US 2011 0053773A1 (19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2011/0053773A1 ARMEL et al. (43) Pub. Date: Mar. 3, 2011 (54) METHODS OF IMPROVING NUTRITONAL Publication Classification VALUE OF PLANTS (51) Int. Cl. AOIN 25/32 (2006.01) CI2O 1/02 (2006.01) (75) Inventors: GREGORY RUSSELLARMEL, AOIN 57/6 (2006.01) Knoxville, TN (US); Dean Adam AOIN 43/40 (2006.01) Kopsell, Knoxville, TN (US); AOIN 43/88 (2006.01) James T. Brosnan, Knoxville, TN AOIN 43/70 (2006.01) AOIN 43/653 (2006.01) (US); Brandon J. Horvath, AOIN 47/40 (2006.01) Knoxville, TN (US); John C. AOIN 37/22 (2006.01) Sorochan, Knoxville, TN (US) AOIN 35/06 (2006.01) AOIP3/00 (2006.01) AOIP 2L/00 (2006.01) (73) Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE AOIP 7/04 (2006.01) RESEARCH FOUNDATION, AOIP5/00 (2006.01) KNOXVILLE, TN (US) AOIPI3/00 (2006.01) AOIP I/00 (2006.01) (52) U.S. Cl. ........... 504/107:435/29; 504/103: 504/108; (21) Appl. No.: 12/875,328 504/128; 504/130, 504/131:504/133; 504/134; 504/139; 504/141; 504/149; 504/234: 504/348 (57) ABSTRACT (22) Filed: Sep. 3, 2010 The subject application provides methods for the direct or indirect improvement of levels of key phytonutrients and/or stress tolerance in plants. Methods of providing for the Related U.S. Application Data improvement in key phytonutrient levels and/or stress toler ance in plants are provided through the application of Safen (60) Provisional application No. 61/239,602, filed on Sep. ers, herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, nematicides, miti 3, 2009, provisional application No. 61/262,580, filed cides, defoliants/desiccants, antibiotics, and/or plant growth on Nov. 19, 2009, provisional application No. 61/356, regulators to plants. Agricultural products arising from the 197, filed on Jun. 18, 2010. disclosed methods are also provided. US 2011/0053773A1 Mar. 3, 2011 METHODS OF IMPROVING NUTRITONAL bicides control weeds safely in crops because they are VALUE OF PLANTS exuded, metabolized, compartmentalized, or not absorbed or transported to the target site intolerant crops incomparison to CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED sensitive weed species. Fungicides include chemicals that kill APPLICATIONS fungi or inhibit the growth, reproduction and/or infestation of fungi. Plant growth regulators, also known as planthormones, 0001. This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provi include natural or synthetic chemicals that regulate or alter sional Application Ser. No. 61/239,602, filed Sep. 3, 2009: the growth of a plant or plant part. Insecticides include chemi Ser. No. 61/262,580, tiled Nov. 19, 2009; and Ser. No. 61/356, cals that kill or inhibit the growth, reproduction, and/or infes 197, filed Jun. 18, 2010, the disclosures of which are hereby tation of insects. Nematicides include chemicals that kill or incorporated by reference in their entirety, including all fig inhibit the growth, reproduction, and/or infestation of nema ures, tables and amino acid or nucleic acid sequences. todes. Miticides include chemicals that kill or inhibit the growth, reproduction, and/or infestation of mites. Defoliants/ BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION desiccants include chemicals that are applied to aid in plant 0002 Human and other animals are dependent on key drying, leaf kill, leaf drop, or aid in other aspects of crop phytonutrients produced or found in plants for optimal health. harvest or vegetation management. Antibiotics include These phytonutrients includebut are not limited to lipids (i.e., chemicals that are applied to aid in the control of bacteria and oils, fatty acids, saturated fatty acids, non-saturated fatty other plant diseases. Herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, acids, steroids, other), vitamins VitaminA (retinol), Vitamin nematicides, miticides, defoliants/desiccants, antibiotics, and B (thiamine), Vitamin B (riboflavin), Vitamin B (niacin), plant growth regulators may be collectively categorized with Vitamin B. Folic acid (folacin), Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid), other chemicals and referred to as pesticides and/or agro Vitamin D. Vitamin E (tocopherols), Vitamin K, other, min chemicals. erals (i.e. N. P. K. Ca,Mg, S, Cl, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, 0005 Crops may be naturally tolerant to a specific herbi Zn, etc.), proteins, amino acids (i.e., histidine, Valine, leucine, cide, fungicide, insecticide, nematicides, miticides, defoli isoleucine, lysine, methionine, cysteine, phenylalanine, ants/desiccants, antibiotics, or plant growth regulator, or may tyrosine, threonine, tryptophan, etc.), carbohydrates includ become selective to one or more of these agrochemicals ing but not limited to starch, fiber, cellulose, and Sugars (i.e., through molecular genetic manipulation, chemically induced Sucrose, fructose, glucose, maltose, raffanose, etc.) caro