A novel composition and method of use to control pathogens and prevent diseases in seeds

Abstract

The invention relates to a composition of water-soluble ingredients (CWSI) which when solubilized in water (W) and either in the presence of a wetting agent and/or in the presence of at least one agriculturally acceptable solvent, forms a synergistic composition useful for the control of pathogens and/or the prevention of diseases associated with the presence of said pathogens in and/or on seeds. Said composition of water-soluble ingredients (CWSI) comprises at least one oxidizer in liquid form or solid form, or a precursor thereof in liquid or solid form, said at least one agriculturally acceptable solvent is soluble in water (W); the water-soluble ingredients (CWSI) is dissolved in the water (W), in a weight ratio (CWSI)/(W) ranging from 1:100 to 1:4, and when present, said at least one agriculturally acceptable solvent represents from 2% by volume to 70% by volume of the total volume of the synergistic composition to be formed. The invention also relates to a synergistic composition for the control of pathogens and/or the prevention of diseases associated with the presence of said pathogens in and/or on seeds, and a method and a use of the same.

1 .- 80 . (canceled) 
     
     
         81 . A composition of water-soluble ingredients (CWSI) which when solubilized in water (W) and at least one agriculturally acceptable solvent, forms a synergistic composition for the control of pathogens and/or the prevention of diseases associated with the presence of said pathogens in and/or on seeds, wherein said composition of water-soluble ingredients (CWSI) is to be dissolved in water in a weight ratio (CWSI)/(W) in the range from 1:100 to 1:4;
 wherein (i) said composition of water-soluble ingredients (CWSI) is:   a liquid preformed peracetic acid, or an in situ generated peracetic acid obtained from a powdered composition of water-soluble ingredients (PCWSI) defining a peracetic acid precursor and consisting of a dry, mixture of:
 (i)-a) 30-60% w/w of a solid hydrogen peroxide precursor; 
 (i)-b) 10-40% w/w of a pH adjusting agent which is an organic acid or an inorganic acid; and 
 (i)-c) 10-40% w/w of an acetylating agent; and 
   wherein said peracetic acid precursor generates in situ peracetic acid (PAA) when the powdered composition of water-soluble ingredients (PCWSI) is contacted with water (W) in a weight ratio (PCWSI)/(W) ranging from 1:100 to 1:4, being understood that when 2 g of said dry, water-soluble mixture of (i)-a), (i)-b), (i)-c) is admixed with 1000 g of water, 100 to 250 ppm of peracetic acid (PAA) are generated in situ at pH 9.0±3; and   wherein (ii) said at least one agriculturally acceptable solvent is soluble in water (W) selected from the group consisting of an agriculturally acceptable alcohol, glycol ether, propylene glycol and ethylene glycol, and represents from 2% by volume to 70% by volume of the total volume of the synergistic composition to be formed.   
     
     
         82 . The composition of  claim 81 , wherein said at least one agriculturally acceptable solvent is an alcohol of formula ROH where R represents a linear alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or a branched alkyl group having from 3 to 6 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         83 . The composition of  claim 82 , wherein said composition of water-soluble ingredients further comprises:
 (iii) at least one wetting agent, wherein the at least one wetting agent is:   an anionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of carboxylates, sulfonates, petroleum sulfonates, alkylbenzenesulfonates, naphthalene sulfonates, olefin sulfonates, alkyl sulfates, sulfated natural oils, sulfated natural fats, sulfated esters, sulfated alkanolamides, alkylphenol ethoxylates and sulfated alkylphenols;   a non-ionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of alcohol ethoxylates, ethoxylated aliphatic alcohols, polyoxyethylene surfactants, carboxylic esters, polyethylene glycol esters, anhydrosorbitol ester and its ethoxylated derivatives, glycol esters of fatty acids, carboxylic amides, monoalkanolamine condensates and polyoxyethylene fatty acid amides;   a cationic surfactant selected from the group consisting of quaternary ammonium salts, amines with amide linkages, polyoxyethylene alkyl and alicyclic amines, 4-N,N,N′,N′-tetrakis substituted ethylenediamines and 5,2-alkyl-1-hydroxyethyl 2-imidazolines;   an amphoteric surfactant selected from the group consisting of N-coco 3-aminopropionic acid and its sodium salt, N-tallow 3-iminodipropionate and its disodium salt, N-carboxymethyl N-dimethyl N-9 octadecenyl ammonium hydroxide, and N-cocoamidethyl N-hydroxyethylglycine and its sodium salt; or   an organic biodegradable and biobased surfactant.   
     
