United States Patent (19) 11 Patent Number: 6,165,245 Yamashita (45) Date of Patent: *Dec
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USOO6165245A United States Patent (19) 11 Patent Number: 6,165,245 Yamashita (45) Date of Patent: *Dec. 26, 2000 54). FOLIAR FERTILIZER AND METHOD FOR Berrie, Alex M.M., “The Effect Of Sucrose Sprays On The USING THE SAME Growth Of Tomato,” Physiologia Plantarum (1960) vol. 13:9-19. 76 Inventor: Thomas T. Yamashita, 3631 Bogue Brasher, E.P., et al., “Foliar Nutrition Sprays On Vegetable Rd., Denair, Calif. 95316-9619 Crops,' University Of Delaware Agricultural Experiment * Notice: This patent issued on a continued pros Station Newark, Delaware (Apr., 1953) Bulletin No. ecution application filed under 37 CFR 295:1-18. 1.53(d), and is subject to the twenty year Klinker, J. Edward, “Effect Of Foliar Applications Of Urea, patent term provisions of 35 U.S.C. Sucrose, and Dextrose On Tomato Yields and Quality,” 154(a)(2). Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station University Of Kentucky (Apr. 1953) Bulletin 595:1-29. 21 Appl. No.: 09/149,930 Kovacs, G., “The Importance Of Environmental, Plant And 22 Filed: Sep. 9, 1998 Spray Characteristics For A Foliar Nutrition Program To Be Successful.” Plant Protection And Agrochemistry Centre, (51) Int. Cl. .................................................. C05E5/00 Budapest, Hungary pp. 26–43. 52 U.S. Cl. ........................ 71/26; 71/11; 71/27; 71/64.1 58 Field of Search ................................. 71/64.1, 26, 11, Mederski, H.J., et al., “Foliar Fertilization Of Field Crops.” 71/23, 24; 210/610, 611 Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station, Ohio p. 56 and pp. 3-12. 56) References Cited Miller, K., “The Effect Of Foliar Fertilization On The Yield U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS And Quality Of Different Crops.” Institute Of Agricultural Chemistry, University Of Göttingen, Göttingen, West-Ger 4,351,735 9/1982 Buddemeyer et al. ..................... 252/1 many pp. 434-451. 4,383,845 5/1983 Rutherford ... ... 71/16 4,473,648 9/1984 Tang .......... 435/240 Went, F.W., et al., “Growth Response Of Tomato Plants To 4,652.294 3/1987 Arnold ... 71/28 Applied Sucrose'." American Journal Of Botany (Feb. 4,952.229 8/1990 Muir .............................................. 71/7 5,549,729 8/1996 Yamashita ..... ... 71/26 1948) vol. 33, No. (2): 95-106. 5,582,627 12/1996 Yamashita ..... ... 71/26 5,696,094 12/1997 Yamashita ..... ... 514/22 Primary Examiner-Gary P. Straub 5,797,976 8/1998 Yamashita ................................... 7 1/26 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Bret E. Field; Bozicevic, Field & FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS Francais LLP 161395 A2 11/1985 European Pat. Off.. 57 ABSTRACT 43-022206 9/1968 Japan. 2279578 11/1990 Japan ............................... CO5G 1/OO Foliar fertilizer compositions and methods for their use are provided. The Subject compositions are aqueous Solutions of OTHER PUBLICATIONS at least one coenzyme, where the coenzyme(s) is preferably Castro et al., “Effects of foliar nutrient sprays on Phaseolus a Vitamin B, and more preferably folic acid and/or Vulgaris L. cultivars”, Anais da Escola Superior de Agricul pyridoxine, where in many preferred embodiments the com tura, pp. 109-118, 1983. positions include both folic acid and pyridoxine. The Subject Khater et al., “Effects of foliar spray of thiamin, vitamin B1 compositions may further include at least one of a carbo on vegetative growth and volatile oil of Tagetes minutra L', hydrate Source, a complexing agent and a preservative. The Annals of Agricultural Science, pp. 1883-1888, 1992. Subject foliar fertilizer compositions find use in enhancing Alexander, A., “Optimum Timing Of Foliar Nutrient the growth of a variety of plants through foliar application. Sprays,” Schering AG Agrochemical Div. Special Fertilizers Disseldorf, West Germany, pp. 44-60. 15 Claims, No Drawings 6,165.245 1 2 FOLIAR FERTILIZER AND METHOD FOR at least one coenzyme, where the coenzyme(s) is preferably USING THE SAME a vitamin B, and more preferably at least one of, and many cases both of, folic acid and pyridoxine. The Subject com TECHNICAL FIELD positions may also include one or more of the following The field of this invention is fertilizers. agents: (a) a carbohydrate Source; (b) a complexing agent; and (c) a preservative. The Subject compositions find use in BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION methods of enhancing plant growth where the compositions Fertilizers are materials that are used to Supply elements are applied to the foliage of plants, i.e. the Subject compo needed for plant nutrition. Fertilizer materials may be in the sitions find use as foliar fertilizers. In further describing the form of Solids, Semi-Solids, Slurry Suspensions, pure liquids, subject invention, the compositions will be described first aqueous Solutions and gases. Fertilizing materials may be followed by a discussion of methods for their use. introduced into a plant's environment in a number of dif Before the subject invention is further described, it is to ferent ways, including through addition to the Soil, through be understood that the invention is not limited to the