Plant-activating agent

Abstract

The present invention provides a plant-activating agent which effects no chemical injury on plant and which makes an activity of plant improve efficiently. That is to say, the present invention provides a method of activating a plant, which comprises treating the plant with a mono-alcohol having 12 to 24 carbon atoms as a plant-activating agent; use of the mono-alcohol as a plant-activating agent; and a plant-activating agent or composition comprising the mono-alcohol; optionally with a surfactant, a fertilizer component and/or a chelating agent.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . A method of promoting plant growth, which comprises treating a plant with a mono-alcohol having 12 to 24 carbon atoms as a plant growth agent.  
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the plant is treated further with at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a surfactant, a fertilizer and a chelating agent.  
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in  claim 2 , in which the surfactant is selected from the group consisting of an ester group-containing nonionic surfactant, an ether group-containing nonionic surfactant having no nitrogen atom, an amphoteric surfactant, a carboxylic anionic surfactant and a phosphoric anionic surfactant.  
     
     
         4 . A composition for promoting plant growth comprising a mono-alcohol having 12 to 24 carbon atoms and one member selected from the group consisting of (i) a chelating agent, (ii) a surfactant and a chelating agent, (iii) a fertilizer and a chelating agent and (iv) a surfactant, a fertilizer and a chelating agent.  
     
     
         5 . The composition as claimed in  claim 4 , which comprises said mono-alcohol having 12 to 24 carbon atoms and at least one surfactant selected from an ester group-containing nonionic surfactant, a ether group-containing nonionic surfactant having no nitrogen atom, an amphoteric surfactant, a carboxylic anionic surfactant and a phosphoric anionic surfactant.  
     
     
         6 . A composition for promoting plant growth comprising a mono-alcohol having 12 to 24 carbon atoms and at least one surfactant selected from an ester group-containing nonionic surfactant, an ether group-containing nonionic surfactant having no nitrogen atom, an amphoteric surfactant, a carboxylic anionic surfactant and a phosphoric anionic surfactant.  
     
     
         7 . The composition as claimed in  claim 6 , which further comprises a fertilizer.  
     
     
         8 . A method of treating a plant, which comprises treating a plant directly with a mono-alcohol having 12 to 24 carbon atoms.  
     
     
         9 . The method as claimed in  claim 8 , in which the plant is treated further with at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a surfactant, a fertilizer and a chelating agent.  
     
     
         10 . The method as claimed in  claim 9 , in which the surfactant is selected from the group consisting of an ester group-containing nonionic surfactant, an ether group-containing nonionic surfactant having no nitrogen atom, an amphoteric surfactant, a carboxylic anionic surfactant and a phosphoric anionic surfactant.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the mono-alcohol having 12 to 24 carbon atoms is a plant growth agent.  
     
     
         12 . The method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the plant is treated further with at least one compound selected from the group consisting of an ester group-containing non-ionic surfactant and an ether group-containing non-ionic surfactant having no nitrogen atom.  
     
     
         13 . The method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the plant is treated further with at least one compound selected from the group consisting of an ester group-containing non-ionic surfactant and an ether group-containing non-ionic surfactant having no nitrogen atom.  
     
     
         14 . The composition as claim ed in  claim 5 , which comprises said mono-alcohol having 12 to 24 carbon atoms and at least one surfactant selected from an ester group-containing non-ionic surfactant and an ether group-containing non-ionic surfactant having no nitrogen atom.  
     
     
         15 . The composition as claimed in  claim 6 , which comprises said mono-alcohol having 12 to 24 carbon atoms and at least one surfactant selected from an ester group-containing non-ionic surfactant and an ether group-containing non-ionic surfactant having no nitrogen atom.