     
         84 . The composition of  claim 83 , wherein said powdered composition of water-soluble ingredients (PCWSI) is a dry, water-soluble mixture of:
 i. 58% w/w of the solid hydrogen peroxide precursor;   ii. 18% w/w of the pH adjusting agent;   iii. 20% w/w of the acetylating agent;   iv. 4% w/w of a wetting agent as defined in claim  3 ; and   wherein (i), (ii) and (iii) represent the peracetic acid precursor; and wherein when 2 g of said dry, water-soluble mixture of (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) is admixed with 1000 g of water, 100 to 250 ppm of peracetic acid (PAA) are generated in situ at pH 9.0±3;   wherein the acylating agent is acetylsalicylic acid or tetraacetylethylenediamine (TAED);   wherein the solid hydrogen peroxide precursor is sodium perborate, sodium percarbonate, ammonium percarbonate, sodium peroxyhydrate, calcium peroxide, sodium peroxide, sodium perborate monohydrate, sodium perborate tetrahydrate, sodium persulfate, potassium monopersulfate, perphosphate, magnesium peroxide, zinc peroxide, urea hydrogen peroxide, perhydrate of urea, thiourea dioxide, or a mixture thereof; and   wherein the pH adjusting agent is sulfuric acid, citric acid, phosphoric acid, nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, glycolic acid, formic acid, acetic acid, hydrofluoric acid, nitrous acid, hydrocyanic acid, benzoic acid, carboxylic acid, lactic acid, acetic acid, oxalic acid, sulfamic acid, phosphorous acid, dipicolinic acid, urea.HCl, boric acid, or a mixture thereof.   
     
     
         85 . A synergistic composition for the control of pathogens and/or the prevention of diseases associated with the presence of said pathogens in and/or on seeds wherein said synergistic composition comprises:
 water (W);   the composition of water-soluble ingredients (CWSI) defined in  claim 81 ; and   at least one agriculturally acceptable solvent which is soluble in water (W) and selected from the group consisting of an agriculturally acceptable alcohol, glycol ether, propylene glycol and ethylene glycol;   wherein the composition of water-soluble ingredients (CWSI) is contacted with water (W), in a weight ratio (CWSI)/(W) ranging from 1:100 to 1:4, the at least one agriculturally acceptable solvent either forming a mixture with the water (W) or being added to a solution of peracetic acid resulting from the contact of the composition of water-soluble ingredients (CWSI) with water, to form the synergistic composition; and   wherein the at least one agriculturally acceptable solvent is present in the synergistic composition in such an amount that it represents from 2% by volume to 70% by volume, of the total volume of the synergistic composition.   
     
     
         86 . The synergistic composition of  claim 85 , wherein said at least one agriculturally acceptable solvent is an alcohol of formula ROH where R represents a linear alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or a branched alkyl group having from 3 to 6 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         87 . The synergistic composition of  claim 86 , wherein said composition of water-soluble ingredients further comprises:
 (iii) at least one wetting agent, wherein the at least one wetting agent is:
 an anionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of carboxylates, sulfonates, petroleum sulfonates, alkylbenzenesulfonates, naphthalene sulfonates, olefin sulfonates, alkyl sulfates, sulfated natural oils, sulfated natural fats, sulfated esters, sulfated alkanolamides, alkylphenol ethoxylates and sulfated alkylphenols; 
 a non-ionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of alcohol ethoxylates, ethoxylated aliphatic alcohols, polyoxyethylene surfactants, carboxylic esters, polyethylene glycol esters, anhydrosorbitol ester and its ethoxylated derivatives, glycol esters of fatty acids, carboxylic amides, monoalkanolamine condensates and polyoxyethylene fatty acid amides; 
 a cationic surfactant selected from the group consisting of quaternary ammonium salts, amines with amide linkages, polyoxyethylene alkyl and alicyclic amines, 4-N,N,N′,N′-tetrakis substituted ethylenediamines and 5,2-alkyl-1-hydroxyethyl 2-imidazolines; 
 an amphoteric surfactant selected from the group consisting of N-coco 3-aminopropionic acid and its sodium salt, N-tallow 3-iminodipropionate and its disodium salt, N-carboxymethyl N-dimethyl N-9 octadecenyl ammonium hydroxide, and N-cocoamidethyl N-hydroxyethylglycine and its sodium salt; or 
 an organic biodegradable and biobased surfactant. 
   
