Methods and compositions for improving plant health

• US 8,207,092 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2008
• Issued: 06/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Monsanto Technology LLC (Bayer AG)
• Original Assignee: Monsanto Technology LLC (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: Bhatti, Muhammad, Brinker, Ronald J., Dill, Gerald M. Jr., Feng, Paul C. C., Hoi, Sio-Wai, Jacobs, Jennifer L., Pitkin, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Richter, Johann
• Assistant Examiner(s): Holt, Andriae M
• Application Number:
  US12/099,101
• Publication Number:
  US 20090105077A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,541 Days
• Field of Search: 504/206, 504/234, 504/275, 504/324, 435/441
• US Class Current: 504/206
• CPC Class Codes: A01H 3/04 by treatment with chemicals
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 2300/00 Combinations or mixtures of active ingredients covered by classes A01N27/00 - A01N65/48 with other active or formulation relevant ingredients, e.g. specific carrier materials or surfactants, covered by classes A01N25/00 - A01N65/48
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 37/40 having at least one carboxylic group or a thio analogue, or a derivative thereof, and one oxygen or sulfur atom attached to the same aromatic ring system
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 57/20 containing acyclic or cycloaliphatic radicals
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/8261 with agronomic (input) traits, e.g. crop yield
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/8271 for stress resistance, e.g. heavy metal resistance
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/8274 for herbicide resistance
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/8275 Glyphosate
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/8281 for bacterial resistance
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/8282 for fungal resistance
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/8285 for nematode resistance
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/146 Genetically Modified [GMO] plants, e.g. transgenic plants

Abstract

The present invention provides methods and compositions for improving plant health. In particular, application of dicamba or another substrate of DMO, or metabolites thereof including DCSA, to a plant confers tolerance to, or defense against, abiotic or biotic stresses such as oxidative stress including herbicide application, and plant disease, and enhances crop yield. Such application may be in combination with the application of another herbicide such as glyphosate.

Claims

1. A method for reducing or preventing yellow flash in a plant, comprising contacting the plant with dicamba or a product of DMO-mediated metabolism thereof in an amount that reduces or prevents the yellow flash.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying the plant as exhibiting yellow flash or at risk of exhibiting yellow flash prior to contacting the plant with dicamba or a product of DMO-mediated metabolism.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plant is in a crop production field.

4. The method of claim 1, further defined as comprising contacting a population of plants with said dicamba or a product of DMO-mediated metabolism thereof.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the product of DMO-mediated metabolism is 3,6-DCSA, 3,5-DCSA, or 3-CSA, or a metabolite of 3,6-DCSA, 3,5-DCSA, or 3-CSA.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the product of DMO-mediated metabolism is an analog of DCSA.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the product is herbicidal and wherein the plant comprises a transgene that encodes DMO.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the product is not herbicidal.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the plant comprises a transgene conferring glyphosate tolerance.

10. The method of claim 1, comprising contacting the plant with a tank mix comprising glyphosate and said dicamba or a product of DMO-mediated metabolism thereof.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the glyphosate is present in an amount that would damage the plant in the absence of said dicamba or a product of DMO-mediated metabolism thereof.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the plant is a dicotyledonous plant.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the dicotyledonous plant is selected from the group consisting of alfalfa, beans, beet, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, celery, Chinese cabbage, cotton, cucumber, eggplant, flax, lettuce, lupine, melon, pea, pepper, peanut, potato, pumpkin, radish, rapeseed, spinach, soybean, squash, sugarbeet, sunflower, tomato, and watermelon.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the plant is a monocotyledonous plant.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the monocotyledonous plant is selected from the group consisting of barley, corn, leek, onion, rice, sorghum, sweet corn, wheat, rye, millet, sugarcane, oat, triticale, switchgrass, and turfgrass.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the plant is tolerant to a herbicide selected from the group consisting of glyphosate, glufosinate, 2,4-D, mesotrione, dithiopyr, isoxaflutole, bromoxynil, atrazine, fluazifop-P, and a sulfonylurea/imidazolinone.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising contacting the plant with at least one herbicide selected from the group consisting of glyphosate, glufosinate, 2,4-D, mesotrione, thiazopyr, isoxaflutole, bromoxynil, atrazine, fluazifop-P, and a sulfonylurea/imidazolinone.