Seed hull extract assimilation agents for agrochemical compositions

• US 5,525,576 A
• Filed: 10/03/1994
• Issued: 06/11/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Joseph A. Hickey, Lewis E. Dillon, Luis R. Medina-Vega
• Original Assignee: Joseph A. Hickey, Lewis E. Dillon, Luis R. Medina-Vega
• Inventors: Hickey, Joseph A., Dillon, Lewis E., Medina-Vega, Luis R.
• Primary Examiner(s): CLARDY, S
• Application Number:
  US08/312,990
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 71/DIG. 1, 514/231.2, 514/477, 514/783, 514/784, 514/946, 504/353, 504/248, 504/206, 504/211, 504/212, 504/213, 504/214, 504/215, 504/292, 504/299, 504/354, 504/116, 504/177
• US Class Current: 504/358
• CPC Class Codes: C05F 5/002 Solid waste from mechanical processing of material, e.g. seed coats, olive pits, almond shells, fruit residue, rice hulls
• CPC Class Codes: C05G 1/00 Mixtures of fertilisers belonging individually to different subclasses of C05
• CPC Class Codes: C05G 5/12 Granules or flakes
• CPC Class Codes: C05G 5/23 Solutions
• CPC Class Codes: C13K 13/00 Sugars not otherwise provided for in this class
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/20 Fertilizers of biological origin, e.g. guano or fertilizers made from animal corpses
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/145 the feedstock being materials of biological origin

Abstract

The efficacy of plant growth regulating agents and systemic insecticides for plants are enhanced by applying the agent in combination with a product from the oxidation of a hull-free, pentose-containing extract from seed hulls.

Claims

1. A composition comprising:

(a) an assimilation agent comprising an oxidized extract obtained by a process comprising;

i. contacting pentosan-containing seed hulls with nitric acid to hydrolyze pentosan polymers in said hulls to form a pentose-containing extract;

ii. injecting steam into the mixture of pentose-containing extract and hull solids to agitate said mixture while oxidizing at least in part the pentoses into polyhydroxycarboxylic acids in a first oxidized extract stream;

iii. separating the seed hull solids from the partially oxidized extract stream to make a clarified product;

iv. contacting the clarified product with additional nitric acid to oxidize at least in further part the pentoses in said first oxidized extract stream into a second oxidized product stream containing a blend of carbohydrates and polyhydroxycarboxylic acids; and

v. concentrating the second oxidized product stream to produce a concentrated product containing polyhydroxycarboxylic acids and carbohydrates related thereto; and

(b) an active ingredient containing a plant growth regulating agent, systemic fungicide, or a systemic insecticide for plants.

2. A composition in claim 1 wherein said active ingredient is selected from the group consisting of at least one of the gibberillins;

sodium ortho-nitrophenolate;

sodium para-nitrophenolate;

sodium 5-nitro-guaicolate;

a growth stunting amount of mepiquat chloride;

a lethal amount of either glyphosate or sulfosate; and

a sulfonyl-urea herbicide.

3. A composition as in claim 1 wherein said active ingredient comprises gibberellic acid, 3-indolebutyric acid, or combinations thereof.

4. A composition as in claim 1 wherein said active ingredient comprises tridemorph as a systemic fungicide.

5. A composition as in claim 1 wherein said active ingredient comprises aldicarb as a systemic insecticide.

6. A method for affecting the growth of plants by a process comprising:

applying to external surfaces of a plant a growth regulating amount of a composition comprising;

(a) an assimilation agent made by a process comprising;

i. contacting pentosan-containing seed hulls with nitric acid to hydrolyze pentosan polymers in said hulls to form a pentose-containing extract;

ii. injecting steam into the mixture of pentose-containing extract and hull solids to agitate said mixture while oxidizing at least in part the pentoses into polyhydroxycarboxylic acids in a first oxidized extract stream;

iii. separating the seed hull solids from the partially oxidized extract stream to make a clarified product;

iv. contacting the clarified product with additional nitric acid to oxidize at least in further part the pentoses in said first oxidized extract stream into a second oxidized product stream containing a blend of carbohydrates and derived polyhydroxycarboxylic acids; and

v. concentrating the second oxidized product stream to produce a concentrated product containing polyhydroxycarboxylic acids and carbohydrates related thereto; and

(b) an active ingredient containing a amount of a plant growth regulating agent effective to affect the growth rate of the treated plant.

7. A method as in claim 6 wherein the applying step comprises:

applying an assimilation agent made by a process consisting essentially of;

i. contacting seed hulls with 4-6% nitric acid to hydrolyze pentosan polymers in said hulls to form a pentose-containing extract;

ii. agitating said extract with steam at a temperature within the range of 75°

-85°

C. for 8-20 hours to oxidize pentoses within said extract to form polyhydroxycarboxylic acids in said first oxidized extract stream;

iii. separating the seed hull solids from the aqueous extract;

iv. contacting the aqueous extract with additional nitric acid to at least partially oxidize the extract into a dilute partially oxidized product stream containing a blend of carbohydrates and derived polyhydroxycarboxylic acids; and

v. concentrating the dilute partially oxidized product stream by vacuum distillation at a temperature of no more than 60°

C. to produce a concentrated assimilation agent.

8. A method as in claim 6 wherein the applying step comprises applying a growth stunting amount of mepiquat chloride.

9. A method as in claim 6 wherein the applying step comprises applying a plant growth enhancing amount of at least one of the gibberillins.