     
     
         88 . The synergistic composition of  claim 87 , wherein said powdered composition of water-soluble ingredients (PCWSI) is a dry, water-soluble mixture of:
 i. 58% w/w of the solid hydrogen peroxide precursor;   ii. 18% w/w of the pH adjusting agent;   iii. 20% w/w of the acetylating agent;   iv. 4% w/w of a wetting agent as defined in claim  7 ; and   wherein (i), (ii) and (iii) represent the peracetic acid precursor; and wherein when 2 g of said dry, water-soluble mixture of (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) is admixed with 1000 g of water, 100 to 250 ppm of peracetic acid (PAA) are generated in situ at pH 9.0±3;   wherein the acylating agent is acetylsalicylic acid or tetraacetylethylenediamine (TAED);   wherein the solid hydrogen peroxide precursor is:   sodium perborate, sodium percarbonate, ammonium percarbonate, sodium peroxyhydrate, calcium peroxide, sodium peroxide, sodium perborate monohydrate, sodium perborate tetrahydrate, sodium persulfate, potassium monopersulfate, perphosphate, magnesium peroxide, zinc peroxide, urea hydrogen peroxide, perhydrate of urea, thiourea dioxide, or a mixture thereof; and   wherein the pH adjusting agent is sulfuric acid, citric acid, phosphoric acid, nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, glycolic acid, formic acid, acetic acid, hydrofluoric acid, nitrous acid, hydrocyanic acid, benzoic acid, carboxylic acid, lactic acid, acetic acid, oxalic acid, sulfamic acid, phosphorous acid, dipicolinic acid, urea.HCl, boric acid, or a mixture thereof.   
     
     
         89 . The synergistic composition of  claim 88 , wherein when the at least one agriculturally acceptable solvent is selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 6  alcohols and glycol ethers, said aqueous synergistic composition being further for the prevention of the release of mucilage from seeds. 
     
     
         90 . The synergistic composition of  claim 89 , wherein seeds are flax seeds or chia seeds. 
     
     
         91 . The synergistic composition of  claim 89 , wherein said synergistic composition is for an application to the seeds by spraying, vaporizing, soaking, fumigating, or electrostatic spraying. 
     
     
         92 . The synergistic composition of  claim 91 , wherein the pathogens are selected from the group consisting of viruses, bacteria, fungi, yeasts and moulds. 
     
     
         93 . The synergistic composition of  claim 92 , for the further prevention of mucilage from seeds. 
     
