PATENT WITHDRAWN
Promoting early establishment of potato crops by ethylene inhibitors
PATENT WITHDRAWN
Promoting early establishment of potato crops by ethylene inhibitors
Patent 7237358 Issued on July 3, 2007. Estimated Expiration Date: 
December 19, 2022. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
December 19, 2022. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.Patent ReferencesFreshness retentive for cut flowers Method of counteracting an ethylene response in plants Aminoethoxyvinylglycine in combination with mepiquat chloride N-acetyl AVG and its use as an ethylene biosynthesis inhibitor Methods of blocking ethylene response in plants using cyclopropene derivatives Process and composition for soil improvement by reducing microbially formed ethylene in the soil Environmentally compatible processes compositions and materials treated thereby Patent #: 6797302 InventorsAssigneeApplicationNo. 10324979 filed on 12/19/2002US Classes:47/89, FOR POTATO, METHOD OR APPARATUS504/357, Hydrocarbons504/147, Nitrogen or halogen attached indirectly to the carbon of the -C(=X)X- group by acyclic nonionic bonding504/115, Containing organic nitrogen compounds504/114, COMPOSITIONS FOR PRESERVATION OR MAINTENANCE OF CUT FLOWERS504/319, Z contains nitrogen, sulfur, or halogen attached indirectly to the -C(=O)O- group by nonionic bonding426/335Biocidal or disinfecting chemical agentExaminersPrimary: Gellner, Jeffrey L.Attorney, Agent or FirmInternational ClassA01G 7/06DescriptionFIELDOF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a novel method for promoting early establishment of potato crops. Specifically, the invention relates to a method for promoting early establishment of potato crops by administering to potato tubers an effective amountof an ethylene inhibitor or inhibitors. More specifically, the invention relates to a method for promoting sprouting and sprout elongation, and reducing sprout tip necrosis by administering to potato tubers an effective amount of an ethylene synthesisinhibitor such as aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) or its derivatives thereof or acceptable salts thereof or an ethylene action inhibitor such as 1-methylcyclopropene (MCP) or its derivatives thereof or combinations thereof. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The potato (Solanum tuberosum Linn) is a tuberous-rooted vegetable crop of major economic importance worldwide. It is the fourth most cultivated food crop after wheat, rice and maize and therefore, the most important dicotyledonous and tubercrop. Potato growers produce over 300 million tons of potatoes annually. Between harvesting and planting, at least some potato tubers are kept in storage until the time for planting the next season's crop. During maturation, the potato tuber becomes dormant through an internally controlled mechanism. During thisphase of tuber dormancy, the potato tuber must undergo certain physiological changes to break dormancy and allow the potato tuber to sprout. In general, potato tuber dormancy is defined as a lack of growth due to the physicochemical condition of thetuber, which is influenced by a number of factors including plant hormones and storage temperature (Burton, W. G., 1963, Concepts and mechanism of dormancy, pp 17-41, In: J. D. Ivins and F. L. Milthorpe, eds., The Growth of the Potato, Butterworths,London). Early season crop establishment is critical for potato production. Rapid establishment at the beginning of the season provides a head start that can promote early canopy closure and thus naturally reduce weed populations. Early season growthalso helps take advantage of the cooler, wetter months of spring and thus provides a higher crop density, and potentially, higher yields. Promoting early establishment in potato tubers may be achieved by chemical treatment. Rindite™ has been used in the treatment of potato tubers to hasten sprouting (Denny, F. E., 