Plant-Activating Agent

Abstract

The present invention provides a plant-activating agent for improving the activity of plants efficiently without a chemical injury onto the plant. The plant-activating agent is selected from the group consisting of (1) an organic acid derivative which is derived from the organic acid having two functional groups and wherein at least one of the above-mentioned functional groups is bonded to a group containing 1 to 30 carbon atoms; (2) a compound represented by the formula (II): RCOO(AO) n X 1   (II) wherein R represents an alkyl or alkenyl group having 11 to 29 carbon atoms; X 1 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl or acyl group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group having 2 to 30 carbon atoms, or a counter ion; AO represents at least one group selected from oxyethylene, oxyprolylene and oxybutylene groups and may be random or block; and n represents an average number of moles added and is zero to 30; and (3) a glycerol derivative. If necessary, the agent is used together with a surfactant, a fertilizer component or a chelating agent.

1 . A plant-activating composition comprising a plant-activating agent in a concentration of 0.01 to 500 ppm and at least one of a surfactant and a chelating agent, said plant-activating agent is a compound of formula (II),
   RCOO(AO) n X 1   (II)   
       wherein R represents an alkyl or alkenyl group having 15 to 19 carbon atoms; X 1  represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl or acyl group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group having 2 to 30 carbon atoms, or a counter ion; AO represents at least one group selected from oxyethylene, oxypropylene and oxybutylene groups and may be random or block; and n represents an average number of moles added and is zero to 30,
 wherein the composition is in an emulsion. 
 
     
     
         2 . A plant-activating composition comprising a plant-activating agent in a concentration of 0.01 to 500 ppm and at least one of a surfactant and a chelating agent, said plant-activating agent is a compound of formula (II),
   RCOO(AO) n X 1   (II)   
       wherein R represents an alkyl or alkenyl group having 11 to 29 carbon atoms; X 1  represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl or acyl group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group having 2 to 30 carbon atoms, or a counter ion; AO represents at least one group selected from oxyethylene, oxypropylene and oxybutylene groups and may be random or block; and n represents an average number of moles added and is zero to 30, wherein the surfactant is at least one selected from the group consisting of an ester group-containing nonionic surfactant, anionic surfactant, cationic surfactant and amphoteric surfactant,
 wherein the composition is in an emulsion. 
 
     
     
         3 . The composition as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the surfactant is selected from a nonionic surfactant, an anionic surfactant and an amphoteric surfactant. 
     
     
         4 . The composition as claimed in  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the plant-activating agent is in an aqueous dispersion and with the proviso that when the chelating agent is a salt of EDTA, the salt is a sodium salt. 
     
     
         5 . The composition as claimed in  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the chelating agent is at least one selected from the group consisting of citric acid, gluconic acid, malic acid, heptonic acid, oxalic acid, malonic acid, lactic acid, tartaric acid, succinic acid, fumaric acid, maleic acid, adipic acid, glutaric acid, polycarboxylic acid, potassium salt of a polycarboxylic acid, sodium salt of a polycarboxylic acid, an aliphatic amine salt of a polycarboxylic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) and cyclohexanediaminetetraacetic acid (CDTA). 
     
     
         6 . The composition as claimed in  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the composition comprises 10 to 20,000 parts by weight of the surfactant and zero to 10,000 parts by weight of the chelating agent per 100 parts by weight of the activating agent. 
     
     
         7 . The composition as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the composition further comprises 10 to 5,000 parts by weight of other nutrients per 100 parts by weight of the activating agent. 
     
     
         8 . The composition as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein R represents an alkyl or alkenyl group having 13 to 29 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         9 . The composition as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the surfactant is at least one selected from the group consisting of a sorbitan fatty acid ester, polyoxyalkylene sorbitan fatty acid ester, polyoxyalkylene fatty acid ester, glycerol fatty acid ester, polyoxyalkylene glycerol fatty acid ester, polyglycerol fatty acid ester, polyoxyalkylene polyglycerol fatty acid ester, sucrose fatty acid ester, resin acid ester and polyoxyalkylene resin acid ester. 
     