     
         94 . The synergistic composition of  claim 91  wherein the pathogens are:
 selected from the group consisting of  E. Coli, Listeria monocytogenes  and  Salmonella  spp.; or 
 selected from the group consisting of  Agrobacterium  spp.,  Burkholderia  spp.,  Clavibacter  spp.,  Corynebacterium  spp.,  Erwinia  spp.,  Pseudomonas  spp.,  Ralstonia  spp.,  Rhizomonas  spp.,  Xanthomonas  spp., and  Xylella  spp.; or 
 selected from the group consisting of  Albugo  spp.,  Alternaria  spp.,  Armillaria  spp.,  Aspergillus  spp.,  Athelia  spp.,  Bipolaris  spp.,  Botryosphaeria  spp.,  Botryotinia  spp.,  Botrytis  spp.,  Bremia  spp.,  Capnodium  spp.,  Ceratobasidium  spp.,  Ceratocystis  spp.,  Cercospora  spp.,  Choanephora  spp.,  Claviceps  spp.,  Corynespora  spp.,  Cronartium  spp.,  Cryphonectria  spp.,  Cylindrocladium  spp.,  Cytospora  spp.,  Diaporthe  spp.,  Diplodia  spp.,  Dreschlera  spp.,  Elsinoe  spp.,  Erexohilum  spp.,  Erysiphe  spp.,  Eutypha  spp.,  Exobasidium  spp.,  Fusarium  spp.,  Gaeumannomyces  spp.,  Gliocladium  spp.,  Gymnosporangium  spp.,  Heterobasidium  spp.,  Hypoxylon  spp.,  Kutilakesa  spp.,  Lophiodermium  spp.,  Magnaporthe  spp.,  Melampsora  spp.,  Monilinia  spp.,  Mycosphaerella  spp.,  Myrothecia  spp.,  Nectriella  spp.,  Nematospora  spp.,  Oidium  spp.,  Olpidium  spp.,  Ophiostoma  spp.,  Penicillium  spp.,  Peronospora  spp.,  Phakospora  spp.,  Phoma  spp.,  Phomopsis  spp.,  Phragmidium  spp.,  Phyllactinia  spp.,  Physoderma  spp.,  Phytophthora  spp.,  Plasmodiophora  spp.,  Plasmopara  spp.,  Pseudoperonospora  spp.,  Puccinia  spp.,  Pythium  spp.,  Rhizoctonia  spp.,  Rhizopus  spp.,  Rhytisma  spp.,  Sclerotinia  spp.,  Sclerotium  spp.,  Spongospora  spp.,  Synchytrium  spp.,  Taphrina  spp.,  Thanatephorus  spp.,  Thielaviopsis  spp.,  Tilletia  spp.,  Uncinula  spp.,  Urocystis  spp.,  Ustilago  spp.,  Valso  spp.,  Venturia  spp.,  Verticillium  spp., and  Xylaria  spp. 
 
     
     
         95 . The synergistic composition of  claim 94 , wherein the seeds are edible seeds, grains raw and/or cooked, seeds of transplantable crops, or seeds for sprouting, and wherein the seeds are:
 cereals selected from the group consisting of barley, fonio, maize, pearl millet, oats, palmer's grass, rice, rye, sorghum, spelt, teff, triticale, wheat, and wild rice;   pseudocereals selected from the group consisting of breadnut, buckwheat, cattail, chia, flax, grain amaranth, kañiwa, pitseed goosefoot, quinoa, and wattleseed;   nuts selected from the group consisting of almonds, coconuts, peanuts and cashews, beech, brazil nut, candlenut, cashew, chestnuts, Chinese chestnut, sweet chestnut, coconut, colocynth,  Cucurbita ficifolia,  filbert,  Gevuina avellana,  hickory, pecan, shagbark hickory, Terminalia catappa, hazelnut, Indian beech, kola nut, macadamia, Malabar chestnut, pistacia, mamoncillo, maya nut, mongongo, oak acorns, ogbono nut, paradise nut, pili nut, walnut, black walnut, and water caltrop;   nut-like gymnosperm seeds selected from the group consisting of cycads, ginkgo,  Gnetum gnemon,  juniper, monkey-puzzle, pine nuts, and podocarps;   seeds selected from the group consisting of cempedak, coffee, egusi, euryale ferox, fluted pumpkin, hemp seed, jackfruit, lotus seed, Malabar gourd, pumpkin seed, sunflower seed, sesame seed, and Tahini;   beans selected from the group consisting of bambara groundnut, chickpeas, cowpeas, black eyed pea, dry beans, fava, broad beans, hyacinth bean, lablab, lentils, lupins,  Moringa oleifera,  peas, peanuts, pigeon peas, sterculia, velvet beans, winged beans, yam beans, and soybeans;   seeds for sprouting selected from the group consisting of alfalfa, clover, fenugreek, lentil, pea, chickpea, mung bean, soybean; oat, wheat, maize, rice, barley, rye, kamut, quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat; sesame, sunflower, almond, hazelnut, linseed, peanut; brassicas, crucifers, broccoli, cabbage, watercress, mustard, mizuna, radish, daikon, rocket, tatsoi and turnip; carrot, celery, fennel, parsley, onion, leek, green onion, me-negi, spinach, lettuce, milk thistle, and lemon grass;   seed spices selected from the group consisting of ajwain, carom seeds, alligator pepper, mbongo spice, mbongochobi, hepper pepper, allspice, anise, aniseed myrtle, annatto, borage, black cardamom, black mustard, blue fenugreek, blue melilot, brown mustard, caraway, cardamom, celery seed, clove, coriander seed, cumin, dill seed, fennel, fenugreek, grains of paradise, grains of Selim, Kani pepper, juniper berry, kala zeera, kala jira, black cumin, kawakawa seeds, keluak, kluwak, kepayang, kokam seed, korarima, Ethiopian cardamom, false cardamom, mace, mahlab, Saint Lucie cherry, black mustard seed, brown mustard seed, white mustard seed, yellow mustard seed, nigella, kalonji, black caraway, black onion seed, njangsa, djansang, nutmeg, black pepper seed, green pepper seed, black pepper seed, white pepper seed, star anise, sumac, Szechuan pepper, Sichuan pepper, vanilla, and wattleseed;   seeds of crops transplantable from greenhouse to field and selected from the group consisting of basil, bell pepper, broccoflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cantaloupe, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, eggplant, head lettuce, honeydew, muskmelon, onion, radicchio, romaine lettuce, squash, tobacco, tomato, and watermelon; or   seeds of medical marijuana.   
     