1984, Synergistic effects of three chemicals in the treatmentof dormant potato tubers to hasten germination, Contrib. Boyce Thompson Inst., Plant Res. 14:1-14.) However, chemical treatments such as Rindite™, pose high toxicity risks, both for the workers handling the chemicals and for the environment. Gibberellin (GA3) has been used to promote sprout elongation and stand establishment, but the effectiveness of GA3 can be inconsistent and the resulting sprouts can be brittle. Consequently, alternative agents are needed to promote early cropestablishment of potatoes. In particular, there is a need to promote sprouting and sprout elongation in potatoes and reduce necrosis in the tips of potato sprouts. Ethylene, a naturally-occurring, gaseous plant hormone, is believed to be involved in the modulation of a number of potato tuber biochemical pathways and processes such as sprouting and sprout elongation. In general, ethylene or ethylenereleasing compounds like ethephon enhances release from dormancy and increases sprouting of potato tubers (Alam, et al. 1994, The effect of ethylene and of inhibitors of protein and nucleic acid syntheses on dormancy break and subsequent sprout growth,Potato Research 37:25-33; Minato et al., 1979, Effect of ethylene on sprout growth and endogenous growth substances of potato plants, J. Fac. Agr. Hokkaido Univ., 59, Pt. 2; Rama, M. V. and Narasimham, P., 1981, A comparative study on the effect ofgibberellic acid, ethrel, and ethylene chloride on potato (Solanum tuberosum Linn) sprouting, Food Sci. Technol. 19: 144-47; Rylski et al., 1974, Dual effects of ethylene on potato dormancy and sprout growth, Plant Physiol. 53: 658-662). However,ethylene or ethylene releasing compounds also inhibit sprout elongation (Minato, et al. 1979; Rylski, et al., 1974), which in turn makes ethylene treatment undesirable for rapid crop establishment. The effect of pre-plant application of ethylene inhibitors on potato sprouting has not been documented. Suttle (1998, Involvement of ethylene in potato microtuber dormancy, Plant Physiol. 118: 843-848) reported that treatment of potato explantswith ethylene action inhibitors 2,5-norbomadiene and silver nitrate caused precocious sprouting of microtubers. These applications were made during the initiation and growth phases of microtuber development and thus consisted of treatment during theearly stages of dormancy. However, Suttle (1998) does not disclose that ethylene inhibitors promote sprouting or sprout elongation in stored seed potatoes. Surprisingly, we have found that when applied to stored seed potato tubers, ethylene inhibitors such as aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG, CAS #: 55720-26-8) or 1-methylcyclopropene (MCP, CAS#: 3100-04-7) promote sprouting and sprout elongation, whichmakes these inhibitors ideal candidates for promoting early establishment of potato crops. Furthermore, AVG treatment also reduces sprout tip necrosis of potatoes. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention provides a method for promoting early establishment of potato crops by treating potato tubers with ethylene inhibitors such as aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG, CAS #: 55720-26-8) and/or its salts such as aminoethoxyvinylglycinehydrochloride or its derivatives or 1-methylcyclopropene (MCP, CAS#: 3100-04-7) and/or its derivatives as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,194,350 (Sisler, E. C., 2001, Method of blocking ethylene response in plants using cyclopropene derivatives). In one aspect of the invention, a method of promoting early sprouting in a variety of potato tubers is provided by administering to the potato tubers an effective amount of at least one ethylene inhibitor to promote early sprouting in the tubers. In another aspect of the invention, a method of increasing the number of sprouts per potato tuber is provided by administering to the potato tubers an effective