Chemicals which alter the production of metabolites in cultivated plants

Abstract

Elicitors are applied to cultivated crops in order to improve plant productivity and/or harvestable crop value in agricultural and horticultural operations providing increased production of metabolites in cultivated plants.

I claim: 
     
         1 ) At least one elicitor for increasing production of one or more selected inherent plant chemicals which have value in plant cultivation comprising applying an effective amount of at least one elicitor to plant cells being cultivated after which the selected inherent plant chemical production is increased. 
     
     
         2 ) The at least one elicitor of  claim 1  wherein the elicitor comprises Methyl Jasmonate. 
     
     
         3 ) The at least one elicitor of  claim 1  wherein the at least one elicitor comprises a composition consisting of Methyl Jasmonate and Jasmonic Acid including homologues, isomers or derivatives of the listed elicitors. 
     
     
         4 ) The composition of  claim 3  wherein the composition further consists of Methyl salicylate including homologues, isomers or derivatives of the listed elicitors. 
     
     
         5 ) The composition of  claim 4  wherein the composition further consists of Salicylic Acid including homologues, isomers or derivatives of the listed elicitors. 
     
     
         6 ) The composition of  claim 5  wherein the composition further consists of Silicic acid including homologues, isomers or derivatives of the listed elicitors. 
     
     
         7 ) The at least one elicitor of  claim 1  wherein the at least one elicitor comprises a composition of two or more elicitors selected from the group consisting of Methyl Jasmonate, Jasmonic Acid, Methyl salicylate, Salicylic Acid, Silicic acid and their homologues or isomers or derivatives. 
     
     
         8 ) The composition of  claim 2  wherein the composition is applied to plant cells in the form of seed, clone stock, flowers, roots, leaves, or other plant tissue. 
     
     
         9 ) The inherent plant chemicals of  claim 1  wherein the inherent plant chemicals consist of metabolites. 
     
     
         10 ) The inherent plant chemicals of  claim 9  wherein the inherent plant chemicals are selected from the group consisting of secondary metabolites, phytochemicals, colors, aromas, flavors, acids and phenolics. 
     
     
         11 ) A method of increasing production of one or more selected inherent plant chemicals which have value in plant cultivation by using the composition of  claim 7  comprising applying the composition at selected time points resulting in increased production of selected inherent plant chemicals. 
     
     
         12 ) The method of  claim 11  wherein selected inherent plant chemicals include secondary metabolites, phytochemicals, colors, aromas, flavors, acids and phenolics. 
     
     
         13 ) The method of  claim 11  wherein applying the composition is selected from a group consisting of a foliar spray, a root drench and a gas. 
     
     
         14 ) The method of  claim 11  wherein applying the composition is directed to subterranean plant cells, aerial plant cells or both. 
     
     
         15 ) The method of  claim 11  wherein the selected time points consist of a time point during plant growth cycle. 
     
     
         16 ) The method of  claim 15  wherein the selected time points consist of a time point selected from the group consisting of vegetative stage and reproductive stage.