservative or stabilizing
agents, such as about 1% by weight sodium benzoate, about 0.01% by weight
imidazolidinyl urea, about
0.15% by weight diazolidinyl urea, about 0.25% by weight calcium chloride.
With continuous agitation,
sodium benzoate, imidazolidinyl urea, diazolidinyl urea and calcium chloride
are added. The temperature
of the mixture is then slowly raised to about 40 C and the mixture is
agitated continuously. The temperature
is maintained at about 40 C for about one hour to ensure that all the
components of the mixture are
dissolved. The mixture is then cooled to from about 20 C to about 25 C. The
pH of the resulting plant
agent composition was adjusted to from about 3.7 to about 4.2 with phosphoric
acid. The pH adjusted plant
agent composition was then filter sterilized to remove any microbial
contamination.
Example 5
Preparation of Plant Agent Composition
[0154] To prepare a plant agent composition, 850 L of hot sterile water (about
60 C to about 65 C) was
placed in a large jacketed mixing kettle. To the water was added about 7.62 g
treated fermented yeast
supernatant dried powder, about 37.5 kg of TERGITOLTm 15-S-7, a linear
secondary alcohol ethoxylate,
about 37.5 kg of TERGITOLTm 15-S-5, a linear secondary alcohol ethoxylate,
about 15.0 kg of DOWFAXTM
2A1, alkyldiphenyloxide disulfonate, and about 25.0 kg of TRITON TM H-66,
phosphate polyether ester. This
mixture was thoroughly blended to effect solution. Water was then added to
bring the volume to about
1,000 L and stirred until complete mixing had been obtained. The pH of the
resulting plant agent
composition was adjusted to from about 3.7 to about 4.2 with phosphoric acid.
The pH adjusted plant agent
composition was then filter sterilized to remove any microbial contamination.
[0155] Optionally, the resulting plant agent composition may then be mixed
with preservative or stabilizing
agents, such as about 1% by weight sodium benzoate, about 0.01% by weight
imidazolidinyl urea, about
0.15% by weight diazolidinyl urea, about 0.25% by weight calcium chloride.
With continuous agitation,
sodium benzoate, imidazolidinyl urea, diazolidinyl urea and calcium chloride
are added. The temperature
of the mixture is then slowly raised to about 40 C and the mixture is
agitated continuously. The temperature
is maintained at about 40 C for about one hour to ensure that all the
components of the mixture are
dissolved. The mixture is then cooled to from about 20 C to about 25 C. The
pH of the resulting plant
agent composition was adjusted to from about 3.7 to about 4.2 with phosphoric
acid. The pH adjusted plant
agent composition was then filter sterilized to remove any microbial
contamination.
[0156] The composition was found to be nonirritating to skin tissue, nontoxic
and could be stored in a cool
location over periods of months without any discernible loss in effectiveness
or deterioration.
[0157] DOWFA)(TM 2A1 can be substituted with an anionic biosurfactant such as,
e.g., STEPONOL AM
30-KE, an ammonium lauryl sulfate, STEPONOL EHS, a sodium 2-ethyl hexyl
sulfate, or a combination
thereof.
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[0158] As an alternative to the treated fermented yeast supernatant dried
powder disclosed in Examples
1-3, commercially available treated fermented yeast supernatant dried powders
can be used, including,
e.g., TASTONE 154, TASTONE 210 or TASTONE 900.
Example 6
Rice Study
[0159] This example shows the effects of a plant agent composition disclosed
herein on rice plant growth
and grain production.
[0160] In one assay, the effects of a plant agent composition disclosed herein
on rice seed germination,
seedling height and root length was assessed. Seeds from the rice variety
Oryzica 1 were divided into
three groups of 100 seeds, placed in a bag and each group pre-treated for 2
minutes by immersing the bag
in one of the following solutions: 1) distilled water (control); 2) a 2%
solution of a plant agent composition
disclosed herein (92% treated fermented supernatant and 8% surfactant); and 3)
a 2% solution of a plant
agent composition disclosed herein (90% treated fermented supernatant and 10%
surfactant). Treated
seeds were was sown in sterile sand and then placed in a soil grower for 7-10
days to allow for germination.
Germination effects was assessed by determining germination percentage, height
of seedling and root
length. This assay was performed four times. The results indicated that seed
treatments of rice seed variety
Oryzica 1 showed no differences in the measured variables: germination
percentage, seedling height and
root length.
