US 20140371074A1 (19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2014/0371074 A1 Wilson (43) Pub. Date: Dec. 18, 2014 (54) METHOD TO INCREASE PLANTYIELD Publication Classification (71) Applicant: John Hugh McCleery Wilson, Albion, (51) Int. Cl. IA (US) AOIN37/38 (2006.01) AOIC I/06 (2006.01) (72) Inventor: John Hugh McCleery Wilson, Albion, C05G 3/02 (2006.01) IA (US) (52) U.S. Cl. CPC A0IN37/38 (2013.01); C05G 3/02 (2013.01); 21) Appl. No.: 14/240,644 A0IC I/06 (2013.01) (21) Appl. No 9 USPC ............................................ 504/323; 47/57.6 (22) PCT Filed: Feb. 14, 2013 (57) ABSTRACT A method for increasing crop yield using plant growth regu (86). PCT No.: PCT/US2O13/026106 lators is disclosed. The invention relates to plant growth regu S371 (c)(1), lators including but not limited to auxins, cytokinins, gibber (2), (4) Date: Feb. 24, 2014 ellins, ethylene and abscisic acid and any combination thereof. Auxin forms include but are not limited to phenoxy herbicide, phenoxy herbicide esters, and herbicides mixed Related U.S. Application Data with surfactants and fertilizers. The invention relates to the application of the plant growth regulators to seed, soil and (60) Provisional application No. 61/598,757, filed on Feb. seedlings. The invention further relates to using different 14, 2012, provisional application No. 61/612,690, application rates and combinations of the plant growth regu filed on Mar. 19, 2012. lators to seeds, Soil, seedlings and plants. US 2014/0371074 A1 Dec. 18, 2014 METHOD TO INCREASE PLANTYELD 0007 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) is a com mon systemic herbicide used in the control of broadleaf CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED weeds. It is a member of the phenoxy family of auxinic APPLICATIONS herbicides and is manufactured from chloroacetic acid and 2,4-dichlorophenol. It is the most widely used herbicide in the 0001. This application claims the benefit of priority from world, and the third most commonly used in North America. U.S. provisional patent applications Ser. Nos. 61/598.757. 2,4-D is a highly selective herbicide that is toxic to broad filed on Feb. 14, 2012 and 61/612,690, filed on Mar. 19, 2012, leafed plants (dicots), but generally less harmful to grasses which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. (monocots). 0008 2,4-D is a synthetic auxin and as such it is often used BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION in laboratories for plant research and as a Supplement in plant 0002 The present invention relates to a new and distinc cell culture media. Auxins are important growth hormones, tive method for increasing plant yield by treating plants with involved in cell division, growth and differentiation in plants. plant growth regulators. All publications cited in this appli 2,4-D is absorbed through the leaves and is translocated to the cation are herein incorporated by reference. meristems of the plant where uncontrolled, unsustainable 0003 Increasing yield by promoting the growth of crops growth ensues, causing stem curl-over, leaf withering, and and increasing the yield per unit area is an important task in eventual plant death. 2,4-D is typically applied as an amine agricultural production. Generally, major elements essential salt, but more potentester versions exist as well. It is therefore for plant growth, Such as nitrogen, phosphorous and potas desirable for a novel use to be developed for increasing crop sium, are incorporated into a fertilizer and Supplied to plants, yield using plant growth regulators. but the amount and yield of grown crops is typically limited even if the concentration of the nutrient elements in the fer SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION tilizer is increased. Additionally, by using fertilizer in large amounts, excess elements are leached into the soil, thus wors 0009. The present invention provides a method for ening the balance of absorption and causing a reduction in increasing dicot crop yield perplant by treating plants with an plant growth. Further, leached elements may cause down effective amount of plant growth regulators. Treating plants stream pollution. Thus, alternative methods to increase crop in the present invention includes the treatment of soil, plants, yield are highly desirable. and seeds coated with a plant growth regulator. 