amount of at least one ethylene inhibitor to increase the number of sprouts in thetuber. In yet another aspect of the invention, a method of promoting the rate of sprout growth in potato tubers is provided by administering to the potato tubers an effective amount of at least one ethylene inhibitor to promote the growth of sprouts inthe tuber. In a further aspect of the invention, a method of reducing sprout tip necrosis in a variety of potato tubers is provided by administering to the potato tubers an effective amount of at least one ethylene inhibitor to reduce sprout tip necrosis. The ethylene inhibitors are aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) or its salts such as aminoethoxyvinylglycine hydrochloride or 1-methylcyclopropene (MCP) and/or their derivatives. The aminoethoxyvinylglycine may be administered in a water-based solution at a concentration of from about 1 ppm to about 5000 ppm. The MCP may be administered in a gas at a concentration of from about 0.001 ppm to about 500 ppm. The water-based solution of AVG may further comprise about 0.01 to 0.05% w/v surfactant. The potato varieties are preferably selected from the group consisting of, but not limited to, Gold Rush, Irish Cobbler, Kennebac, Norkotah, Norland, Red Lasoda, Red Norland, Red Pontiac, Russet Burbank, and Superior. DETAILED DESCRIPTION This invention is directed to a method of promoting early establishment of potato crops, which method comprises the steps of treating the potato tubers with an effective, but non-injurious amount of an ethylene synthesis inhibitors such as AVGand/or its derivatives and/or its salts or ethylene action blockers such as MCP and/or its derivatives prior to planting. Biologically acceptable salts of AVG include those of the common alkali metals sodium and potassium, the alkaline earths magnesium or calcium, zinc, or ammonium or simple alkylammonium cations such as mono-, di-, tri- or tetramethylammonium orother ammonium cations bearing up to 7 carbons. Salts based on strong inorganic and organic acids, for example HCl (e.g. aminoethoxyvinylglycine hydrochloride, the preferred growth regulator), HBr, H2SO.sub.4 or HNO3, are also suitable. Depending on the type of early growth required, the application concentrations of AVG or its salts can vary within wide limits and are generally in the range of from about 1 ppm to about 5000 ppm, preferably from about 10 ppm to about 1000 ppm ina solvent, preferably water. The water solvent may further comprise from about 0.01 to 0.05% w/v surfactants such as Silwet (polyalkyleneoxide modified heptamethyltrisiloxane, Loveland Industries, Inc, Greeley, Colo.). Using water as the carriersolvent is preferred because AVG is highly soluble in water. It should be understood that the water solvent may consist of other dissolved compounds known in the art such as nitrates. The application concentrations of MCP or its derivatives can vary within wide limits and are generally in the range of from about 0.001 ppm to about 1000 ppm, preferably from about 1 ppm to about 100 ppm as a gas released from a powder. The effective concentration range of the active ingredient may depend on the volume applied to the potato tubers as well as other factors such as the density of tubers to be treated. Thus, the preferred range of concentration is that range thatproduces early growth in potato tubers and which is not overly wasteful or so extreme in concentration that the solvent is so saturated with the active ingredient that some of the active ingredient is not dissolved in the carrier solvent. While thepreferred range of AVG is between about 10 ppm and about 2000 ppm and MCP is between 0.1 ppm and 100 ppm, the invention is not limited to this range since the amount of active ingredient required will partly depend on the number of tubers per unit areaas might be reasonably understood. It also should be understood that the concentration range of the