[0161] In another assay, the effects of a plant agent composition disclosed
herein on growth of rice
seedlings was assessed. Seedlings from the rice variety Oryzica 1 were divided
into group of 20 seedlings
and transplanted into planters with previously sterilized soil fertilized
properly to meet the nutritional
requirements of a good development of the rice plant. The seedlings were
divided into three groups of five
planters. Seedlings were treated with 2 mL of one of three solution each day
for 20 days. Group 1 was
treated with distilled water (control); Group 2 was treated with a 2% solution
of a plant agent composition
disclosed herein (92% treated fermented supernatant and 8% surfactant); and
Group 3 was treated with a
2% solution of a plant agent composition disclosed herein (90% treated
fermented supernatant and 10%
surfactant). At the end of the 20-day period, data seedling height, stem
production, and grain yield was
taken.
[0162] The results indicated that Treatment Groups 1 and 2 showed significant
improvement relative to
Control Group 1. For example, one assessment I the ratio of stem growth to
panicle (loose, branching
cluster of flower) growth. The Control Group 1 showed greater stem/panicle
ratio (15.4/12.2) with many
long stems with very short panicle, an indicator of less grain production.
Treatment Group 1 and Treatment
Group 2 showed more favorable stem/panicle ratios (10.4/7.4 and 12.2/10.2,
respectively) which will result
in higher grain yields. Treatment Group 2 showed a better stem/panicle ratio
relative to Treatment Group
1, producing long stems with good panicles. In addition, of the panicle
produced, the Control Group 1
contained 13.5% vain grain (not full of rice grain), which is an indicator of
sterility. Treatment Group 2
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showed 6.4% vain grain and Treatment Group 3 showed 3.9% vain grain. Thus,
treatment with a plant
agent composition disclosed herein reduced sterility in the plants.
Furthermore, Treatment Group 2
produced 14% more grains per plant and Treatment Group 3 produced 64% more
grains per plant when
compared to Control Group 1. Furthermore, Treatment Group 2 showed a 55%
increase in root growth
and Treatment Group 3 produced 104% increase in root growth when compared to
Control Group 1. Taken
together, significant benefits were observed when rice plants were treated
with a 2% solution of a plant
agent composition disclosed herein.
Example 7
Tomato Study
[0163] This example shows the effects of a plant agent composition disclosed
herein on tomato plant
growth and fruit production.
[0164] Tomato seedlings were grown in greenhouses in soil composed of 40% sand
and 60% organic
compost. Although no fertilizer or urea was used, cow manure was applied. The
tomato seedlings were
divided into two groups: The Control Group comprised seedlings that were drip
irrigated with distilled water
(control) each day for 6 months. The Treatment Group comprised seedlings that
were drip irrigated with a
1:400 dilution of a plant agent composition disclosed herein (90% treated
fermented supernatant and 10%
surfactant). Plants were assessed on a monthly basis for a 6-month period of
time. Plant growth and fruit
production were assessed.
[0165] The results indicated that Treatment Group showed significant
improvement relative to Control
Group. For example Treatment Group plants were stronger and more robust than
the Control Group
throughout the entire 6-month period. In addition, the Control Group had a 30%
mortality for this study
while the Treatment Group exhibited 100% survivability rate. Furthermore,
Treatment Group plants were
still flowering and bearing fruit for 5 months while the Control Group stopped
flowering and bearing fruit
after 3 months. Lastly, the final yield of the crop for the Treatment Group
was over 2 times more than the
Control Group yield. For example, the Control Group yielded 720 Kg of tomatoes
while the Treatment
Group yielded 1,715 Kg of tomatoes. Taken together, significant benefits were
observed when tomato
plants were treated with a 2% solution of a plant agent composition disclosed
herein.
[0166] Similar studies were conducted for parsley. The results indicated that
five times more parsley could
be harvested from a Treatment Group treated with a 2% solution of a plant
agent composition disclosed
herein relative to a Control Group treated with distilled water.
[0167] Similar studies were conducted for eggplant. The results indicated 28%
more eggplant could be
harvested from a Treatment Group treated with a 2% solution of a plant agent
composition disclosed herein
relative to a Control Group treated with distilled water.
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Example 8
Olive Tree Study
[0168] This example shows the effects of a plant agent composition disclosed
herein on olive tree growth
and fruit production.
[0169] Olive trees grown in an orchard were divided into two groups: The
Control Group comprised trees
that were drip irrigated with distilled water (control) over the course of two
seasons. The Treatment Group
comprised trees that were drip irrigated with a 1:400 dilution of a plant
agent composition disclosed herein
(90% treated fermented supernatant and 10% surfactant) over the course of two
seasons. Plants were
assessed on a monthly basis over the study period. Plant growth and fruit
production were assessed.
[0170] The results indicated that Treatment Group showed significant
improvement relative to Control
Group. For example, the Treatment Group yielded about 35% to about 40% more
olives compared to the
Control Group. More astonishingly, fruiting occurring every year for olive
trees in the Treatment Group as
compared to the Control Group which fruited every other year. Lastly, the
taste of the oil, specifically the
phenols, were enhanced, and therefore taste or quality was improved in the oil
from the trees in the
Treatment Group relative to the Control Group.
