Methods of treating crop plants

Abstract

A method of treating dicot seedlings comprises contacting dicot seedlings with a composition comprising at least one cyclopropene one or more times prior to transplanting the dicot seedlings. A method of treating crop plants comprises contacting crop plants one or more times with a composition comprising at least one cyclopropene while the crop plants are at a specific development stage, such as reproductive stage.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of treating dicot seedlings, comprising contacting dicot seedlings with a composition comprising at least one cyclopropene one or more times prior to transplanting the dicot seedlings. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition is a liquid composition comprising at least one cyclopropene. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition is a gaseous composition comprising at least one cyclopropene. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises about 50 ppm of at least one cyclopropene. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprising at least one cyclopropene is a composition comprising 1-mehtylcyclopropene (1-MCP). 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises least one molecular encapsulating agent. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises least one metal-complexing agent. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein contacting dicot seedlings with a composition comprising at least one cyclopropene comprises contacting the dicot seedlings with the composition minutes to 7 days prior to transplanting. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dicot seedlings comprise dicot seedlings for vegetable plants. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dicot seedlings comprise dicot seedlings for the crops selected from the group consisting of solanaceous crops, cucurbits crop, and cruciferous crops. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dicot seedlings comprise dicot seedlings for a plant selected from the group consisting of tomato, pepper, eggplant, melon, cucumber, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and brussel sprout. 
     
     
         12 . A method of treating crop plants, comprising:
 contacting crop plants one or more times with a composition comprising at least one cyclopropene, while the crop plants are at one or more reproductive stages.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein contacting crop plants one or more times with a composition comprising at least one cyclopropene comprises:
 contacting soybean plants one or more times with the composition while the soybean plants are at one or more reproductive stage selected from R2 (full bloom), R3 (beginning pod), or R5.5 (between beginning seed and full seed).   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein contacting crop plants one or more times with a composition comprising at least one cyclopropene comprises:
 contacting tomato plants one or more times with the composition at one or more of the following times: during the period from initiation of the first bloom period to seven days after the initiation of the first bloom period; and during the period from 28 days before anticipated harvest until harvest.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein contacting crop plants one or more times with a composition comprising at least one cyclopropene comprises:
 contacting bell pepper plants one or more times with the composition while the bell pepper plants are at the initiation of the first bloom period.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein contacting crop plants one or more times with a composition comprising at least one cyclopropene comprises:
 contacting watermelon plants one or more times with the composition within 14 days after flowering of watermelon plants.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein contacting crop plants one or more times with a composition comprising at least one cyclopropene comprises:
 contacting cantaloupe plants one or more time with the composition after bud initiation but before blossom opening.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein contacting crop plants one or more times with a composition comprising at least one cyclopropene comprises:
 contacting crop plants one or more times with a liquid composition comprising 1-mehtylcyclopropene (1-MCP), while the crop plants are at one or more reproductive stages.   
     
     
         19 . A method of treating crop plants, comprising contacting crop plant one or more times with a composition comprising at least one cyclopropene while the crop plants are at a specific development stage, wherein:
 when the crop plants are corn plants, the specific development stage is selected from V12 (the twelfth leaf emerges), VT (tasselling), R3 (milk), or a combination of any of these development stages; or   when the crop plants are cotton plants, the specific development stage comprises at no more than 3 days after appearance of early bloom on the cotton plants for a first contact, at 14 days after the first contact, and at 28 days after the first contact.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , comprising contacting crop plants one or more times with a composition comprising at least one cyclopropene comprises:
 contacting crop plants one or more times with a liquid composition comprising 1-mehtylcyclopropene (1-MCP), while the crop plants are at the specific development stage.