     
         10 . The composition as claimed in  claim 2 , which is the compound (2) represented by the formula (II) wherein n is zero to 20; R represents an alkyl or alkenyl group having 13 to 21 carbon atoms, X 1  represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl or acyl group having 1 to 22 carbon atoms or an alkenyl group having 2 to 22 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         11 . A method of activating a plant comprising forming a plant-activating composition in an emulsion and applying said emulsion to the plant,
 wherein said plant-activating composition is capable of promoting growth of the plant by itself and comprises a plant activating agent in a concentration of 0.01 to 500 ppm and at least one of a surfactant and a chelating agent, said plant-activating agent is a compound of formula (II)
   RCOO(AO) n X 1   (II) 
   
       wherein R represents an alkyl or alkenyl group having 15 to 19 carbon atoms; X 1  represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl or acyl group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms or an alkenyl group having 2 to 30 carbon atoms, or a counter ion; AO represents at least one group selected from oxyethylene, oxypropylene and oxybutylene groups and may be random or block; and n represents an average number of moles added and is zero to 30. 
     
     
         12 . A method of activating a plant comprising forming a plant-activating composition in an emulsion and applying said emulsion to the plant,
 wherein said plant-activating composition is capable of promoting growth of the plant by itself and comprises a plant activating agent in a concentration of 0.01 to 500 ppm and at least one of a surfactant and a chelating agent, said plant-activating agent is a compound of formula (II),
   RCOO(AO) n X 1   (II) 
   
       wherein R represents an alkyl or alkenyl group having 11 to 29 carbon atoms; X 1  represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl or acyl group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms or an alkenyl group having 2 to 30 carbon atoms, or a counter ion; AO represents at least one group selected from oxyethylene, oxypropylene and oxybutylene groups and may be random or block; and n represents an average number of moles added and is zero to 30, wherein the surfactant is at least one selected from the group consisting of an ester group-containing nonionic surfactant, anionic surfactant, cationic surfactant and amphoteric surfactant. 
     
     
         13 . A method of activating a plant comprising forming a plant-activating composition in an emulsion and spraying said emulsion on phylloplanes of the plant,
 wherein said plant-activating composition is capable of promoting growth of the plant by itself and comprises a plant activating agent in a concentration of 0.01 to 500 ppm and at least one of a surfactant and a chelating agent, said plant-activating agent is a compound of formula (II),
   RCOO(AO) n X 1   (II) 
   
       wherein R represents an alkyl or alkenyl group having 11 to 29 carbon atoms; X 1  represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl or acyl group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms or an alkenyl group having 2 to 30 carbon atoms, or a counter ion; AO represents at least one group selected from oxyethylene, oxypropylene and oxybutylene groups and may be random or block; and n represents an average number of moles added and is zero to 30. 
     
     
         14 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , which is the compound (2) represented by the formula (II) wherein n is zero to 20; X 1  represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl or acyl group having 1 to 22 carbon atoms or an alkenyl group having 2 to 22 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         15 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the plant activating agent promotes permeation. 
     
     
         16 . The method as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein R represents an alkyl or alkenyl group having 13 to 29 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         17 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the surfactant is at least one selected from the group consisting of a sorbitan fatty acid ester, polyoxyalkylene sorbitan fatty acid ester, polyoxyalkylene fatty acid ester, glycerol fatty acid ester, polyoxyalkylene glycerol fatty acid ester, polyglycerol fatty acid ester, polyoxyalkylene polyglycerol fatty acid ester, sucrose fatty acid ester, resin acid ester and polyoxyalkylene resin acid ester. 
     
     
         18 . The method as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the surfactant is selected from a nonionic surfactant, an anionic surfactant and an amphoteric surfactant.