active ingredient AVG or its derivatives or its salts or MCP or its derivatives includes in principle any concentration range useful for promoting early growth in potato tubers. The invention may be illustrated by the following representative, non-limiting examples. Chemicals used in these examples are aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG, technical grade, Valent BioSciences Corp. Libertyville, Ill.); surfactant (Silwet,polyalkyleneoxide modified heptamethyltrisiloxane, Loveland Industries, Inc. Greeley, Colo.); MCP (EthylBloc, 0.14% a.i, AgroFresh Inc. Philadelphia, Pa.); and ethephon (2-chloroethyl phosphonic acid, Florel, 4.9% a.i., Southern AgriculturalInsecticides, Inc. Boone, N.C.). EXAMPLE 1 Potato tubers were dipped in either 0.05% Silwet (control) or 2000 ppm AVG solution and the treated potato tubers were placed in plastic trays in dark ventilated chamber at 20° C. AVG at 2000 ppm increased the number of sprouts per potatoin Superior, Red Pontiac, and Irish Cobbler potatoes (Table 1). AVG also increased the sprout length in Superior, Kennebac, Russet Burbank, Red Norland, and Red Pontiac potatoes. AVG also decreased tip necrosis in Superior, Russet Burbank, and RedLasoda potatoes. Thus, AVG induces significant improvement in sprouting and also decreased tip necrosis in a range of potato tuber plant varieties. TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Effect of aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) on sprout number, length, and tip necrosis (20° C., in air, dark chamber; all trials completed 22 days after treatment) Total sprout Sprouts with Total sprouts/potato length(cm) tip necrosis (%) Silwet (0.05% AVG1 Silwet AVG (2000 Silwet AVG (2000 v/v) (2000 ppm) (0.05%) ppm) plus (0.05%) ppm) plus Variety control plus Silwet control Silwet control Silwet Superior 4.8 9.0*** 19.3 35.3*** 23.6 3.1* Kennebac 5.5 7.2 14.435.3** 63.7 43.6 Russet 5.0 6.2 19.2 29.4** 68.6 11.8*** Burbank Yukon 2.8 2.1 4.7 4.9 0.0 0.0 Gold All Blue 12.0 13.7 31.2 27.9 0.0 0.0 Red 7.2 8.8 25.6 35.8** 5.9 0.0 Norland Red Lasoda 3.7 3.3 12.8 14.7 23.6 0.0* Red 3.8 6.8** 15.5 29.1** 47.2 46.5Pontiac Irish 4.5 6.0* 20.5 29.7 45.8 17.1 Cobbler 1Aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG); with 0.05% (v/v) of Silwet (i.e. 1 ml in 2 liters) Statistics: n = 6 potatoes/variety/treatment. T-test significance: *, p < 10%; **, p < 5%; ***, p < 1% EXAMPLE 2 Potatoes were dipped in 500 or 2000 ppm AVG solution and water-dipped potatoes served as the control. Each treatment consisted of 9 potato tubers. The treated potatoes were put in plastic trays and placed in a dark ventilated chamber at20° C. Sprouts were evaluated 21 days after treatment. AVG at 500 and 2000 ppm increased the number of sprouts per tuber and the sprout length in Russet Burbank and Superior (Table 2). At 2000 ppm, AVG increased the number of sprouts per tuberand the sprout length in Gold Rush. AVG reduced tip necrosis in Russet Burbank and Norkotah at the higher rate, but only reduced tip necrosis in Russet Burbank at the lower rate. Thus, AVG treatments stimulate potato sprouting, promote sproutelongation, and reduce tip necrosis. TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Effect of aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) on sprout number, length, and tip necrosis (20° C., in air, dark chamber; all trials completed 21 days after treatment). Sprouts with tip Variety Treatment Sprouts/potatoSprout length (cm) necrosis (%) Russet Burbank Control1 4.2 A 12.3 AB 90 C 500 ppm AVG 6.2 BC 19.7 C 11 A 2000 ppm AVG 7.2 C 16.3 BC 6 A Norkotah Control 3.6 A 9.2 AB 17 B 500 ppm AVG 2.9 A 7.2 AB 10 AB 2000 ppm AVG 2.9 A 7.0 A 0 A Gold Rush Control5.1 AB 12.2 A 27 A 500 ppm AVG 3.8 A 9.0 A 29 A 2000 ppm AVG 5.6 AB 17.8 B 34 A Superior Control 6.7 A 11.9 A 36 A 500 ppm AVG 8.2 B 13.2 AB 30 A 2000 ppm AVG 8.1 B 16.3 B 30 A 1Control: H2O. Statistics: n = 9 