Control of senescence in fruits, vegetables and flowers

• US 5,087,417 A
• Filed: 08/04/1988
• Issued: 02/11/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: University of Waikato
• Original Assignee: University of Waikato
• Inventors: Thompson, John E., Shih, Ching Y., Dumbroff, Erwin B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Jill
• Application Number:
  US07/322,479
• Time in Patent Office: 1,286 Days
• Field of Search: 422/1, 422/40, 71/68, 71/79, 71/84, 47/58
• US Class Current: 422/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 37/38 having at least one oxygen or sulfur atom attached to an aromatic ring system
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 43/16 with oxygen as the ring hetero atom
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 7/10 Preserving with acids; Acid fermentation
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 7/154 Organic compounds; Microorganisms; Enzymes
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 7/16 Coating with a protective layer; Compositions or apparatus therefor A23B7/08 takes precedence

Abstract

Senescence in perishable plant tissue is inhibited by the application thereto of an effective amount of a compound of the formula: ##STR1## wherein R₁, R₂, R₃, R₄ and R₅ are each selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, --OH or --OR₇, provided that at least one of R₁ to R₅ is a hydroxyl group, R₆ is selected from the group consisting of --OH, --OR₈ and --NHR₉, R₇ is a substituent group, R₈ is the residue of an ester-forming compound and R₉ is the residue of an amide-forming compound. The compound may be prepared synthetically and, in some cases, can be isolated from natural sources, for example, the glucose ester of ferulic acid may be isolated from carnation petals.

Claims

1. A method of inhibition of senescence in harvested perishable plant tissue, which comprises:

applying to said harvested perishable plant tissue an effective amount of a compound of the formula;

##STR4## wherein R₁, R₂, R₃, R₄ and R₅ are each selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, --OH or --OR₇, provided that at least one of R₁ to R₅ is a hydroxyl group, R₆ is selected from the group consisting of --OH, --OR₈ and NHR₉, R₇ is a substituent group, R₈ is the residue of an ester-forming compound and R₉ is the residue of an amide-forming compound.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of R₁ to R₅ is OR₇ and R₇ is selected from the methyl group and the ethyl group.

3. A method of inhibition of senescence is perishable plant tissue, which comprises:

applying thereto an effective amount of a compound of the formula;

##STR5## wherein R₁, R₂, R₃, R₄ and R₅ are each selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, --OH or --OR₇, provided that only one of the groups R₁ to R₅ is hydroxyl and another of the groups R₁ to R₅ is alkoxy, R₆ is selected from the group consisting of --OH, --OR₈ and --NHR₉, R₇ is selected from the methyl group and ethyl group, R₈ is the residue of an ester-forming compound and R₉ is the residue of an amide-forming compound.

4. A method of inhibition of senescence in perishable plant tissue, which comprises:

applying thereto an effective amount of a compound of the formula;

##STR6## wherein R₁, R₂ and R₅ are each hydrogen, R₃ is --OH and R₄ is --OCH₃, R₆ is selected from the group consisting of --OH, --OR₈ and --NHR₉, R₇ is a substituent group. R₈ is the residue of an ester-forming compound and R₉ is the residue of an amide-forming compound.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein R₆ is --OR₈ and R₈ is a glycosyl ester.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein R₈ is B-D-glucose.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein R₈ is an ester of quinic acid.