[0171] Additional studies using a 1:1000 dilution of a plant agent composition
disclosed herein were
conducted and similar results were obtained.
[0172] Similar test results were observed for walnut trees and almond trees.
Example 9
Tobacco Study
[0173] This example shows the effects of a plant agent composition disclosed
herein on tobacco growth
and fruit production.
[0174] Tobacco seedlings were grown in field. The tobacco seedlings were
divided into two groups: The
Control Group comprised seedlings that were drip irrigated with distilled
water (control) each day for 6
months. The Treatment Group comprised seedlings that were drip irrigated with
a 1:400 dilution a plant
agent composition disclosed herein (90% treated fermented supernatant and 10%
surfactant). After
transplantation into the field the Treatment Group comprised seedlings that
were drip irrigated with a 1:800
dilution a plant agent composition disclosed herein. Plants were assessed on a
monthly basis for a 6-
month period of time. Plant growth and fruit production were assessed.
[0175] The results indicated that Treatment Group showed significant
improvement relative to Control
Group. For example, tobacco crops from the Treatment Group showed about 40% to
about 50% more
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growth compared to the Control Group. In addition, tobacco crops from the
Treatment Group exhibited
larger root growth and better survival rates of seedlings.
[0176] Similar test results were observed for cannabis, although the study was
performed in a greenhouse.
Example 10
Plant Disease Study
[0177] This example shows the effects of a plant agent composition disclosed
herein on treating a plant
disease caused by a causal agent disclosed herein.
[0178] Roses with leaf spot caused by a fungal infestation were treated with a
1:200 dilution on a plant
agent composition disclosed herein using a spray bottle. After one to two
weeks the fungal infestation was
gone.
[0179] Olive trees with blight caused by a fungal infestation were treated
with a 1:1000 dilution on a plant
agent composition disclosed herein using a drip irrigation system. After one
to two weeks the fungal
infestation was gone.
[0180] Olive trees with blight caused by a bacterial infestation were treated
with a 1:1000 dilution on a
plant agent composition disclosed herein using a drip irrigation system. After
one to two weeks the bacterial
infestation was gone.
[0181] In closing, it is to be understood that although aspects of the present
specification are highlighted
by referring to specific embodiments, one skilled in the art will readily
appreciate that these disclosed
embodiments are only illustrative of the principles of the subject matter
disclosed herein. Therefore, it
should be understood that the disclosed subject matter is in no way limited to
a particular compound,
composition, article, apparatus, methodology, protocol, and/or reagent, etc.,
described herein, unless
expressly stated as such. In addition, those of ordinary skill in the art will
recognize that certain changes,
modifications, permutations, alterations, additions, subtractions and sub-
combinations thereof can be made
in accordance with the teachings herein without departing from the spirit of
the present specification. It is
therefore intended that the following appended claims and claims hereafter
introduced are interpreted to
include all such changes, modifications, permutations, alterations, additions,
subtractions and sub-
combinations as are within their true spirit and scope.
[0182] Certain embodiments of the present invention are described herein,
including the best mode known
to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Of course, variations on
these described embodiments will
become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the
foregoing description. The inventor
expects skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the
inventors intend for the present
invention to be practiced otherwise than specifically described herein.
Accordingly, this invention includes
all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims
appended hereto as permitted
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by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described
embodiments in all possible
variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated
herein or otherwise clearly
contradicted by context.
[0183] Groupings of alternative embodiments, elements, or steps of the present
invention are not to be
construed as limitations. Each group member may be referred to and claimed
individually or in any
combination with other group members disclosed herein. It is anticipated that
one or more members of a
group may be included in, or deleted from, a group for reasons of convenience
and/or patentability. When
any such inclusion or deletion occurs, the specification is deemed to contain
the group as modified thus
fulfilling the written description of all Markush groups used in the appended
claims.
[0184] Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing a characteristic,
item, quantity, parameter,
property, term, and so forth used in the present specification and claims are
to be understood as being
modified in all instances by the term "about." As used herein, the term
"about" means that the characteristic,
item, quantity, parameter, property, or term so qualified encompasses a range
of plus or minus ten percent
above and below the value of the stated characteristic, item, quantity,
parameter, property, or term.
Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set
forth in the specification and
attached claims are approximations that may vary. For instance, as mass
spectrometry instruments can
vary slightly in determining the mass of a given analyte, the term "about" in
the context of the mass of an
ion or the mass/charge ratio of an ion refers to +/-0.50 atomic mass unit. At
the very least, and not as an
attempt to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the scope
of the claims, each numerical
indication should at least be construed in light of the number of reported
significant digits and by applying
ordinary rounding techniques.