10. A method as in claim 6 wherein the applying step comprises applying said assimilation agent and a plant growth regulating agent comprising an active ingredient selected from the group consisting of at least one of the gibberillins;

sodium orthonitrophenolate;

sodium para-nitrophenolate;

sodium 5-nitro-guaicolate;

a growth stunting amount of mepiquat chloride;

a lethal amount of either glyphosate or sulfosate.

11. A method for protecting plants against predatory insects by a process comprising:

applying to external surfaces of a plant an insecticidally effective amount of a composition comprising;

(a) an assimilation agent made by a process comprising;

i. contacting pentosan-containing seed hulls with nitric acid to hydrolyze pentosan polymers in said hulls to form a pentose-containing extract;

ii. injecting steam into the mixture of pentose-containing extract and hull solids to agitate said mixture while oxidizing at least in part the pentoses into polyhydroxycarboxylic acids in a first oxidized extract stream;

iii. separating the seed hull solids from the partially oxidized extract stream to make a clarified product;

iv. contacting the clarified product with additional nitric acid to oxidize at least in further part the pentoses in said first oxidized extract stream into a second oxidized product stream containing a blend of carbohydrates and derived polyhydroxycarboxylic acids; and

v. concentrating the second oxidized product stream to produce a concentrated product containing polyhydroxycarboxylic acids and carbohydrates related thereto; and

(b) an active ingredient containing a amount of a systemic insecticide effective to kill insects feeding on plant tissues.

12. A method as in claim 11 wherein the applying step comprises:

applying an assimilation agent made by a process consisting essentially of;

i. contacting seed hulls with 4-6% nitric acid to hydrolyze pentosan polymers in said hulls to form a pentose-containing extract;

ii. agitating said extract with steam at a temperature within the range of 750°

-85°

C. for 8-20 hours to oxidize pentoses within said extract to form polyhydroxycarboxylic acids in said first oxidized extract stream;

iii. separating the seed hull solids from the aqueous extract;

iv. contacting the aqueous extract with additional nitric acid to at least partially oxidize the extract into a dilute partially oxidized product stream containing a blend of carbohydrates and derived polyhydroxycarboxylic acids; and

v. concentrating the dilute partially oxidized product stream by vacuum distillation at a temperature of no more than 60°

C. to produce a concentrated assimilation agent.

13. A method as in claim 11 wherein the applying step comprises:

applying an active ingredient comprising aldicarb.

14. A method for protecting plants against fungus by a process comprising:

applying to external surfaces of a plant fungicidally effective amount of a composition comprising;

(a) an assimilation agent made by a process comprising;

i. contacting pentosan-containing seed hulls with nitric acid to hydrolyze pentosan polymers in said hulls to form a pentose-containing extract;

ii. injecting steam into the mixture of pentose-containing extract and hull solids to agitate said mixture while oxidizing at least in part the pentoses into polyhydroxycarboxylic acids in a first oxidized extract stream;

iii. separating the seed hull solids from the partially oxidized extract stream to make a clarified product;

iv. contacting the clarified product with additional nitric acid to oxidize at least in further part the pentoses in said first oxidized extract stream into a second oxidized product stream containing a blend of carbohydrates and derived polyhydroxycarboxylic acids; and

v. concentrating the second oxidized product stream to produce a concentrated product containing polyhydroxycarboxylic acids and carbohydrates related thereto; and

(b) an active ingredient containing a amount of a systemic fungicide effective to kill fungus on plant tissues.

15. A method as in claim 14 wherein the applying step comprises:

applying an assimilation agent made by a process consisting essentially of;

vi. contacting seed hulls with 4-6% nitric acid to hydrolyze pentosan polymers in said hulls to form a pentose-containing extract;

vii. agitating said extract with steam at a temperature within the range of 75°

-85°

C. for 8-20 hours to oxidize pentoses within said extract to form polyhydroxycarboxylic acids in said first oxidized extract stream;

viii. separating the seed hull solids from the aqueous extract;

ix. contacting the aqueous extract with additional nitric acid to at least partially oxidize the extract into a dilute partially oxidized product stream containing a blend of carbohydrates and derived polyhydroxycarboxylic acids; and

x. concentrating the dilute partially oxidized product stream by vacuum distillation at a temperature of no more than 60°

C. to produce a concentrated assimilation agent.

16. A method as in claim 14 wherein the applying step comprises:

applying an active ingredient comprising tridemorph.