     
         96 . The synergistic composition of  claim 95 , wherein the seeds are selected from the group consisting hemp, flax and chia seeds. 
     
     
         97 . A method for the control of pathogens and/or the prevention of diseases associated with the presence of said pathogens in and/or on seeds, said method comprising a step of contacting said seeds with a synergistic composition as defined in  claim 85 , wherein the synergistic composition is contacted with seeds in such an amount that said at least one agriculturally acceptable solvent represents less than 10% by volume, as final concentration of the at least one agriculturally acceptable solvent admixed with seeds. 
     
     
         98 . The method of  claim 97 , wherein in the synergistic composition said at least one agriculturally acceptable solvent is an alcohol of formula ROH where R represents a linear alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or a branched alkyl group having from 3 to 6 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         99 . The method of  claim 97 , wherein the synergistic composition of water-soluble ingredients further comprises:
 (iii) at least one wetting agent, wherein the at least one wetting agent is:
 an anionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of carboxylates, sulfonates, petroleum sulfonates, alkylbenzenesulfonates, naphthalene sulfonates, olefin sulfonates, alkyl sulfates, sulfated natural oils, sulfated natural fats, sulfated esters, sulfated alkanolamides, alkylphenol ethoxylates and sulfated alkylphenols; 
 a non-ionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of alcohol ethoxylates, ethoxylated aliphatic alcohols, polyoxyethylene surfactants, carboxylic esters, polyethylene glycol esters, anhydrosorbitol ester and its ethoxylated derivatives, glycol esters of fatty acids, carboxylic amides, monoalkanolamine condensates and polyoxyethylene fatty acid amides; 
 a cationic surfactant selected from the group consisting of quaternary ammonium salts, amines with amide linkages, polyoxyethylene alkyl and alicyclic amines, 4-N,N,N′,N′-tetrakis substituted ethylenediamines and 5,2-alkyl-1-hydroxyethyl 2-imidazolines; 
 an amphoteric surfactant selected from the group consisting of N-coco 3-aminopropionic acid and its sodium salt, N-tallow 3-iminodipropionate and its disodium salt, N-carboxymethyl N-dimethyl N-9 octadecenyl ammonium hydroxide, and N-cocoamidethyl N-hydroxyethylglycine and its sodium salt; or 
 an organic biodegradable and biobased surfactant. 
   
     
     