0004 The growth and development of a plant are influ 0010. It is an aspect of the present invention to provide a enced by genetic factors, external environmental factors, and method of treating plants with plant growth regulators in chemical hormones inside the plant. Plant hormones are concentrations to enhance growth and yield. chemical messengers that affect a plant's ability to respond to 0011. It is an aspect of the present invention to provide a its environment. Hormones are organic compounds that are method of treating plants with auxins in concentrations to effective at very low concentration; they are usually synthe enhance growth and yield. sized in one part of the plant and are transported to another 0012. It is an aspect of the present invention to provide a location. Hormones interact with specific target tissues to method of treating plants with phenoxy herbicides in concen cause physiological responses, such as growth or fruit ripen trations to enhance growth and yield. ing. Each response is often the result of two or more hormones 0013 The invention further relates to a method of plant acting together. treatment with all forms of the phenoxy herbicide 2,4-D, 0005 Because hormones stimulate or inhibit plant including the acid and ester forms and all other versions growth, many botanists also refer to them as plant growth thereof. regulators. Many plant growth regulators can be synthesized 0014. The invention further relates to a method of treat in the laboratory, increasing the quantity of plant growth ment with 2,4-D mixed with surfactant to increase dicot plant regulators available for commercial applications. Botanists yield. recognize five major groups of plant growth regulators: aux 0015 The invention further relates to a method of treat ins, cytokinins, gibberellins, ethylene, and abscisic acid. ment with 2,4-D mixed with fertilizer to increase dicot plant 0006 Auxins can be divided into six major groups: indole yield. acids, naphthalene acids, phenoxy carboxylic acids, benzoic acids, picolinic acid derivatives, and the quinoline carboxylic 0016. It is a further aspect of this invention to use 2,4-D in acids. The first group contains the natural product indole-3- a seed treatment or seed coating. acetic acid (IAA). IAA is the most important naturally occur 0017. It is an aspect of this invention to use 2,4-D in a seed ring auxin, but its use in plant cell culture media is limited treatment or seed coating at an application rate of between because it is highly unstable in plants and quickly degrades 0.0001 mg and 2.5 mg of active 2,4-D per seed. This is the when exposed to light. The naphthalene acids (NAA) are used same as 0.0000308 pounds acid equivalent 2,4-D per acre to in research, but are not commercially available as herbicides. 0.770925 pounds acid equivalent 2,4-D per acre for soybeans The other groups contain many well known herbicides: phe planted at a normal seeding rate per acre. noxy carboxylic acids (2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4- 0018. It is a further aspect of this invention to apply 2,4-D D), 2,4,5-T 2,4-DB, dichlorprop, 2-Methyl-4-chlorophe to the Soil pre-planting by methods including but not limited noxyacetic acid (MCPA), MCPB, mecoprop), benzoic acids to: drizzling, soil spraying, Soil injection with a knife or other (dicamba, chloramben), picolinic acids (aminopyralid, clo means, or as side dressing. pyralid, picloram, triclopyr), quinoline carboxylic acids 0019. It is a further aspect of this invention to apply 2,4-D (quinclorac), and one yet to be named family (aminocyclo to the soil at the time of planting by methods including but not pyrachlor). These compounds are often called auxinic herbi limited to: drizzling, soil spraying, Soil injection with a knife cides. or other means, or as side dressing. US 2014/0371074 A1 Dec. 18, 2014 0020. It is a further aspect of this invention to apply 2,4-D acetic acid, K-salt; B-naphthoxyacetic acid; p-chlorophe to the soil post planting by methods including but not limited noxyacetic acid; dicamba; dichlorprop; fenoprop; indole-3- to: drizzling, soil spraying, Soil injection with a knife or other acetic acid (IAA); indole-3-acetyl-DL-aspartic acid; indole means, or as side dressing. 3-acetyl-DL-tryptophan; indole-3-acetyl-L-alanine; indole 0021. It is also an aspect of this invention to use 2,4-D in a 3-acetyl-L-valine; indole-3-butyric acid (IBA); indole-3- seed treatment or seed coating and to apply 2,4-D to the soil butyric acid, K-salt; indole-3-propionic acid; pre-planting, at the time of planting and/or post planting. C.-naphthaleneacetic acid; methyl indole-3-acetate; naphtha 0022. It is an aspect of this invention to apply 2,4-D to the leneacetamide; naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA); phenylacetic soil an unlimited number of times at any time between plant acid; picloram; potassium naphthenate; and Sodium naphth ing and 3 weeks prior to harvest, preferably applying between enate. 1 to 6 times, and most preferably applying between 1 to 3 0033 Average yield. As used herein, average yield means times per growing season. the average weight of seed harvested from one dicot plant. 0023. It is an aspect of this invention to apply 2,4-D to the 0034 Bactericides.