gene mutation techniques, or through plant breeding. How tenoid/xanthophyll antioxidants (i.e., beta-carotene, lyco ever, herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, nematicides, miti pene, lutein, Zeaxanthin, antheraxanthin, etc.), glucosinolates cides, defoliants/desiccants, antibiotics, and plant growth (i.e., glucobrassicin, Sinalbin, etc.) and phenolic compounds regulators that are considered selective to a crop may still (i.e. capsaicin, eugenol, polyphenols, salicylic acid, antho cause some injury in these crops due to variations in applica cyanins, tannins, resveratrol, etc.). Current methods used to tion timing, application rate, tank mixtures with other agro improve the quantity and/or quality of these types of plant chemicals, climate, soil type, formulations, adjuvants, or crop nutrients include adjusting crop fertility, molecular genetic varietal sensitivity. This injury creates stress responses in manipulation, plant breeding, and variations in processing plants that may not be obvious to those skilled in the art of this and handling of crops. invention. 0003 Moreover, changes in the level of phytonutrients in a variety of crops can provide many meaningful benefits DETAILED DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION including improved nutrition and flavor enhancement of 0006. It has now been discovered that plant stress crops for humans, livestock, wildlife, and/or pets. In addition, responses to the applications of safeners, herbicides, fungi processed foods (i.e., cereals, pasta, Soups, etc.) or other cides, insecticides, nematicides, miticides, defoliants/desic edible Substance derived from crops (i.e., processed Sugar, cants, antibiotics, and/or plant growth regulators leads to high fructose corn syrup, guacamole, maple syrup, flavor direct or in-direct improvements in the levels of key phyto enhancers, spices, etc.) can also have their nutritional com nutrients and/or stress tolerance in plants. Stress, as used position enhanced by changes in the levels of phytonutrients herein, describes, collectively, any condition or conditions contained in their crop of origin. In addition, changes in levels that can have negative impacts on plant quality and/or overall of phytonutrients may also help facilitate more efficient fer performance. Stress responses appear as continuums from mentation for crops (i.e., barley, rice, corn, hops, wheat, rye, very rapid physiological changes to much slower morpho grapes, agave, potato, Sugarcane, Switchgrass, etc.) used in logical changes. Antioxidant compounds within plants, the manufacturing of alcohol for consumption (such as wines, including for example, plant secondary metabolites, such as beer, and/or distilled spirits), biofuels (i.e., ethanol, butanol, terpenes (carotenoids and essential oils), phenolics (fla etc.), and other industrial and consumeruses (i.e., antiseptics, vonoids and anthocyanins), and nitrogen-containing com etc.). Also, changes in levels of phytonutrients can improve pounds (alkaloids and glucosinolates), serve functional roles the harvestability, fiber quality, processing efficiency, the rate to overcome the negative consequences to plant growth and of ripening, and/or shelf-life of key crops. In addition, chang development caused by stress. As a result, their production ing the levels of phytonutrients can enhance the production of may increase or decrease in response to various forms of or improve the quality of other plant derived products includ abiotic environmental stress, such as drought, elevated tem ing but not limited to pharmaceuticals, dietary Supplements, peratures, and nutrient imbalances. Applications of safeners, biologically derived materials (i.e., cotton fiber, forest prod herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, nematicides, miticides, ucts, lumber, paper, biodegradable plastics, hemp rope, etc.), defoliants/desiccants, antibiotics, and/or plant growth regu or biocatalysts. lators may enhance antioxidant metabolic pathways in plants, 0004. Herbicides are chemicals that kill plants by inhibit including for example, quenching the formation of reactive ing or modifying key biochemical processes. Selective her oxygen, chlorophyll, and other detrimental species promoted US 2011/0053773A1 Mar. 3, 2011 under abiotic stress conditions. Therefore, safeners, herbi gal/viral/bacterial pathogens, etc.), plant growth and appear cides, fungicides, insecticides, nematicides, miticides, defo ance, levels of one or more phytonutrients, plant stress toler liants/desiccants, antibiotics, and/or plant growth regulators, ance, and crop yield. applied either alone or in combination with diluents, adju 0008 Crops that would benefit from this invention include vants, fertilizers, nutrient based solutions, other agrochemi but are not limited to alfalfa, barley, corn (maize), popcorn, cals,