         100 . The method of  claim 99 , wherein the powdered composition of water-soluble ingredients (PCWSI) is a dry, water-soluble mixture of:
 i. 58% w/w of the solid hydrogen peroxide precursor;   ii. 18% w/w of the pH adjusting agent;   iii. 20% w/w of the acetylating agent;   iv. 4% w/w of a wetting agent as defined in claim  7 ; and   wherein (i), (ii) and (iii) represent the peracetic acid precursor; and wherein when 2 g of said dry, water-soluble mixture of (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) is admixed with 1000 g of water, 100 to 250 ppm of peracetic acid (PAA) are generated in situ at pH 9.0±3;   wherein the acylating agent is acetylsalicylic acid or tetraacetylethylenediamine (TAED);   wherein the solid hydrogen peroxide precursor is sodium perborate, sodium percarbonate, ammonium percarbonate, sodium peroxyhydrate, calcium peroxide, sodium peroxide, sodium perborate monohydrate, sodium perborate tetrahydrate, sodium persulfate, potassium monopersulfate, perphosphate, magnesium peroxide, zinc peroxide, urea hydrogen peroxide, perhydrate of urea, thiourea dioxide, or a mixture thereof; and   wherein the pH adjusting agent is sulfuric acid, citric acid, phosphoric acid, nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, glycolic acid, formic acid, acetic acid, hydrofluoric acid, nitrous acid, hydrocyanic acid, benzoic acid, carboxylic acid, lactic acid, acetic acid, oxalic acid, sulfamic acid, phosphorous acid, dipicolinic acid, urea.HCl, boric acid, or a mixture thereof.   
     
     
         101 . The method of  claim 97 , for the further prevention of mucilage from seeds. 
     
     
         102 . The method of  claim 97 , wherein the pathogens are selected from the group consisting of  E. Coli, Listeria monocytogenes  and  Salmonella  spp.; or
 selected from the group consisting of  Agrobacterium  spp.,  Burkholderia  spp.,  Clavibacter  spp.,  Corynebacterium  spp.,  Erwinia  spp.,  Pseudomonas  spp.,  Ralstonia  spp.,  Rhizomonas  spp.,  Xanthomonas  spp., and  Xylella  spp.; or   selected from the group consisting of  Albugo  spp.,  Alternaria  spp.,  Armillaria  spp.,  Aspergillus  spp.,  Athelia  spp.,  Bipolaris  spp.,  Botryosphaeria  spp.,  Botryotinia  spp.,  Botrytis  spp.,  Bremia  spp.,  Capnodium  spp.,  Ceratobasidium  spp.,  Ceratocystis  spp.,  Cercospora  spp.,  Choanephora  spp.,  Claviceps  spp.,  Corynespora  spp.,  Cronartium  spp.,  Cryphonectria  spp.,  Cylindrocladium  spp.,  Cytospora  spp.,  Diaporthe  spp.,  Diplodia  spp.,  Dreschlera  spp.,  Elsinoe  spp.,  Erexohilum  spp.,  Erysiphe  spp.,  Eutypha  spp.,  Exobasidium  spp.,  Fusarium  spp.,  Gaeumannomyces  spp.,  Gliocladium  spp.,  Gymnosporangium  spp.,  Heterobasidium  spp.,  Hypoxylon  spp.,  Kutilakesa  spp.,  Lophiodermium  spp.,  Magnaporthe  spp.,  Melompsora  spp.,  Monilinia  spp.,  Mycosphaerella  spp.,  Myrothecia  spp.,  Nectriella  spp.,  Nematospora  spp.,  Oidium  spp.,  Olpidium  spp.,  Ophiostoma  spp.,  Penicillium  spp.,  Peronospora  spp.,  Phakospora  spp.,  Phoma  spp.,  Phomopsis  spp.,  Phragmidium  spp.,  Phyllactinia  spp.,  Physoderma  spp.,  Phytophthora  spp.,  Plasmodiophora  spp.,  Pasmopara  spp.,  Pseudoperonospora  spp.,  Puccinia  spp.,  Pythium  spp.,  Rhizoctonia  spp.,  Rhizopus  spp.,  Rhytisma  spp.,  Sclerotinia  spp.,  Sclerotium  spp.,  Spongospora  spp.,  Synchytrium  spp.,  Taphrina  spp.,  Thanatephorus  spp.,  Thielaviopsis  spp.,  Tilletio  spp.,  Uncinula  spp.,  Urocystis  spp.,  Ustilago  spp.,  Valso  spp.,  Venturia  spp.,  Verticillium  spp., and  Xylaria  spp.   
     