potatoes/variety/treatment. Meanseparation by Duncan's Multiple Range (α = 5%). EXAMPLE 3 Potato tubers were dipped in water (control) or 2000 ppm AVG solution. Each treatment consisted of 9 potato tubers. The treated potatoes were then planted in soil in plastic trays and placed in a dark ventilated chamber at 20° C.Sprouts were evaluated 19 days after treatment. Results from potatoes planted in soil (Table 3) were similar to results from potatoes placed in air (Tables 1 and 2). AVG at 2000 ppm increased the number of sprouts per tuber and the sprout length inNorkotah, Gold Rush, and Superior. AVG at 2000 ppm also reduced tip necrosis in all three varieties tested. TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Effect of aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) on sprout number, length, and tip necrosis (20° C., in soil, dark chamber; all trials completed 19 days after treatment). Sprouts with tip Variety Treatment Sprouts/potatoSprout length (cm) necrosis (%) Russet Burbank Control1 5.3 A 52 A 32 B 2000 ppm AVG 5.8 A 56 A 14 A Norkotah Control 4.0 A 20.3 A 48 B 2000 ppm AVG 5.8 B 27.7 B 3 A Gold Rush Control 4.7 A 17.8 A 49 A 2000 ppm AVG 7.7 B 42.1 B 57 A Superior Control6.0 A 43.0 A 35 A 2000 ppm AVG 8.6 B 74.8 B 7 B 1Control: H2O. Statistics: n = 9 potatoes/variety/treatment. Mean separation by Duncan's Multiple Range (β= 5%). EXAMPLE 4 Potato tubers were dipped in 2000 ppm AVG or 1000 ppm ethephon solution and water-dipped potatoes served as the control. Each treatment consisted of 9 potato tubers. The treated potatoes were then put in plastic trays and placed in darkventilated chamber at 20° C. Sprouts were evaluated 24 days after treatment. Both AVG and ethephon treatments stimulate sprouting in Russet Burbank and Superior (Table 4). However, while AVG promoted sprout elongation in potato tubers, ethephondid not. These results clearly show that AVG and ethylene have different modes of action in affecting sprout development in potatoes. TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Effect of aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) on sprout number and length (20° C., in soil, dark chamber; all trials completed 21 days after treatment). Sprouts/ Variety Treatment potato Sprout length (cm) RussetBurbank Control1 5.9 A 16.6 A 2000 ppm AVG 9.2 B 30.3 B 1000 ppm ethephon 10.8 B 15.6 A Superior Control 5.4 A 11.4 A 2000 ppm AVG 9.9 B 27.2 C 1000 ppm ethephon 9.9 B 16.8 AB 1Control: H2O. Statistics: n = 9 potatoes/variety/treatment. Mean separation by Duncan's Multiple Range (α = 5%). EXAMPLE 5 Potato tubers were treated with 50 ppm MCP in a closed plastic drum (30 gallon) for 20 hr and untreated potatoes served as the control. Each treatment consisted of 9 potato tubers. The treated potatoes were then planted in soil in plastic traysand placed in a ventilated chamber at 10° C. The number of emerged sprouts was counted 15 days after treatment. MCP treatment increased the number of emerged sprouts per potato tuber at 10° C. in Russet Burbank, Norkotah, and Gold Rush,but not in Superior (Table 5). TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 Effect of 1-methylcyclopropene (MCP) sprout number and emergence of potatoes from soil (10° C., in soil, dark chamber; sprouts emerged from soil were counted 15 and 18 days after treatment). 15 days aftertreatment 18 days after treatment Variety Treatment Sprouts/Tuber % Emergence Sprouts/Tuber % Emergence Russet Control1 0.6 A 44 1.8 A 67 Burbank 50 ppm MCP2 2.4 B 100 2.9 B 100 Norkotah Control 0.3 A 22 0.8 A 56 50 ppm MCP 1.7 B 78 2.0 B 78Gold Rush Control 0.1 A 11 0.1 A 11 50 ppm MCP 0.8 B 44 1.3 B 56 Superior Control 0.7 A 78 1.4 A 78 50 ppm MCP 1.2 A 89 1.6 A 89 1Control: Untreated. 250 ppm 1-methylcyclopropene treated for 20 hr. Statistics: n = 9potatoes/variety/treatment. Mean separation by Duncan's Multiple Range (α = 5%). * * * * * Other References
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