USE OF GLYPHOSATE FOR DISEASE SUPPRESSION AND YIELD ENHANCEMENT IN SOYBEAN

• US 20120135966A1
• Filed: 05/18/2010
• Published: 05/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Monsanto Technology LLC (Bayer AG)
• Original Assignee: Monsanto Technology LLC (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: Kohn, Frank C., South, Michael S.
• Granted Patent: US 10,555,527 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 514/114
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 57/20 containing acyclic or cycloaliphatic radicals
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/8275 Glyphosate

Abstract

The present invention discloses methods for prevention and prophylactic treatment of plant diseases by application of glyphosate to a plant in need of treatment. In certain embodiments, soybean plants in need of treatment at vegetative and reproductive growth stages prior to or subsequent to infection, may be treated with glyphosate in order to prevent infection or suppress disease development, symptomatology, and yield loss. Application of a fungicide (e.g. a strobilurin fungicide such as pyraclostrobin or picoxystrobin) together with glyphosate, is also contemplated. Soybean diseases that may be treated in this manner include Soybean Sudden Death, Brown Stem Rot, Stem Canker, and Charcoal Rot, among others.

Claims

1. A method for suppressing a disease in a soybean plant comprising:

a) identifying a soybean plant in a field as being at risk of a foliar or soilborne disease selected from the group consisting of Soybean Sudden Death Syndrome, Charcoal Rot, Brown Stem Rot, and Soybean Stem Canker; and

b) treating the soybean plant with a formulation or mixture comprising glyphosate, whereby the disease is suppressed by glyphosate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein treating the soybean plant is performed prior to detection of a disease symptom.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein treating the soybean plant comprises application of glyphosate to a soybean plant or seed at planting, or at or subsequent to soybean growth stage VE, V3, V6, R2, or R6.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein treating the plant with glyphosate occurs at or subsequent to soybean growth stage V3.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein treating with glyphosate is performed in the absence of weed pressure.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the field contains propagules of Fusarium virguliformae, Fusarium tucumaniae, Macrophomina phaseolina, Phialaphora gregata, or Diaporthe phaseolorum prior to or subsequent to planting, or subsequent to planting but prior to growth stage R1.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the soybean plant comprises a transgene encoding a polypeptide with glyphosate-tolerant EPSPS activity.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the soybean plant is tolerant to at least one other herbicide selected from the group consisting of glufosinate, dicamba, and an HPPD-inhibitor.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein glyphosate is applied as a foliar treatment.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein treating the soybean plant with a formulation or mixture comprising glyphosate comprises treatment at a rate of about 0.5 kg ae/ha to about 2.52 kg ae/ha of glyphosate.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein glyphosate is applied to the soybean plant prior to infection by Fusarium virguliformae, Fusarium tucumaniae, Macrophomina phaseolina, Phialaphora gregata, or Diaporthe phaseolorum.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein glyphosate is applied at least one day prior to infection.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein glyphosate is applied at least four days prior to infection.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein glyphosate is applied to a soybean plant after infection by Fusarium virguliformae, Fusarium tucumaniae, Macrophomina phaseolina, Phialaphora gregata, or Diaporthe phaseolorum, but prior to symptom detection.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein glyphosate is applied to a soybean plant not more than seven days after infection.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein glyphosate is applied to a soybean plant not more than one day after infection.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein application of glyphosate is prophylactic.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein treating the soybean plant with glyphosate results in a seed yield increase of 1.5 bushels/acre or more, relative to the yield of a soybean plant grown under the same conditions, but not treated with glyphosate.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the yield increase is 8 bushels/acre or more.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the formulation or mixture further comprises pyraclostrobin.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the formulation or mixture is applied as a foliar treatment.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein treating the soybean plant with a formulation or mixture comprising glyphosate and pyraclostrobin comprises treatment at a rate of about 0.5 kg ae/ha to about 2.52 kg ae/ha of glyphosate, and treatment at a rate of about 0.01 to about 1 kg ai/ha pyraclostrobin.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the formulation or mixture further comprises picoxystrobin.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the formulation or mixture is applied as a foliar treatment.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein treating the soybean plant with a formulation or mixture comprising glyphosate and picoxystrobin comprises treatment at a rate of about 0.5 kg ae/ha to about 2.52 kg ae/ha of glyphosate, and treatment at a rate of about 0.01 to about 1 kg ai/ha picoxystrobin.