     
         103 . The method of  claim 102 , wherein the seeds are edible seeds, grains raw and/or cooked, seeds of transplantable crops, or seeds for sprouting; and wherein the seeds are:
 cereals selected from the group consisting of barley, fonio, maize, pearl millet, oats, palmer's grass, rice, rye, sorghum, spelt, teff, triticale, wheat, and wild rice;   pseudocereals selected from the group consisting of breadnut, buckwheat, cattail, chia, flax, grain amaranth, kañiwa, pitseed goosefoot, quinoa, and wattleseed;   nuts selected from the group consisting of almonds, coconuts, peanuts and cashews, beech, brazil nut, candlenut, cashew, chestnuts, Chinese chestnut, sweet chestnut, coconut, colocynth,  Cucurbita ficifolia, filbert, Gevuina avellana,  hickory, pecan, shagbark hickory,  Terminalia catappa,  hazelnut, Indian beech, kola nut, macadamia, Malabar chestnut, pistacia, mamoncillo, maya nut, mongongo, oak acorns, ogbono nut, paradise nut, pili nut, walnut, black walnut, and water caltrop;   nut-like gymnosperm seeds selected from the group consisting of cycads, ginkgo,  Gnetum gnemon,  juniper, monkey-puzzle, pine nuts, and podocarps;   seeds selected from the group consisting of cempedak, coffee, egusi, euryale ferox, fluted pumpkin, hemp seed, jackfruit, lotus seed, Malabar gourd, pumpkin seed, sunflower seed, sesame seed, and Tahini;   beans selected from the group consisting of bambara groundnut, chickpeas, cowpeas, black eyed pea, dry beans, fava, broad beans, hyacinth bean, lablab, lentils, lupins,  Moringa oleifera,  peas, peanuts, pigeon peas, sterculia, velvet beans, winged beans, yam beans, and soybeans;   seeds for sprouting selected from the group consisting of alfalfa, clover, fenugreek, lentil, pea, chickpea, mung bean, soybean; oat, wheat, maize, rice, barley, rye, kamut, quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat; sesame, sunflower, almond, hazelnut, linseed, peanut; brassicas, crucifers, broccoli, cabbage, watercress, mustard, mizuna, radish, daikon, rocket, tatsoi and turnip; carrot, celery, fennel, parsley, onion, leek, green onion, me-negi, spinach, lettuce, milk thistle, and lemon grass;   seed spices selected from the group consisting of ajwain, carom seeds, alligator pepper, mbongo spice, mbongochobi, hepper pepper, allspice, anise, aniseed myrtle, annatto, borage, black cardamom, black mustard, blue fenugreek, blue melilot, brown mustard, caraway, cardamom, celery seed, clove, coriander seed, cumin, dill seed, fennel, fenugreek, grains of paradise, grains of Selim, Kani pepper, juniper berry, kala zeera, kala jira, black cumin, kawakawa seeds, keluak, kluwak, kepayang, kokam seed, korarima, Ethiopian cardamom, false cardamom, mace, mahlab, Saint Lucie cherry, black mustard seed, brown mustard seed, white mustard seed, yellow mustard seed, nigella, kalonji, black caraway, black onion seed, njangsa, djansang, nutmeg, black pepper seed, green pepper seed, black pepper seed, white pepper seed, star anise, sumac, Szechuan pepper, Sichuan pepper, vanilla, and wattleseed;   seeds of crops transplantable from greenhouse to field and selected from the group consisting of basil, bell pepper, broccoflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cantaloupe, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, eggplant, head lettuce, honeydew, muskmelon, onion, radicchio, romaine lettuce, squash, tobacco, tomato, and watermelon; or   seeds of medical marijuana.   
     
     
         104 . The method of  claim 103 , wherein said synergistic composition is for an application to the seeds by spraying, vaporizing, soaking, fumigating, or electrostatic spraying. 
     
     
         105 . The method of  claim 104 , wherein said synergistic composition is for an application to the seeds by spraying and keeping the synergistic composition in contact with the seeds and grains for 2 minutes to 48 hours before drying. 
     
     
         106 . The method of  claim 105 , wherein the synergistic composition is kept in contact with the seeds and grains for 24 hours before drying. 
     
     
         107 . The method of  claim 105 , wherein seeds are dried after contact with the synergistic composition and contact time, to reduce the moisture content of the seeds below 10% and further contribute to prevent a regrowth of microorganisms.