[0185] Use of the terms "may" or "can" in reference to an embodiment or aspect
of an embodiment also
carries with it the alternative meaning of "may not" or "cannot." As such, if
the present specification
discloses that an embodiment or an aspect of an embodiment may be or can be
included as part of the
inventive subject matter, then the negative limitation or exclusionary proviso
is also explicitly meant,
meaning that an embodiment or an aspect of an embodiment may not be or cannot
be included as part of
the inventive subject matter. In a similar manner, use of the term
"optionally" in reference to an embodiment
or aspect of an embodiment means that such embodiment or aspect of the
embodiment may be included
as part of the inventive subject matter or may not be included as part of the
inventive subject matter.
Whether such a negative limitation or exclusionary proviso applies will be
based on whether the negative
limitation or exclusionary proviso is recited in the claimed subject matter.
[0186] Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and values setting forth the
broad scope of the invention
are approximations, the numerical ranges and values set forth in the specific
examples are reported as
precisely as possible. Any numerical range or value, however, inherently
contains certain errors necessarily
resulting from the standard deviation found in their respective testing
measurements. Recitation of
numerical ranges of values herein is merely intended to serve as a shorthand
method of referring
individually to each separate numerical value falling within the range. Unless
otherwise indicated herein,
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each individual value of a numerical range is incorporated into the present
specification as if it were
individually recited herein.
[0187] The terms "a," "an," "the" and similar references used in the context
of describing the present
invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be
construed to cover both the singular
and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by
context. Further, ordinal
indicators ¨ such as "first," "second," "third," etc. ¨ for identified
elements are used to distinguish between
the elements, and do not indicate or imply a required or limited number of
such elements, and do not
indicate a particular position or order of such elements unless otherwise
specifically stated. All methods
described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise
indicated herein or otherwise
clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary
language (e.g., "such as")
provided herein is intended merely to better illuminate the present invention
and does not pose a limitation
on the scope of the invention otherwise claimed. No language in the present
specification should be
construed as indicating any non-claimed element essential to the practice of
the invention.
[0188] When used in the claims, whether as filed or added per amendment, the
open-ended transitional
term "comprising" (and equivalent open-ended transitional phrases thereof like
including, containing and
having) encompasses all the expressly recited elements, limitations, steps
and/or features alone or in
combination with unrecited subject matter; the named elements, limitations
and/or features are essential,
but other unnamed elements, limitations and/or features may be added and still
form a construct within the
scope of the claim. Specific embodiments disclosed herein may be further
limited in the claims using the
closed-ended transitional phrases "consisting of' or "consisting essentially
of' in lieu of or as an amended
for "comprising." When used in the claims, whether as filed or added per
amendment, the closed-ended
transitional phrase "consisting of' excludes any element, limitation, step, or
feature not expressly recited in
the claims. The closed-ended transitional phrase "consisting essentially of"
limits the scope of a claim to
the expressly recited elements, limitations, steps and/or features and any
other elements, limitations, steps
and/or features that do not materially affect the basic and novel
characteristic(s) of the claimed subject
matter. Thus, the meaning of the open-ended transitional phrase "comprising"
is being defined as
encompassing all the specifically recited elements, limitations, steps and/or
features as well as any optional,
additional unspecified ones. The meaning of the closed-ended transitional
phrase "consisting of" is being
defined as only including those elements, limitations, steps and/or features
specifically recited in the claim
whereas the meaning of the closed-ended transitional phrase "consisting
essentially of" is being defined as
only including those elements, limitations, steps and/or features specifically
recited in the claim and those
elements, limitations, steps and/or features that do not materially affect the
basic and novel characteristic(s)
of the claimed subject matter. Therefore, the open-ended transitional phrase
"comprising" (and equivalent
open-ended transitional phrases thereof) includes within its meaning, as a
limiting case, claimed subject
matter specified by the closed-ended transitional phrases "consisting of" or
"consisting essentially of." As
such embodiments described herein or so claimed with the phrase "comprising"
are expressly or inherently
unambiguously described, enabled and supported herein for the phrases
"consisting essentially of" and
"consisting of."
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[0189] All patents, patent publications, and other publications referenced and
identified in the present
specification are individually and expressly incorporated herein by reference
in their entirety for the purpose
of describing and disclosing, for example, the compositions and methodologies
described in such
publications that might be used in connection with the present invention.
These publications are provided
solely for their disclosure prior to the filing date of the present
application. Nothing in this regard should be
construed as an admission that the inventors are not entitled to antedate such
disclosure by virtue of prior
invention or for any other reason. All statements as to the date or
representation as to the contents of these
documents is based on the information available to the applicants and does not
constitute any admission
as to the correctness of the dates or contents of these documents.
[0190] Lastly, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing
particular embodiments only,
and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, which is
defined solely by the claims.
Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to that precisely as shown
and described.
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