application directly to a plant's foliage, and the like. The use particular embodiments of the invention described below, as of fertilizers is critical to commercial agriculture as fertil 15 variations of the particular embodiments may be made and izers are essential to correct natural deficiencies and/or Still fall within the Scope of the appended claims. It is also replace components in Soil. to be understood that the terminology employed is for the In many instances, it is beneficial to apply a fertilizer purpose of describing particular embodiments, and is not directly to the foliage of a plant, i.e. to use a foliar fertilizer. intended to be limiting. Instead, the Scope of the present Such instances include Situations where a given Soil has invention will be established by the appended claims. characteristics Such that the transport properties of nutrients In this Specification and the appended claims, the Singular through the Soil are poor. In Such instances, the use of a foliar forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural reference unless fertilizing composition overcomes the Soil disadvantages. the context clearly dictates otherwise. Unless defined As such, a number of different foliar fertilizer composi otherwise, all technical and Scientific terms used herein have tions have been developed and/or used with a variety of 25 the same meaning as commonly understood to one of different types of crops. ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Despite the number of different foliar fertilizers that have The compositions used as foliar fertilizers in the Subject been developed, there is a continued need to develop new methods are acqueous compositions that include at least one compositions. Of particular interest would be the develop coenzyme. Coenzymes of interest include: biotin, Vitamin B ment of fertilizer compositions that include a minimum of compounds, inositol, etc. In preferred embodiments, the different components, preferably naturally occurring coenzyme is a vitamin B. By Vitamin B is meant a water components, where Such compositions nonetheless provide soluble vitamin which is generally a member of the vitamin for Significant enhancement in plant growth. B complex. Specific vitamin B compounds of interest Relevant Literature include: vitamin B (thiamine); vitamin B disulfide U.S. Patents of interest include: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4.473,648; 35 (thiamine disulfide); vitamin B propyl disulfide (thiamine 4,652,294; 4,952,229; 5,549,729; 5,582,627 and 5,696,094. propyl disulfide; proSultiamine); Vitamin B (riboflavin); Also of interest are JP 68-022206 and EP 161395. Vitamin B phosphate (riboflavin monophosphate); Vitamin References of interest include: Berrie, “The Effect of B (nicotinamide, niacin, nicotinic acid); Vitamin B Sucrose Sprays on the Growth of Tomato,” Physiologia (adenine); Vitamin Bs (pantothenic acid); Vitamin B hydro Plantarum (1960) 13:9-19; Brasher et al., “Foliar Nutrition 40 chloride (pyridoxine hydrochloride); Vitamin B Sprays on Vegetable Crops” Bullentin No. 295, (April (cyanobolamin); Vitamin B2 (vitamin B-Co(II)); vitamin 1953)(University of Delaware, Newark Dell); Klinker et al., B coenzyme (cobamamide); Vitamin B12, Vitamin B12, “Effect of Foliar Applications of Urea, Sucrose, and Dex Vitamin B12; Vitamin B12: Vitamin B12: Vitamin B12; trose on Tomato Yield and Quality.” Bulletin 595 (April Vitamin B (orotic acid); Vitamin B (p-aminobenzoic acid, 1953)(Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station) 45 PABA); and vitamin B (folic acid). (University of Kentucky); Mederski et al., “Foliar Fertiliza tion of Plant Crops,” Research Circulation (1956) Ohio While the foliar fertilizer composition may include one or Agricultural Experimentation Station; and Went et al., more different Vitamin B compounds, preferably the com “Growth Response to Tomato Plants of Applied Sucrose.” position includes one or two different Vitamin B compounds, 50 where the vitamin B compounds are preferably folic acid American J. Botany (1948) 35:93-106. and pyridoxine, where the foliar fertilizer composition may SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION include just one of, or both of, folic acid and pyridoxine. The Foliar fertilizing compositions and methods for their use amount of each of these coenzymes will be effective to are provided. The Subject compositions are acqueous Solu enhance the rate of growth of the plant to which the tions that include at least one coenzyme, where the 55 composition is applied. coenzyme(s) is preferably a vitamin B, and more preferably In preferred embodiments in which folic acid and/or at least one of, and in many embodiments both of, folic acid pyridoxine are the Vitamin B compounds, the amount of (vitamin Bc) and pyridoxine (vitamin B). The subject folic acid (i.e. N-4(2-Amino-1,4-dihydro-4-oxo-6- fertilizing compositions may further include at least one of pteridinyl)methylaminobenzoyl-L-glutamic acid, PGA, a carbohydrate Source, a complexing agent and a preserva 60 liver Lactobacillus casei factor; vitamin Bc, vitamin M, fols tive. The subject compositions find use in methods of aure, cytofol; folacin, foldine, foliamin, foliacet, folipac, enhancing plant growth through foliar application.